If you’re serious about prepping, then you know how important it is to have not only an arsenal of firearms, but also extra ammunition to go along with them. But in the event of a national emergency where people are forced to fend for themselves, chances are your ammo will run out fairly quickly, especially if you are using it to hunt for food. Once your reserves are depleted, it can be very difficult to find more, considering the fact most of the stores and gun shops will be completely looted in a matter of days.

That being said, when ammunition is scarce, what can you use as self-defense weapons other than firearms? Survivopedia.com recently compiled a list of do-it-yourself cold weapons that you can create and use when your ammo boxes run dry.

Knives

Whether you’re a prepper getting ready for the day society collapses or just an average guy with a 9-5 job, it’s a good idea to get in the habit of carrying a knife on you at all times. You’d be surprised at how many times each day you use it, and in a survival scenario, it will become your best friend. The advantage to carrying a knife as a means of self-defense is obvious – blades don’t need to be reloaded. In addition to being highly effective when it comes to fending off attackers, knives are great tools for stealth, which is a skill that you will inevitably have to put to use when SHTF. (Related: Here’s why prepping is the best way to ensure you have the supplies you need before the next disaster.)

Melee Weapons

While knives make great weapons, there are several other “melee” weapons that can be used in a survival situation as well. Spears, swords, clubs, hammers, police batons, baseball bats with nails hammered through, crowbars, and shovels are all great choices that do not require any reloading or ammunition for self-defense. Believe it or not, car keys are also a great melee weapon, assuming that they are non-folding (which most are). You can either hold your car key like a knife and use it to stab your attacker, or you can hold it between your knuckles and use it to inflict some extra damage when throwing punches. (Related: Residents in New York and New Jersey were forced to arm themselves with anything they could find, from shotguns to bows to bats and machetes.)

Bows and Arrows

The bow and arrow is a fantastic weapon for a number of different reasons. First, they can be improvised from scratch, which is extremely beneficial if you find yourself in an off-the-grid survival scenario. Second, assuming that you are able to retrieve your arrows after you fire them, you can never run out of ammunition. The arrows can be used over and over again, so long as you make a point of keeping the tips sharp and intact. Bow and arrows are great for not only self-defense against attackers, but also for hunting.

The Slingshot

The slingshot is a time-tested weapon that has been used for thousands of years. You can build your own slingshot or you can buy one as they’re rather inexpensive. Furthermore, getting ammunition for slingshots is no trouble at all, as you can use anything from rocks to scraps of metal to hurl at your attackers. The slingshot can even be used to hunt small game, making it a fantastic choice for preppers and survivalists looking for weapons other than bullet-reliant firearms.

In a real survival situation where society has crumbled and the rule of law is thrown out the window, you will inevitably have to defend yourself on multiple occasions. Gun ammunition will be hard to come by, but you can rest assured knowing that there are still a wide variety of other options that you can choose from.

Sources include:

Survivopedia.com

UrbanSurvivalSite.com