[Joshua M. Smith]

Hi All,

I found a licensed Airsoft replica of my carry pistol, a Taurus 92.

I've taken to indoor practice and force on force training with it (all safety precautions are taken).

It's safe to do this; the speed is only 137fps and we wear goggles. I bought the kid (18 years old) a full auto so I could go up against superior firepower.

Other than finding out that those things sting if I'm hit in the right spot, I've modified some of my tactics. For example, I don't use two handed aimed fire nearly as much but get good hits. I also tend to move away from his spraying because I don't want to be stung. This is usually done on a backward angle while returning fire.

What led to this was a reintroduction to the 'game.' A friend let me use an M16 replica and I drilled the kid in the chest and when he wouldn't drop the pistol I automatically gave him a burst in the face (oops!). He was fine though.

I do also find that all this reiterates how quickly things happen.

Thoughts? Anyone else do this?

Thanks,

Josh <><

 

[jarhead79]

Sounds like fun. The replica guns make it a little more interesting.

 

[KenpoTex]

I bought an airsoft pistol a couple of months ago, just a cheapie that you have to cock between shots. I primarily use it to practice my drawstroke and getting the first shot on target. They are fun, a bunch of my college buddies and I used to have them when we were in school, we'd have giant airsoft "wars" in the dorm at night (hey it beat studying:biggrin2: )

 

[Joshua M. Smith]

People get on to me for doing the airsoft thing. But, it's paintball's biggest competitor and the guns are more realistic because of the projectile size.

Josh <><

 

[coltcarrier]

There is a local CQB range near where I live... been there several times.. I usually use a rental gun and carry a sig replica as a backup/alternative. I have been known to use both or just the pistol in tight spots.

I think it would be great to get them to do some CCW type tactic senarios, but there just aren't enough people who appreciate pistols.

airsoft does sting a bit, but you can't beat it as a training tool. The realism and oportunities it provides with being able to use some of the same gear as the real gun...

 

[rocky]

works great as a training tool. Gets ya used to taking fire , as well as firing back. We train occasionally in a big empty machine shop .

 

[rstickle]

I've thought about trying one for training, how close to the real thing is the trigger pull?

 

[Joshua M. Smith]

I've thought about trying one for training, how close to the real thing is the trigger pull?

Hi,

It depends on the quality and price. For example, my Taurus replica was about $30 and the trigger pull is a very light DAO. On the flipside, the AR replica I used was very realistic except for round count. I've handled Glock replicas that were realistic in the extreme as well.

You might Google "Airsoft" and see what you come up with.

Josh <><

 

[grnzbra]

I bought an airsoft pistol a couple of months ago, just a cheapie that you have to cock between shots. I primarily use it to practice my drawstroke and getting the first shot on target.

Another use for the cheapie is to practice disarms. You can do it till the cows come home with a blue/red gun, but you'll never know if you got shot in the process. With airsoft, you will and when it' breaks due to the rough handling, you can treat it as a training expense.

Does anyone know of any airsoft FOF activities in northern VA near DC?

 

[J.P.]

Airsoft is a good way to practice FOF on the cheap.

 

[rubber ducky]

having lived and grown up in japan, i can certainly say that the higher quality airsofts are valuable as training tools. especially the "blowback" models that western arms makes. just about full sized magazines, and reciprocating slides, certainly makes for a realistic operation and function. i think the only drawback is that everything is lighter, the weight, trigger pull the 'weapon' itself; with the exception of the magazines. they were heavy, since the charged gas / propellant was stored within, along with the BBs. i could never freely drop a magazine, for the fear of braking something.

i recall a long time ago, the USMC in Okinawa was getting a bunch of FNC airsofts for training. so i guess they thought it was useful for something, although unlike the current crop of airsofts, they were rather clumsy external 'power sourced' ones (think paintball tanks run off a remote).

me personally, wouldn't rely on it too much as a training tool; i think there's something to be said about "train the way you fight". there are enough differences between the two so that i wouldn't want to get too familiar with the airsoft operation. however, it can be useful in reinforcing certain aspects of shooting, particular concepts, or as an introduction to firearms / familiarization tool.

having said that, i am no expert in anything, so take everything i say with a grain of salt.

Cheers,

rd

 

[grnzbra]

me personally, wouldn't rely on it too much as a training tool; i think there's something to be said about "train the way you fight". there are enough differences between the two so that i wouldn't want to get too familiar with the airsoft operation. however, it can be useful in reinforcing certain aspects of shooting, particular concepts, or as an introduction to firearms / familiarization tool.

