Guns are only weapon you need in modern RPG setting?

[blackseven]

A real gunshot actually is not that easy to identify. It sounds more like a firework (in my experience) than the gunshot sound effect we hear in movies. People will still call the police, hopefully, but I would not assume people will identify it correctly.

The problem is that kevlar is nearly worthless against a thrust from a knife. <snip>

.. it doesn't do much better than a really heavy sweater against a bodkin arrow or a thrusting knife.

Kevlar can be treated to be stab resistant. It's not as good as a rigid plate but it's much better than a "really heavy sweater."

(protip: that's why "armor piercing" rounds have a much pointier tip than regular bullets. To get through kevlar and to increase the surface pressure at the point of impact on solid armors.)

This is correct. Just as important to note, though, is that armor piercing is comparatively good at piercing because the standard self-defense bullet (for non-military use) is a hollow point, which is designed to flatten and expand upon impact, transferring more energy to the target. This is more effective against flesh, but less so against a vest, which tries to disperse the energy across a wider area. The hollow point works into this tendency, while the "armor piercing" bullet fights against it.

I'll have to stop you there. This assumes that the knife wielder has the advantage, it can easily go both ways depending on the situation.

<snip>

It all boils down to a case by case basis. The difference involving distance, skill, and a boatload of other variables too numerous to name.

The person you quote specified an already drawn knife. The Tueller Drill puts the threat range at about 21 feet for holstered gun versus a drawn knife ...which is pretty scary.

[The Glyphstone]

But aren't their studies that show humans can be remarkably blase with their response to hearing screams?

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Civilians, maybe, and even that is heavily dependent on the local area. If you're just out randomly murderizing late-night joggers, silence is less important than your ability to escape the scene of the crime quickly. If you're concerned with being quiet, you plan to stick around, which probably means you're somewhere with security guards or other significantly more alert and scream-sensitive people.

[DontEatRawHagis]

The person you quote specified an already drawn knife. The Tueller Drill puts the threat range at about 21 feet for holstered gun versus a drawn knife ...which is pretty scary.

Yes, which is why I brought up the point. The issue was that it is a one sided fight, catching the gun user off guard. In a case by case basis, a gun user could do the exact same thing.

Interesting read by the way.

[blackseven]

Yes, which is why I brought up the point. The issue was that it is a one sided fight, catching the gun user off guard. In a case by case basis, a gun user could do the exact same thing.

I think we are on the same page, but just make sure we are on the same wavelength.

The Tueller drill assumes that the gun wielder *knows* that the knife user is present, armed, and has hostile intent. The knife wielder does NOT catch the gun user off guard in the sense that it is an ambush.

Honestly I think the important parts of this study are to make officers aware of just how dangerous a knife user is, and also to show the public that an officer drawing a gun on a knife user who is "so far away" is NOT overreacting. 21 feet seems like a long distance if you just look real quick, right?

EDIT: Obviously, a drawn gun changes the equation somewhat, but the big problem is that the gun often gives the gun user an unjustified sense of "advantage." Even with a drawn gun versus a drawn knife, the "safe zone" is something like 15 ft or so. (I forgot the study that measured this.) It takes almost a second from when the "attacker" starts moving until the gun user processes the movement and puts a shot on target.