[DetChris]

So I need more trigger and safety swiping time to be proficient enough to EDC my 1911. Dry firing is cool but I don't know where my shots go. Was thinking about a more practical practice tool like a .22LR 1911 or a full metal gas blowback airsoft 1911 pistol for cheap training.

.22LR 1911's feel more like real guns and are fairly cheap to shoot. It's also a good long distance gun for plinking. But the price of entry is higher: $300-$500 and ammo is still expensive compared to plastic airsoft pellets.

Airsoft guns are good for indoor practice. I can shoot in my basement safely and with the high end models they have all metal construction and full functionality. The cons are they don't shoot as well or as far as the .22. But at $100 a pop per airsoft pistol and $9 for 2000 plastic pellets, it's dirt cheap training.

Anyone use one or other or both? Thoughts?

 

[DetChris]

I hate my iPhone! I meant the title to say "what to choose"!

 

[OldandInTheWay]

got my wife a Sig 1911 22lr. she loves it and i have fun with it too, but you're right it's pricey in the 500 range. i think it's always better to shoot real bullets.

 

[RoadRunner71]

A .22lr "trainer" is a good idea. You could also look into getting a conversion kit to convert your 1911 to .22lr. This gives you the trigger time behind your primary carry.

 

[Harryball]

A .22lr "trainer" is a good idea. You could also look into getting a conversion kit to convert your 1911 to .22lr. This gives you the trigger time behind your primary carry.

Yep....

 

[Bill MO]

My area 22 rounds are rare as hens teeth and when you do find them they're high. I already have it so I use air soft.

 

[DetChris]

My area 22 rounds are rare as hens teeth and when you do find them they're high. I already have it so I use air soft.

How has the airsoft worked for you?

 

[DetChris]

A .22lr "trainer" is a good idea. You could also look into getting a conversion kit to convert your 1911 to .22lr. This gives you the trigger time behind your primary carry.

I don't think there's a kit for the Ruger SR 1911 commander yet. But a .22 1911 is in the cards. Wish they were cheaper.

 

[Bill MO]

How has the airsoft worked for you?

Mine has worked great, is fairly accurate at distance I practice defense shooting. Not sure the one I have is still on the market though. I carry XD but my air soft is a KWA M1911 DS. But I don't use the safety, have never had a mishap with the air soft but don't know that I would carry a real 1911 that way.

There is no recoil with air soft so I shoot the XD enough to keep the feel of recoil management.

There is no XD air soft to be had and the grip angle and feel of the 1911 is close.

 

[DetChris]

Mine has worked great, is fairly accurate at distance I practice defense shooting. Not sure the one I have is still on the market though. I carry XD but my air soft is a KWA M1911 DS. But I don't use the safety, have never had a mishap with the air soft but don't know that I would carry a real 1911 that way.

There is no XD air soft to be had and the grip angle and feel of the 1911 is close.

Actually there is. I used to own one when I used to have XD pistols...

http://www.airsplat.com/Items/GP-WE-060BG-XDM.htm

 

[Bill MO]

I've had mine for sometime and at that time there was not. This looks to be the XDm and would not fit my holsters as they are a little different than the original XD.

 

[OutWestSystems]

I prefer laser training cartridge for the actual firearm. It means you get the actual firearm to train with, just not the recoil. It has greatly improved by trigger time and by accuracy.

 

[the6shooter]

I prefer laser training cartridge for the actual firearm. It means you get the actual firearm to train with, just not the recoil. It has greatly improved by trigger time and by accuracy.

I just ordered the surestrike laser training aid from MidwayUSA $160, with 6 reflective targets. Surestrike says that you can get 5000 shots out of the batteries.
Just checked the shipment and should be here tomorrow.
I ordered this for my DA beretta, to get on target faster in a draw.
Can't wait till tomorrow.

 

[Bill MO]

I prefer laser training cartridge for the actual firearm. It means you get the actual firearm to train with, just not the recoil. It has greatly improved by trigger time and by accuracy.