If the concern is training the way you fight, go force on force with airsoft; it's a lot closer to reality than gunpowder against paper. Also, it is closer to firing a real gun than is dry firing a real gun. Yes, when you pick up an airsoft and then pick up a 1911, the difference is obvious. However, in force on force, either training or a real life and death situation, you won't notice it a bit. So, between range sessions, a good quality airsoft is a valuable training tool. (There's an IPSC shooter from Japan who practices with airsoft and, when he comes to compete in the US, borrows a gun and shoots very respectable scores)

 

[rubber ducky]

grnzbra,

i'm not entirely disagreeing with you, however you'll have to understand that 1911s are rather popular in japan for a variety of reasons, and are probably, along with beretta 92fs and the desert eagle, one of the more often replicated models. having said that, many of the airsoft companies put a lot of technologies and effort into reproducing these. so, with (in this example) the 1911s, they do make models that 'blowback', which are quite realistic, depending on the company - there are replicas of 'race guns' as well as wilson combat replicas that have been 'blessed' by mr. wilson himself. these, in my opinion are worthy as training tools; there are many others that are not. you can say that the japanese shooters who train on airsoft 1911s use the quality models, and when they come stateside to compete, they are using race guns that feel quite similar (in terms of general operation and recoil).

i guess what i'm saying is that i don't feel comfortable the IPSC shooter example in its entireity, especially in the context a 'force-on-force' simulation. i believe its still within the range of the "familiarization tool" that i've mentioned. its too easy to 'spray and pray' accurately with an airsoft. its a bad habit to get into with a hardball .45

the end user needs to decide if there is an appropriate replica of what he/she uses, and determine the suitability. depending on the replica, you may be limited to a single shot, pull-the-action-back for each shot models.

i guess that's all i have to say about that.

cheers,

rd

 

[grnzbra]

You're right. It is only a familiarization tool and should not be used as a substitute for training with the real thing. However, a good quality airsoft, such as the Wilson blessed models, is invaluable in training when away from the range. If I only get to the range once a month, I can dry fire or I can use airsoft in my garage for half an hour every night. Personally, I think that airsoft gives me a better representation of reality than does dry firing real steel.

It does have its limitations, but there are too many positives to dismiss it.

Considering the orientation of this board, one must also consider its value in terms of FOF. When you are running for your life and the other guy is also running for your life (I'm talking about flat out running, not Groucho walking), you need something that you just cannot get at a regular firing range.

Also, it seems to me, that using a cheap spring airsoft gun would be valuable in gun retention/disarm drills. You use the cheap ones so that when they break, the loss can be amortized easily as a training cost, and, since in such a situation a real gun would probably jam when the first shot was fired, you don't need it to fire more than once. Using airsoft in this case will tell you just how successful your technique was. Remember, in a gun retention/disarm situation you need to do more than just hang onto your gun or get the other guy's gun; you need to do it without getting shot! If you are using Lindell techniques, the gun shouldn't even go off. Blue/red guns don't tell you this. They only tell you that you got the gun.

 

[rubber ducky]

this may digress a bit, but anyone tried simmunition? or is that LE only?

Cheers,

rd

 

[Forscythe87]

LOL Airsoft hurts. Especially during rapid fire. Sure the first shot or two is nothing but once your on the 5-6th consecutive shot it starts to hurt pretty bad :gah: ! Still fun as heck though! :biggrin2:

 

[paknheat]

We used an Air Soft in Haganah class the other night in weapon disarming drills . They will definetly put a new spin on your training.

 

[tacman605]

You know it is funny that this post should be brought back up.

Here even though there is a 25 yard range on camp that I can use when I want 9mm ammo is at a premium here. The other day at the conex bazaar at the Aussie camp I ran across a pistol that is a duplicate of a Walther P99. Spring loaded it shoots a 6mm plastic BB, removable mag that holds 20 rounds, a suprisingly decent trigger and has enough energy to punch paper at about 8-10 feet.

Now this is nowhere near live fire but it does allow me to practice the basics like drawstroke, sight alignment, trigger squeeze and so on in my room. I simply shoot into a cardboard box with a towel in the back and the paper target taped over the opening of the target. I purchased two of the guns for $10.00 and have about 60 pellets so it should last for a bit.

Train with what you got. I can see airsoft purchases coming up when I get home.

 

[QKShooter]

It started up again because it was resurrected by a spammer that jumped onto DC and searched "airsoft" - this thread and one other one popped up and he posted to spam his airsoft company.

Then I gave him a blast of air and blew him off of the forum softly so now he is an Ex-Member...his posts have been deleted but, the thread remains.

 

[tacman605]

Ah ok. LOL