Ranged weapon

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A period illustration of the Battle of Crécy. English longbowmen figure prominently in the foreground at right where they drive away the French crossbowmen.

A ranged weapon[dubious – discuss] is any weapon that can engage targets beyond hand-to-hand distance, i.e. at distances greater than the physical reach of the user holding the weapon itself. The act of using such a weapon is also known as shooting. It is sometimes also called projectile weapon or missile weapon because it typically works by launching solid projectiles ("missiles"), though technically a fluid-projector (which throws out pressurized streams of liquid or even gas) and a directed-energy weapon (which does not involve any tangible projectile) are also ranged weapons. In contrast, a weapon intended to be used in hand-to-hand combat is called a melee weapon.

Ranged weapons give the attacker an advantage (especially when performing an ambush) because the target is often getting hit from beyond immediate visual range, therefore making it more difficult for the defenders to react and hit back effectively.[1] It also puts distance between the attacker and the opponent, which is a safer combat option since the close physical contact during melee fights often puts the attacker within the immediate striking range of enemy counterattacks and thus at an equal risk of getting hurt or killed.

The line between ranged and melee weapons is not entirely definite; for instance,

butt-stroking, a rifle with a bayonet fixed to the front end used as an improvised spear, a handgun used for pistol-whipping, and even an arrow being used as a hand pick
in desperate situations.

Early ranged weapons often included specifically designed hand-thrown weapons such as

guided missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (aka drones). The maximum effective range of a weapon is the greatest distance from which the weapon can be fired while still consistently inflicting casualties or damage. When a modern missile can be launched from beyond the effective range of counterattack, it is termed a standoff missile
.

List of ranged weapons

Prehistoric, ancient, and medieval period

Reconstruction of a post-Marian pilum


Trebuchet at Château des Baux, France

Early modern period

Late modern and contemporary period

155 mm M198 howitzer
Exocet missile in flight

Most modern projectile weapons fall into the broader category of either

small arms and grenade launchers), most require a team of individuals
to service, maneuver and operate.

Future and conceptual weapon period

See also

References

  1. ^ McDonald, James. "Medieval Weapons". Medieval Weapons & Armour. Retrieved 22 May 2015.

Further reading

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Projectile weapons.
Look up ranged weapon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.


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