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Old September 25, 2001, 09:03 PM   #1
mark77
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Practice with airgun worthwhile?

I recently got a Glock 26 and since I can't get to a range very often (the only one nearby closed down), I dug up an old air pistol I had from when I was a kid. It's a decent model, a Webley Tempest, which generates pretty good velocity for an airgun. I started shooting it at home from 21 and 30 feet and am getting very accurate with it.

Does anyone else practice with an airgun? I'm just wondering if it's worth my time and whether any skills acquired would help in terms of shooting a "real" gun.
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Old September 25, 2001, 09:38 PM   #2
C.R.Sam
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I think it is. Not perfect but nothing is. Most gain might be from learning to acquire a proper sight picture quickly. For each shot. One good drill would be similar to international duel shooting. Gun at low ready. Raise gun, get good sight picture, shoot while maintaining sight picture then lower gun each time. Skills honed with the airgun should transfer to any weapon.

Besides, tis fun.

Sam
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Old September 25, 2001, 11:15 PM   #3
Coltdriver
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Another benefit of shooting with an airgun is that you can develop the good habit of not flinching at the last moment.

I shoot with a .22 on my CZ and on a Colt frame for that exact reason.
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Old September 25, 2001, 11:41 PM   #4
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I have found my Crossman pellet pistol to be a very good training aid.
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Old September 26, 2001, 05:22 AM   #5
WESHOOT2
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PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Sight alignment trigger control.

Perfect.
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Old September 26, 2001, 03:35 PM   #6
orlando5
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If you’re going to practice a lot might as well get a .22lr. The ammo is very cheap (300+ rnd for $10).

Airgun is aright but not the best training tool around. For a little more you can buy yourself a .22lr pistol.
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Old September 26, 2001, 08:02 PM   #7
CaesarI
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Re: .22's

Yes, .22's are better to practice with than airguns. But can you use your .22 in your apartment? At college? Additionally, while a dangerous weapon, it's not as dangerous as a .22.

-Morgan
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Old September 26, 2001, 10:30 PM   #8
wolf 1415
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Yes. I have found it to be very valuable.

Sight Picture, Trigger Control...Every gun is the same.
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Old September 26, 2001, 10:48 PM   #9
JohnKSa
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The recoiling spring piston air pistols are VERY challenging to shoot well. Primarily because the recoil is a function of the spring & piston movement which begins before the pellet moves at all.

That means that the grip on the gun must be VERY consistent since the shooter's grip affects how the gun recoils.

Firearms are much more forgiving because the bullet leave the barrel so fast that the gun still hasn't moved much from recoil.

If you spend the time to learn to shoot a springer pistol well, you should be a very good pistol shot when you are done.

Unfortunately, rapid fire practice isn't so useful with an airgun. Rapid fire airguns don't recoil which is a big part of what rapid fire with a firearm is all about.
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Old September 27, 2001, 02:26 AM   #10
Blue Heeler
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My son started using an air pistol when he was seven years old.Used to shoot bottle tops in the trees at the back of our house.Since then of course,he has grown up.In the process,as a teenager he won cups and prizes shooting .22 precision (Anschutz Model 54)--He is now "top gun" at the local pistol range.Any gun,you name it.
Is an air pistol any use?You Bet it is!
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Old September 27, 2001, 10:40 AM   #11
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I've found an air rifle to be great for training for getting snap shots off from a standing position, (likely in hunting or combat).

Most range shooting is from a bench, or you get funny looks.

It might compromise your recoil control reflexes on the pistol, depending on your level of training. But that's a personal thing, you'll find out quick if it does.

Remember, the pellet gun still takes out eyeballs, and there was a recent case where a kid managed to kill another kid with one.
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Old September 27, 2001, 12:42 PM   #12
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IMHO every new shooter young and old should start out with a basic air gun. I taught myself how to accurately shoot my first Daisy Powerline air rifle. I did actually start out with a Red Ryder when I was about eight years old. I ended my active air rifle shooting with a Benjamin.

