I read a post on TFL about someone using an air pistol. It got me to thinking about it. The more I thought about it the more it seemed like a good place for me to start handgun training. I'm guessing that it goes a long way toward perfecting form and technique. All at a much cheaper price than regular ammo. The lack of recoil would mean I could concentrate on not moving my hand when pulling the trigger as well as practice moving my trigger finger from the guard, or frame to the trigger to fire in a nice fluid motion. Am I off base with that? I'm a a long ways from buying a hand gun, but I figure if I can pick up an air pistol I can at least learn proper habits and techniques.
Is this a good idea?
- Thread starter DRice.72
- Start date
Any thing that will get you shooting more often and more shots is a good thing but the price of a good quality air gun can be as much as a good quality 22.
One big advantage of an air gun is shooting in your own home. Places that I would not shoot a 22 (like my home) I would shoot an air gun if I had a good quality back stop. That does not mean that there not dangerous, just less.
If you’re going to get an air gun then get a good quality one because a cheep gun with a crappy trigger will not help.
I have been shooting for over 35 years seriously, and from time to time I still break out one of my good quality 22’s and shoot several hundred rounds just to work on my trigger technique.
One big advantage of an air gun is shooting in your own home. Places that I would not shoot a 22 (like my home) I would shoot an air gun if I had a good quality back stop. That does not mean that there not dangerous, just less.
If you’re going to get an air gun then get a good quality one because a cheep gun with a crappy trigger will not help.
I have been shooting for over 35 years seriously, and from time to time I still break out one of my good quality 22’s and shoot several hundred rounds just to work on my trigger technique.
I hadn't thought about a .22. I have shot several and have a favorite among those. I haven't researched this much as far as cost. I may have to look at one. I don't think the report will be loud enough for my neighbors to complain. I don't have any close to me anyway. Thank you for the reply!
Both are great ideas. I don't mean either, I do mean both.
Even if you get a cheap air pistol (<$50), you can shoot in your home... basement, anywhere, really, with a trap. You can buy a trap or build one easily enough but I highly recommend you stick to a lead pellet gun and avoid a BB gun. Steel BB's are the epitome of "ricochet" and they bounce everywhere and can be quite problematic, especially inside a house.
And a decent .22 cal semi-auto is a great way to become a VERY good handgun shooter. You get a lot of gun for comparatively low money and the ammo costs a fraction of anything in center fire. Don't get the idea that a .22 handgun "isn't like a real gun", it's incredibly accurate, incredibly loud, and just lacks the recoil of a larger caliber handgun.
I don't think there's any reason to wait for a .38, .357, 9mm or .40 or .45 if you intend to buy one. If you have the cash, there's no valid reason to wait until you've gotten familiar with a .22. I say, get all three if you have the money and can spend it.
Even if you get a cheap air pistol (<$50), you can shoot in your home... basement, anywhere, really, with a trap. You can buy a trap or build one easily enough but I highly recommend you stick to a lead pellet gun and avoid a BB gun. Steel BB's are the epitome of "ricochet" and they bounce everywhere and can be quite problematic, especially inside a house.
And a decent .22 cal semi-auto is a great way to become a VERY good handgun shooter. You get a lot of gun for comparatively low money and the ammo costs a fraction of anything in center fire. Don't get the idea that a .22 handgun "isn't like a real gun", it's incredibly accurate, incredibly loud, and just lacks the recoil of a larger caliber handgun.
While I always recommend a .22 cal handgun for folks that are new to handguns, and I sincerely believe every shooter will benefit from owning and shooting one (especially new shooters), I do NOT think a new handgun shooter must wait to get a larger handgun.
I don't think there's any reason to wait for a .38, .357, 9mm or .40 or .45 if you intend to buy one. If you have the cash, there's no valid reason to wait until you've gotten familiar with a .22. I say, get all three if you have the money and can spend it.
Airgun practice has always helped my shooting and I recommend it for those who want to shoot but can't spare the time or money to get to the range frequently.
A good air pistol will cost as much as a good .22LR pistol, but where you save money is in the ammunition and in not having to pay range fees/gasoline, etc. Plus, the hassle-free factor of being able to grab it, put a few rounds into the target and put it away is great.
Look into target traps. A good one will make your practice time a lot more fun and a lot less hassle. Also don't forget your eye protection.
By the way, even if you plan to shoot outside in your backyard, there may be reasons to choose an airgun over a .22. A conventional airgun pellet from a conventional airgun is going to be spent and harmless after about 400 yards compared to the 1.5Miles that a .22LR can travel. Also even though airguns can be surprisingly loud, they're still typically much quieter than a .22.
A good air pistol will cost as much as a good .22LR pistol, but where you save money is in the ammunition and in not having to pay range fees/gasoline, etc. Plus, the hassle-free factor of being able to grab it, put a few rounds into the target and put it away is great.
