Airsoft Guns?

[Mom will shoot]

Hopefully this thread is in the right place. I did try and do a search , but of course nothing came up. So let me ask ...

Are airsoft guns good for practice? Are they as realistic as they sound? Which type is best: spring, gas, or electric?

The reason I ask is because I know I won't be able to do range shooting much longer (not getting into that now though). And I still want to be able to practice, daily would be great.
I read somewhere that you can get airsoft guns in just about any make/model. But I haven't been able to find any Kahr ones. I was really hoping to find one exactly like my carry gun, but no such luck. So if they are good for practice, what would be the closest to my CW9?

 

[RichardR]

Some airsoft PTP's (professional training pistols) are very realistic, in fact they are hard to tell apart from the real steel versions without looking at the orange tip or racking open the slide.

KWA makes the best of the airsoft training stuff IMHO, but of course they also cost more than the toy/hobby class airsoft guns, but they are worth the extra dough if you are serious about training.

As far as a manufacturer who makes a Kahr CW9 clone? I don't think I've ever seen an airsoft Kahr before of any model.

Anyway you'll want to go "gas blow-back" it's the most realistic of all of the various types, costs can be cut by using propane instead of the canned green gas, however you'll need to add a drop of silicone oil to the propane adapter for every 3 or 4 magazines you refill in order to keep the magazine's O'ring seals in good shape.

If you have any more questions feel free to ask.

 

[chachi73]

Richard, I'm thinking of getting my 7 year old an airsoft spring rifle to start teaching him the basics before getting him a .22 cricket. Can you offer any advice on what I should get?

I see a ton on ebay for real cheap and imagine you get what you pay for....having said that, i am looking to spend under $50. What say you???

I appreciate any advice you can give me.

John

 

[Joe Williams]

There are realistic looking and feeling ones available, and they are good practice for the fundamentals. Not to mention, if you can master the crappy triggers on most of them and still hit the target, when you get back to the range the real thing will be a snap!

Don't forget, you can also dry-fire practice with your gun, which is invaluable.

 

[cornfused]

I bought a cheap one, it doesn't fit in my hands like any of my guns, the trigger doesn't feel like any of my real guns. So even though it was fun for awhile I don't think it will help me very much, I'll just stick to dry firing with snap caps, and if you could somehow tape a cheap laser pointer to the end of the gun that will show you what you are doing while pulling the trigger.

 

[esrice]

I would pretty much echo what RichardR has said above.

As for finding a good match, I'd suggest a Glock 19/17. They are easier to find, and the controls are basically the same as your CW9.

 

[Hammerhead]

I bought a Baretta airsoft several years ago right as they were becoming popular. It's a single shot, no blowback, spring shooter. I get 16 or 17 shots out of a magazine, and my target is generally two or three yards away, depending on where I set it up. Sometimes more, but definitely not twenty five like a normal gun. However, I've been able to practice at least sight acquisition, trigger control, and grouping. Without a wild spin due to the manufacture of the little yellow BBs, I generally shoot the center of the target out consistently, then I go for all the outside rings.

I can't say that shooting my airsoft has made me a better target shooter, but I at least get the practice even if I don't get the whole gun-go-bang of a true handgun.

This is just my experience playing with my spring loaded one. I can't comment on the other types of guns, or finding an approximate one to what you carry. I'd like to find and airsoft version of my own EDC, but I haven't seen any yet.

But I think that the sentiment of "if you can shoot with these, you can shoot with a bang-bang" might prove true.

 

[Trickpony]

I've got a 1911 clone as well as a 2011 high cap clone both gas blowback nd they are great for learning youngsters and adults alike to learn to watch the front sight. I don't use any bb's, just air and work on watching the front sight and transitions.

If any of you will be at the Lafayette NRA banquet on the 14th there will be a cool plate rack setup shot with airsoft guns.

