As often as not, when I mention the use of airsoft guns for training purposes the person I’m talking to wrinkles their nose as though caught in a cloud of flatulence. I get it. Many dedicated gun people view the fringe “airsoft” movement as a non-serious game. Either that or they see the guns as toys for teens.
Despite these preconceived notions, quality airsoft tools that are near exact 1:1 replicas of the real thing, — to include reciprocating slides and identical controls — can be used as invaluable tools by those who take training seriously and have the correct mindset.
Airsoft in America
Sometime in the early-aughts, I started writing a monthly airguns column for Harris Publications in Combat Handguns magazine. That meant I had to come up with airgun material each and every month. I began to make acquaintances with all of the marketing folks for airgun companies in the country as well as foreign importers. As you can imagine, there weren’t that many.
Back in the aughts, airsoft or soft air guns were new in the United States, yes both terms were used back then. While popular in Asia and Europe, importers had a tough time getting permission to import the airgun replicas due to patent/trademark infringements. Back then, the majority of genuine firearms makers jealously protected their trademarks and were not inclined to work with the airsoft makers.
Slowly that situation began to change as genuine market demand altered the gun manufacturers’ ways of thinking. Some smart folks realized that teenagers who bought exact replicas of their guns would likely purchase the real deal later on. One of the gun makers to get smart and get on board was SIG SAUER.
SIG P229 Airsoft
Several years ago, SIG SAUER decided that rather than fight the airsoft makers, they would partner with them and create high-quality 1:1 replicas of their guns. SIG also listened to the guys who worked at the SIG Academy who informed the boardroom big shots that airsoft guns could be used as training tools, not just toys.
Today, SIG SAUER offers numerous officially licensed airsoft products directly from their website. The model that I decided to feature is their P229 “green gas” version. Green gas is a special blend of propane and silicone designed deliberately for airsoft guns. SIG also has some airsoft models that are powered by traditional CO2 powerlets.
The SIG P229 airsoft pistol is a true 1:1 replica of the real deal; it looks, feels, and functions exactly like the actual pistol. The airsoft P229 has a blowback, reciprocating slide for added realism. The magazine contains the gas chamber to power the gun as well as the 6mm BB reservoir. This model holds 23 of the plastic BBs. For those unfamiliar, 6mm is the standard size for airsoft BBs and the average weight for these is 0.20 to 0.30 grams. Average velocity from green gas pistols is around 300 feet per second. That’s not enough to break skin, but it is enough to leave a mark and sting a bit.
In addition to the pistol, SIG provided a unique airsoft magazine loading tool which is tremendously handy and useful. Loading a single BB at a time can be quite the tedious task as you might imagine. As for compressed cans of “green gas,” such can be had from numerous online retailers. Hell, even Amazon stocks it. Expect to get 500 to 1000 shots from each 8 ounce can of green gas. Naturally you gas-mileage is going to be gun dependent.
Training and Practice
Training is where you go and what you do to learn how and what to practice. Practice is what you do on your own to develop and maintain skill. In addition to learning how to press the trigger without disturbing the sights, there are many other things we learn in training; holster drills, moving and shooting, multiple target drills, etc.
For those whose only option is the local indoor range with severely restrictive rules, much of what you learned during training, things you want to practice, might be forbidden. This is when setting up your own airsoft practice range in a basement, garage, or backyard might be a legitimate idea.
Also, some of us live on the opposite spectrum of the indoors-only range. I have lived in rural areas where the only ranges were outdoors and during the winter, blowing and drifting snow prevented access. When I lived in the northern part of the United States, I spent many January and February afternoons in my basement airsoft range getting in some valuable practice.
This brings us to a good point. Just how valuable and practical your airsoft practice sessions are is completely dependent upon your mindset. If you treat the practice seriously and handle the airsoft replica as you would a live-firearm, you can gain some valuable experience and keep up with your skill maintenance.
However, if you treat the airsoft gun like a toy, pointing all around in a negligent fashion or worse, shooting your buddies in their asses, that is the road to ruin. The fact that airsoft replicas look and feel exactly like genuine firearms is a double-edged sword. If you handle them as you would a real gun, you develop positive behaviors. However, if you handle airsoft replicas like toys, that will translate to poor and dangerous habits when you have a live firearm in your hands.
Parting Shots
I found the SIG P229 airsoft replica to be an extremely high quality tool. Whether or not you have been convinced to add airsoft to your firearms practice routine is up to you. Nonetheless, you should be aware of the fact that modern airsoft replicas of genuine firearms are readily available and can be used as tools for productive practice if you go about it with the correct mindset.
Paul G. Markel is a combat decorated United States Marine veteran. He is also the founder of Student of the Gun University and has been teaching Small Arms & Tactics to military personnel, police officers, and citizens for over three decades.