Practice Airsoft

[rjohnson4405]

I had read some posts about practicing with air soft guns. As winter is coming and I have a large unfinished basement it may be a good chance to get a lot of practice for very cheap. I would especially use it for training/tactics as in drawing exercises and movement. I would keep going to the indoor pistol range as well.

I'm asking:
Is this a good idea? Why/why not?
Any accurate guns? Preferably the same dimensions and CO2 powered blow backs for realistic purposes. Specifically a Glock 19.

Suggestions and comments welcome!
Thanks,
rjohnson4405

 

[Dionysusigma]

Don't know about accuracy, as NO Airsoft gun is going to have the range a real firearm would...

But as far as practical practice, it is indeed a good idea. Areas in which Airsoft training is a big help include drawing from a holster/concealment, sight alignment, and generally the ability to blast off several magazines without spending an arm and a leg (and getting it out of your system ).

Especially rings true with Green Gas blowback pistols.

 

[biscuitninja]

I have a small range in my garage. I practice shooting around targets, off axis and anything but the "normal" stance. It is especially good if you have a DA pistol. Also as mentioned, the cost is in the pennies per shot. Anyways goodluck
-bix

 

[GTSteve03]

It's a great idea! I do it myself. I like to print out free targets on my printer and tape them to boxes to catch the pellets.

Check out the KSC/KWA Glock 19 for a good quality reproduction. I bought my Sig clone from Airsplat and it was an easy experience.

 

[slabuda]

As long as you understand the limitations of their accuracy (which isnt so bad inside of 30 ft or so) they are good training IMO. Good practice on drawing, sight alignment etc.
Some of the better made gas blow back guns are near enough the exact size weight and even have same trigger pull weight of the real one (and cost as much too).

I can see turning the lights down for low light shooting putting up paper plates at various positions distances with numbers on them. Have a friend call out a number and draw/ double tap. Challenge each other to best score. Change up positions with out the other person looking for more challenge.

Also too if the basement is big enough you can shoot low powered pellet guns with the proper back stop and pellet trap. These can be very accurate and have a smooth trigger so you get great practice with trigger control.


BTW I have 2. An electric MP-5 and KSC green gas glock full auto pistol. (90% of the time use single shot but it is really funny when messing around with a friend (proper safety gear of course) and let loose with a full extended 50 rd mag and they didnt know it was full auto

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

I like it also for cheap quick indoor practice. It's basically dry firing practice with the added benefit of seeing where you are hitting. Accuracy of the one I have is decent (about 2" when fired across a garage) for it's purpose. The gas blowback ones are nice to simulate the action of your pistol but don't expect it to give you muzzle flip or anything (lightweight slide, weak spring). Mine is a HFC GLOCK 26 from Airsplat and it very closely resembles the real deal. Weight distribution is different (opposite a real one with most of the weight in the magazine and a light slide) but overall weight is similar. I think I paid about $95 shipped with 2000 BBs and a can of green gas.

 

[SaMx]

If you look on ebay you can get a tokyo marui spring pistol for about 35 bucks (25 + 10 shipping). just search ebay for marui and look under spring pistols. The seller is called ehobbyasia. Marui makes some of the best spring pistols.

 

[RyanM]

Main benefit is being able to practice in your own home. For cost, I think .22 LR bulk pack is actually cheaper to shoot. Goes to show you how overpriced airsoft stuff is.

 

[AZ_Rebel]

There are really only 2 elements to marksmanship - Sight Picture and Trigger Control.
Element #1 is to get the proper Sight Picture i.e.

• Front Sight centered in the rear sight and tops of sights alligned
• Front Sight on Center Of Mass (or center of target)
• Front Sight in Sharp Focus

Element #2 is to press the trigger in such a way that it does not disturb the Sight Picture established i.e.

• Moving the trigger from it's forward position to it's back position in one smooth even pressure.

Both these elements can be practiced with an Airsoft Pistol BUT this pistol:

• Will NOT have the same trigger movement as your Real Gun
• Will NOT have the same sights as your Real Gun
• Will NOT have the same weight as your Real Gun
• Will NOT shoot to the same point of impact and will need a different Sight Picture as your Real Gun

The two elements can be practiced with your Real Gun without these drawbacks by proper Dry Fire Practice - a better solution IMO.

