Taking on the Zombies

Zombies, and the gear to take them out, have become the rage throughout the firearms and shooting accessories industries. While companies like Hornady and LaserLyte have caught some slack for creating products that some people claim as useless or a joke, the companies are only following the market, and producing what sells. If ZombieMax ammo and the multitude of neon green products weren’t selling, they wouldn’t still be out and available.

When zombie products first started to appear on the market, I thought they were interesting, especially the targets. Then, I thought ZombieMax was an awesome marketing campaign by Hornady and that the Outbreak Omega Shoot would be a lot of fun to attend. Later, I was getting a little tired of zombie products, while still liking the concept that has introduced a lot of newcomers to shooting through the fun of these products.

Now there is even a Zombie Survival Course created by a group in New Jersey. I’m not advocating this group; in fact, I know nothing about them beyond the website, but I really like the idea of a training class based around defending against zombies. The skills easily transfer over to the real world, and it makes the course fun for more than just the diehard survivalists. My only complaint is that I didn’t think of it first.

Provide your thoughts on zombies and whether it’s funny or faux pas. Be succinct and polite because the best answer wins a LaserLyte Zombie Pistol Bayonet.

DPMS Outbreak Omega Shoot

This photo was provided by Shooting Illustrated Editor-in-Chief Guy Sagi, who attended this year's Outbreak Omega. See more photos on SI's facebook page.

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46 Responses to Taking on the Zombies

Bruce Pierce wrote:
August 04, 2013

Well, here's a positive side effect of the zombie craze. I found myself face to face with a steriotypical gun-grabber the other day. He was so distracted by the zombie shooting fad that he never thought to spout the usuall confiscatory platitudes. Any day an anti-gunner is distracted is a good day to me.

RackAttack wrote:
July 16, 2012

Via random draw Bryan Reynolds won the LaserLyte Pistol Bayonet. Keep reading for opportunities to win other gear.

April wrote:
July 14, 2012

Take it at face value. Zombies have been a part of American culture since the 60's if not sooner. If you are looking for something fun and interesting, a way to teach good shot placement in the event of an intruder, while still differentiating from an actual human target (yes children do see a difference) the zombies seem to be the way to go. As they say it's all in good fun as long as it's safe fun.

Rod wrote:
July 13, 2012

I love the Zombie craze. Promotes gun and gun saftety. Brings in the new generation. And the products are not only fun but practical in many senses of the word. Bring on the DEAD!!!

Brent wrote:
July 13, 2012

I personally think the whole Zombie themed items are great, I don't think I will ever buy any being a traditional black and OD green tactical guy but it is still really amazing what it has done for shooting sports and for people just learning how to defend themselves and survive... These sometimes being the same people who previously denounced and/or were weary about firearms!!! I have personally seen this with friends of mine! But overall, those fancy toxic green looking gadgets really are what they represent... They've gone viral! And if spreading this awesome virus of gun awareness, self-preparedness (for any type of emergency or natural disaster), and basic survival techniques is spread by painting everything 'zombie' green...

Wes wrote:
July 13, 2012

Zombie gear is great fun! I personally enjoy shooting very much, and part of that enjoyment is shopping for and using my gear—including zombie gear. I'd dig adding the LaserLyte Zombie Pistol Bayonet to my range bag! And when all this ceases to become fun, it's time to sell off everything and take up cards or board games or something.

Rick Davies wrote:
July 12, 2012

Ooooooooo........ Brains........ Hungry, need brains.........

Gary wrote:
July 12, 2012

OK, I STAND CORRECTED! I was under the impression that Zombieitis had to do with mushy-minded kids playing out their fantasies. With guns! Now I see that one of the benefits is to get new young people interested in the shooting sports and that is a really good thing. And, becoming aware of survival skills is never a bad idea. So pass the Kool-Aid, I'm in.

Pops wrote:
July 12, 2012

Thirty years ago we got our first look at the 'Zombie Apocalypse' with the Mel Gibson 'Mad Max' series... and that was filmed when the Aussies could still own guns!

