Using Airsoft for Self Defense Training/Practice

[maskedman504]

Although the title is misleading, I read about this in another thread.

Could using an airsoft reproduction of your carry/SD weapon for roleplaying training simulations yield positive results if an actual self defense situation arised?


Could this be a useful practice technique?

Such as, finding an airsoft gun that is a model of your carry piece , fitting in your holster, and using it for draw and fire practice on a rapidly advancing attacker? (eye protection, please)

Scenarios in the home:

You hear a noise and grab your AR/AK/Shotgun and run a 'sweep' of the house and fire on the intruder utilizing the environment that such a situation would take place in.


Is/has anyone practiced like this? I find the idea, in the least, intriguing.

 

[BHP FAN]

good luck.one of my son's buddies went shooting with us and kept ejecting a live round after each round he fired from my .45.Guess what he had practiced with to get ready to go shooting with us?

 

[maskedman504]

I was speaking more to the merits of being able to draw and fire on an actual moving, advancing target.

It's too bad that the friend of your son can inadequately operate a weapon you let him use.

 

[Dragk913]

good luck.one of my son's buddies went shooting with us and kept ejecting a live round after each round he fired from my .45.Guess what he had practiced with to get ready to go shooting with us?

Haha.
They have gas powered AirSoft guns nowadays that don't require manual cocking.

I see nothing wrong with using AirSoft for target acquisition training, but nothing like rapid fire or range training

 

[davec921]

In a gun magizine I bought at the store ther was an article on just this subject.
Basicly the guy that wrote is was a big time instructor.
He was able to by a airsoft gun that was the same as his real gun.
It even cycled. IT was metal an used what he called green gas.
He used the gun in his training lessons an said if you could find one of your carry piece that it would help with drawing and such.

Only draw back is make sure you know what is real an what is not. Keep them completely separate after you get it.
DAVE

 

[maskedman504]

The premise would entirely be dependant on using gas powered Airsoft guns.

 

[Elvishead]

I know your not talking about actual SD, but I have to ad if you did, make sure you yell "BANG!!" ever time you shoot.

I think paint ball shooting fit in the same bill. That is a point shoot sport, so they have some skills at point shooting. No?

 

[crushbup]

They have gas powered AirSoft guns nowadays that don't require manual cocking.

If by "nowadays" you mean "from the very inception of airsoft," then yes, yes they do.

 

[bigalexe]

Airsoft makes guns in pretty much every action available although i dont know about Bolt Action. The Full Auto Electrics are expensive but the Pump Shotguns and CO2 stuff isnt too bad.

I would just say make sure it reacts like yours would (if its a semi-auto then get a semi-auto) and weight the gun so it holds like yours would.

 

[Dragk913]

If by "nowadays" you mean "from the very inception of airsoft," then yes, yes they do.

That's exactly what I mean
(Sorry, I don't know the history of AirSoft.)

 

[rduckwor]

I think they are useful for certain aspects of training such as drawing and rapid sight acquisition. The real issue is the lack of recoil. While that is a draw back, the value for other aspects is real. As far as setting up a training scenario in your house, picking up all the plastic BB's would be a pain and the gas guns fire these BB's with enough force to do real damage to persons at close range and to your household furnishings, drywall, and windows.

Set up something useful in your garage or basement and wear eye protection.

RMD

 

[dgray64]

The main problem with sweeping a house in practice with either an Air Soft or standard weapon is the "mind game". In the spring this year there occurred a tragedy when a husband swept his house in practice with a 12ga. He and his wife practiced regularly together. This time he made it through the house to the kitchen found the intruder (his wife in this case who wasn't playing at the time) and he killed her, because he had forgotten (assumed that the weapon was unloaded) to check his weapon before practice.

This is why those who teach "dry fire" practice demand that you use a room that has no ammo in it. Then you know that when you are in that room, the guns are always unloaded.

My point is that if you practice with an AirSoft weapon, you may have it handy and think that it is a real weapon in the event that you have an intrusion. In this case, you are cooked, because the intruder may be a lousy shot, but at least his shoots something. My two cents.

Dave :banghead:

 

[kwelz]

Train like you fight.
Don't train "almost' like you fight.

This is the same problem that many "self Defense" and Martial arts classes teach. When they practice against each other they pull punches and kicks. Then these people actually need whatever skills they have learned their muscle memory takes over and they pull punches, move slower than they could, etc.

 

[Neverwinter]

My point is that if you practice with an AirSoft weapon, you may have it handy and think that it is a real weapon in the event that you have an intrusion. In this case, you are cooked, because the intruder may be a lousy shot, but at least his shoots something. My two cents.

Airsoft guns are supposed to have bright orange muzzle tips to assist in visually distinguishing them from the real thing.

