If you were to look in a WWI or II training manual, you may find that an "entrenching tool" i.e. a shovel, is said to be the best weapon of close combat, especially true in trench warfare. Another renowned weapon for Close Quarters Battle(CQB) is the shotgun. Brandished by many a hillbilly at Repo Men, and discharged towards locked doors by SWAT teams and the like. With a wide range of available ammunitions and models, the pump shotgun is a boon to any person involved in CQB. That said, why not combine the two weapons? Many pump shotguns, such as the SPAZ make it possible to replace the tubular magazine inder the barrel instead of refilling it manually. A shovel blade is customarily mounted on a cylindrical shaft, so why not attach the shovel blade to the cylindrical magazine itself, or perhaps to a similiar shaft mounted under the barrel to keep the option of switching the magazine viable, after all this weapon wouldn't be of much use if reloading removed the shovel portion. The shovel blade would have to be slightly modified, flattened, or inverted to keep the tip of the shovel out of the line of fire. The shovel could also be sharpened to serve as a bayonet as well as a bludgeon.
-- whatastrangeperson, Dec 21 2003

Please try to keep from filling the barrel with dirt while you dig.....
-- normzone, Dec 22 2003


Notice that this weapon would be useful in WWI and WWII. Today this weapon would have no value, since we no longer use trench warfare.

Although... it would definately keep those pesky kids off my lawn while I'm gardening :p
-- v0rtexx, Dec 22 2003


Thanks [wasp] - this will make the ideal christmas present for 'Frankie the fearsome' - a mob friend of mine who frequently has to bury his victims in shallow graves. He's so funny - he's always forgetting that pesky shovel! Incidentally is there a difference between a shovel and a spade?
-- dobtabulous, Dec 22 2003


who was the Ace of Shovels, again?
-- po, Dec 22 2003


//Today this weapon would have no value, since we no longer use trench warfare.// -maybe YOU don't.
-- whatastrangeperson, Dec 22 2003


//please try to keep from filling the barrel with dirt as you dig...// the shovel portion is intended for killing people not digging, normzone.
-- whatastrangeperson, Dec 24 2003


////please try to keep from filling the barrel with dirt as you dig...// the shovel portion is intended for killing people not digging//

Wait, I'm not following you [strangeperson], why would you use a shovel solely to kill a man instead of use as a shovel. Why not use a bayonet, which is meant for killing, instead of just smacking the guy with a shovel.
-- MikeOxbig, Dec 18 2005


It has to be said, you can bury the guy after you're done killing him.
-- Honduras, Dec 18 2005


//Incidentally is there a difference between a shovel and a spade?//

A spade is usually almost straight, and is used for digging vertically into the ground. A shovel has a greater angle between blade and shaft, and is used for scooping up loose soil/rubble/coal etc....
-- Minimal, Dec 19 2005


Perhaps a small dirt cover could be made to go over the barrel, and pop up out of the way when the safety is off.
-- ye_river_xiv, Sep 05 2006



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