Look into target traps. A good one will make your practice time a lot more fun and a lot less hassle. Also don't forget your eye protection.
By the way, even if you plan to shoot outside in your backyard, there may be reasons to choose an airgun over a .22. A conventional airgun pellet from a conventional airgun is going to be spent and harmless after about 400 yards compared to the 1.5Miles that a .22LR can travel. Also even though airguns can be surprisingly loud, they're still typically much quieter than a .22.
Lost Sheep
New member
I have two myself
DRice.72,
Excellent idea in your original post.
Two things you cannot do with an air gun (pistol or rifle) is double taps and recoil recovery. I think CO2 guns can do double taps, but I don't have one of those and I don't like to pay for air and power fall-off as the CO2 cylinder empties bothers me (though, the better quality guns have pressure regulators that maintain even pressure until the very end of the CO2).
I believe spring-air guns to be inherently more accurate than single-pump guns, but I could be wrong and the quality of manufacture would change things. Take a look at the airguns used in the Olympics and in other competitions. Multi-pump guns would be more powerful, but tend to be less accurate than the others.
I suggest you not lust for the power of a multi-pump gun. You are practicing and target shooting, not hunting. Accuracy is what you want. So, don't scrimp. Get a good quality target air gun, for which you could pay as much as any decent 22 rimfire, but your ammo costs will be WAY down and your practice time will be WAY up.
.177 caliber guns often can use both BBs and lead pellets. .22 caliber guns generally only use lead pellets (I know of no one making .22 caliber BBs)
I know of at least one person (on TFL, but I don't remember who) using an Airsoft pistol for practice. I don't know how accurate Airsoft guns are, but I can see the value for "quick-draw" or "presentation" practice. If they are accurate, they could be even safer and just as practical as guns powered by air or CO2.
I would use my airguns for practice in the house (I have about 30 feet of hallway with a door to the garage at the far end where a pellet or BB trap would be easy to keep), but for three things. 1) I have a couple of pets who undoubtedly would endanger themselves unless I locked them up. 2) When I practice shooting, I like the noise and company at the range. 3) I always use a variety of calibers, 22 RF (always) and, depending on my mood, a selection from my centerfires.
For indoor use, a 22 RF gun can be pressed into service, but noise WILL be a factor. Even 22 Shorts require ear protection and can be heard outside of most homes. CB Caps might be quiet enough (the sort of thing used in arcade shooting; do they still do that?)
I don't often suggest airguns, CO2 guns or Airsoft guns for shooters looking for their first gun or for a practice gun because most are already focused on something that uses gunpowder. So, I figure such a suggestion would fall on deaf ears.
Daisy (the BB gun company) made a laser device a while ago. The two-part system consisted of cartridges with batteries and a laser inside the cartridge. When struck by a firing pin, the cartridge would emit a single pulse of laser light out the front.
The second part of the system was a target that would detect that pulse and beep or flash to tell you if you hit the target or not. Worked well in a revolver (especially since you did not have to reload, no matter how many times you went around the cylinder, until the batteries were dead), but, of course, the cartridges could not cycle the action on a semiautomatic. Not so bad with a double-action pistol, but a real drag with Glock-type triggers and slightly inconvenient with a single-action semiautomatic.
In theory (since, I believe, there was no barrel alignment feature) accuracy was limited, but at across-the-room ranges, it gave good practice for presentation and fast sight acquisition. It also does not tell you if you are high, low, left or right of center, just "you got a hit" or nothing.
The system's big advantage (or drawback) was that you could use the cartridges in your real gun(s), so you could practice with your carry piece. At home. Without backstop or ear/eye protection (Don't let the laser bounce off a reflective surface into your eyes, though.) just as you would find yourself in public.
I have a target for the system I bought at a used goods store. But I don't have any of the cartridges. If anyone has cartridges (in order of preference) 38/357, 45 ACP 44, 45 Colt or 9mm, please let me know. I have no idea if the target works or not, so if I could buy them on approval (or cheaply), contact me, please.
So, yes. Air is good. Don't scrimp on quality.
REMEMBER! The safety requirements for air/CO2 guns are almost as strict as for gunpowder guns. Noise is the only thing that drops in consideration. Ricochet danger is higher, so good eye protection is vital. Backstops can be lighter, but still must be there. Gunhandling and range security must be identical.
Lost Sheep
DRice.72,
Excellent idea in your original post.
Two things you cannot do with an air gun (pistol or rifle) is double taps and recoil recovery. I think CO2 guns can do double taps, but I don't have one of those and I don't like to pay for air and power fall-off as the CO2 cylinder empties bothers me (though, the better quality guns have pressure regulators that maintain even pressure until the very end of the CO2).