Also when Dry Firing:

• You don't need to buy anything new
• You won't need to clean up those little plastic balls
• You don't need a special place where those little plastic balls can fly
• You don't need to worry about the noise or damage
• You won't put your eye out

You can learn much about working with your gun at dry firing drills. You will know when the hammer drops if you have "hit" your target or not... if those sights are still dead center and your front sight is still in sharp focus you have hit. If your sight picture is no longer there ... Figure out why, correct and try again.

 

[MrBorland]

I have an airpistol and an airsoft. I think practicing with them is fine, and if you get good quality ones, are pretty good practice. I do, however, tend to agree with AZ_Rebel - in particular the trigger movement and that it may not have the same grip and/or pointability as your real gun.

Dry fire is good, and I do a lot of that, but being mainly a revolver guy, I recently "discovered" primer-only Aguila Colibri .22 rounds. They shoot a 20 grain bullet around 365 fps, so I can shoot these in my garage with my S&W .22, which itself is an "understudy" to my .357mag. They won't cycle a semi-auto, but I understand they'll feed if you manually cycle the action. If you're interested in working on your marksmanship (and have a .22), they'd be a pretty good option. If you have a semi-auto and are interested in working on SD drills, though, the airsoft may be the better option.

Super Colibris have a little more zip, so I could probably use these to work on my rifle skills in my backyard.

 

[GTSteve03]

Both these elements can be practiced with an Airsoft Pistol BUT this pistol:

* Will NOT have the same trigger movement as your Real Gun
* Will NOT have the same sights as your Real Gun
* Will NOT have the same weight as your Real Gun
* Will NOT shoot to the same point of impact and will need a different Sight Picture as your Real Gun

Actually, most of this is wrong.

You would be surprised at how good the quality Airsoft replicas are these days. My Sig P229 by KJW has a nice, smooth double action trigger and light single action, just like my real Sig. In fact, it might even have a better trigger.

Both guns weigh nearly the same. The KJW has an aluminum frame and slide, so it is a slight bit lighter, but not by much. It is still a solid metal gun with quite a bit of heft.

Both guns are the exact same size and have identical sight pictures. I can provide pictures for proof if necessary.

The point of impact of these guns can be adjusted to match the sight picture, so you can in fact have the exact same accuracy, at least at ranges up to about 15 yards or so.

Your post makes me think you've never actually used a quality Airsoft gun. Give it a shot, you'd be surprised at how realistic and useful they are.

 

[Roswell 1847]

Some of the low cost spring pistols are not that bad.
I bought up a few for use as motion picture props some years back.

The UHC brand are the best of the low cost guns, they are made by a Korean company company that casts religious icons so the workmanship is far above average. Also they make what are very close copies of the Tokyo Mariu line of spring airsoft guns and are very well thought out designs.

The don't have realistic weight even though they have steel insets for heft and metal inner barrels.

The 1911 has a very realistic action, the barrel even cams down at the breech when you rack the slide.
The M9 looks very real but is not as sturdy feeling.

I haven't gotten into the gas airsoft guns yet, they only recently started selling the gas locally.
I have a full metal .177 BB Walther PPKS made for Crosman that runs on CO2 and has very realistic blowback action. A good training aid for the PPK or Bersa .380 pocket pistols. This same action is available in a nearly identical 6mm Airsoft pistol I saw recently on the Shorty USA site.

If you want to get serious I'd go for the full metal Gas blowback pistols , but for general plinking for fun the cheaper UHC springers are just fine.

I think Crosman sells a CO2 powered S&W Sigma replica thats one of the more powerful 6mm airsoft pistols.

 

[AZ_Rebel]

The OP asked the question on Airsoft:

to get a lot of practice for very cheap...
Is this a good idea? Why/why not?

... elements can be practiced with an Airsoft Pistol BUT this pistol

* Will NOT have the same trigger movement as your Real Gun
* Will NOT have the same sights as your Real Gun
* Will NOT have the same weight as your Real Gun
* Will NOT shoot to the same point of impact and will need a different Sight Picture as your Real Gun

... Actually, most of this is wrong.

Oh?

...just like my real Sig. In fact, it might even have a better trigger.

