Airsoft

[Marswolf]

Back before we had these plastic Airsoft goodies to play with, I bought a S&W CO2 practice pistol. It had a half-power setting and I had some neighbor's dogs that were getting into my garbage can. I didn't really want to harm them, just persuade them to not mess with my garbage.

It worked. For some reason as soon as I bought the gun they stopped coming over. Never fired a shot at them.

[molonlabetn]

Back before we had these plastic Airsoft goodies to play with, I bought a S&W CO2 practice pistol. It had a half-power setting and I had some neighbor's dogs that were getting into my garbage can. I didn't really want to harm them, just persuade them to not mess with my garbage.

It worked. For some reason as soon as I bought the gun they stopped coming over. Never fired a shot at them.

That's a whole lot better than chasing a stray tom out of the yard, who was trying to get some nookie from our cat, with a katana... (yeah, I had a strange night, last night)

I need to get one of those pellet pistols, too... it'll give the neighbors less to talk about.

[Smith]

Now where was the Mall Ninja poll at?:)

[mdlave]

Two questions:

1. Do people actually use these for training? Not force on force stuff, as I've heard some about, but marksmanship? I know sitting in front of the tv dry firing can be a beneficial technique. Is this a step forward from that?

2. Is there a worthwhile difference between the $70-80 models you can find online and the more expensive name brand (thinking Sig 229) models?

[TripleDigitRide]

I've played with a couple, and they are nothing more than expensive toys, IMHO.

One was an AR15 and the other was a 12ga shotgun. They were neat to play with, but not if you intend on using them to brush up on your marksmanship. They are not quite that accurate. Not the ones I played with anyway.

[Guest dwrd]

I play airsoft, and the replicas match the size and weight almost dead on. I was in the Nashville Airsoft store one day and compared my G23 to the airsoft equivalent, and it was dead on. They are good to use practice drawing, but you can do the same with an unloaded real weapon. In terms of shooting, they are not going to be reliable for marksmanship. For tactics and practice shooting while moving, they are similar, but there is a very distinct different.

In terms of difference, most of the cheaper ones are not going to be as exact in size etc. Since you are in Nashville, I would head over to the airsoft store and look at them before ordering anything. Their site is www.nashvilleairsoft.com

[hso]

There are benefits for FOF and near contact shoot and move training, but in my opinion they wouldn't have any benefit in marksmanship training due to the radically different ballistics.

[TGO David]

If you just want to practice your drawing and acquisition of target, I'd invest the $40 or so into an inert trainer like those available from Blue Guns. www.blueguns.com

Also much less likely to be confused with the real thing, either by you or by your friendly local LEO who might happen to see you practicing with it outside or something. No one does that, right?

[Guest db99wj]

How fast do they shoot? How affective would they be against, I don't know, maybe a squirrel that likes to chew stuff in my garden? This is hypothetical by the way.

[Marswolf]

I'd use the money to save for the real thing.

Don't play practice in front of a LEO. It makes them nervous.

There is a new Airsoft shop in Kingsport. I haven't been in yet and really have no need to do so, but if I get close I'll check them out.

[Guest SUNTZU]

Where's Mars with his double glock?

[Guest dwrd]

How fast do they shoot? How affective would they be against, I don't know, maybe a squirrel that likes to chew stuff in my garden? This is hypothetical by the way.

Out of the box most decent guns would shoot at least 300 fps with .20 weight bbs. Some of the newer ones will shoot over 400 out of the box. They can be modified over 600 fps easily. Rate of fire can go up to over 20/second if you are willing to put the money into it.

[Paletiger13]

Rodents? They work great for plinking them with. I know they sting the **** out my back when I got shot with one OUCH.

[Guest unreconstructed1]

I have had several of the airsoft pistols, and a couple of the airsoft rifles. Several times, me and a few friends would use them to practice disarming excercises that we had heard about, and sometimes we'd just goof around with them, but I don't believe that they'd be any sort of decent substitute for a real weapon, or a pellet gun for that matter, in marksmanship training.

[willis68]

We are in Gattlinburg on vacation and several shops sell these airsoft guns,( I have never heard of them) what is the point of them, if that orange tip was removed they look exactly like real firearms, this will certainly get some kids shot when a Law enforcement officer sees someone waving one of these around

Edited June 25, 2008 by willis68

[Guest db99wj]

So far, the only thing I can tell is to shoot small rodents that are in your garden.

There is some more info on them this thread, http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9128

[willis68]

Thanks man

[Im Neero]

They're great for shooting coworkers.

[Sheepdog]

I just recently purchased a Crosman airsoft pistol from Wal-Mart. It's the CO2 version, with the 15-round magazine.

I actually bought it as a dog training aid. For when he decided he was going to do something he wasn't supposed to just because he thought he was far enough from me to get away with it.

After testing it on a cardboard box, though, I decided that it hit a little too hard to use it on the dog. On the other hand, I've had a good bit of fun with it. Good practice for up close, but not really accurate enough for long distance work. It can definitely, however, hit a dog-siz...I mean, man-sized target in the "kill zone" consistently, from 10 yards.

[Guest mjwehrman]

Most of them are not even close to being accurate. With a slight breeze you can watch the bb curve. The better ones have a hop-up system that puts a backspin on the bb and this greatly helps, but you cannot use airsoft for target practice. We used to go out in the woods and play "war games" with them. One buddy of mine had a M249 replica that he upgraded, it hurt like hell. Fun to play with though.

[Cruel Hand Luke]

I guess I've just had vastly different experiences with 'em than some here.But I'm not talking about the $25 guns you get at Walmart, I use the $110 KWA guns sold at Airsoft Atlanta.

I have NO problem hitting coke cans at 15 yards with my KWA G17. But even more important, I have no problem keeping all rounds inside the -0 zone of an IDPA target or the head box inside 7 yards shooting at the speed I would in a real confrontation.

I use 'em at home to work on drawing from concealment and shooting quickly as I get off the X . They work wonderfully for that. Also without BBs they work great for multi shot dry fire practice since you can pull the spring down in the mag so it will cycle repetitively without BBs where my real glock has to be hand cycled to cock it each time.So I can work double triple and quadruple taps with the KWA, where I can't with my real Glock.

Do they work well shooting long distance in a windstorm? No. Do they work well indoors at REALISTIC conflict distance? ABSOLUTELY. For real "marksmanship " practice at close distance inside the house or garage, just use SMALL targets like 1" pasters or practice shooting them into a 2 liter coke bottle THROUGH the open bottel top. If you can do that at 3 yards you'll have no trouble hitting an IDPA target at 50 with a real gun.

Edited June 25, 2008 by Cruel Hand Luke

[Guest db99wj]

Cruel Hand, are these CO2 powered, electric, spring or gas?

[Cruel Hand Luke]

Green Gas or Propane.

[mrming]

FYI: I think its federal law that non-firearms that resemble them have that safety orange tip.

[Guest abailey362]

It's an alternative to metal bb's or paintball guns. I've seen where some forces use them for "live fire" training purposes.

I've seen online some exact replicas (size, material, weight, trigger pull) of real handguns to use for cheaper training purposes. Only problem is those cost about the same as the real gun.