Airsoft pistol for SD...

[Boom-stick]

This may have been covered before and possibly sounds dum but is being aimed firmly at those who can't carry.(eg UK citizens)

Ignoring any laws for the sake of this post,


The idea of an airsoft pistol, preferably small and full auto (Glock 26c) drawn and stuck in the face of an assailant and then 'emptied' into face of 'said' assailant should buy you the time to either run away or pile in and finish the job they started.
There's not too many BG's out there that can continue to attack whilst they can't see.

This idea came to me whilst hanging the washing on the line this morning before going to work, as I thought it's also a good idea, for keeping the neighbours dog off my cat

PS. A small airsoft pistol with a metal upgrade kit would make a good cosh/fistload aswell, along the psicological effect of 'GUN'.

 

[Rupestris]

I think you'd be better off throwing the cat at an assailant.

I've been shot with air-soft pistols. It stings, but no more than a paintball. While sober I found it uncomfortable. If I were wound up on illegal narcotics, I would probably not be bothered by it.

Lets look at it from the other side. When you see news footage of a BG trying to rob a liquor store with an air soft or BB gun, what do you think of the BG when you find out it was not a real gun?

 

[Boom-stick]

They might sting your arms and chest but I doubt you'd be able to keep you eyes open whilst getting them in the face?

I get the feeling the UK airsoft guns may be a bit more powerful that what you guys get over there, my new airsoft glock will go through a coke can.

I just work on the basis of "if they can see me, they can't hit me"
and if they can't see me to hit me, they also can't see the elbow thats just about to connect with their teeth

 

[Fosbery]

Well, it's illegal to carry an airsoft pistol (or any replica firearm) without good reason. So, if we're ignoring laws, you might as well just carry a real firearm, or pepper spray or something.

But sticking to 'how effective would it be' I'd say it would be better than nothing. Firstly, it looks like a gun. Most criminals wouldn't be able to tell the difference, so simply drawing it might scare them off. If not, a hail of BBs to the face would distract them and make them put their hands up to their face possibly giving you time to escape. If you're lucky, you might hit them in the eye and blind them. By no means reliable, but better than nothing.

 

[Zero_DgZ]

Moot. The VCR bill will stiffen the penalties for doing such a thing in the very near future. As I understand it, it already gets treated as assault with a 'real' weapon.

The airsoft gun is woefully underpowered for stopping a determined attacker. I've been shot (including in the face) a bunch of times. All it would do to me is piss me off.

After the dust of your criminal proceedings settle (provided the perp doesn't have a knife or a real gun and just kills you on the spot...) the possibility for a civil suit is ripe, and given how I've seen things like the old tale about the UK farmer shooting the burglar and getting sued for it I don't think that would go too well for you.

I think you're better off learning how to beat the snot out of people without a weapon. Take some practical martial arts. That, or move to a freer country...

 

[Fosbery]

*barely resists urge to rant about VCRB*

 

[hso]

Boom,

It's been discussed here and roundly condemed as addlepated and unrealistic. A can of hornet spray would do you more good.

 

[Shooter973]

Airsoft for SD!!!

My life is worth the use of a REAL firearm to defend it!!!

A toy for SD make absolutely no sense to me!!!

 

[orionengnr]

Sad...

 

[mattw]

if you can shoot someone in the face with an airsoft gun and expect them to stop you would have to be pretty damn close... why not just punch them? or better yet.. carry a damn knife.

 

[Boom-stick]

It was just an idea guys....


Shooter973, I don't think you read the bit about being in the UK

I think you're better off learning how to beat the snot out of people without a weapon. Take some practical martial arts.

One step ahead of you there
Doing a combatives course next month along with firearms retention and the following week a knife and counter knife course....... and I went back to Boxing two weeks ago, after 6 years off ...... still hurt.....

or move to a freer country...

Believe me, I'm trying...

 

[Fosbery]

Like I said, it's illegal to carry a replica firearm or airgun in a public place (an airsoft pistol is both) without good reason, and self-defence would not be a good reason - even if it was of any use..

 

[Boom-stick]

it's illegal to carry a replica firearm or airgun in a public place (an airsoft pistol is both) without good reason, and self-defence would not be a good reason

you forgot to mention that they must be in a secure case without the ammo, but if we're going down the road of legalities (which I purposely tried to avoid) airsoft falls foul of only replica breech not the airgun as they aren't legally defined as airguns but toys.
not that it matters as the offence is still a firearms offence with police being able to respond with deadly force.

 

[usmccpl]

Both times somebody has tried to hold me up they were either a junkie desperate for a fix or so high they thought they were superman. Also both times they were wearing sunglasses(my airsoft guns wont shoot through them i just tried) that would protect their eyes so it wouldnt work. But both times they were close enough that a stun gun or asp baton took care of them although i did have heavy fire power backing that up. i wouldnt try an airsoft to defend myself.





one shot one kill

 

[Fosbery]

"they aren't legally defined as airguns but toys."

Not true. They do not qualify for the CE mark. They are not legally regarded as toys.

 

[RyanM]

Definitely not a good idea. A court would say that you had the airsoft gun with you, for no justifiable purpose (you can't always be going to or from an airsoft game), thus you "went looking for a fight." They'd throw the book at you. You'd go to jail for assault with a deadly weapon, attempted murder, child molestation, noise pollution, feelings hurting, and anything else they can hit you with.

Your best bet is probably to carry around a film canister or other container full of dried, fine-ground, habanero pepper. Or a small squirt-bottle of really hot hot sauce. Or something similar. Use it on your food occasionally. If accosted, throw or squirt the junk in the bad guy's face. Similar effect to pepper spray, without the "weapon" association. You just like really spicy food, and were forced to use whatever "weapon of opportunity" you had available, in accordance with UK law.

