Airsoft pistols?

[NuShootr]

Without getting into the politics of it (please!), I am looking to possibly get an Airsoft pistol to practice with. In the state of NJ, I need a permit to purchase a pistol to get one (I know, I know...please keep comments about THAT out of this thread), so I would likely get a pistol for the range, and then an Airsoft one to practice at home.
Is that a viable option, or would practice via dry firing a real pistol serve the same purpose? I can't even get my hands on an Airsoft pistol to try without that permit (and I don't have it, yet), which is why I'm asking.
NO POLITICS!!

 

[badkarmamib]

I hear you on that request to focus on the subject, my condolences. With that out of the way, in my personal experience, airsoft guns physically resemble their real-steel counterparts in shape most of the time, weight if you get a quality model, but rarely things like trigger pull. In other words, they are great for staying familiar with the feel, good for a safe way to evaluate drawing and firing at speed, but not so much at staying proficient with regards to accuracy.

Depending on your model, a more viable option might be one of the striker-fired lasers that fit in your chamber, that lets you see where you hit, but they typically need you to partially rack the slide or index the cylinder between shots to reset.

 

[GEM]

They are a great learning tool. If you can do, I encourage it. You can practice trigger control, sight usage, drawing, etc. Also, they are recommended for FOF exercises. I've done a great deal of those. However, such exercises are most useful if supervised and well scripted by a trainer knowledgeable in their usage.

Here's an article by a great trainer and good friend: https://www.krtraining.com/KRTraining/Archive/SWAT-Karl1.pdf
https://krtraining.com/KRTraining/Archive/ForceOnForce.pdf

Here's a good supplier - (NJ laws aside): https://www.airsoftatlanta.com/

They are not without sting. You need some cover garments. Close up, you can bleed. I know from a close up ambush with full auto guns. Just a tee-shirt and I had to peel off the bloody thing later. Interesting bruises at the gym to explain to more pacifistic colleagues.

It's well know that a Japanese young man trained on airsoft at home, came here and was a top level competitor with real guns. I would give a link except that the one that came up, triggered a major virus alert!!

Now for home practice - you might consider (don't know the NJ rules on these), a SIRT pistol. - https://nextleveltraining.com/

Not exactly the same trigger and no recoil but one can draw and shoot with no possible damage (shield your eyes and those of others).

Hope this helps. I feel your pain in NJ, having gone through the NY system.

 

[NuShootr]

They are a great learning tool. If you can do, I encourage it. You can practice trigger control, sight usage, drawing, etc. Also, they are recommended for FOF exercises. I've done a great deal of those. However, such exercises are most useful if supervised and well scripted by a trainer knowledgeable in their usage.

Here's an article by a great trainer and good friend: https://www.krtraining.com/KRTraining/Archive/SWAT-Karl1.pdf
https://krtraining.com/KRTraining/Archive/ForceOnForce.pdf

Here's a good supplier - (NJ laws aside): https://www.airsoftatlanta.com/

They are not without sting. You need some cover garments. Close up, you can bleed. I know from a close up ambush with full auto guns. Just a tee-shirt and I had to peel off the bloody thing later. Interesting bruises at the gym to explain to more pacifistic colleagues.

It's well know that a Japanese young man trained on airsoft at home, came here and was a top level competitor with real guns. I would give a link except that the one that came up, triggered a major virus alert!!

Now for home practice - you might consider (don't know the NJ rules on these), a SIRT pistol. - https://nextleveltraining.com/

Not exactly the same trigger and no recoil but one can draw and shoot with no possible damage (shield your eyes and those of others).

Hope this helps. I feel your pain in NJ, having gone through the NY system.

Wow, thanks for all the awesome resources!!

I was looking at the SIRT pistol as well, and I don't think I need to secure a permit to get one. I will ask for sure when I go to the range today.

If you had the choice between an Airsoft or the SIRT which would you personally choose?

 

[GEM]

Good question: Depends on where you are going to use it. I might use the Airsoft in the basement (and set up a little range) if you have one. Shooting it in the house, you will never find the pellets (I know). They hurt to step on in your bare feet. Your significant other, kids, pets - don't appreciate them. Outdoors - they are great. Beware of nosy neighbors freaking out, if it's n the backyard.

The SIRT is great for practicing in the house, pieing corners, practicing cover - you don't have to reload. They do have mags so you can practice if you want do. No racking though.

One funny story - I'm out and get a call from my wife. She is upset that I left a gun out - a major NO NO. I am shocked because I imagine that I could do something that stupid. I ask which one - she says the red slide Glock. I laugh and say that is just a laser pistol. She says: THEY ARE MAKING LASER GUNS NOW!

