Training with an Airsoft gun, is it worhwhile?

[woolie]

Since I live quite far from my closest range I am looking at other ways to ramp up my training a bit. What do the experts reckon are the pros and cons (if any) of training with a GBB airsoft gun?

I thought about this for a bit and my questions are:

1. Does the trigger resemble the real thing? It's a Shadow, so will be using DA and SA mode.
2. Will it shoot through an IPSC cardboard target? Will be nice to see if I'm calling my shots correctly.
3. Is it legal to shoot these things in your back yard?
4. Is it loud enough to activate a shot timer?

I do realise that without recoil it's not a substitute for actual range time, but so is dry firing. I just don't want to spend R3k only to find that it's an expensive toy instead of a helpful training aid.

[Knoffel]

I wouldn't find it the same hey.
You do get some which may be more realistic, but in my opinion it's not nearly as good.

2. It depends on the airsoft gun in question. It's unlikely though.
3. It's a bb-gun. I can't recall that it is illegal to shoot it in your backyard, unlike a pellet gun.
4. It's pretty soft, but I don't use a shot timer so can't say.

[BigT]

Just dry fire daily.

[Tetelestai]

It's as if I'm a BigT disciple tonight, echoing what he says on each thread. But you can't deny that the man is right. Make sure that dry firing is spent in a directed manner, not just aimlessly generating clicking noises with your firearm. Use the money you want to spend on the Airsoft toy and rather buy a good shot timer with the ability to set par times and a book on dry firing.

[BigT]

Ben Stoeger has released a new edition of his dry fire manual. $11 on Kindle

Buy it read it and use it. If you do you will see magnificent improvements


Ps you have to read it and use it not just buy it :)

[A-R]

I would think that focussed training with an airsoft pistol should be beneficial. I would not do it in place of dry-firing, but rather in addition to it. The big advantage is that it can be safely done at home etc.

It would be most beneficial if you could find the GBB pistol that is identical to your game gun. While they mostly look very similar, there could be diferences in dimensions and sights that could cause it not to fit your holster, and the trigger could feel different to the real thing.

Also consider the cost. The gas cannisters are not cheap any more, so cost per shot is considerable. The better GBB pistols are not cheap either.

In the end you have to consider the whole pakage, money and time spent, and decide wheither that might not be better spent on dry-fire and live-fire practise.

These toys might be a good place to start a gun-shy person. Might make the transition to a real pistol easier?

[Nicf]

I have a Shadow GBB. Farking rubbish, on the 3rd warranty replacement & have just accepted it was a bad idea. It's the "Jim Diamond" of my gun Collection.

Dry fire with your proper gun is the answer.

[The Beast]

Just dry fire daily.

This^^^

I went to the effort of buying a Sirt pistol. Great tool and since I'm shooting a Glock it crossed over nicely. Fitted the same sights to the sirt as I have on my game gun. Thing is I eventually covered the laser as it become distracting and pulling my focus from the front sight to the target. After doing this and mixing both in the same session I realized that the small differences would translate to being 2 inches low coming up from my draw when using my Glock.

I still use the Sirt when I go on away for a week and can't/don't want to take my game gun.

Point is that if you are chasing .1s you want to use the gun you are going to use in real life. If you are new, any trigger time is better than nothing. Even dry firing your cordless drill will help.

[Allther]

1. SA. trigger is similar with reset etc. Double Action is horrible.
2. Easily goes through IPSC target. The mini targets are usually used. @ 20m it doesn't penetrate and tends to get stuck in target. Ideal under 10 m.
4. Yes shot timer picks it up perfectly.

Heard the shadow has issues and went for the CZ 75 model not the shadow. I hate put about ±7000 shots through it with no real issues. I like it and would highly recommend it. Definately improved my times and its a lot of fun to set up and shoot a "stage" in the house / garden. At end of the day nothing is a 10O% substitute for range time.

I use boxes with newspaper stuffed inside, this way bullets go in but not through so no need to clean up.

[Andrewdbatty]

I have a blow back BB gun which is the same as my real handgun, got it cheap of the internet but it's defiantly not a toy, the dimensions are the same, it weighs about the same an functions exactly the same, slide lock, mage release, fits the holster correctly, you can even change the back strap just like the real one and it's just loud enough to trigger my shot timer if the timer is close too it in an enclosed space and it's accurate out to 20M

Most of the time setup targets in my garage (buckets with a metal plate in the back on stands) and i set them up to match the varies courses of fire for steel challenge, that way i can practice draw and fire, changing mags, and the blow back recoil moves the slide and sights just enough that i have to focus on getting back on target.

I can practice for for hours in an evening, the only downside is little blue balls everywhere. I'm not too bothered about dumping a mag onto my garage floor when i practice reloads. i even modified one of the mags to run off a hose connected to my compressor so i don't have to keep filling the mags with green gas when repeating a specific exercise. me i find i get board with dry fire, this is about a real as it gets without using my actual firearm, plus 2000 rounds a session doesn't cost anything.

We even setup full courses outside to "run and gun" in my garden, it's also great when i have new shooter friends i can teach them the ins and outs of my firearm and get them to shoot without the loud bang which gets the fundamentals down before i let them loose with the real thing.