With the ammo crisis are air guns a good alternative for training?

[Gun Parts & Accessories]

Ammo is scarce and expensive. There are quality replicas that are identical to the build, weight, and action. My question is would this be a practical alternative that would cross over well for for aiming, target practice, and simulation for the real deal?

 

[fattboyzz]

Yes they are

Welcome !

 

[Gingerbeard Man]

Ammo is scarce and expensive. There are quality replicas that are identical to the build, weight, and action. My question is would this be a practical alternative that would cross over well for for aiming, target practice, and simulation for the real deal?

I would personally say no. The recoil is non-existent with air guns. Staying on target with no recoil is different than the real thing. Also, unless you're going the PCP route, your accuracy will be all over the place.

They are great fun though. I have a few handguns but my favorite is the Benjamin Marauder rifle. Quiet and cheap to shoot. Good for the backyard.

 

[Gingerbeard Man]

I'll add that another alternative are laser cartridges. Plenty of options out there but again, no recoil.

 

[cmshoot]

Depending upon what sort of training that you’re doing, they are a viable alternative.

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

A few years ago, A 17-year-old Japanese boy who had never touched a firearm in real life, but had been an airsoft enthusiast in his home country,

and who made it a point to diligently practice drawing, shooting, and hitting the target rapidly with various airsoft weapons (both pistols and AR carbines) finally came to the USA and was taken shooting as a guest of some gun writer / blogger affiliated with some gun or ammo company.

The Japanese kid had mad skills right from the start! He looked very professional; he knew how to handle these weapons with minimal coaching (just a few minutes, mostly regarding how the optics worked & range safety rules).
When cleared to fire on the very first magazine full of live ammo the kid had ever discharged, he was off to the races, doing much better than most Americans and even doing better than some of the shooters' coaches at that range that hosted him.
So yes, non-recoiling or minimally recoiling air guns or airsoft guns can definitely let you up your skills and improve your game for real firearms that you'll go back to later.

 

[gyppo]

Dry fire practice with your actual gun is the best alternative.
If you can draw quickly and put the gun on target every time and move quickly while keeping the gun on target while you are in awkward positions you have 80% of the shooting game accomplished.
Almost anyone can be trained to manage recoil and get fast follow up shots if everything else is good in a few days.
Drawing and putting the first shot on target in a short time takes repetition. Tens of thousands of repetitions. I have heard more than one pro shooter say they spend 90% of their time dry firing and 10% live firing.
Still think they are exaggerating some but I never knew a pro shooter well enough to know for sure.

 

[Ex313]

Remember that Airline Pilots train on Flight Simulators.
Practice with Dry Fire, but you could augment that practice with Airsoft.

 

[WinstonSmith]

Dime and washer drills are good.

 

[aFarewellToKings]

I would personally say no. The recoil is non-existent with air guns. Staying on target with no recoil is different than the real thing. Also, unless you're going the PCP route, your accuracy will be all over the place.

A multi-pump 1377 (or 1322) can get some reasonable accuracy. Although it does have a longer barrel.
A metal co2 pistol that cycles the slide can get you at least some movement.

I'll add that another alternative are laser cartridges. Plenty of options out there but again, no recoil.

You can also get a phone app that uses the camera to score your shots.