I got mine at Manny USA - Glock, 1911, AR-15 Gun Accessories & Firearms Training for USPSA, IPSC, Steel Challenge, or 3 gun / multi-gun, Law Enforcement and Military

 

[Cigar Bob]

My son who is 13 has more air soft guns than I have real ones. He has paid a lot and a little for his guns they even have ones now that are CO2 and are pretty accurate and look real. You pay for what you get. He has some spring ones that are pretty near also and shot guns and AR15 look a likes. He is always having air soft wars with the neighbors. Proper eye protection is a must because the do hurt if you are hit..

 

[Delmar]

Fundamentals are fundamentals. There is no part of target acquisition, sight alignment and trigger control that can't be practiced with a cheap air soft. I looked for one that had a similar grip and sight picture to my .45 and I have never regretted shelling out the $11 at Walmart.

 

[HobbyGuy]

I sell Airsoft in my store. I am not currently selling any of the green gas guns due to their higher cost. The Glock airsoft guns are no longer in production since Glock never licensed them. I still have one that is an exact match for my Glock 17. It is from a few years ago that we never sold. If it is something that you are interested in, PM me.

 

[Juggernaut]

I train with my Airsoft almost every day.... Lots cheaper than 9mm.... fits my Kedex, too!

 

[Disposable Heart]

I use an Airsoft M16 to keep the roving kids in my neighborhood out of my lawn. They use the entire neighborhood as their private battlefield. A short spray out the window from an M16A1 keeps their heads down. Only problem is they shoot back Nothing beats seeing some kids stalking along the tree line and watching them actually try to flank my house! Little jerks are getting smart. Oh well They still try to assault my house in force here and there this summer. The wintertime offers little respite as well

I will agree though, they can be pretty good for force on force, but are lousy in training for accuracy. It is fun though for plinking and pretty cheap. For rifles, electric is the way to go. Gas is king for pistols.

 

[g00n24]

I have used a green gas airsoft gun to practice for USPSA competitions. They really help for practice. You don't have the weight or the recoil as a real gun but they work well for getting on target and transitioning between targets.

The gas guns use a green gas or propane that is filled into the magazine, and these are semi-auto...so work like a real pistol. The spring pistols have to be cocked after each shot, so those aren't going to be very useful for practicing any kind of "real world" situation. I don't know if they make electric pistols...most of the electric guns I knew of were long guns and could get quite expensive.

 

[Airborne33]

Yes and No.

An airsoft gun is not a good tool to use when practicing shooting basics. The trigger pull, accuracy, lack or recoil, balance, will throw you off. Mastering shooting airsoft and mastering shooting an actual firearm are completely different.

In my opinion, the only legit way to use an airsoft toy in practice, would be when shooting is actually not the focus of your training. IE when practicing clearing rooms, when learning how to move and shoot. Again, only when you are focusing on something other than your shooting technique.

Don't go out and buy an airsoft similar to what you actually carry in real life and get too used to it. It'll throw you off. If you get too used to riding with training wheels, taking them back off can be strange.

Make sense?

 

[Juggernaut]

Airsoft has really helped me in FoF, point shooting and simply drawing from concealment and getting on target...
and I carry a 9mm so there is no difference with recoil or stopping power!...... that last part there..... it was just a little joke....

 

[RichardR]

PTP's (professional training pistols) are not exactly in the same category as "airsoft toys" - PTP's were specifically designed to be almost identical training surrogates for their real steel counterparts.

But like I said they are sort of expensive, however their value for training purposes is well worth it IMHO, I use my KWA M9 PTP about once a month for force on force CQB training.

 

[JetGirl]

Sometimes on rainy or snowy days, I can talk the fam into airsoft matches in our living room. The spousal unit built a BB trap for me. Annie's Stuff: AirSoft Revisited

 

[JiNx0036]

All Gas Pistols - Airsoft GI - Welcome to the ultimate airsoft

Take your pick!

 

[junglerogue]

Here are couple sites:
Airsoft Atlanta
Airsplat
eHobby Asia
Trinity Airsoft
Hopefully one of these will be helpful for you.