AIRSOFT

[tarkus]

Going to the range is getting more and more expensive between ammo and range fees. Someone mentioned using airsoft for practice. How accurate are airsoft guns? Or maybe I should ask how expensive are the accurate airsoft guns? What are some good ones? Where can someone in an apartment shoot? (no back yard) County parks? I'm a airsoft n00b so lay some knowledge on me.

[Excaliber]

Going to the range is getting more and more expensive between ammo and range fees. Someone mentioned using airsoft for practice. How accurate are airsoft guns? Or maybe I should ask how expensive are the accurate airsoft guns? What are some good ones? Where can someone in an apartment shoot? (no back yard) County parks? I'm a airsoft n00b so lay some knowledge on me.

A good Airsoft gun is great for training on stance, sight alignment, trigger control, multiple target engagement, and the holster - to - fire sequence.

The best ones are the gas powered versions that operate just like the guns they imitate, including safeties, slide locks, reciprocating slides, etc. Cost for a 1911 or Glock clone is around $100. Firing noise is similar to that of a pellet gun.

The 6mm BB's they shoot can be stopped by a hanging towel or similar piece of heavy cloth, and are reusable. A box underneath with crumpled up cloth inside will save you lots of time by eliminating the need to chase the little bouncing balls all over the house. Academy also sells more formal targets for them.

Here's a sample site you might want to check out. You can find lots more info by googling "Airsoft."

[Taxman]

I wouldn't recommend reusing the BBs. I have had them come apart and cause jamming problems. They are alot of fun and are good for practice. They are fairly accurate (about like a daisy red rider). Remember they are not toys! They can put your eye out and WILL leave whelps on your skin!

[CompVest]

I wouldn't recommend reusing the BBs. I have had them come apart and cause jamming problems. They are alot of fun and are good for practice. They are fairly accurate (about like a daisy red rider). Remember they are not toys! They can put your eye out and WILL leave whelps on your skin!

And why or how do you know this?

[Excaliber]

I wouldn't recommend reusing the BBs. I have had them come apart and cause jamming problems. They are alot of fun and are good for practice. They are fairly accurate (about like a daisy red rider). Remember they are not toys! They can put your eye out and WILL leave whelps on your skin!

If you shoot them against a solid backstop, reuse may be an issue. If you give them a soft stop with a towel or the net catch systems in some of the commercial targets, they can be reused many times.

I use soft stop materials exclusively and have never had a pellet break up or fail to feed from deformation.

[WildBill]

I wouldn't recommend reusing the BBs. I have had them come apart and cause jamming problems. They are alot of fun and are good for practice. They are fairly accurate (about like a daisy red rider). Remember they are not toys! They can put your eye out and WILL leave whelps on your skin!

And why or how do you know this?

1. He is black and blue all over
2. He wears a patch over one eye or
3. He just watched "A Christmas Story"

[bradfromearth]

Not to start a caliber war or anything but be sure you use a pellet that is heavier. The standards are 12 grams and 20 grams pellets. Now with the 12 grams you can get more shots off because you have better followup and they are less snappy but they just don't have the stopping power of the 40 gram pellets. but at least it is better than a stick right!

I have done my own penetration testing. I set up empty soda cans and shot 5 rounds of 12 and 5 of the 20 each into a fresh can from 3 feet. 5 out of 5 in the 20 gram penetrated BOTH SIDES of the can. Now with the 12 gram none of them penetrated both sides of the can. They did leave a small dent on the backside though. This was really all I had money or time for this go round. Next time though I am gonna try out some barriers. I was thinking 2 sheets of 8x11 printer paper would be a good test.

I used a 1911 spring action with a 4 inch barrel and it is rated at 300 fps for the 12 gram ammo and 250 for 20 gram ammo. I think my test confirms what most already know, you gotta go with the heavy and slow stuff if you want good penetration.

Peace..
Brad

[Skiprr]

Just wondering. Why is "penetration" with an Airsoft BB important?

[bradfromearth]

Just wondering. Why is "penetration" with an Airsoft BB important?

It was a joke.

[Bunkins]

Just wondering. Why is "penetration" with an Airsoft BB important?

It was a joke.

I figured it was just in case the Play Dough man decided to attack or somethin?

[Skiprr]

Just wondering. Why is "penetration" with an Airsoft BB important?

It was a joke.

[atxgun]

I wouldn't recommend reusing the BBs. I have had them come apart and cause jamming problems. They are alot of fun and are good for practice. They are fairly accurate (about like a daisy red rider). Remember they are not toys! They can put your eye out and WILL leave whelps on your skin!

And why or how do you know this?

A friend and I wondered how much it would hurt. Even through jeans, a couple meters away, it hurts pretty good.

I have a sticky target on the wall, works good for being able to ID where exactly you hit and then they slowly roll down into a collection tray so they dont end up all over (as much).

Would def. recommend eye protection though, if you end up hitting a wall it can bounce back.

[Excaliber]

I wouldn't recommend reusing the BBs. I have had them come apart and cause jamming problems. They are alot of fun and are good for practice. They are fairly accurate (about like a daisy red rider). Remember they are not toys! They can put your eye out and WILL leave whelps on your skin!

And why or how do you know this?

A friend and I wondered how much it would hurt. Even through jeans, a couple meters away, it hurts pretty good.

I have a sticky target on the wall, works good for being able to ID where exactly you hit and then they slowly roll down into a collection tray so they dont end up all over (as much).

Would def. recommend eye protection though, if you end up hitting a wall it can bounce back.

That's what makes them useful for "force on force" exercises with proper personal protective gear for sensitive and easily injured areas of the body, especially full protection with no gaps anywhere for the eyes and neck (ie, goggles, scarf, etc), and groin protection (in case you hadn't already thought of that).

You can learn a lot this way from targets that move and shoot back, as long as you work with safety conscious and responsible partners.

[Taxman]

I wouldn't recommend reusing the BBs. I have had them come apart and cause jamming problems. They are alot of fun and are good for practice. They are fairly accurate (about like a daisy red rider). Remember they are not toys! They can put your eye out and WILL leave whelps on your skin!

And why or how do you know this?

A friend and I wondered how much it would hurt. Even through jeans, a couple meters away, it hurts pretty good.

I have a sticky target on the wall, works good for being able to ID where exactly you hit and then they slowly roll down into a collection tray so they dont end up all over (as much).

Would def. recommend eye protection though, if you end up hitting a wall it can bounce back.

I have a 15 yr old son. He got into the airsoft craze a few years ago. My wife and all her wisdom, wanted to see how bad they were, before my son went out and had an airsoft war. Well, she asked him to shoot her with it, and he obliged! Right on the thigh at about four feet! Left a nice red circle, that proceeded to turn blue, then black and finally green, over the course of a couple of weeks! Needless to say he wore eye protection and thick clothing! This all happened while I was at work, so when I arrived home I saw the aftermath! My son had a whelp on his cheek, his foe had a nice red bump right between his eyes! So that should attest to the accuracy of the things (the battle took place at about fifteen yards with cover).

In the years since, my son has gotten more proficient with his SigP220 Airsoft, in so much as he now takes on the kids with automatic fire airsoft rifles and wins. Funny how he always aims for that patch of unprotected skin on the neck!

P.S They do leave dents in sheetrock and metal gutters!

[austin-tatious]

Every once in a while I've looked for an airsoft Springfield XD. Never have found one. Has anyone seen one and can tell me where it is sold?

Thanks.