Ranged weapon

Ranged weapon
A ranged weapon 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. 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, spears, axes, daggers, and knives can be used for both throwing and hand-to-hand combat, depending on purpose and situation, and a ranged weapon can also be used as a melee weapon in close encounters, such as the buttstock of a rifle used for 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 darts, javelins, slings, as well as elastic weapons such as slingshots, bows and crossbows; and more complex siege engines like stone throwers, catapults, ballistas and trebuchets. These ranged weapons were extremely effective in ancient and early medieval warfare, especially when used en masse, as they gave the wielder an opportunity to launch multiple rounds of attack before an enemy armed with melee weapons or shorter-ranged missile weapons could even get close enough to pose a threat. After the invention of gunpowder and the development of firearms, gun-type pneumatic ranged weapons became the dominant weapon of choice in armed conflicts, even in close combat. In modern warfare, ranged weaponry is also used both tactically and strategically in the form of long-range artilleries, rockets and guided missiles. 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
Hand-thrown
Barehanded
Bolas
Dart
Plumbata
Spear
Swiss arrow
Throwing axe
Francisca
Hunga Munga
Hurlbat
Mbanja
Nzappa zap
Tomahawk
Throwing knife
Throwing stick
Boomerang
Knobkierrie
Rungu
Valari
Leverage-enhanced
Amentum
Atlatl (spear-thrower)
Kestros
Sling
Woomera
Elastic propulsion
Bow
Crossbow
Repeating crossbow
Cheiroballistra
Slingshot
Pneumatic
Blowgun
Explosive propulsion
Fire lance
Hand cannon (e.g. Heilongjiang hand cannon, Xanadu Gun)
Cetbang
Arquebus
Tanegashima
Swivel gun
Rocket propulsion
Fire arrow
Huolongchushui
Siege weapon
Via mechanical leverage
Mangonel
Trebuchet / couillard
Via elasticity
Catapult
Bed crossbow
Onager
Ballista
Scorpion
Polybolos
Via Explosive propulsion
Cannon (e.g. Wuwei Bronze Cannon)
Bombard (e.g. Faule Grete, Faule Mette, Pumhart von Steyr, Grose Bochse)
Mortar
Early modern period
Pneumatic-propelled
Airgun (e.g. Girandoni air rifle)
Explosive-propelled
Musket
Wheellock
Snaplock / snaphance / miquelet lock
Doglock
Flintlock
Che Dian Chong
Pistol
Blunderbuss
Musketoon
Wall gun
Field gun
Culverin / demi-culverin
Hongyipao
Hand mortar
Coehorn
Zamburak
Hwacha
Breech-loading swivel gun
Siege cannon (e.g. Abus Gun, Dardanelles Gun, and Tsar Cannon)
Late modern and contemporary period
Most modern projectile weapons fall into the broader category of either direct fire or indirect fire, with the former often being regarded as guns and the latter as artillery. While some are small and light enough to be operated by individuals (i.e. small arms and grenade launchers), most require a team of individuals to service, maneuver and operate.
Small arms and light weapons
Handgun
Derringer
Harmonica gun
Revolver
Semi-automatic pistol
Machine pistol
Long gun
Rifled musket
Shotgun
Rifle
Single-shot rifle
Repeating rifle (e.g. revolving rifle, carbine, battle rifle, assault rifle, DMR/sniper rifle, etc)
Submachine gun / personal defense weapon
Squad automatic weapon / light machine gun
Grenade launcher
Crew-served weapon
Medium machine gun / general purpose machine gun
Anti-material rifle / anti-tank rifle
Recoilless rifle
Heavy weapon and vehicle-mounted weapon systems
Heavy machine gun
Autocannon
Volley gun
Multiple-barrel firearm
Gatling gun
Minigun / Microgun
Rotary cannon
Close-in weapon system
Artillery
Mortar
Artillery battery
Anti-aircraft gun / flak cannon
Coastal artillery
Field artillery
Howitzer / gun howitzer
Mountain gun
Anti-tank gun
Self-propelled artillery
Tank gun
Assault gun
Naval artillery
Aircraft artillery
Rocket weaponry
Rocket launcher
Rocket-propelled grenade / shoulder-fired missile
Rocket artillery
Rocket pod
Multiple rocket launcher
Guided missile
Air-to-air missile
Air-to-surface missile
Anti-submarine missile
Surface-to-air missile
Man-portable air-defense system
Anti-ballistic missile
Anti-satellite weapon
Surface-to-surface missile
Anti-tank guided missile
Anti-ship missile
Ballistic missile
Tactical ballistic missile
Theater ballistic missile (short-range ballistic missile, medium-range ballistic missile)
Intermediate-range ballistic missile / long-range ballistic missile
Intercontinental ballistic missile
Anti-ship ballistic missile
Submarine-launched ballistic missile
Cruise missile
Submarine-launched cruise missile
Torpedo
Flamethrower
Water cannon / waterjet disruptor
Aerial weapon
Loitering munition (expendable warhead as UCAV)
Future and conceptual weapon period
High-acceleration linear motor
Railgun
Coilgun
Helical railgun
Directed energy weapon
Laser weapon
Electrolaser
Pulsed energy projectile
Dazzler
Particle-beam weapon
Microwave weapon
Sonic weapon
See also
Trajectory of a projectile
Siege engine
List of artillery
List of missiles
List of missiles by nation
References
Further reading
Gray, David (2002) Bows of the World. The Lyons Press.
(1992) The Traditional Bowyers Bible Volume 1. The Lyons Press. .
(1992) The Traditional Bowyers Bible Volume 2. The Lyons Press. .
(1994) The Traditional Bowyers Bible Volume 3. The Lyons Press. .
The ballistics of the sling, Thom Richardson, Royal Armouries Yearbook, Volume 3 1998.
External links
Short Bows and Long Bows: Scaling effects in archery
Sling Weapons—Their evolution
The Sling – Ancient Weapon
"Secrets of Lost Empires: Medieval Siege" (building of and history of trebuchets), from the NOVA website
Modern and Civil War Era Cannon Information (Wayback Machine copy)