Justin Burton wrote:
July 11, 2012

While I may not believe in the stereotypical 'zombie apocalypse', I do believe that there will come a time when some of these tactics and products will come in handy! People are attacking and eating other people alive??? How long before some crazy anti-American develops something to trigger just that? How long before the government get overthrown by the people? Riots in the streets if the dollar collapses? These products and courses may not all be useful and sensible, but a lot of them could translate to a real scenario that is coming.

George wrote:
July 11, 2012

Didnt know they made those. sounds cool. I like the new zombie rave,it adds a little more fun to the shooting range. Everyone should relax and have a lil fun once in awhile ^ |

J Young wrote:
July 11, 2012

I love all the the Zobmie products out that are funny and a good conversation starter and these products came out in the first place to make fun of all the liberals who actually think a Zombie Apocolypse is really goin to happen so with that said keep the Great Zomie products coming :)

Joshua Richardson wrote:
July 11, 2012

Zombie shoots at great fun! More importantly they are great training for shooting targets that wear body armor. And what are zombies, mindless creatures with their arms stretched out looking for their next free meal with no regard to who they have to hurt to get it, sounds like democrats to me.

Dillon wrote:
July 11, 2012

When the zombie products first started coming out I thought it was funny. To be honest some it still is. I get laughs when I show my buddies the latest thing in zombie defense. Ya sometimes it get out of hand and some of it is just plain out of hand but it's a fad and fads come and go. Till then I am gonna have fun with my friends joking bout what we need for 'zombie times'

Jason wrote:
July 11, 2012

I don't see anything wrong with it...and really don't see it being any form of the dumbing down of america. No matter what way you look at it, it IS benefiting the firearms industry. It's appealing to the younger "gaming" generation, and it's helping boost sales and interest in firearms ownership. People who were satisfied enough playing video games, and didn't really plan on ever shooting real firearms, are now getting into shooting. This whole zombie craze has also created a ton of new and entertaining targets to shoot. Yes, it's true that there may be a case here or there where someone gets into shooting that probably shouldn't be...but that happened before the zombie craze too. Regardless of why people are buying firearms and learning how to shoot...it's our duty as gun owners, shooters, and gun enthusiasts, to help inform both those who are interested in joining the shooting community, and even those already shooting. Just because someone joins for a different reason than you, doesn't make them dumb...nor does it mean they are not serious about shooting and firearms ownership. In an era where building the shooting/firearms industry bigger and better will help ensure the protection of our 2nd ammendment...we have to get as many people as we can involved and informed. The fun factor created by the zombie craze has helped with this, and it appears that it will continue to do so for quite some time. It's a win-win to me...

Chris gates wrote:
July 11, 2012

Shooting zombie targets is just fun! And feel free to send me the laser it will fit my SR 40 nicely!Comments...

justin wrote:
July 11, 2012

i stand entirely behind the real motivation for the zombie craze. prepaeredness. the Boy Scouts have been sticking to this message for decades. as a BSA leader I have even used this marketing tequnique to motivate my scouts....and even my wife into the be prepared for anything mindset.she has even just gotten into the shooting community recently we she got her first pistol and has started upgrading it.the smile on her face after each trigger squeeze is what shooters everywhere can relate with, and with the concept of zombies as such a huge market for new shooters to find interest in the sport....im alll for it!

JD wrote:
July 11, 2012

It's all meant in good fun. I just don't see the harm in attracting more people to learn about and own firearms. Granted, the likelihood of a zombie attack is tremendously small (as in zero), it's still a perfectly viable way to grab the attention of potential customers. My only hope is that nobody takes the whole zombie schtick seriously. I'm not too keen on a zombie survival course, but a good local firearms handling or conceal carry course is a fantastic idea.

kelly wrote:
July 11, 2012

I don't see the harm in having a little fun, especially something that may attract new gun owners. With our constitution and rights being trampled daily we need all the help we can get!

