If you've ever spent time pondering what weapon you would choose if faced with a zombie apocalypse, you've come to the right place. We've sifted through the most iconic zombie weapons used on the big and small screen. Specifically, we’ve selected weapons used to fight the slow-moving, Romero-style zombie. From the classic shotgun used in the original Night of the Living Dead to Aaron’s mace arm in The Walking Dead, there’s no shortage of creative ways to kill zombies, though some weapons are more effective than others.
- 1181 VOTES
Shotgun
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- Night of the Living Dead
- Continental Distributing
Pros: Readily available in all zombie movies. Accepts multiple types of ammunition. Good for novice gun users.
Cons: Brutal kickback. Cumbersome. During the time it takes to reload, a zombie could easily get you.
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- 2179 VOTES
Rifle
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- Shaun of the Dead
- Universal Pictures
Pros: A gold-standard weapon in zombie movies. There's essentially a rifle for every skill level.
Cons: The more powerful the rifle, the heavier or more difficult it is to maneuver. For a rifle like the Winchester used in Shaun of the Dead, you'd have to get in close range of your zombie target.
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- 3148 VOTES
Machete
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- Dawn of the Dead
- United Film Distribution Company
Pros: Can do a lot of damage in hand-to-hand combat. Look at how surprised that zombie from Dawn of the Dead is.
Cons: Getting too close for comfort with zombies. More unwieldy than a knife and less precise than a sword.
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- 4180 VOTES
Handgun
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- Day of the Dead
- United Film Distribution Company
Pros: Easy to carry/conceal. It also gives you the element of surprise.
Cons: Forces you to shoot at close range. Bad recoil.
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- 5170 VOTES
Sword
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- The Dead Don't Die
- Focus Features
Pros: Sharp and precise. It gives you more distance between you and the zombies than a knife or machete. One of the best weapons in terms of aesthetics.
Cons: High skill level required. Heavier than it looks. A bit conspicuous.
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- 6166 VOTES
Axe
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- The Walking Dead
- AMC
Pros: More powerful than a hatchet in the right hands. A longer handle gives you more distance from zombie brains.
Cons: A longer handle also means less control, and they are heavier than a hatchet.
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- 7158 VOTES
Crossbow
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- The Walking Dead
- AMC
Pros: A trusted weapon for thousands of years. Doesn't make a sound. Precise if you know what you're doing.
Cons: Reload time. You won't get a good shot unless you have A LOT of upper-body strength (Daryl from The Walking Dead makes it look easy).
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- 8152 VOTES
Bow And Arrow
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- Diary of the Dead
- Third Rail Releasing
Pros: Incredibly light, easy to reload, looks very cool, and you might be able to get your arrow back.
Cons: Requires a higher level of skill than other weapons. You also will have to pull the aforementioned arrow out of a zombie.
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- 9147 VOTES
Hatchet
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- The Walking Dead
- AMC
Pros: Portable. You control the force. You could probably split open a skull with it.
Cons: Only works at close range, which means there's a high likelihood of getting zombie brains on yourself.
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- 10143 VOTES
Knife
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- The Walking Dead
- AMC
Pros: Great multipurpose tool. You can hide it anywhere on your body. There are also many zombie-specific models.
Cons: Forces you to fight at close range. Easy to hurt yourself with one. Do you really want to get your knife stuck in a zombie's head?
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- 11136 VOTES
Grenade
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- Dawn of the Dead
- United Film Distribution Company
Pros: Keeps you at a safe distance from zombies. You'll look like a badass if you pull the pin out with your teeth.
Con: Could easily harm non-zombies in the immediate area, including yourself.
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- 12126 VOTES
Mace
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- The Walking Dead
- AMC
Pros: Easily takes out a target if used right. No reload time. Works great as a backup arm.
Cons: Close-range combat. Won't fit in your pocket. Could seriously take yourself out if you misuse the swinging variety.
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- 13129 VOTES
Bazooka
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- Zombie Army 4: Dead War
- Rebellion Developments
Pros: You're literally firing rockets at zombies. Maximum destruction. It's a bazooka!
Cons: Heavy and cumbersome. Not the most accurate. It's a bazooka!
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