The KJW has an aluminum frame and slide, so it is a slight bit lighter...

The point of impact of these guns can be adjusted to match the sight picture

The high-end airsoft gun and related accessories will cost a lot of money and certainly take it out of the "cheap" catagory - best suited for those who specifically enjoy shooting a BB gun. By the time you get it and set it up to match your Real Gun as close as possible you may wonder if it was practical.
Proper Dry-Fire drills with your Real Gun can do wonders for your marksmanship and costs.... NOTHING! (Cheap)
Practice with a BB gun can certainly also be beneficial - but does not compare to working with your actual gun.
If you enjoy shooting Airsoft, great! Go for it. I found it quickly boring and tedious - even with a High $$$ "quality Airsoft gun"!

 

[hopkin]

I've played the bad guy for a few CP training scenarios and it's amazing how skilled people make mistakes when a realistic situation occures, things like not counting shots, fumbling mag changes, shooting to the side after seeing a bright light and so on.

I think airsoft has a use in situations where you want to use ammo but real ammo would be dangerous. For example, looking for an intruder who suddenly shines a flashlight into your face. Being able to shoot and see where you actually hit in a realistic situation is a great thing. Airsoft is of limited value but worth the money for a cheap blow-back.

 

[NYenthusiast]

As someone who has played airsoft for a number of years and is also a firearms enthusiast I would say airsoft guns can be great tools for target practice, self defense drills or just plinking around the house. I would reccomend that you invest in one of the more expensive GBB models because they will give you the best performance along with the best replication of their real world counterparts. I know many real gun owners frown upon airsoft. I have never been able to understand this mentality as it has always seemed to me, many who play airsoft also enjoy shooting. Some good online retailers for you to have a look at include www.redwolfairsoft.com and hotspotairsoft.com. I reccomend that you look at Western Arms brand models and or KSC models.

 

[strambo]

AZ_Rebel, the airsoft Sig he's talking about costs less than $120. After that, the pellets and gas are about 1c per shot. My KWA G19 was $120, it the exact same sights, shoots to POA and has good weight and trigger.

It can also be used for force on force and gun disarmament training as well (wear appropriate protective gear). I took my wife through a 2 hour shooting course (3-10 yards) and finished up with a 20 round qualification before leaving for A-stan. Live fire would have been better, but we didn't have a chance to do that.

 

[AZ_Rebel]

Again, the OP asked:

...to get a lot of practice for very cheap.

strambo (like GTSteve03 did in his post) makes my point (TY) when he said:

...the airsoft Sig he's talking about costs less than $120.

A $120.00 BB Gun is not "cheap"!

There is no doubt that there are many people who enjoy using airsoft for fun and practice... but that's NOT what the OP asked, IMO. My post pointed out some of the problems and offered an alternative method of practice that costs nothing.

I am not knocking your guns or your choices - but please read the ORIGINAL Post.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

I guess it depends on what the OP considers "cheap". Mine cost what 100-350 rounds of ammo would cost (depending on what brand you get) and is close enough to my carry gun in function and feel to practice drills or just plinking with indoors when I can't afford to do the real thing or the weather isn't cooperating.
Dry firing is a very good idea and should be incorporated as well, but it's fun to sling projos doing timed failure to stop drills in the comfort of home sometimes for a change.

 

[bobaloo]

I take a lot of "non-shooters" shooting for their first time. I took one out a while back, a young lady in her early 20's. She told me she'd never shot a firearm in her life. Took her to the pistol range and gave her a 22 pistol, she proceeded to shoot the center out of the target. Gave her a 9mm, same story, then with a 1911.

Picking my jaw up off the floor I again asked her about her shooting history. Turns out while she had never shot a gun she had an airsoft pistol she shot constantly for fun.

This was her first time with a real gun and she was shooting darned near as well as I was. I definitely think you can learn sight alignment and trigger control with airsoft practice, I've seen it work.

 

[Brick]

I think AZ_Rebel got stained a little bit by his experience. Hey, they're not for everyone. But don't let his experience taint the rest of you.