Charles Cowsert wrote:
July 11, 2012

Anything that gets people out and shooting more often, or introduces new people to shooting, I believe is great.

Bryan Reynolds wrote:
July 11, 2012

Zombie gun bayonets, green ammo, and all things Zombie are just good American Fun. If this latest fad makes more people aware of their 2nd amendment rights and how to properly and safely handle firearms then I'm all for it. I'm not worried about anyone trying to chew my face off but if someone breaks into my home I'm sure I will be better off thanks to all those Zombie targets I destroyed at the range. Not to mention that bayonet looks bad!

Paul wrote:
July 11, 2012

The zombie themed items have added a fun new dimension to shooting. Whether you use "zombie" as a metaphor or as a literal zombiepocalypse, it has proven to be at least interesting. I love to shoot but the addition of zombie targets paper or 3D have become wildly popular and are much more exciting than your standard bottle or circle targets. zombie themes have rejuvenated older shooters and brought new shooters to the table which is always a good thing. I have never had much interest in rifles or shotguns but when mossberg unveiled the 500 series zombie edition i just had to have it and unintentionally discovered the joy of shotguns. When i speak with older or more reserved shooters even ones that are proudly anti zombie they all smile when they see my Zombie Slayer LCP or the zombie accessories that are available for shooters. At the end of the day The gun companies and others like Hornady or Laserlyte simply make shooting more fun, and what guy doesn't like adding a cool new toy to his collection. I do understand some peoples hesitation for zombie themed items but feel that some are much too serious. It may be just a fad but i plan on enjoying it as long as i can.

Kyle wrote:
July 11, 2012

I think it adds another fun dimension to the world of shooting sports. A little tongue in cheek never hurts :-)

Ben wrote:
July 11, 2012

I enjoy all the zombie products, I don't believe it will ever be reality but it's fun to mess around with. I think anything that gets more people into the world of shooting and doing it safely is a great idea. I'd love to try the coarse with my .45 and my zombie max ammo. Just so happens said .45 has a rail so a bayonet would be fun as well. Not to mention the green zombie response vehicle sticker in the back window of my Xterra.

RGS wrote:
July 11, 2012

I think it is a fun imaginative idea, even though it feels like zombie land half of the time anyways.

Josh Bunch wrote:
July 11, 2012

I think its funny but still something to have fun with and pass some time. Plus there have been some neat products come out because of all the zombie stuff, like the cool looking bayonet and those bleeding zombie targets as well!

jim skelton wrote:
July 11, 2012

I think it's an interesting concept. I'm a fan of the walking dead series. Do I think i could get attacked by zombies? No. Do I think it's a possibility? Maybe. With the recent issues with CDC's ventilation leaks and lack of security. I believe there could be an airborne pathogen that could cause zombie like actions, similar to the bath salts substance abuse reports in Florida, as well as pcp reactions in the 70's and 80's

Greg P. wrote:
July 11, 2012

I disagree with the 'dumbing down' comment. Ignorance is key to referring to anyone who disagrees with you as dumb' fact of the matter, I own 2 pistol bayonets, one for home defense another for my storm Cx4 as its the only rail mounted bayonet on the market. That being said I enjoy tricking out my shotgun for zombie apocalypse. I know how to shoot, I've been raised on firearms, and am 26,I have a higher than average iq. I don't drink, smoke, or do drugs. I very much going to zombie shoot outs. It's a great social activity that involves shooting. I have a custom built AR with a zombie lower that is one of my prize guns. I don't actually believe in a zombie virus taking over humanity, but engaging in a fantasy world while at the range is that much more fun. I am improving accuracy, and follow up shots, having fun, and enjoying myself. I see not how this makes me 'dumb' as another commenter states. I'm having a good time and investing into a market that appeals to me and allows me to personalize my weapons more. To me it's good clean fun