I believe spring-air guns to be inherently more accurate than single-pump guns, but I could be wrong and the quality of manufacture would change things. Take a look at the airguns used in the Olympics and in other competitions. Multi-pump guns would be more powerful, but tend to be less accurate than the others.
I suggest you not lust for the power of a multi-pump gun. You are practicing and target shooting, not hunting. Accuracy is what you want. So, don't scrimp. Get a good quality target air gun, for which you could pay as much as any decent 22 rimfire, but your ammo costs will be WAY down and your practice time will be WAY up.
.177 caliber guns often can use both BBs and lead pellets. .22 caliber guns generally only use lead pellets (I know of no one making .22 caliber BBs)
I know of at least one person (on TFL, but I don't remember who) using an Airsoft pistol for practice. I don't know how accurate Airsoft guns are, but I can see the value for "quick-draw" or "presentation" practice. If they are accurate, they could be even safer and just as practical as guns powered by air or CO2.
I would use my airguns for practice in the house (I have about 30 feet of hallway with a door to the garage at the far end where a pellet or BB trap would be easy to keep), but for three things. 1) I have a couple of pets who undoubtedly would endanger themselves unless I locked them up. 2) When I practice shooting, I like the noise and company at the range. 3) I always use a variety of calibers, 22 RF (always) and, depending on my mood, a selection from my centerfires.
For indoor use, a 22 RF gun can be pressed into service, but noise WILL be a factor. Even 22 Shorts require ear protection and can be heard outside of most homes. CB Caps might be quiet enough (the sort of thing used in arcade shooting; do they still do that?)
I don't often suggest airguns, CO2 guns or Airsoft guns for shooters looking for their first gun or for a practice gun because most are already focused on something that uses gunpowder. So, I figure such a suggestion would fall on deaf ears.
Daisy (the BB gun company) made a laser device a while ago. The two-part system consisted of cartridges with batteries and a laser inside the cartridge. When struck by a firing pin, the cartridge would emit a single pulse of laser light out the front.
The second part of the system was a target that would detect that pulse and beep or flash to tell you if you hit the target or not. Worked well in a revolver (especially since you did not have to reload, no matter how many times you went around the cylinder, until the batteries were dead), but, of course, the cartridges could not cycle the action on a semiautomatic. Not so bad with a double-action pistol, but a real drag with Glock-type triggers and slightly inconvenient with a single-action semiautomatic.
In theory (since, I believe, there was no barrel alignment feature) accuracy was limited, but at across-the-room ranges, it gave good practice for presentation and fast sight acquisition. It also does not tell you if you are high, low, left or right of center, just "you got a hit" or nothing.
The system's big advantage (or drawback) was that you could use the cartridges in your real gun(s), so you could practice with your carry piece. At home. Without backstop or ear/eye protection (Don't let the laser bounce off a reflective surface into your eyes, though.) just as you would find yourself in public.
I have a target for the system I bought at a used goods store. But I don't have any of the cartridges. If anyone has cartridges (in order of preference) 38/357, 45 ACP 44, 45 Colt or 9mm, please let me know. I have no idea if the target works or not, so if I could buy them on approval (or cheaply), contact me, please.
So, yes. Air is good. Don't scrimp on quality.
REMEMBER! The safety requirements for air/CO2 guns are almost as strict as for gunpowder guns. Noise is the only thing that drops in consideration. Ricochet danger is higher, so good eye protection is vital. Backstops can be lighter, but still must be there. Gunhandling and range security must be identical.
Lost Sheep
When you get more experienced, an air gun or AirSoft can be indispensable.
I do a lot of training in my garage and backyard I can't do well at most public ranges. Moving and shooting drills (getting of the x), point shooting, Force-on-Force, etc.
I use a gas blow back Airsoft. Multiple shots are easy, as mine will hold 20 rounds. There is some recoil (admittedly not much) as the slide reciprocates on the GBB guns, but firing live rounds at a range can get you accustomed to that.
Many of the quality guns are modeled after the real thing and fit existing holsters and mag pouches for realisitc training.
I do a lot of training in my garage and backyard I can't do well at most public ranges. Moving and shooting drills (getting of the x), point shooting, Force-on-Force, etc.
I use a gas blow back Airsoft. Multiple shots are easy, as mine will hold 20 rounds. There is some recoil (admittedly not much) as the slide reciprocates on the GBB guns, but firing live rounds at a range can get you accustomed to that.
Many of the quality guns are modeled after the real thing and fit existing holsters and mag pouches for realisitc training.
I get a heck of a lot of good practice without the cost of ammo by doing a lot of dry fire around the house; mostly DA Handgun.
Even at the range, if my shooting starts slipping, I'll burn a few cylinders of clicks, and it's amazing how it settles me back into a groove.