 

[Fosbery]

Haha, technically I suppose that would actually be a section 5 firearm, and get you a mandatory five years in jail!

'Prohibited weapons' (section 5) includes "any weapon of whatever description designed or adapted for the discharge of any noxious liquid, gas or other thing." If even the mildest pepper spray falls foul of this law, I bet hot sauce does too

 

[mp510]

Haha, technically I suppose that would actually be a section 5 firearm, and get you a mandatory five years in jail!

'Prohibited weapons' (section 5) includes "any weapon of whatever description designed or adapted for the discharge of any noxious liquid, gas or other thing." If even the mildest pepper spray falls foul of this law, I bet hot sauce does too

At least the super-soakers are banned.

 

[Don Gwinn]

OK, let's consider this carefully, since this topic keeps coming up.

I'm not attacking you, I just want you to see the nature of our disagreement.

If we stipulate that the purpose of carrying the Airsoft is that you expect to be able to draw it, stick in someone's face and shoot them with the little plastic pellets, can you explain to the group what makes this a better technique than a straight punch to the face?

Here are the problems I see:
1. Learning to throw a straight punch is not that hard, while the Airsoft plan is going to require you to do almost all the things a pistolero does to conceal--holster, concealing garments, etc.

2. A straight punch thrown from the feet will be a much better distraction than airsoft pellets no matter how many you use. Landing a good punch, even a lead jab, will actually jar his brain, move his head, and possibly cause him to tear up and/or bleed.

3. Like it or not, when you put a pellet or two into his eye, you will answer for it. You said to ignore the law, and that's fine, but I don't think we can ignore perception and liability.

4. I can't shake the perception, though perhaps unfounded, that what you're really counting on is that your assailant will cringe and maybe run when he sees what looks like a real gun. This is almost universally condemned as a Very Bad Idea by knowledgeable handgun trainers. The more usual version is "I could never kill anyone, so I have a gun but no buwwets. I'm just going to point the unloaded gun at him and bluff him."
When this works, it works no better than pointing a real, loaded weapon. When it doesn't work, it's an invitation to a boot party.
Bluffing is something you do when you've got nothing else. It's not a "Plan A" kind of technique.

 

[Don Gwinn]

Oops, didn't see that you're boxing now. That IMHO is about the best you can do for the purpose you described above. Not boxing necessarily, although it's a good idea, but some kind of hand-to-hand that is practiced "alive" at full speed against fully resisting opponents.

Boxing
Muay Thai
Kickboxing
BJJ/Luta Livre
Sombo
Kyokushin Karate
San Shou/Sanda

I'm come full circle on this from Tae Kwon Do apologist to BJJ white belt.

I'm not saying you can punch everybody, I'm just saying that if you want a technique to distract your attacker by attacking his face somehow, and he's within arm's reach or so, and you're a boxer, then I'm wondering what I'm missing. This is like Danica Patrick wondering if she should hitch a horse to her IRL car for that "instinctive" feel.

No. Just. . . . NO.

 

[Boom-stick]

'Prohibited weapons' (section 5) includes "any weapon of whatever description designed or adapted for the discharge of any noxious liquid, gas or other thing." If even the mildest pepper spray falls foul of this law, I bet hot sauce does too

When we were kids, we used to carry squeezy jiff lemon bottles the kind that look like a 'lemon', a quick blast of that in the face used to work wonders on school bullies and angry dogs with the added bonus of a fresh lemony after scent
but obviously not suitable for your crack/meth head, guntoting gangbanger.

My whole idea with this thread was just a variation on a theme. I'm a huge advocate of getting people to shut their eyes before you strike, the 'airsoft' was for that, not the whole gun intimidation 'thing'.

I was taught as a kid to wave an open left hand across an opponents field of view and as you block their vision, open up with a 'big' right hander. The same thing can be said for umbrellas or a mouthful of whatever you may have in your mouth at the time

Anything to get them to close their eyes first.

 

[Lonestar]

Agreed, some sort of mace or chemical spray is better than an airsoft. Like other mentioned check your local laws, carrying an airsoft may be a no,no. Also, at least in the states, a lot of junior criminals use airsoft pistols modified to look real (black paint on the orange tip) to rob people. A police officer my lump you in with these criminals if your caught carrying an airsoft without a reason.

 

[Fosbery]

Are people ignoring my posts on purpose?

 

[Matt_W]

Airsoft guns are not 'airguns' if they have less than 1J of ME. Which is why 'airsoft' guns that look like realistic replica firearms will be banned post VCRB but the CO2 powered airpistols that look like real firearms will not be banned because they are officialy airweapons. HM Customs treat them as toys rather than weapons.

It appears that if you have an airsoft gun that generates more than 1J of ME you will be allowed to continue to purchase them, unless it is a self loader - in which case it becomes Sec5 (like a 7.62mm machine gun or pepperspray)

Only in the UK could you expect to lump peppersprays and machine guns in the same legal definition for the purposes of helping the Court decide how serious an offence you have committed.

BTW if you hit the eye you will get an effect. For more trauma consider a paintball gun if you are looking for a stand off weapon against criminals invading your home etc. (Even just to soften them up a little and test their mettle as they ascend the stairs)

 

[Boom-stick]

Are people ignoring my posts on purpose?

Who's posts................

Don't take it to heart, I feel like that every time I start a thread, with having to explain why I don't CCW etc...

a lot of junior criminals use airsoft pistols modified to look real (black paint on the orange tip) to rob people.

Thats funny, because we've had crim's painting their real guns loud colours like orange and yellow so the police think they're carrying water pistol or toys and won't shoot them. (doesn't work though, a guy got shot carrying a chair leg whilst walking down the road as the police thought it was a gun )