soundmotor

It isn't, but you seem to be going out of your way to ignore or minimize rock solid information about the state of firearms, pre-made ammunition, quantities available, ease of reloading, etc. to support the premise you've developed for your story. The USA has a deeply rooted gun culture with an overwhelming number of involved that know what to do with them. That is not going to disappear overnight.

I am also having trouble getting past your conclusion that there are 3 groups: zombies, bandits, & everyone else. More likely is 2 groups: zombies & everyone else. While there would certainly be some preying up on the weak at first by other humans before the situation is completely understood, there would certainly be a collective realization at some point that the best chance for long term survival is cooperation amongst the non-infected vs. the zombies.

Back to guns, reloading does not require much in the way of tech to get it done. Here is an example:

.44 Magnum Manual Reloading Set

Nothing other than 2 hands required to operate it. You should also search what Afghan gunsmiths have been doing with hammers, files & little else for 100's of years when it comes to firearms & ammo manufacture. But let's assume for a moment that for some inconceivable reason that, there are no guns, ammo, brains lacking to find it, etc. there are still plenty of alternatives.

The obvious is a crossbow which I could make in an afternoon, again with the most basic of materials all sourced from scrap. It might not be pretty but it would be effective out to 30-40 feet & that might be all you'd need. I'd need some tools, but not much & nothing that requires power. If I had 2-3 people to help, we could crank them out assembly line style.

How about flame? I am going to assume that pine trees are still around. Boiled pitch is pretty nasty & nastier still if mixed with motor oil to thin it. There will be plenty of cars with crankcases full of oil in them not too mention some type of flammable household chemicals in every home. Quite a cocktail could be made & delivered via Molotov, flaming arrow, or even a bucket of flaming liquid thrown over the shuffling zombies at the fringes of their horde. "Fire, bad!"

Even saplings cut down, sharpened & barbed, hardened in a campire & then stuck into a zombie would be effective. It might not kill them but it would definitely hamper their maneuverabilty if they have 2-3, 8 foot tree limbs hanging off them. Louisville slugger time to the melon comes next.

How about a net? Make it from cheap-ass rope, line, whatever, toss over the stragglers & again, take out the Eatons for a beat down. Tiring certainly, effective absolutely!

You seem to be hanging on the point that the uninfected humans would have no initiative to operate on the most basic level. That is ,to survive & find means/tech that would make that easier. That includes naturally banding together to collectively protect one another. When survival is on the line, people drop to the lowest common denominator quickly if drooling, hungry zombies were after them.

soundmotor