And as to the worries of ---well you name it, no I haven't detected any harm to my handguns. jd
Even at the range, if my shooting starts slipping, I'll burn a few cylinders of clicks, and it's amazing how it settles me back into a groove.
And as to the worries of ---well you name it, no I haven't detected any harm to my handguns. jd
Re:
I grew up shooting all types of air guns. I still have several old ones and I am considering getting acouple of new ones soon (one pistol and a rifle). I believe these are a huge help for learning to sight, draw, shooting stance etc. I know that most don't have the recoil, second shot capabiblities, or features as "real" guns, but through the years (when I used to hunt and shoot a lot) practice with an air rifle always kept me sharp.
I grew up shooting all types of air guns. I still have several old ones and I am considering getting acouple of new ones soon (one pistol and a rifle). I believe these are a huge help for learning to sight, draw, shooting stance etc. I know that most don't have the recoil, second shot capabiblities, or features as "real" guns, but through the years (when I used to hunt and shoot a lot) practice with an air rifle always kept me sharp.
This is what I would like to buy as my first pistol. I have shot this pistol a few times, a friend of mine has one. I love it, just love it. Its out of my price range right now but one day....
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...d=10001&productId=14715&langId=-1&isFirearm=Y
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...d=10001&productId=14715&langId=-1&isFirearm=Y
DRice,
Made sense to me.
I have several air pistols and rifles.
I use a Baikal IZH-46M Match Competition Target Pellet Pistol in .177 caliber
most of all.
It ain't cheap, but it sure is accurate.
http://www.airgundepot.com/izh46m.html
Fifty pellets a day keeps my hand/eye coordination going.
Q
Made sense to me.
I have several air pistols and rifles.
I use a Baikal IZH-46M Match Competition Target Pellet Pistol in .177 caliber
most of all.
It ain't cheap, but it sure is accurate.
http://www.airgundepot.com/izh46m.html
Fifty pellets a day keeps my hand/eye coordination going.
Q
Wow..be careful! It's addicting 
I've got a couple, but really only one that I'd consider to be my main one. It's the Crosman 1377 American Classic (Phase 3). I've done some modding to it, and went from the stock version with the plastic breach, barrel band, grips and pumper to a steel Crosman breech, an aluminum barrel band by Blue Fork Designs, and wood grips and pumper by RB Grips (before and after pics below). Topped it off with a Tasco red dot, and it's now even more accurate than it was from the factory, plus I can shoot it indoors pretty much any time I want (using appropriate pellet trap and backstop). There are still a couple of things on my to-do list for this one (mainly with the internals) but it's one sweet shooting pellet gun. I should be a little over the stock 600 FPS after I finish up.
And yes, before any of you say/ask....I took a $60 pellet gun and sank another $150 - $200 into modding it. Why not? As they say, it's only money and you can't take it with you. And, I couldn't find an older steel and wood version, and I really like the history of the 1377. Now I have a great steel and wood pellet gun that (with some minor maintenance) will outlive me and my sons! Maybe my grandkids will be shooting it someday! And....I LOVE the yellow/brown laminate grips
Before, stock pick from Crosman:
After modding:
I've got a couple, but really only one that I'd consider to be my main one. It's the Crosman 1377 American Classic (Phase 3). I've done some modding to it, and went from the stock version with the plastic breach, barrel band, grips and pumper to a steel Crosman breech, an aluminum barrel band by Blue Fork Designs, and wood grips and pumper by RB Grips (before and after pics below). Topped it off with a Tasco red dot, and it's now even more accurate than it was from the factory, plus I can shoot it indoors pretty much any time I want (using appropriate pellet trap and backstop). There are still a couple of things on my to-do list for this one (mainly with the internals) but it's one sweet shooting pellet gun. I should be a little over the stock 600 FPS after I finish up.
And yes, before any of you say/ask....I took a $60 pellet gun and sank another $150 - $200 into modding it. Why not? As they say, it's only money and you can't take it with you. And, I couldn't find an older steel and wood version, and I really like the history of the 1377. Now I have a great steel and wood pellet gun that (with some minor maintenance) will outlive me and my sons! Maybe my grandkids will be shooting it someday! And....I LOVE the yellow/brown laminate grips
Before, stock pick from Crosman:
After modding:
Airguns put a premium on trigger control and hold for best accuracy.
The lower velocity means you need a very steady hold even after the gun 'fires' due to the long barrel dwell of the projectile.
Trading accuracy for speed is a lot easier if you already have the accuracy.
The lower velocity means you need a very steady hold even after the gun 'fires' due to the long barrel dwell of the projectile.
Trading accuracy for speed is a lot easier if you already have the accuracy.
Drummer101
New member
Depending upon what type you want the IZH-46m is the cream of the crop.