But for what you can pay, they are great for F on F training. I'm sorry, but outside of real gunfights you cannot match airsoft for cheapness. A paintball mask and some good replicas — you're good to go. A good brand of BBs (TM, AE, KSC, Stealth, Matrix) costs about 15 bucks for a 15,000 .20g BB bag. A propane adaptor costs about 20 bucks. 100% silicone oil can be sourced from a hobby shop for cheap (get the right weight). There you are — assuming you can get propane for three or so bucks a can, you're set.

Sure they cost money. Some might even cost more than the real thing. It all depends what you decide is worth while.

Stick with a higher-end replicas = TM, KSC/KWA, WA for GBB pistols. They're about as accurate to recoil as you can get to the real thing. You'd be suprised how realistic these things can get, but you can pay for that.

I had a KJW 1911a1, and liked it. It had its problems, mostly because KJW is junk. But it had nice kick for a full metal (read: most are half-potmetal) GBB. I have a semi-burst-full auto M93R on paypal paid...

 

[mp510]

Picking my jaw up off the floor I again asked her about her shooting history. Turns out while she had never shot a gun she had an airsoft pistol she shot constantly for fun.

This was her first time with a real gun and she was shooting darned near as well as I was. I definitely think you can learn sight alignment and trigger control with airsoft practice, I've seen it work.

Tatsuya Sakai won the Steel Challenge 2004 competition after a significant amount of airsoft training (while in his native Japan, where handgun ownership is not allowed), and only a month of live fire practice while in the USA. http://hometown.aol.com/reddog276/BP-January-05.html

 

[strambo]

I am not knocking your guns or your choices - but please read the ORIGINAL Post

I certainly did, he asked about an airsoft G19 for practice...that's what one suitable to his purpose will cost. Why are we arguing the semantics of "cheap?" That is subjective and based on personal opinion and finances. What is objective however, is the cost of live ammunition and any range fees.

1 penny per shot seems cheap. There is definitely value to convenient in-home practice with a very good replica of one's carry firearm. Whether that makes a $120 airsoft pistol (one third the cost of a used Glock, or ~14 boxes of ammo) worth those benefits is up to every individual to decide...like the one asking about it.

 

[3rdpig]

I've been very interested in using an airsoft pistol at home for practice. A friend of mine started doing it and his practice with his gas blowback Glock 19 has paid off. He got his on sale for $99 with free shipping. I'm going to hope one shows up under my Christmas tree.

 

[Brick]

A $120 quality GBB is cheap...

15,000 rounds for 15 bucks is cheap...

Propane adaptor for 20 bucks is cheap...

Bottle of silicone oil for 5 bucks...cheap.

Mags, predicably, not cheap...more like 30 bucks a piece. Get at least two.

Get one.

 

[AZ_Rebel]

The High Road???

My... are we a bit "touchy" about our toys?

"I'm asking:
Is this a good idea? Why/why not?"

The OP asked for opinions and he got them. Moreover, he asked for "why/why not and he got some of both - plenty to give him better information to make his choice. I gave him some "why nots" based on MY opinion and some of you seem to take that personal. Hmmmm.... wonder why?

"What is objective however, is the cost of live ammunition and any range fees."

Now what makes the cost of a High-end Airsoft "subjective" and the cost of ammo and range fees "objective"? And I would like you to tell me where the cost of ammo and range fees enters into the suggestions I made...

Strambo you seem angry that others do not share your enthusiasm about your hobby - that is strange... again why are you taking this personal? I suspect you have had your share of people making fun of your BB Gun... I did not do that! I believe my post was supportive when I said:

"There is no doubt that there are many people who enjoy using airsoft for fun and practice."

Earlier I offered an opinion and was told I was "wrong". The poster then went on to confirm the opinions that I had expressed... ?

"A $120 quality GBB is cheap..." etc. etc.

$120.+ $15.+ $20.+ $5.+ $60.+Gas? = $220.00+.... Sounds like too many $5.00 Coffees at Starbucks has "tainted" him too.

Brick - Meet Strambo

"Why are we arguing the semantics of "cheap?" (I don't know...why are you?)

Let me say it one more time people... I am not criticizing your choices! But why do you think that only positive slanted feedback should be posted when the OP specifically asked for both sides? The OP is a Big Boy and should be able to make up his own mind - to accept or reject my argument or yours - based on the information given.

If a member of this forum can not express an opinion then it is not much of a "forum". (In my opinion.)