I gradually graduated to hand guns. On old Daisy CO2 was the first then it was a Benjamin.

Yes I beleive air guns are a very good means to learn and hone the basics of shooting.

Many a close range squirrels found their way into the frying pan this way when I was kid.
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Old September 27, 2001, 04:28 PM   #13
Jason Demond
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I want an air pistol,I found a Gamo that looks like a S&W 686 but I can't buy it online because no one will ship to MI. In MI you have to register them!
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Old September 27, 2001, 11:11 PM   #14
mark77
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My Webley air pistol is a springing piston type, which produces some recoil, but not much. It's also a lot heavier than my Glock. I think it's helping a lot with everything... quick sight acquisition, trigger control, stance, etc. I look forward to shooting the Glock again to see how much I've improved.

The best thing is being able to shoot it anytime, as often as I like. I use a target/pellet trap made from a cardboard box stuffed with newspapers. Pellets are dirt cheap and I find that a good portion of them can even be reused (yes, I'm a cheapskate). Print out some Bin Laden targets and it's a good way to blow off some steam!

Does anyone know about those Airsoft replica guns? Are they CO2?

As a newbie, what shooting manouvers should I be practicing for defense situations? For example, a 3 second shot from a gun-down position? Lying on my back on the floor, around a corner, etc? I suppose there are other threads on tactical shooting.
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Old September 28, 2001, 07:51 PM   #15
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air gun is great...and fun , too! I've shot air gun for years, and as posted, its great for for the truly basics of trigger control and sight alignment. Don't forget the advantage of air guns for teaching a new shooter.I worked with three ladies that showed intrest in shooting. After three weeks they were hitting Coke caps at thirty feet...not every time, but often. All seemed to enjoy the experience. Two later moved on to shooting centerfire revolvers. I almost felt as good as when I was teaching my two sons, both of whom shoot better than I, now.
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Old September 30, 2001, 12:32 AM   #16
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I have found that training with an air gun can be a very good idea for all reasons previously mentioned. I also like using it to pracice in and around the home at night so you can practice in low light conditions, tactics while holding flashlight, etc.
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Old September 30, 2001, 08:58 AM   #17
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I have had a Webly Tempest for years - can't even imagine how many pellets my kids and I have put through it. All that practice in the basement has shown up at the range - pellet guns arn't very forgiving about flinching.

I found a used FWB 300 Olympic grade rifle on the 'net for a good price a few years ago - it's accuracy is unreal. I was teaching a 10 yr old to shoot, and she got board with hitting MT 9mm cases all the time, so we went to MT 22lr cases (this is at ~25 yds).

Tried one of the "Airsoft" (shoots the little blue plastic pellets), very realistic, but a pain to cock it for every shot.
I think they make them in CO2 also-have to try one of them.
BTW - The battery powered full-auto's are a hoot !!!!

Practice at home, at your convienience, is one of the best investments you can make.
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Old September 30, 2001, 01:27 PM   #18
JohnKSa
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It's best to use the best quality pellets you can find and never reuse them.

A good pellet gun is very accurate, however poor quality pellets or damaged pellets will prevent the gun from achieving it's potential.

Also, it's possible to damage an airgun by reusing pellets. If they are slightly deformed, they may stick in the bore at the muzzle. Many airguns have a "choked" muzzle which means that the barrel at the muzzle is slightly smaller in diameter than the rest of the barrel. If your pellet is a little oversized or has been spread a little from being shot once, it may jam at the muzzle. Since airguns typically use softer steels than firearms, it is easy to damage the bore removing the jammed pellet.

That assumes you realize what happened immediately. I've seen posts by airgunners asking for help in removing several pellets that were jammed in the muzzle because the shooter shot several more in before realizing what was happening. The more that are jammed in there, the harder it is to remove them and the better the chance of damaging the bore.

Furthermore, if the pellet jams in the bore near the chamber, it is possible to damage a spring piston airgun since the air that would normally push the pellet out can not escape. This results in excessive piston rebound which can stress the spring to the point of failure.

All that hassle over saving a few cents...
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