The L4D version wouldn't allow the survivor to drop their single pistol. I guess with melee weapons it makes things a bit more complicated, since either you allow them to drop it and be weaponless, or you give them a single pistol which would create new pistol entities, or you don't allow them to drop any melee weapons.
Actually, what would be cool is if the survivor had no weapons, then they would be in the holding pills animation state and could melee zombies, despite not having a weapon. I could see some dorks dropping everything and trying to make it through the levels without weapons. At least if they could melee it would be an improvement.