That would work if you are shooting for accuracy on a bullseye. The drills I run for practice involve moving, shooting burst and mainly point shooting. So actually being able to see your hits is important. Drills are done 10 yds and in.

 

[DetChris]

I just ordered the surestrike laser training aid from MidwayUSA $160, with 6 reflective targets. Surestrike says that you can get 5000 shots out of the batteries.
Just checked the shipment and should be here tomorrow.
I ordered this for my DA beretta, to get on target faster in a draw.
Can't wait till tomorrow.

I'll have to look into this!

 

[the6shooter]

That would work if you are shooting for accuracy on a bullseye. The drills I run for practice involve moving, shooting burst and mainly point shooting. So actually being able to see your hits is important. Drills are done 10 yds and in.

This is just another way of dry fire training, so you are saying anyway of dryfire training won't work ? Everyone tells me dry fire train over and over.
Just seems to me anything that can help, will help. just seems to me dry fire with something that will tell you where your hits are going, will vastly
help with training.

 

[Ken Grant]

AirSoft
Laserlyte
GSG 1911-22
Ciener Conversion Kit
AA Conversion Kit

All used mostly for Point Shooting

They all work great, but my shooting still stinks!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Rattlehead]

A CO2 pistol also gives you more options as to where you can use it. A lot will depend on your situation... Availability of a range, open space and proximity to neighbors will make 22 a better option (just an example). I wouldn't look doen my nose at either option.

 

[Phaedrus]

I shoot .22 quite a bit but I also have a pretty nice 1911 airsoft. It's a blowback model and all the normal 1911 features are present (eg working grip safety with memory bump, working thumb safety, rack slide to charge, etc).

 

[TSiWRX]

Specifically for the 1911, for the trigger, you can actually probably get very, very close to your EDC by going with an airsoft replica, given that you're willing/able to go after detailed tuning of the trigger. This will thus enable to save wear-and-tear on your firearm, allow you to practice indoors in your home and/or the back yard (provided that you're good-to-go with local laws) without firearms limitations. Similarly, at a time when .22 LR is hard to come by, this can save quite a bit of frustration as well as money.

The sight-picture and alignment will not change, particularly if you carefully tune your airsoft to provide for the same POA/POI relationship as your firearm, so you can also really work your fundamentals. Keep in mind that the "external ballistics" of the 6mm plastic BB is limited (this is true even if you have a true high-end replica...and by that, I'm not talking about something that costs hundreds of dollars, but thousands). In BB-IPSC and the like (search YouTube for some videos - here's Mr. Tatsuya Sakai [read on for more detail, below] in the 2012 Japan Steel Challenge --> ???? ?? ?? ???? ????? ????? 2012 - YouTube , note how close the targets are), compensation for this characteristic is accomplished via shortening of the engagement distances paired with a reduction in the scale of the target.

Unfortunately, even with the one's that you intend to get, the "high end models th(at) have all metal construction and full functionality," their weight distribution will be different from that of your firearm (and this will be true unless you can custom fabricate replacement components, like the cosmetic outer barrel on most of the 1911/2011 replicas or, alternatively, that you can commission a true custom-built gun from an "airsmith" - I did the latter with a well-known Hong Kong airsmith, and my airsoft Open/Unlimited 2011 cost me $1,500 back in 2001, excluding importation costs). You have to realize that the "metal" used in even the high-end retail out-of-the-box replicas or retail-available "upgrade" components/parts is but what we Americans consider "pot metal," and thus will throw off the weight distribution. Furthermore, to optimize performance of the airsoft, certain parts may simply need to be lighter.

Here's a thread I made just a short while back on XDTalk that addressed airsoft cross-training:

Airsoft trainning validity?? - XDTalk Forums - Your XD/XD(m) Information Source!

As with dry-fire, laser-trainers and sub-caliber cross-training, airsoft is but a tool. It has both pros and cons.

In your case, since you are specifically looking at 1911s, there is added to be had with the trigger, provided that you or someone you know/pay for can tune it to be a true replica of your firearm's path and feel.