Does anyone use an AirSoft pistol for training against targets or mannequins?

Glenn E. Meyer said:
...useful airsoft training is conducted with folks who have significant basic skills and understand recoil from shoot houses...
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On the other hand, we use airsoft very effectively with rank beginners in our Basic Handgun classes. Students shoot quality airsoft guns in the classroom before going to the range for live fire. With the airsoft, students can start to put together the concepts of trigger control, sight alignment, follow-through and trigger reset with minimal distraction.
 
Oh, I can agree with that. I was just commenting on a post that said airsoft doesn't have realistic recoil and thus wasn't that useful for muscle memory. I overstated my objection to that objection.
 
in regards to all simulations being unreal.. There are certainly levels of unreal-ness. Especially when you are using a plastic pistol that weighs about the same as a bagel. Things in the real world are not going to work out the same when you use that muscle memory to articulate a 2 pound pistol that has actual recoil.
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If you're training for a life and death situation, I'm hoping you would go for something better than the cheapo $10 WallyWorld springers. It's like saying "You depend on firearms to save your life?
pipe+gun+latest+hacking.jpeg

You mean one of these things that will more than likely explode in your face and kill you?"

If you drop some money on your training tools, then you can get an airsoft gun that is for all intents and purposes a real gun that doesn't kill what you shoot with it.
 
^THIS^

Plus airsoft can be good to be used by the trainer on the trainee to show "you would have been killed by the bad guy if you had done this in real life."
 
johnwilliamson062 said:
I always thought airsoft/paintball was better for training things besides shooting...
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Well, as I mentioned, our experience over a number of years and which several hundred students is that good quality airsoft replicas of real pistols (not paintball) can really help teach basic marksmanship skills to beginners.
 
I am looking into buying one of the AirSoft replicas of a Sig Sauer P229. The gun is all steel. It weighs 2 pounds. It has REAL DA/SA action, just like the real thing. It has a de-cocker, just like the real thing. It has a slide release just like the real thing. It locks back the slide on an empty mag, just like the real thing. And, it has recoil. I have not felt the recoil myself, but looking at the videos on YouTube, it looks like the shooter will perceive the recoil, not as much as with a real 9 mm, but not trivial either.

The purpose is to use a shooting dummy target to simulate CQ gun fighting. I can use it to simulate encountering a robber in my home. I can use it to simulate a mugging. Since it will not be a square range set up, I can grab an arm and get behind or along side the bad guy, and then draw and shoot from retention, etc. It will not be real in that he (the mannequin I am going to make) will not shoot back, and I can not strike him hard like a real bad guy, but if this works out I might spring for a real training target dummy that can be punched, hit, etc. We'll see how it goes. But I am satisfied that the AirSoft pistol I am going to get is "real enough".
 
A few months ago I bought a Sig Trailside and I take it to the range with me every time I shoot. I put about 50-100 rounds downrange with it and my pistol shooting has improved dramatically. The recoil, grip, tirgger, and sights are totally different than my M&Ps but it has still improved my overall shooting. I would think and airsoft weapon wouldn't be much different especially if you can get one that shares some similarities with you primary weapon. Any time spent shooting properly will improve your shooting.

What I don't believe in is simply firing rounds down range. When I taught TKD I always stressed GOOD practice. If you practice your technique properly until you get tired and do it 50 more times improperly, you are teaching yourself to do it poorly more than well. If you practice a bad habit when you are shooting you are training in bad habits. If you practice good technique and habits you will grow more in your training.

I guess what I'm saying is if the airsoft gun helps you practice good technique and habits then it will be beneficial. If it encourages bad technique you are better off not using it. Whether or not it is exactly like shooting a real weapon isn't nearly as important.
 
The Walther/Umarex all metal .177 BB CO2 PPKS pistol is a good beginning shooter trainer for similar sized pocket pistols, such as the Bersa. The felt recoil of the recriprocating slide mechanism is about what you'd expect from a .22 and not much less than some .32 ACP pistols I've used.
Actually you feel the recoil more because theres no muzzle blast to draw your attention away from the recoil.
Something along those lines in airsoft 6mm may do the job as well.
 
So, here I am, two years later, still thinking about this but have not bought the gun, yet. I think I'm going to get the gun and build a mannequin for CQ shooting training.

I recently took Craig Douglas's ECQC class, and I need a "practice gun" to use for practicing gun retention, disarms, etc. I'm going to get a blue gun for the Sig P228 and cut away the trigger guard to make the disarm practicing safer, but will probably practice the same skills with a friend using an unloaded airsoft Sig P229R because it will fit in my existing holsters and can be used loaded for shoot practicing (against the mannequin), too. My friend and I both carry P228/P229R for conceal carry and we have holsters for both guns. I will, of course, also do live fire at the range to practice the shooting part of ECQC (including the thumb-pectoral index, etc).

As a side note: during the class, we got to shoot and get shot with the Simunitions rounds, and those really hurt! Not sure what it feels like to get shot with airsoft, but the sim rounds definitely hurt. If you can ever get the chance to take Craig's class, I definitely recommend it. I would not want to get mugged/robbed/attacked without knowing what he teaches. I don't really want to get attacked even WITH knowing and practicing what he teaches, but definitely not withOUT knowing that stuff. It is training that I consider mandatory for conceal carry.
 
Guess you don't like to rush into things, eh?
Airsoft guns, especially the realistic copies of real guns that recoil, are excellent practice and training tools.
Getting hit with an airsoft bb isn't painful, but you will know it.
Do wear eye protection, though.
I use mine more than firearms.
 
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