A point about scimitars

In which our presenter passes on an anecdote about the use of scimitars, to be taken with a pinch of salt. Supposedly, the incident occurred in Lebanon in the 1970s.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• scimitar
• sword
• sabre
• saber
• technique
• cut
• close
• fighting
• crowd
• slice
• FN
• rifle
• platoon
• wound

[MrDocProfHe]

What kind of Scimitar is the one you own?

[lindybeige]

@MrDocProfHe An Indian tulwar.

[Deathwatch05]

I don't believe the FN FAL's power is enough to actually go through a body and hit another as you said, even at close range. While your general premise is correct, that the British soldiers would have been worried about accidentally shooting their own men, it most likely wouldn't have been because the bullet might have gone *through* the scimitar user. The 7.62 round used in the FAL tended to shatter and fragment inside the target rather than enter and exit. Correct me if I'm wrong though. :)

[lindybeige]

@Deathwatch05 I think the recommended thickness of brick to stop the bullets was 27".

[SwordsmanMercenary]

Intereting sounds like that platoon could use some bayonets to defend themselves with.

[lindybeige]

@SwordsmanMercenary They take time to fix. Walking around as a peacekeeper with fixed bayonets sends out a bad impression.

[lindybeige]

@LPmaniac123 Yugoslavia is much more dangerous than I realised.

[lindybeige]

@Ayomide345 I think it's mainly the jumpers.

[BlackSephir]

What about daggers like kris/keris?

[lebarosky]

Ya ok but I think we are talking light cavalry and such a blade is perfect for light cavalry.

[Gman556]

Curved swords. Curved. Swords.

[shububu12]

@Deathwatch05 a 7.62 NATO FMJ will easily go through a human body, even a 9mm pistol round will go through a your chest at close range

[CassyCalv]

@Deathwatch05

"Correct me if I'm wrong though."

You are wrong. Even in the 1970's, the British were using 7.62x51 (.308 Winchester) NATO rounds, meaning they were Full Metal Jacket. These are designed to punch fairly clean straight holes through targets while not expanding and causing extra damage. Just enough to stop an enemy soldier. A .308 (or 7.62) WOULD go through several people (assuming no body armor) quite easily. Even a .22LR round is capable of going through a person.

[Deathwatch05]

@lindybeige You're probably right though, given the size and power of the cartridge it seems quite likely that there would be a risk of the bullet exiting and hitting someone else, especially at close range or even point blank... this is from what I've just read about terminal ballistics on wikipedia though, if you find anything different please do share. :)

[Deathwatch05]

@lindybeige I remember hearing an account somewhere of a battlefield medic who had to treat a wound by one of those bullets where the damn thing had shattered into approx. 50 pieces within the wound. Can't remember where though. I'm pretty sure that by the time the British were using the FAL gunsmiths had realized that the idea of bullets is to release all their energy inside the target rather than leave a neat hole which is actually easier to deal with... shall we do some research? :)