Airsoft type Training pistols

[jbfla]

If you have not tried them I suggest you take a look at the current crop of Airsoft type gas operated semi-automatic training pistols. The best of the bunch weight the same as the real guns, look the same, have the same controls and shoot as well as the real guns at tactical ranges. I currently have all of the models of Glocks, a SIG P226, a Beretta M9, and a compact 1911. I shoot them all of the time in my garage. These guns shoot a 6MM plastic pellet. That pellet will penetrate cardboard and thus they give positive feeback as to where your shots are going. I use KWA models and have found them reliable.

SIGARMS offer courses now that feature Airsoft pistols. Courses for firearm, self-defense and law enforcement training.

See the URL below for a video that describes the type of training I now do on a regular basis.

SIGARMS AirSoft - Brightcove

I have started to use these training pistols in my training classes.

[NDS]

Definitely interesting. I had not known of this, though I suspected something similar must exist. Could you also provide links to reviews of these pistols and sales sites? What does it cost to equip yourself for one of these classes?

TIA

[burchesss]

I have wondered if air soft or paint ball would be effective as training, besides being fun paint ball is a safe way to practice shooting moving targets while moving aroung obsticals. accuracy is very diferant in paintball and the controls are diferant. I dont have any experiance with air soft but even the wall mart models are similar in design to real pistols. So they may have a training advantage.

[toreskha]

I saw something once on TLC or whatever where the military was using them to train for urban combat.

It might be helpful, but even better if it simulated the recoil, noise and forced you to reload like in the FATS simulator. Maybe even an occasional jam.

[wolfhunter]

I use an airsoft pistol for my "dry fire" exercises. With a small target and pellet trap, I don't have to worry as much about where the pellets go down range, and the target gives immediate feedback on my technique.

[KimberPB]

I have the P226 airsoft pistol and I agree it's a good training ad. Very accurate for what it is. I can hit a 6"x6" target from across my living room without any issues. The green gas blow back pistols don't recoil as hard as the real thing or the F.A.T.S. system but still give just enough to work on keeping a good site picture. I like using it to work on my draw and first shot. Since its a replica it fits in the same holster that I have for my real sig. One other thing my bro and I use to do, when he lived with me, was to take a target (taped to a piece of old carpet) and place it some place in the house. Then the other would clear the house, starting from different points in the house.

Word of warning tho, some of the gas blow back guns will imbed bb's into drywall!

[2beararms]

I have a green gas version of my Bereta Vertec. First it is the only simulated pistol I have found that accurately replicates the rail system so I can train with my tactical lights mounted and it fits both my with and without light holsters perfectly. The weight is very close, if perhaps just a shade light, of course recoil of the blowback is less than live fire but still a reasonable simulation ... certainly better than a blue chunk of plastic.

As the gas supply is in the magazine, I obtained several extra magazines and simply load each magazine with only the number of shots that I would carry with live ammo. This makes it possible to effectively practice required reloads (though I don't practice simply dropping the mag from the handle as they are not cheap and may not survive that). And as someone said in another post, I actually have had it jam and needed to clear it, so even that gives an edge of reality.

I would love to find more users to create more urban scenerios with a training focus rather than the in the woods, psudo military full auto fire type of air soft games that seem to be the majority of the hobby (although that is of course a good time).

[AZSATT]

2beararms covers a great point that - in my estimation - makes the green gas guns and other airsoft guns that replicate your ACTUAL sidearm a tremendous addition to any realistic CCW or tactical pistol training course.

The advantage of functionality, size/dimensions and weight (closely anyway) being the same as your actual firearm is that you can train with extreme realism. Drawing. Drawing from concealment. Emergency/combat reloads etc etc... makes for great training with your existing gear. Mask up with paintball masks and cover force-on-force drills etc... it's good stuff!

My green gas Beretta 92F is just a shade wider about mid-slide than the real deal, which affects which holster I could draw smoothly from - but otherwise, it's a great and cost-effective way to train pretty much anywhere.

FYI - I got my green gas gun through APG (Adreneline Proving Grounds) as one of the co-founders of that USNSTA approved facility was training one of our teams on tactical pistol, shotgun and defensive tactics. I'd seen air-soft guns before, but when I got to play with a green gas gun that looked, felt and operated like the real deal, I had to have one. And for a $100 I couldn't be more pleased. www.apgtraining.com is where I got mine, but I'm sure there are plenty of options.

[DarrellM5]

I have wondered if air soft or paint ball would be effective as training

Airsoft probably would be very effective. As for paint ball, I tried it once and came to the conclusion that you just keep pulling the trigger until someone walks into a paint ball.

I'm really interested in trying the airsoft thing for some force on force training.

[rmarcustrucker]

i do simunitions and it's very realistic and very good practice.