Airsoft as a training tool?

[Zonamo]

I have been looking at some of the heavy gas blowback airsoft pistols like this one on the Caspian site.

Caspian airgun special

If you own one of the airsoft blowback pistols like the Caspian, what do you think of it?

Are they a useful tool for presentation training and a fun alterntative to simple dry-fire or are they just a toy?

 

[shoobe01]

Besides the fact that its a hella-fun sport, yes I find some value in training. Even on your own, you can draw, present, fire, mag change, etc. with some validity. I did it for a long time. Go to the range with the real gun every month at least to reinforce your grip vs. recoil, etc.

One big note: Not all airsofts are built the same. Read up on them for a while before buying one. Except for some hi-line custom makers, Marui is the only electric maker worth it. Marui, Western Arms, KSC, Marushin, Tanaka and a few others make good gas guns (pistols). And be aware of ammo, gas-type you will need (they are NOT CO2) and so on. Oh, yeah. Only Japan. No Korean, Chinese or anything else. Only Japanese gear.

One other note, for pistols you want a GBB, for Gas Blow Back. They make electrics, no dice (too slow) and non-blowbacks (not at all realistic). GBBs work like real guns except for the gas and pellets, which are both in a realistic size and weight mag.

Oh, and sometimes the gun it a tad out of spec with the real one. If you have top-quality leather, it won't always fit. This is a problem for practicing draws for some people.

There is a place called JungleToy (http://www.jungletoy.com/). Don't buy anything thru their lame website full of Korean clones, but they franchise so there might be a bricks & mortar store in your town. Once you know a tad about it, go look at the real guns to see if you think its worth it.

 

[SouthpawShootr]

I have a gas powered USP compact. Looks exactly like my real one (except for the orange muzzle). They are good clean fun and I can see where airsofts can be useful in getting rid of a flinch. I'd really like to have one of the MP5 electric airsofts.

 

[Zach S]

I've been meaning to pick up an airsoft for a while, my little brother had one of the $40 airsofts that really sucked, but was still addictive...

The range I go to has an airsoft G18, he uses it to show new shooters, grip, stance, trigger control, ect.

 

[Beetle Bailey]

I actually just went airsofting for the second time yesterday and used my buddy's airsoft Beretta made by Tokyo Marui (uses the green gas). Unfortunately I don't own a real Beretta but the airsoft version has sorta the same manual of arms, FWIW. It can also be used to teach gun safety to a new shooter, as well as some other basic stuff. However at about $100, I think it's a bit hard to justify just as a training tool - so if you buy it, go airsofting!

 

[Oracle]

Myself and my friends use Airsoft copies of our carry guns as "parlour pistols", so that we can keep in practice when we can't go to the range. It really does help improve most of the skills that go along with pistol handling, the only thing it really doesn't help with is recoil control.

We're probably going to try some force-on-force stuff soon as well (clearing our houses, etc.) just because we have the airsoft guns and the safety gear, and might as well make use of it. Plus, it's fun, and it will give us a better awareness of what to look for if we ever have to do something like that for real.

 

[pale horse]

I have been playing airsoft for over 2 years. I have the one you are looking at, well I have one that is missing the caspian grips and stamp. It is very realistic in its handling and recoil. Suarez international has been using them for awhile for training purposes. If you do want to get a Green gas pistol make sure you get an extra magazine they wear out after awhile.


Go here www.tactical-airsoft.net/featured_article.htm and read some more on it in the featured article. It was written by Gabe Suarez.

 

[WhoKnowsWho]

Heck, thanks to Airsoft, I knew how to disassemble a Beretta 92 and Desert Eagle before I ever got my first gun...

I used to practice a lot with my M92, I should do it more often.

 

[bad_dad_brad]

Other than cosmetic realism, they don't for me offer much in the way of training. I prefer dry firing a real pistol.

Still - airsoft guns are a lot of fun.

 

[Zonamo]

Thanks for the link pale horse-some good information there.

From the replies, it sounds like one these airsoft pistols will be fun. Time to add one to the collection.