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practice with airsoft?
- Thread starter inline4
- Start date
I tried practicing with airsoft in my basement. Even though I spent a couple hundred bucks on the gun, it was so inaccurate that it wasn't useful. That was some years back. Perhaps they are better now, but unless they've got rifled barrels, I don't think it works.
And the trigger and sights will be identical to your real gun as well.
MisterHappy
NES Member
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- Jul 28, 2009
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not airsoft, but back in the day, I used to shoot a Crossman pellet pistol in the basement, and got to the point that I was able to hit a business card edge-on at 15' every other shot or so.
I'm less good now![[laugh]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/012.gif "Laugh [laugh]")
The real problem with non-real-gun practice is that most non-real-guns do not have the triggers that a real one will, so if you're practicing dragging a scratchy heavy rough trigger, you'll have the same muscle memory when you pick up you glass-smooth target gun. That, and the difference in grip, balance, weight, sights (as noted above), etc.....
I'm less good now
The real problem with non-real-gun practice is that most non-real-guns do not have the triggers that a real one will, so if you're practicing dragging a scratchy heavy rough trigger, you'll have the same muscle memory when you pick up you glass-smooth target gun. That, and the difference in grip, balance, weight, sights (as noted above), etc.....
Cloverleaf Firearms Group
Instructor
If you are crystal clear about what airsoft can (and can't) do for you, and isolate out the specific skill sets that you think it can help you improve with... then it can have value. I used airsoft for cheap work on movement and target transitions. It helped. It's obvious value is force on force training, not so much what you are trying to do.
I can't think of any airsoft system that is going to build any kind of reloading skills. You don't want to drop mags with CO2 on the ground, they'll shit the bed probably after... once?
I can't think of any airsoft system that is going to build any kind of reloading skills. You don't want to drop mags with CO2 on the ground, they'll shit the bed probably after... once?
That's what I did, as best as was available. It wasn't the same weight and, as I mentioned above, it had horrid accuracy.
I've taken classes from three GMs. All three dry-fire extensively. Not one of them recommended Airsoft.
You're on the right track for getting really good at practical shooting. Check out Ben Stoeger's books if you haven't already. Go for the airsoft gun if it motivates you, just don't rely on it for accuracy feedback.
Cloverleaf Firearms Group
Instructor
I believe those books are possibly free on Amazon Prime as digital loan. I still have his 2nd one on wife's Kindle.
Sorry, I don't remember the manufacturer. Cost was close to $200. It was green gas.
Airsoft guns use hard plastic pellets and they have no rifling in the barrels so it is no surprise that they aren't accurate.
although it may not "help" I set a mini plate shoot in my yard useing 6x6" pieces of cardboard and run it with my crosman 357 co2 revolver from about 12' its fun and challenging. I don't get to the range much. the pelgun'n in the yard is the only real "practice" I get...... I do a good amount of dry fire in position for my rifle shooting.
warwickben
bubba Kalashnikov
Some one should buy the magpul pdr and let me measure it .
Hmm, might have to check that out if they are free. Don't want to actually give ben any money
Cloverleaf Firearms Group
Instructor
I just checked. It's kind of confusing now. It looks like you can get it free if you have 'Kindle Unlimited'. I don't know what that is. Wife has Prime account, so I 'borrowed' the digital version for free about 6 months ago. Maybe even longer. It's mostly just stage drills in both of his 'Championship Shooting' books. I just copied a bunch into my shooting log, and then skimmed the parts he discussed his meteoric rise to fame.
20'.
Seriously, dude, I'm not screwing with you. Rifling in barrels is important. Airsoft barrels don't have any.
Cloverleaf Firearms Group
Instructor
2" groups with this at 7 yards. It's what we use for scenario training, and it's barely a step above Wal-Mart quality.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Licensed-Sm...307?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20eee97f1b
never meant to imply you're screwing with me, sorry if it came off like that.
just wanted to know just how bad the accuracy is.
honestly, I can only dry fire for so long before I start to get bored.
airsoft has it's flaws but it just seems more fun than making imaginary shots.
it may even be a good way to entice my fiance into trying action shooting.
she's afraid to try uspsa because she lacks the confidence, I'm thinking airsoft may be a good way to ease her into it.
warwickben
bubba Kalashnikov
[video=youtube_share;r_8wRpgvhyg]http://youtu.be/r_8wRpgvhyg[/video]
2" at 7yds ain't too shabby.
I'm thinking something like this:
http://www.airgundepot.com/tanfoglio-limited-custom-co2-full-metal-blowback-airsoft-pistol.html
it has a reciprocating slide and everything
I have been training with a couple of airsoft guns for the Steel Challenge matches with good results. I am shooting mostly rimfire and the airsoft guns pretty much duplicate the feel of a 22. I use reduced size targets that allow me to set up all of the SC stages on the 20 foot range in my garage. I am currently using a 1911 clone with a frame mounted (on the dust cover rail) dot scope and an AR also equipped with a dot scope. Both guns will group less than one inch at 20 feet so accuracy is not a problem.