 

[kd7nqb]

I bought a Co2 airsoft gun that is a reproduction of my M&P. I have used it for lots of little training like practicing holster/ re holstering and what is essentially dry fire practice. All things that I could do with my real gun but its just safer to not. However I made it a point to buy it in the desert tan so it looks different than my M&P and it would never go anywhere I store my M&P.

 

[t_durden]

airsoft is a great training tool. several notes: do not confuse the metal they use for airsoft guns with the quality steel they use for your own handguns. the airsoft guns have a chance of breaking under the stresses of training. use the wrong gas, you'll blow a seal. use the wrong weight bb, you'll have to readjust the hop-up.
other than that, function, feel and accuracy are very good for the close ranges of SD/HD training.

many companies make good, quality airsoft guns that are gas operated. Tokyo marui and western arms to name a few.

FYI green gas is propane with silicone mixed in. Red gas if im not mistaken in CO2 and the only other gas used is 134a

 

[psyopspec]

The archives should carry extensive information on this exact topic.

 

[hso]

Using airsoft in force on force training is a reasonable idea.

Using airsoft in self defense is as bad an idea as using a toy gun in self defense. We've had threads on both ideas (toys and airsoft) and those threads all come to the same conclusion. The idea is one of the worst ever.

 

[RyanM]

good luck.one of my son's buddies went shooting with us and kept ejecting a live round after each round he fired from my .45.Guess what he had practiced with to get ready to go shooting with us?

Ha! I've seen that happen, once. The guy's friends were a little peeved about having to wait for a cease fire to pick up the ammo.

 

[hso]

If you're going to practice with airsoft and you're not practicing with a gas or electric airsoft you're just training yourself to get killed.

 

[ccsniper]

I'm not old enough to carry, but I have an airsoft that resembles the gun I will carry and do practice shooting with it. When I get the money I will do the same with an airsoft AK. I have improved the time it takes to draw the airsoft gun and so I think the practice will help. Keeps me from using a real gun also teaches basic safety. Make sure you make the airsoft noticeably different than that carry gun, I know most of em have orange tips but mine didnt so I painted the entire airsoft gun orange.

 

[4v50 Gary]

There's been quite a number of unintended shootings during LE training sessions.

To prevent it, some agencies have the trainees store their service weapon and ammo into an on-site secure box and give them red plastic (or blue plastic) non-firing guns. Others replace the barrel with a yellow plastic replacement barrel that will not accept bullets. I haven't heard of any agencies using airsoft but I think it's viable. Remember, with airsoft or non-shooting guns, the training's purpose is to develop tactics and judgment training (shoot/don't shoot). So in response to the inquiry, yes, there is a legitimate purpose.

When it comes to live ammo and actual trigger time, there's no substitute for a gun with real bullets.

 

[Blakenzy]

The value of training with airsoft guns lays not so much in the outgoing fire, but with the incoming fire.

In other words, it's strong point is not marksmanship or gunhandling, but getting an idea of what it's like to have a target that shoots back at you, something difficult to achieve with static cardboard or metal plates. It teaches the value of cover and how slow and exposed you really are.

Simmunitions would be closer to ideal but have limiting factors for many people such as they are more hazardous, require special gear and location, and are much. much more expensive.

 

[BullfrogKen]

Pennsylvania's State Board of Probation and Parole just bought some 2 dozen Airsoft Glocks that mimic their issue handgun. They're using them in role-playing scenarios. A lot cheaper than Sims, and easier to clean up in the buildings they use for the scenarios.

 

[YammyMonkey]

You have to be careful when running any kind of FOF drills that it doesn’t turn into some sort of goofy free for all like the kids next door & their airsoft guns. The two kinds of drills you can run are skills & scenarios.

In the first you try to address a specific problem like “can I outdraw a man rushing me with a knife from 20 feet?” You can change it up to something like “Can I outdraw a man rushing me with a knife from 20’ if I’m running backwards or if I incorporate lateral-ish movement” or whatever you want that specific drill to test/train.

Scenarios are harder to set up because the actors have to follow their roles. Typically the bad guys & innocents are the only ones in the scenario with instructions beyond the very basics for the defender like “The box over there is an ATM & you need to get $40.”

The main concern, as always is safety. Your live gear- guns, knives, backup guns, reloads, saps, ASPs, etc. need to be secured in another area. If you leave the safe zone where you’re training you need to have someone search you upon your return to make sure you didn’t accidentally pick up something.

Clearing you house, if you can at all avoid it is foolish. If you have to secure a child in another room or something similar then have at that scenario but playing home invader hunting is a good way to get yourself shot.

If you search this forum for FOF or force on force you’ll dig up a lot more info.