Anyone practice tactical techniques with airsoft?

[Bruce3]

Its not a terrible way figuring out if your kit works for you. I found out during my teenage airsoft years that mid thigh drop leg holsters suck. I would argue someone whose played paintball or airsoft would probably do better in a gunfight against someone who hasn't, everything else being equal.

[Prepped and ready]

Sig makes great practice airsoft toys. I have most of them and gotta say, the feel, trigger and sights are relly good. Great for the days you cant get to the range.

I set up each one with the same sights as the real thing, the only difference is the trigger, cant replicate custom work.

[DrjonesUSA]

The high-end airsoft guns are creepily realistic in weight and feel and controls, whether we're talking handguns or AR-15s.

I've got a Umarex Glock 19 bb gun (.177 bbs, non-reciprocating slide, not airsoft) that I picked up on sale at Big 5 for $60. It looks exactly like the real thing (not hard to do with a Glock, since it's a plastic gun to start with!), and it has almost the exact same weight and balance.

My real Glock stays locked in the safe, with a cable lock on (because I've got kids at home, and because of city-mandated storage laws, etc.). But the Umarex is readily accessible, and I can pick it up to do 5 or 10 minutes of dry fire and manipulation drills at any time throughout the day.

This has helped my performance when I do get time to go to the range or do a USPSA match.

Of course it's not the same as the real thing, but it's a cheap and accessible training tool.

[DrjonesUSA]

In for the video of tactical maneuvers! Lulz.

But seriously OP, airsoft can be good training. TRex arms on YouTube has a video of a Japanese kid that has never fired a real gun, just airsoft, that came to the US for training. His gun handling is excellent.

Joe, you are right. This site is filled with a holes that would never have the balls to say 1/10th the things they do to your face. Probably old, fat, and living in their moms basement.

Where do you do Jiu Jitsu? I trained for 30 years.

The best combat training is with a resisting partner.

Using air soft guns, get a friend. Have him hide in a part of your house. Now, clear your house. Swap roles. Do it again.

After you have the basics, this training is some of the best you can do. You will be surprised how much you learn,

And, how silly most shooting school are.

[hermosabeach]

Op

It’s a great idea

If your yard allows for airsoft, its a great way to work on muscle memory

There are shot timer aps that are too quiet for the range. They are great for dry practice.

The airsoft needs to be the same dimensions as it’s real counterpart so they fit in the same holster

—
I went shooting with a relative who is an awesome marksman with a footnote.
While he can hit with a pistol at 100, he needs shooting sticks.
Same with a rifle. He needs a support

We tried a simple walk and shoot drill at 15 yards and he could not hit the paper.
His 3/4” group at 15 with a pistol was all static practice. If there was any moving, he could not hit


Airsoft allows you to practice
Presenting from the holster and shooting A target under time.

It allows you the chance to practice shooting while moving.

Lots of drills can be transitions from the range to airsoft.

It is also great to film yourself and review for safe gun handling check.

In count 2- where is your support hand?
Are you covering yourself during drills?
It’s a very small portion of cal guns that take classes let alone a single class on shooting.

For some reason many men feel they can:
Race a car
Fight
Shoot
Without any formal instruction



Oh- the bio degradable airsoft requires more rain and water than we have in SoCal

Some prefer black airsoft pellets as they don’t watch them in flight and hide in the yard

Some want white so they know- if I see the pellet in flight, I’m not watching the sights



One can also urban camo the airsoft- order nerf colors and spray paint the grip and slide.

Neighbors then see a nerf colored toy, not military ISIS training

[still919]

I bought a G19 just for kicks. But the feel, weight, and trigger were surprisingly similar. Not an exact replica, but definitely better than nothing. The sight picture is right on. It sure does pass the time, and I think there's benefit to it. I'll say this... I'm getting more out of it than I anticipated.

[Joejitsu]

Okay, some good info and responses in this thread! Thank you. Any thoughts on electric (less common) vs gas blowback airsoft pistols? I would prefer to find a Glock 19ish style airsoft. I'm a little worried about the noise with a CO2 airsoft. When I was a kid I had a CO2 BB gun and I remember thinking it was loud (before I had read guns). I haven't had one since. Even though I have a decent sized yard I don't want my neighbors freaking out and thinking I'm shooting a real gun. I live in an upper class area of OC and don't want a sheriff knocking at my door due to concerned neighbors of course.

[still919]

Shouldn't be too bad. I live in a lower class area of LA county, and have had no issues with the neighbors. Oh?...is that why? Regardless...I say do it. You'll be okay.

Best of luck, and keep shootin'.

[Daze]

Electric Vs GBB

While size was similar from my own experience the weight and trigger on the electric pistols were less close in both regard then the GBB counterparts. It has been some years for me (so this could have changed in that time.) Also there were only a few electric pistols compared to the GBB's. Additionally the loading of the electrics were different (weird thin magazine 1/2 inch thick ) from what I was shooting.

Both of the decent electric pistols were molded after Glock 17's, no reciprocating slides and a battery was in slide so weight was substantially different handling wise.

They were a little quieter than the GBB, but the GBB were also a bit of pain to fill with gas for me ( I would often have to re-fill before the 15 rounds were spent.)

If your concerned about neighbor perception I would as someone previously recommended just paint the whole gun florescent red / orange / green ( it will come with a red or orange tip on the gun.)

[wurger]

So that non-recoiling snap cap practice is better somehow?

A GBB airsoft Glock, especially if it is a Co2 version, has enough of a reciprocating slide "recoil" to disturb your sight picture. Kind of the point, eh? Just no flash and bang.

You just can't drop the mags on the ground for speed reload practice.

And, FYI, yes, there are deserts in SoCal, but not everyone has random free time to spend 5+ hours driving back and forth to the desert for some shooting time.