I wish but explain it is basically a laser pointer training aid. All became well.

 

[CapnMac]

Outdoors - they are great.

And, unlike lead pellets (esp. 5mm ones) are less of an issue when you run the lawnmower over them (don't ask me how I know).

 

[Ohen Cepel]

The laser cartridges are a good option, nicer if you don't have a striker fired gun but there are work arounds for those also.

I prefer a pellet pistol over the airsoft, much more accurate and consistent.

 

[WheelGunMan]

Another vote for a laser trainer. I shoot at an 8 x 11 sheet of paper as representative of "center of mass" with a red laser trainer. It gives you instant feed back. You can set up scenarios to suit your needs.

 

[TheWarhammer]

I'm a former paintball and airsoft addict. I have a Tokyo Marui Glock 18C that I bought about 10 or 12 years ago. It wasn't cheap at about $250, but it looks and feels real enough to fool most people. I don't know about it being a good trainer, but it sure is fun to shoot. Just like with real guns, you can go down the rabbit hole pretty quickly with these things. With the 2 extended mags, threaded barrel, faux suppressor and shoulder stock, I probably have about $450 invested in a toy gun! With a 50 round mag and the selector on full auto, it's a real hoot! If you get a propane bottle adapter, you can save a lot of money on Green Gas.

 

[Riomouse911]

My son loves his 1911 USMC
airsoft pistol. The slide reciprocates when fired giving a touch of “recoil” and the weight snd feel is almost spot on for a 5” 1911.



Between the airsofts and the modern b-b guns being sold now, you’re sure to find several that’ll work well for you.

Stay safe.

 

[Hal]

In the state of NJ, I need a permit to purchase a pistol to get one

Once gotten, are you allowed to use it?
Due to the ambiguous wording of our local (city) laws, we were forbidden to use "anything that launches any type of projectile over any portion of the city" - yep - anything.
Spit balls, baseballs, basket balls, footballs, golf balls, nerf gun projectiles, airsoft BB's - anything.

Thankfully - that piece of garbage hysteria was repealed.

 

[AK103K]

The couple of Airsoft guns I had didnt hold up very well to even moderate use. They werent cheap versions either. Top of the line at the time models.

The seals on the mags constantly went, and major parts broke in fairly short order, rendering them useless.

On the plus side, mine were all accurate, and at distances you wouldnt expect (yards, not feet), and allow you to work on things you normally wouldnt with a real gun.

Other than being able to shoot each other, I really dont miss them.

I dry fire a number of different guns every day, handgun and long gun, most of it is presentation type practice, but always some basic stuff as well. Much of it the same thing you would do with the Airsoft, and with the same benefit. You just dont see a hole in the paper when the trigger breaks.

Another plus to dry fire is, your wife doesnt bitch, carry on, and smack you on the back of the head (for no apparent reason) after she steps on an errant plastic white ball in her bare feet that you missed picking up off the hardwoods either.

 

[NuShootr]

Once gotten, are you allowed to use it?
Due to the ambiguous wording of our local (city) laws, we were forbidden to use "anything that launches any type of projectile over any portion of the city" - yep - anything.
Spit balls, baseballs, basket balls, footballs, golf balls, nerf gun projectiles, airsoft BB's - anything.

Thankfully - that piece of garbage hysteria was repealed.

Almost impossible to get a CCW permit in NJ. I can use it for home defense, and at ranges, but it has to be transported locked, with ammo and magazine locked separately.

 

[buck460XVR]

Back when my youngest was young, we got into airsoft, pellet guns and paintball. Bought both rifle and handgun airsoft guns, not cheapos, but not top of the line either. Spent many a cold winter day/night in the basement shooting airsoft at paper targets with a heavy blanket hanging behind it. Tarp on the floor beneath it caught airsoft pellets to be reused. Youngest developed into a DA shooter with revolvers better than I ever was, or ever will be. Now almost two decades alter my grandson is using the same airsoft guns in the basement. Good learning tools.

 

[WheelGunMan]

My son loves his 1911 USMC
airsoft pistol. The slide reciprocates when fired giving a touch of “recoil” and the weight snd feel is almost spot on for a 5” 1911.

View attachment 974380 View attachment 974381

Between the airsofts and the modern b-b guns being sold now, you’re sure to find several that’ll work well for you.

Stay safe.

Good form...nice grip!

 

[chicharrones]

Now for home practice - you might consider (don't know the NJ rules on these), a SIRT pistol. - https://nextleveltraining.com/

Not exactly the same trigger and no recoil but one can draw and shoot with no possible damage (shield your eyes and those of others).

