Practice Airsoft
- Thread starter rjohnson4405
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g.willikers
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- Aug 25, 2007
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My 2 cents, maybe overpriced at that:
One of the guys who attended our matches was usually in the top ten every time. In the spring, when the matches resumed after the winter layoff, he was even better, way up at the top for at least a couple of months until the hotdogs regained their skills.
His secret was air gun practice all winter. While most were letting their skills decay over the five months of winter, he was practicing in his basement with his trusty airguns.
For years I've done the same and it works. As long as the practice is done with something similar to your real gun, and you don't have to relearn anything come spring, it really helps getting the regular trigger time that airguns and airsoft can provide.
And the coffee stays hot, too.
One of the guys who attended our matches was usually in the top ten every time. In the spring, when the matches resumed after the winter layoff, he was even better, way up at the top for at least a couple of months until the hotdogs regained their skills.
His secret was air gun practice all winter. While most were letting their skills decay over the five months of winter, he was practicing in his basement with his trusty airguns.
For years I've done the same and it works. As long as the practice is done with something similar to your real gun, and you don't have to relearn anything come spring, it really helps getting the regular trigger time that airguns and airsoft can provide.
And the coffee stays hot, too.
W.E.G.
Member
AZ_Rebel,
Show me a Force on Force type "hobby" that you can play with replica firearms quite safely (with protection) in the equivalent manner as airsoft.
Paintball? Nope. Laser tag? Nope. Laser tips they use in the Army SOF? Nope.
Besides, I have yet to hear you speak good about airsoft F on F. But in any event your posts are becoming a little too intense for me.
Have a nice day!
Show me a Force on Force type "hobby" that you can play with replica firearms quite safely (with protection) in the equivalent manner as airsoft.
Paintball? Nope. Laser tag? Nope. Laser tips they use in the Army SOF? Nope.
Besides, I have yet to hear you speak good about airsoft F on F. But in any event your posts are becoming a little too intense for me.
Have a nice day!
Roswell 1847
member
Been considering starting a thread on the old Toyguns that shot various types of projectiles.
I had a few as a kid. My favorite was a near full size plastic M!carbine that fired wooden bullets from a detachable box magazine when you racked the spring loaded slide and pulled the trigger.
I also had a near full size metal Colt Peacemaker that fired plastic bullets from metal cartridge cases using a powerful cap that stuck to the base over a pinhole to direct the gases into the casing.
Not much range or power but each would knock over a dixie cup at twenty feet or so, and further if you aimed high enough.
Airsoft guns remind me of those, and how I'd wished they'd performed as well as the airsoft guns do today.
I had a few as a kid. My favorite was a near full size plastic M!carbine that fired wooden bullets from a detachable box magazine when you racked the spring loaded slide and pulled the trigger.
I also had a near full size metal Colt Peacemaker that fired plastic bullets from metal cartridge cases using a powerful cap that stuck to the base over a pinhole to direct the gases into the casing.
Not much range or power but each would knock over a dixie cup at twenty feet or so, and further if you aimed high enough.
Airsoft guns remind me of those, and how I'd wished they'd performed as well as the airsoft guns do today.
There are some really cheap ones that aren't that accurate but I disagree about the sights and weight of the guns. I was reading a review of one gun that compared it to the real steel version. (HK USP) The difference in weight was something like < 10 grams. Ok, technically different but not enough to notice. Also a lot of them are very realistic down to the trademarks on the gun.
A real USP (because I've been looking at those in both real and airsoft version) seems to run just over $500 for a used gun. The KWA Gas Blowback airsoft gun is $129.98 new. (From here: http://www.airsoftgi.com/) Now without having shot it, I would agree that the kickback from a .45 is going to be greater than an airsoft gun. I also found a good review from arniesairsoft.co.uk that says:
I agree that the gun is an additional expenditure that may not be cheap, I think a lot of it depends on your availability of a range close to you. Similar to the saying that a .22 in the head is better than a .45 out the window, hitting paper with plastic is better than getting rusty. I don't live near a range and those that may only have close access to an outdoor range might find this a good way to keep up their skills during the winter. Sure, dry firing is useful but I also think a little boring... I like getting feedback on where a shot was placed. The benefit to airsoft I see is that I can plink away any time of the day and all I have to do is setup my range inside. I don't have to drive 30 minutes to go shoot so I'm more likely to shoot.
I don't think airsoft is a replacement for a real gun (except maybe in instances where they can't own real guns like in Japan) but I do think it's not a bad thing to have. I also wouldn't mind trying some simulations and such with airsoft that you just couldn't do as realistically with a real gun. (Ie. blanks)
A real USP (because I've been looking at those in both real and airsoft version) seems to run just over $500 for a used gun. The KWA Gas Blowback airsoft gun is $129.98 new. (From here: http://www.airsoftgi.com/) Now without having shot it, I would agree that the kickback from a .45 is going to be greater than an airsoft gun. I also found a good review from arniesairsoft.co.uk that says:
While this doesn't help the original seller because he was looking for a glock, it's what I'm looking at. KWA also makes a few glocks that have gotten good reviews, including a M19.