Since my garage is equipped with a compressor, both guns have been modified to use compressed air. This eliminates the need to use either green gas or CO2, and provides a cheaper source of propellant gas which doesn't diminish in pressure and velocity as the gas reservoir empties. This also means that I can practice in my garage in colder weather with no ill effects. Green gas and CO2 lose pressure and velocity rapidly in cold temps.
The financial advantages of this type of training are hard to ignore. A trip to the Harvard club will cost me about $50 for gas and ammo (300 rounds of 22 LR) and take about three hours of my time of which only about one hour will be spent actually shooting. I can shoot for a couple of hours in my garage (400 rounds) for less than a dollar. The plastic "BBs" go for about $.01 per seven when bought in bulk and the guns use very little compressed air, so little that I have been unable to figure the cost as it is not reflected in my electric bill.
As you can see I am delighted with my airsoft SC practice sessions. USPSA type practice is another matter, one that I have yet to address. The real problem is lack of recoil which may render any attempts at "double taps" less than realistic. I do, however, believe that airsoft has a place in USPSA type practice. Dry fire has become very popular with several books published on the topic. If dry fire is effective (no recoil whatsoever), then an air soft gun with a little recoil should also be effective because it will also let you know exactly where you are hitting; something that dry fire simply cannot do.
I have an airsoft gun (CZ 75) and holster ready to go and some special 1/2 and 1/3 USPSA targets to shoot at. Time will tell.
PS At least one top shooter has used airsoft training to win a world title. The Japanese shooter that won the Steel Challenge a few years ago did most of his training with airsoft pistols until he arrived in the US and could get his hands on a real gun.
Since my garage is equipped with a compressor, both guns have been modified to use compressed air. This eliminates the need to use either green gas or CO2, and provides a cheaper source of propellant gas which doesn't diminish in pressure and velocity as the gas reservoir empties. This also means that I can practice in my garage in colder weather with no ill effects. Green gas and CO2 lose pressure and velocity rapidly in cold temps.
The financial advantages of this type of training are hard to ignore. A trip to the Harvard club will cost me about $50 for gas and ammo (300 rounds of 22 LR) and take about three hours of my time of which only about one hour will be spent actually shooting. I can shoot for a couple of hours in my garage (400 rounds) for less than a dollar. The plastic "BBs" go for about $.01 per seven when bought in bulk and the guns use very little compressed air, so little that I have been unable to figure the cost as it is not reflected in my electric bill.
As you can see I am delighted with my airsoft SC practice sessions. USPSA type practice is another matter, one that I have yet to address. The real problem is lack of recoil which may render any attempts at "double taps" less than realistic. I do, however, believe that airsoft has a place in USPSA type practice. Dry fire has become very popular with several books published on the topic. If dry fire is effective (no recoil whatsoever), then an air soft gun with a little recoil should also be effective because it will also let you know exactly where you are hitting; something that dry fire simply cannot do.
I have an airsoft gun (CZ 75) and holster ready to go and some special 1/2 and 1/3 USPSA targets to shoot at. Time will tell.
PS At least one top shooter has used airsoft training to win a world title. The Japanese shooter that won the Steel Challenge a few years ago did most of his training with airsoft pistols until he arrived in the US and could get his hands on a real gun.
yup.
I use a GBB Carbine Raider (AR Clone) for rifle practice and a "Baer Custom" 45 clone made in Taiwan. Both guns are "Gas Blowback" with functional slide (45) and bolt (AR). Both guns cost $170 each and are accurate (sub one in groups @ 20 feet) and pretty well made, but not top of the line equipment. The airsoft market is crazy; prices start at less than $100 and go all the way up to $3000 for a custom Limcat open gun.
I am satisfied with the 45 I am using, but the GBB AR leaves quite a bit to be desired. It functions well but is not all that solid or well made. I shouldn't complain because it has digested over 10,000 rounds with very few problems. I do, however, have my eye on another AR. Unfortunately this AR goes for $470 so I most likely won't even consider this purchase unless the my current AR fails.
Yes, I am connected to my compressor when shooting. I use a thin, flexible, self coiling hose that allows me sufficient freedom of movement to easily shoot the SC stage that requires movement (Outer Limits, I believe). This hose offers quite a bit of freedom of movement and is light enough so that you don't really notice it when shooting.
I have his dry fire book, and just started in on the drills recently. Seems like it is money well spent so far.
Ouch indeed! Is there a good story you aren't telling us Supermoto? Or is it just that's he can be an arrogant flip-flop wearing arse?
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No "can be" about it. He is an arrogant, flip-flop wearing arse.
But he does know something about shooting.