I'm really liking the looks of those. I'd like one with a DAO kind of trigger, I'm guessing the SIRTs replicate striker fired guns?

 

[Vern Humphrey]

This may be more than you want to get into, but you can get Speer plastic training ammo
Shop products in Plastic Training Bullets today | Speer Ammunition

You can get both bullets and cases, but I find brass cases do better -- just enlarge the flash hole with a drill. Prime the cases using a Lee Autoprime, load the bullets with your fingers, and fire away!

If you have a basement or a garage, you can convert that into a perfect range. Use a large cardboard box filled with newspaper as a backstop.

 

[Koroner]

People in Jersey have my sympathy. Worst inland shark attack. Terrible smells when we drove through. Doesn't trust its citizens to carry. Permits to own toys. Snooky. Chris Christy. Sheesh.

NuShootr, I hope you make a lot more money than me, or have some other really good reason to live there.

Always thought the realism of Airsofts was a really bad idea. How many kids with them have been shot by cops?

 

[GEM]

Let's not talk about NJ's other characteristics. As far as accidental shooting of kids, the numbers are very small, probably less than the cell phone shootings but that's off topic for the OP.

Folks live in different places for various reason that can be more important than firearms (horrors), so let's not berate someone for a complex life choice.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

My primary carry gun is a Glock 19. I have two KWA "K19" gas blowback airsoft pistols and an Umarex Glock 19 CO2 BB pistol. I have a weighted Ring's Bluegun Glock 19 for non-projectile force-on-force training as well as dry training. They all fit my holster.

I also have a DryFireMag so I don't have to rack the slide of my G19 when dryfiring. It automatically resets the trigger after each shot.

Finally I have a MantisX10 dryfire trainer that attaches to the rail on my Glock. It communicates via Bluetooth with the MantisX app on my phone/Kindle Fire to record my performance when working the trigger. I just got it and I'm learning it's full capabilites but IMO it's superior to a laser training system.

Good luck!

 

[Charlie Martinez]

I bought a Crossman pellet revolver for inexpensive home practice but it doesn't provide an enjoyable shooting experience. The trigger is miserable & feels nothing like my real gun. I suppose that if I can master that thing shooting a gun with a decent trigger pull would seem like a walk in the park but the bottom line is that I simply don't enjoy shooting it & it is locked up most of the time.
I have never shot an airsoft gun. Is it different?

 

[lsudave]

My brother and I got some really nice Airsoft handguns for our kids, and they've been fun and useful. The more expensive "Beretta", I think it was KWA, had a bit lighter trigger and racking the slide, but it operated almost exactly the same, down to take down. You have to oil the seals of the mags (we loaded them with propane and a couple drops of special oil), and they lasted awhile. Accuracy was pretty solid, especially if you stick to self-defense ranges.

The photos of the kid is a perfect example- that's a decent distance, if perspective isn't off that's about what a lot of folks will shoot at in an indoor range. Now, granted, at that distance with 'real' guns, I shoot at the small target in the upper left... as I remember you can do that with decent accuracy with a good Airsoft pistol too. You don't get recoil, but you actually can learn good form by deleting that, and then translating it over to something with more kick.

 

[Hal]

Almost impossible to get a CCW permit in NJ. I can use it for home defense, and at ranges, but it has to be transported locked, with ammo and magazine locked separately.

Use an airsoft for home defense?
We maybe have our signals crossed a bit here.

Prior to getting rid of the horrible way our local ordinance was written, we could own an airsoft gun, but, it was illegal for us to shoot it - even in our basement.
Heck, we couldn't even shoot a rubber band with our finger.

I know NJ s restrictive - but - do you really have to go to a range to use one?

 

[NuShootr]

Use an airsoft for home defense?
We maybe have our signals crossed a bit here.

Prior to getting rid of the horrible way our local ordinance was written, we could own an airsoft gun, but, it was illegal for us to shoot it - even in our basement.
Heck, we couldn't even shoot a rubber band with our finger.

I know NJ s restrictive - but - do you really have to go to a range to use one?

No, no. Airsoft just to practice drills in my garage. I'm leaning towards the SIRT, though.

 

[KevininPa]

I got this pellet gun for revolver practice. The pellets load into "bullets" that you need to load into the cylinder. They fit into my speed loaders and speed strip. The trigger was sort of crappy at first but smoothed out with use. Weighs about the same as my Speed Six. It's a Dan Wesson 715 replica.

I also have a 1911 replica with the blowback action. Everything operates exactly the same as a 1911. Had to get that because nobody makes a High Power clone.