Training Weapons

[larrys0227]

Hi. I'm considering using an airsoft pistol for Dry-Fire practice. I saw some on Amazon for $5 or less. Can an airsoft pistol for that price be worth it? Which Brands should I stay away from? Which Brands should I consider? Any and all comments are welcomed and appreciated.

 

[Steve0]

I would highly recommend NOT using an airsoft gun to practice. Use the gun you are going to carry. Buy some snap caps and do it that way. Why on earth would you want to practice with an airsoft gun anyways?

 

[SmokinLawyer]

A quality airsoft pistol can be an economical and useful tool when used along with your carry pistol. It is advisable to select an airsoft pistol that matches the functionality of your EDC and one that is intended for training use. I'm using the KWA M1911 MK1 PTP. The PTP part stands for "Professional Training Pistol". These are sold to military and law enforcement organizations to allow more training at vastly lower cost. They don't replace training with your EDC, they supplement it. As for whether the $5.00 airsoft pistols are worth $5.00 I'd say they're worth just about that and no more. A decent trainer with supplies will set you back between $150 and $250 by the time you tote up the pistol, ammo, silicone oil, propane adapter, etc., etc. Still a bargain because it costs just pennies to train with it and you don't have to go to the range; you can train right in your back yard or basement or attic . . . or bathroom if it's really, really big. :laugh:

 

[larrys0227]

Steve0

To develop muscle memory without to cost of ammo and range time.

 

[larrys0227]

Thanks SmokinLawyer

 

[Steve0]

Well that sounds a lot more reasonable to me. I thought they were called airsoft because they they used air to propel a soft bb. Sounds like yours uses propane as a propellant? That sounds like it could be quite a bit more powerful and accurate. I would also think that it would be made much better and not out of cheap thin plastic. My response was referring to a cheap $5 airsoft handgun like the op was talking about.

 

[Art S.]

I would highly recommend NOT using an airsoft gun to practice. Use the gun you are going to carry. Buy some snap caps and do it that way. Why on earth would you want to practice with an airsoft gun anyways?

I agree. Get the snap caps. You can practice draw and dry fire drills with those. these will improve your muscle memory.
Even if you buy an air soft gun that is disigned to match your gun, the weight and sights might not be the same.
If your muscle memory is use to a light practice gun it may effect your accuracy.
if you do decide to get a practice gun, spend the money and get a good one.
There are a lot of accessories out there for the popular models that you can get to help with draw and dryfire practice.

 

[SmokinLawyer]

Everyone has to go with what works for them. I selected a "blowback" 1911 airsoft pistol that weighs exactly what a loaded 1911 weighs and has the precise dimensions of a 1911, is of all metal construction with all of the controls functioning, including the grip safety, working exactly as does the 1911. When the pistol fires, the slide cycles, there's recoil about equivalent to that of a .22 pistol. The slide locks back after the last round. Magazine weighs about what a fully loaded 1911 magazine would weight. Slide release works the same way.

I use propane with an adapter because it's MUCH cheaper than the recommended "green gas" which is just propane with perfume and silicone oil in it. The ammunition is a 6mm resin pellet that is completely biodegradable so I don't have to worry about policing them up after shooting. Projectile velocity is about 350 fps which isn't bad considering that most .45 rounds travel at just under 1K fps. I use the KWA for manual of arms, trigger control, point shooting and marksmanship training for my wife and myself. Most shooting is at ranges of 15 - 25 feet, although the pistol is capable of accurate shooting at much greater ranges. We can practice in the back yard whenever we can squeeze in a few minutes, pay fewer range fees and shoot all afternoon for less than $1.00 for ammunition and supplies. Hard to beat. Just remember, though that this type of training supplements but does not replace training with your everyday carry pistol.

 

[wnccarry]

We use the GBB 92 AF design and have had GREAT response with them, we are able to see many issues before we go to the range and it allows the "new" shooters to slowly adjust to the handguns. Please don’t buy the cheap ones; you get better results from the better made brands. also we use them to show many other aspects of firearms training, we just recently also got some revolvers too.

 

[maine04619]

Squibs are IMHO one of the best ways to live train.

 

[lostone1413]

Most of the ones who train with airsofts that I know are using this Link Removed

Training force on force is the most realistic training you can get. With a couple guys trying real life situations it is the ONLY WAY to know if you would have shot him without getting shot yourself. All the trainers that I know that train gun fighting all do force on force. Their is a big difference between gun handling and gun fighting Most teach gun handling

 

[Etkini]

When I carried a Glock 22 daily, I used a KSC G17 Gas Blow-Back (Link Removed) for training. It was great because we set up targets in the office to train tactics, such as entry\team entry, hostage situations, multiple targets, force on force (inside) etc.. things you can't do with live ammo or simunitions easily. It fit my Safariland 6360 just as well as the real thing did, has similar weight and handling, and when loaded to 15 rounds provided realistic capabilities. Now that I'm a "civilian" and my EDC is a Springfield XDM, I use a Tokyo Marui XDM (Link Removed) for indoor training.. and honestly if I put the two together I can't tell them apart. There are also cheaper models made by WE (kind of like Nissan is to Infiniti I guess: same company), but if you plan on these seeing heavy-duty use I wouldn't spring for the cheap stuff.

No, I'm not one of those "super-tacticool" Airsoft players (wish I could find some people to play with though, I miss force-on-force training), but I do feel a good quality one can provide some great training and allow you to do things you can't do with live ammo or even simunitions - I also realize there's absolutely no substitute for true trigger time. And hey, on a side note, the Army uses Airsoft for training as well.

 

[Nathan Powers]

Price goes up, even vs. decent airsoft guns, but have you looked at the "training pistols" from SIRT?
Link Removed
They offer discounts (still expensive) to instructors.

 

[COWBOY91]

Dry firing is a fine art where you are developing your basic marksmanship skills with a particular weapon system. Perfect practice makes perfect. Use the gun your trying to develop your skills with not a toy!