Firearms

Because firearms are unsuitable for dispatching Titans, they have not progressed very far technologically and are almost always overshadowed by the Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear. However, they are still regularly used by the Military Police and other human-to-human security relations. The Survey Corps also uses flareguns to communicate over long distances.

The type of firearm used is based on the flintlock mechanism, where a piece of flint ignites the powder and fires the gun, which must be reloaded after every shot. Currently, rifles (or muskets) and pistols are the only firearms seen in the story.

Although the firearms within the walls are low-tech, they do have some modern applications. During the battle of Trost, one of the most notable features of the firearm is the lack of smoke it produces, indicating that it uses modern gunpowder, which creates a large flash, compared to black-gunpowder which produces a massive cloud of smoke when fired.

Firearms are unable to kill Titans because they lack the power to punch through the nape of the neck (a Titan's weakness) unlike a modern fire arm which has the ability to punch through a block of solid concrete. Also, given a Titan's fast regeneration rate and the long amount of time it takes to reload a flintlock weapon (15-30 seconds), they are practically useless in dealing enough lasting damage to severely harm a Titan. However, they can shoot out a Titan's eyes and blind it until it regenerates them.

There is a new type of firearm that is used by the Anti-Human Suppression Squad's Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear. This firearm has the appearance of a standard pistol that fires a single bullet that is powerful enough to blow off a person's face entirely. The bullets are reloaded in a manner similar to flare-guns used by the regular forces with the wielders throwing away the barrels and replacing them with new ones which are stored on bandoliers worn over the wielder's thighs. Despite the power of these firearms, the bullets can be deflected with the hard steel of the standard 3DMG's sword. Also, their penetrating power is somewhat limited, as Levi was able to block a volley of shots fire at him by using the corpse of a member of the Military Police's Anti-Human Suppression Squad.

Battle of Trost District arc
Armin Arlert conducted a plan to use firearms to blind the Titans inhabiting the supply depot, as the rest of the soldiers would then aim for the nape of their necks, killing them and securing the area.

The Female Titan arc
The soldiers within the Military Police often carry firearms patrolling the Stohess District. After Nile Dok accuses Erwin Smith of treason, he threatens to shoot him.

The Uprising arc
The Central Military Police are revealed to use specially designed firearms in conjuncture with 3D Maneuver Gear for their Anti-Human Suppression Squad when they are sent out to attack Levi and the other members of the Survey Corp in an ambush. Later, Levi used a shotgun "borrowed" from a salon owner inside a saloon to turn the tables on the squad as they surrounded him. Consequentially, Kenny praised Levi after he escaped for using the fact that firearms are legally owned by saloon owners for self defense to turn the tables on his pursuers. Later on, Armin shoots one of the members of the Anti-Human Suppression Squad with a pistol in order to save Jean's life.

Trivia

 * It was revealed after the Survey Corps tortured Djel Sanes for information that the Central Branch of the Military Police is stopping advancements in technology to maintain order within the Walls, with two of the advancements that were suppressed being revolvers and bullet cartridges.

Armas de fuego Divers Objets dans SNK