DJ wrote:
July 11, 2012

With the diminishing numbers of hunters, I think the whole zombie aspect is a great way to introduce new shooters to the sport. If you can spark a child's interest in handing firearms in a safe manner, I don't care if they are looking to shoot at animals of imaginary creatures. Now, I won't normally pay the additional costs of "zombie" equipment. However, I find it a fun and entertaining way to create new shooting experiences. The new splatter zombie targets are really fun to shoot and provide an interactive environment not found shooting paper or clay targets. Many of the disciplines used for defensive carry can be taught in a "zombie" fashion to keep the classes new and exciting. I think anything that excites new shooters to begin training and old shooters to retrain can never be a bad idea. It may seem silly to some, but it comes down to our sport is gaining popularity and people are taking interest in the different aspects of shooting. I say zombies beware, here we come.

Rebecca wrote:
July 11, 2012

I think the idea of a zombie Apocalypse is absurd but none the less entertaining. With all the "predators" in the world, would slow moving hoards of the undead really survive? Chances are no. So I'm going with the whole "Zombie" era is funny, entertaining, and a huge part of everyday discussion.

Wayne wrote:
July 11, 2012

Of course a zombie apocalypse isn't going to happen, but it's still fun to a large number of people. You forgot to mention Taurus's Raging Judge version called the Zombie Defender. And what skills that would be learned during zombie training couldn't be used in any other real world situation. It's the same tactical techniques as anything else. Living in America, we are slightly more likely to be invaded than we are to be attacked by zombies. Let's face it, neither one is going to happen. But survival is survival and some people are attracted to it, albeit a far fetched or realistic scenario. If you don't enjoy it, that's fine. We are all entitled to our opinions.

Zac wrote:
July 11, 2012

What's funny is that people don't even understand the symbolism the zombies represent. In a survival situation, "zombies" are simply all the people who did not prepare. So they will want to "feed" on those who did. When preparing for the zombiepocalypse, you are only preparing to protect what is yours.

Robert wrote:
July 11, 2012

I think that I would have to agree that this type of marketing and training manuals are helping rather than hurting the shooting industry. Most people I know wouldn't know the first thing about home defense, or situational awareness. But lately some of them have begun to understand what I am talking about due to their "interest" in the "coming zombie apocalypse" . I was with Gary a few years back when it was all the talk on the web, but recently have seen an upside the topic. I have been able to teach friends firearms safety classes based on their interest in being able to defend themselves from a zombie attack. Reword that and you now have a person that can defend themselves against a violent subject. Any way we can educate people in the shooting industry is going to be helping to create smarter better informed shooters.

Jodie wrote:
July 11, 2012

The idea of incorperating zombies into weapons and training is a smart idea. It allows the younger audience such as young teens and video gamers to want to be involved into learning guns and gun safety in a safe and professional enviornment. I believe that some ideas are odd or useless but the marketing compay knows how to reach teens and young adults. Call of Duty has capitolized on this and has created zombie infused sub-games and it let the children learn about the guns of past wars and everything about them. My son asked me to take him to the library so he could study guns and he wishes to be a NRA member. Zombies sound odd but it allows the children to start at a young age to be involved in weapon safety so there are less accidents or no reason for them to go to alternative sources such as gangs to go fufill their dreams of holding and shooting guns.

Travis wrote:
July 11, 2012

I absolutely love all of the new zombie accessories coming into the market. Sure, it may be a stretch to rationalize a zombie apocalypse, but I think that's why these products have been in such high demand; people love to imagine "what if?" With The Walking Dead show that plays on AMC building such a strong group of followers, why not give the people what they want? The zombie survival course is genius. Are people enrolling in the course because they are honestly fearful of a zombie apocalypse occurring? Probably not. Just something else you can do with your friends when shooting cans gets old. Just another reason to protect our second amendment.

