no, thats an impractical and unrealistic test.

however they do break hanging blocks with the spine of the blade, and they throw their throwing axes and knives into a cinderblock wall.

your knife is a cutting blade, not a masons chisel. i don't care if i can split bricks with the blade, i want to know that the blade will cut well when i need it to, and it won't break under realistic conditions.

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Gun shows (and dealers) are a great place for variety and instant gratification, but if you want deals check out pawnshops and/or local "trading post newspapers" (some places call them "penny traders" but in any case you can find them at grocery stores - and they're free news papers). People hawk all kinds of guns and stuff at pawn shops, and it's on sale cheap. For what you'd pay for a new gun you may or may not be satisfied with, you could walk out of a pawnshop with an excellent gun that's as good as new AND some useful military/hunting surplus (gun cleaning kits, knives, mess kits, etc). If you see something you like in a "penny trader", and decide to buy from someone posting something there, do some research about the weapon (the insides and outsides) - and THEN go check it out. If the person acts hesitant to break the gun down for you so you can check it out before money exchanges hands - tell them "deal's off", and go elsewhere. Good weapons to check out would be old WWII rifles (like the M 1 Garand DaveBall mentioned) b/c they would nearly all have a mount for a bayonet (which you might be able to get when purchasing the weapon), plus most have stocks that are solid wood with a metal butt for skull cracking. You'd essentially be getting a firearm, club, and spear. In any case if you go used, make sure you can tell if the weapon is in good condition as if your life depended on it - b/c it might (zombies or no zombies).

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"There's guns that are cheep, and there's guns that are usable, and maybe there are guns that are cheep and usable, I will try to find a viable suggestion. But, a gun that cost $80 pre Zombie invasion but for which no ammunition will be available afterward is not a cheep gun, it will cost you your life.

How about and Indian copy of the Enfield? The later ones were made in 308, I own one of these and I think they run for under $200 and ammo is cheep and widely available.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rifle_7.62mm_2A1."

There's cheap then there's affordable thats why i said to make sure to check the rifle before you buy it. Check the bore at least before you buy it then take it to a smith to get the headspace checked. For $80 you can get a damn good rifle if you're smart about it.
You can't count on any ammo, common or otherwise, being available after the Z-invasion. I say stock up now while you can and a M44 for $80, $30ish to get it checked by a smith, and 1000 rounds for $140 is hard to beat.

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