ScazarMeltex posted... This always goes back to the Tueller drill. The only thing the katana changes is the added range over a knife.
Tueller found that the average healthy adult male, running with a knife or other contact weapon in hand, can cover a distance of seven yards in about 1.5 seconds the time it takes the average officer to draw a sidearm and place two hits center-mass on a man-size target 21 feet away.
It's been covered in dozens, if not hundreds of youtube video demonstrations (usually by someone with a airsoft gun). It was also covered in an episode of Mythbusters.
In the episode, At 20 ft (6.1 m), the gun-wielder was able to shoot the charging knife attacker just as he reached the shooter. At shorter distances the knife wielder was always able to stab prior to being shot. So the katana essentially adds a couple of feet.
The other advantage the katana has over the knife is if the wielder has Iai training (drawing and cutting as one action), which would mean they don't have to have their weapon already drawn when they begin their charge. So with Tueller's rule being 21 feet I'd place the katana at 23 to 24 feet. Any further, sword guy dies, any closer, gun guy dies.
Again, assuming the average Joe is as proficient as the average trained officer. Also assuming the best strategy is to just rush in a straight line