Thomas wrote:
July 11, 2012

I think its a great marketing campaign. Especially in Hornady's case, they are able to market their high end ammo to a younger demographic. As you said, the skills learned in the courses easily switch over to the real world and are more accessible to the average person. If anything, this introduces more people to the sport of shooting in a fun, creative way. It changes the perception of the shooting sports as inherently "evil". As for the green color, its just another addition to the wide variety already out there. I would disagree that this is anyway the "dumbing down" of the industry or America. If anything this makes the shooting sports appear less the pervue of the elite and entitled. It makes it appear more in line with the American tradition of being firmly in the realm of the common man.

Austin Mabry wrote:
July 11, 2012

The "Zombie" theme seems to me to be a way to put some fun in the otherwise uncomfortable thought of preparing for the possibility harsh reality of real-life survival scenarios. Using fantasy to make an unpleasant task more fun is something most people have been doing since they were old enough to be told to clean their rooms. The concepts of disaster survival are easily packaged in a more imaginative and fun "zombie" preparation, without driving ourselves crazy trying to think of, and prepare for, every possible survival scenario. For a lot of people, "zombie apocalypse" is also a good catchall term for whatever bad things could happen, without the conversation turning dark and depressing. Certainly there should be plenty of serious consideration, training, and preparation, but for the basics, the Zombie theme is just a good way to take the monotony and depression out of these sorts of survival. I think Mary Poppins would be proud.

Nathan wrote:
July 11, 2012

You hit it on the head when you said they are only producing what sells. Just as you can walk through any store that sells firearms and see little bubblegum pink rifles and pistols that are intended to get girls into shooting. If companies can use something fun like Zombies to get more people out shooting and learning about guns and the safe handling there of then I really don't see a down side to this "niche" market.

Mike wrote:
July 11, 2012

As someone who has a position in the marketing field, I can't do anything but applaud these zombie poduct campaigns. You hear about zombies and the end of the world as we know it all over TV. There are even companies who build appocalypse shelters. To survive this thing I suppose you would need some defensive or offensive tools. I'm yet to add any zombie specific ammo or gear... though it certainly wouldn't hurt if I did. Plan ahead or prepare in whatever way makes you feel the most comfortable.

ZombieBob wrote:
July 11, 2012

It's all in fun. It has just gone overboard because it's "Cool to like zombies" now. Just wait till the EMP burst... then people will know what a "zombie" really is. Now, send me that bayo!

Josh wrote:
July 11, 2012

Aw c'mon Gary. Lighten up a little. The zombie craze has put a fun spin on the usual "doom and gloom" that tends to ostracize hardcore preppers from the rest of society. I think it's an engaging way to make people actually consider everyday self defense and scenarios without also making them feel paranoid or weird for doing so. And a LaserLyte Zombie Pistol Bayonet would look awesome on my Springfield XDm :)

Blaine wrote:
July 11, 2012

Gary, there is no need to trash talk the zombie stuff. You may not find yourself wanting the pistol bayonet, but that does not mean you need to be rude and insult the idea of this article. The fact is, the zombie craze has gotten many people into shooting through activities and groups such as the Zombie Shooters Association, essentially a shooting group for people who are not yet confident enough to jump into USPSA. As for your car example, American car manufacturers still provide a better service and jobs to the American economy than the companies you seem to so proud of.

Kevin R wrote:
July 11, 2012

Some people don't get the Zombie craze because they just don't understand fads. The as a society fads influences us in what we wear, do, watch even what we talk about. If the Zombie fad can help prepare people with otherwise no survival training I am all for it. Whatever floats their boat. I enjoy the movies, shows and games as well but I don't foresee myself going out and buying zombie max ammo anytime soon.

Ron wrote:
July 11, 2012

So Gary, what would you like the name for the course to be?

Scott wrote:
July 11, 2012

I think the zombie craze is fun...great movies and a chance for people to take a break from reality and let loose.

Gary wrote:
July 11, 2012

Another good example of the "Dumbing Down of America." Compare the serious informational adult TV ads for BMW, Audi, and Mercedes with the childish ads for Chevy and Bud. Advertisers know the mentality of those who buy their products and it continues with the Zombie stuff. And don't send me a LaserLyte Zombie Pistol Bayonet because it would go directly into the trash.