I agree that the gun is an additional expenditure that may not be cheap, I think a lot of it depends on your availability of a range close to you. Similar to the saying that a .22 in the head is better than a .45 out the window, hitting paper with plastic is better than getting rusty. I don't live near a range and those that may only have close access to an outdoor range might find this a good way to keep up their skills during the winter. Sure, dry firing is useful but I also think a little boring... I like getting feedback on where a shot was placed. The benefit to airsoft I see is that I can plink away any time of the day and all I have to do is setup my range inside. I don't have to drive 30 minutes to go shoot so I'm more likely to shoot.
I don't think airsoft is a replacement for a real gun (except maybe in instances where they can't own real guns like in Japan) but I do think it's not a bad thing to have. I also wouldn't mind trying some simulations and such with airsoft that you just couldn't do as realistically with a real gun. (Ie. blanks)
AK103K
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- Joined
- Dec 27, 2002
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- 7,610
I been practicing with airsoft on regular basis for awhile now, and feel its a very worthwhile thing to have. There are ways to practice that you just cant do with a real gun, short of shooting each other for real.
I have to assume that those who state that the guns dont feel or work like the real thing have not spent much time with one, if at all. I have P229 gas guns that feel and work just like the real one in my holster, (actually, the airsofts fit perfectly into my holster and you cant tell the difference when its in there) and accuracy is actually very good at the ranges I wish to practice what it is I'm practicing, and my shots go exactly where I was looking or my my sights were when the gun goes off. The gun also cycles just like my real 229's, and while I dont get a true recoil impulse, I do still get one and the slide reacts just like the real thing.
Sights and trigger are very similar to the real thing. The only difference for me is, I'd like to figure out a way to put some old night sights on them, as thats really the only difference I see.
Over the years, I've tried to find something that allowed more realistic practice. I've been shot at and with pellets/bb's, wax, plastic, and rubber bullets, paintballs, you name it. Some things worked better than others, and up til airsoft gas guns showed up, the most realistic worked the best with real revolvers, as they usually functioned for more than one shot without you having to hand cycle them.
The biggest advantage here is, you can work on actually shooting each other and find out where your weakest with nothing more than a "sting" as the result of doing something wrong. Its enough of a sting, that you know you got it, and plenty enough to make sure you dont want it to happen again.
You might think your a pretty good shot, and clean up at the "games", but it all changes when the target shoots back, and is actively trying to make YOU the target.
Even if all you do is practice drawing and moving in your basement or house, you will gain much more of a benefit than if all you do is stand in a booth or box at the range and shoot paper. I can guarantee you will learn more about realistic shooting and that if you dont move quickly and aggressively, you will die. The last place you want to be, is "in the box".
I have to assume that those who state that the guns dont feel or work like the real thing have not spent much time with one, if at all. I have P229 gas guns that feel and work just like the real one in my holster, (actually, the airsofts fit perfectly into my holster and you cant tell the difference when its in there) and accuracy is actually very good at the ranges I wish to practice what it is I'm practicing, and my shots go exactly where I was looking or my my sights were when the gun goes off. The gun also cycles just like my real 229's, and while I dont get a true recoil impulse, I do still get one and the slide reacts just like the real thing.
Sights and trigger are very similar to the real thing. The only difference for me is, I'd like to figure out a way to put some old night sights on them, as thats really the only difference I see.
Over the years, I've tried to find something that allowed more realistic practice. I've been shot at and with pellets/bb's, wax, plastic, and rubber bullets, paintballs, you name it. Some things worked better than others, and up til airsoft gas guns showed up, the most realistic worked the best with real revolvers, as they usually functioned for more than one shot without you having to hand cycle them.
The biggest advantage here is, you can work on actually shooting each other and find out where your weakest with nothing more than a "sting" as the result of doing something wrong. Its enough of a sting, that you know you got it, and plenty enough to make sure you dont want it to happen again.
You might think your a pretty good shot, and clean up at the "games", but it all changes when the target shoots back, and is actively trying to make YOU the target.
Even if all you do is practice drawing and moving in your basement or house, you will gain much more of a benefit than if all you do is stand in a booth or box at the range and shoot paper. I can guarantee you will learn more about realistic shooting and that if you dont move quickly and aggressively, you will die. The last place you want to be, is "in the box".
Nortonics
Member
Garage practice gear - use a Army wool blanket as a backdrop/projectile catcher. No, that ain't a Gameboy. Just as with Airsoft, plenty accurate!
PaulBk
Member
Nortonics
Does the pellet gun shoot loud enough to trigger your shot timer?
-Paul
Does the pellet gun shoot loud enough to trigger your shot timer?
-Paul
Nortonics
Member
PaulBk
Member
Thanks. I have an empty garage, plenty of replica pellet pistols and a CED7000. Yahoo !
-Paul
-Paul
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