Airsoft for practice?

hhsmiley · Jun 12, 2014

Does anyone shoot airsoft pistols just to get some kind of trigger time to practice for IPSC type matches? If so, what do you use? Getting back into the sport and based on the results so far I REALLY need some practice.

Unfortunately I don't have a place in the country, or know anyone within a reasonable distance with a place to shoot. I go to H&H when I can but that costs $$$ and you can't really practice drawing, moving, quick double taps etc. there.

I realize airsoft is probably a poor substitute for live fire, but I feel like it would be superior to dry firing. At least if you have a gun similar to what you shoot in a match, you've got the same draw and some kind of feedback as you put bb's on target.

Any ideas/suggestions? Thanks!

Bob Sanders · Jun 12, 2014

Suggestion number one. Dry fire! Then dry fire some more! Then get a book with dry fire drills! Except for the book, it's free!

Topshotdudley · Jun 12, 2014

hhsmiley said:
Does anyone shoot airsoft pistols just to get some kind of trigger time to practice for IPSC type matches? If so, what do you use? Getting back into the sport and based on the results so far I REALLY need some practice.

Unfortunately I don't have a place in the country, or know anyone within a reasonable distance with a place to shoot. I go to H&H when I can but that costs $$$ and you can't really practice drawing, moving, quick double taps etc. there.

I realize airsoft is probably a poor substitute for live fire, but I feel like it would be superior to dry firing. At least if you have a gun similar to what you shoot in a match, you've got the same draw and some kind of feedback as you put bb's on target.

Any ideas/suggestions? Thanks!

Airsoft is a good substitute for trigger time! The man to ask is Chris Anderson!

Matt1911 · Jun 12, 2014

Yup. Anderson has a 2011 airsoft that he uses at his casa, and he ain't no mouth breather when it comes to shooting.

LuckyDucky · Jun 12, 2014

I have a SIRT pistol. It shoots photons. Cost of these ranges from $160 to almost $400 depending on the model.

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I also have an M&P bb gun with a resetting trigger. The trigger is a light DA trigger, but it's better than nothing and is a cheap ($50) way to get lots of dry fire. It even has a little recoil if you put the CO2 in it. Don't shoot BBs in your house though. I know there are airsoft copies of guns too. The high quality replicas of real guns cost as much as real guns.

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H&H isn't unreasonably priced if you buy a membership to the range.

It costs $10.65 to rent a lane and get a big target. The membership is about $190 after tax.

I've already been to H&H enough times this year that the normal rental price would have been about $450.