Airsoft USPSA competitions

[Flyin40]

Actually might have a match in Columbus, Ohio this winter. I know Michigan used to run matches several yrs ago. Its a good idea. Airsoft came about because those countries took the guns away. People didn't start shooting airsoft then the govt said "lets take the guns".

Flyin

I am convinced. Airsoft USPSA replicates all aspects of USPSA except for the recoil managment. You develop the very sames skills, again, except for recoil managment. A GM airsofter would compare with a USPSA GM. Airsoft is cheaper and more convenient (shoot anywhere). It is safer-no lead issues, no one can possibly get hurt. Furthermore, USPSA would grow by leaps and bounds if we went exclusively to airsoft. The nationals could be held indoors-no weather issues. There is no rational argument whatsoever against USPSA going exclusively airsoft. None.

The above rings so true it is frightening (to me).

We are our own worst enemy.......

Actually recoil management isn't an issue with an Open gun. You can go with an airsoft gun, shoot 22 long rifle and then go to an Open gun without any adjustment and then switch back with no probelm. Actually switching from a 22 to my open gun I can run faster times just about every single time. That is shooting the 22 then the Open gun with no shooting in between. I have put it on a timer and video.

Here

Like I said earlier Airsoft is a great tool and won't replace Uspsa using real guns. I originally thought there would be a big difference with recoil but at least in Open for me its just about the way the dot moves and tracks.

Airsoft will never replace real guns. It can be shot in the middle of winter in the garage or basement for training so its useful. As far as Uspsa it will never amount to much. The guys that shoot the skirmishes will be quite a bit larger but still won't be huge.

Also using your line of thinking we better stop riding bicycles also...........because they are coming to take our cars. Bicycles don't consume fossil fuels, it gets you where your going, its cheaper, it might be colder in the winter but thats ok. You can hook a bike trailer to the back to haul the kids........... Riding bicylces are going to lead us to us losing are cars..........

I understand your concern but I don't believe for one sec airsoft will lead to us losing any of our 2nd amendment. If you feel differently thats fine, we'll just agree to disagree and leave it at that.

Back to topic

Cy,

Get some guys together and have some fun. Check with the guys at your local club and have a match in the garage. I don't think there will ever be a club or league, just no real reason to get formal. Its too easy to go a range or club or even back yard to shoot. I already have my airsoft equipment but I would travel outside the city I live in to shoot it. I do agree with others that we have no need for it in Uspsa formally. You can use the same rules and everything but thats about it.

Flyin

Edited October 10, 2009 by Flyin40

[redmanfixit]

I would do it.

I have been lookin to acquire an airsoft gun that has similar features and layout to my 1911. So much of what we do in USPSA is about kinesthetic patterning. Practicing and repeating the patterns of movement involved in this sport is akin to the kata used to impress these patterns in any of the martial arts. It moves all the essential gun handling and operation into the realm of unsupervised movement like walking or maintaining balance. No effort is required from the "higher" conscious which frees it to evaluate and process tactical information and target selection. All the effort we make in training, dryfire, reloading, how we move between firing positions, seeing your sights lift, all of it lets you become smoother and more efficient. Everyone I know that is smooth and fast is that way because of dedication to training and shooting LOTS of rounds. Live fire is expensive. I wish to improve and there is a great attraction to being able to do it on an affordable budget.

As far as a slippery slope. Those are everywhere. Send money to organizations that support our right to keep and bear. A few bucks here and there from all of us will add up. Airsoft training frees up some money for a good purpose.

As a shooter, be prepared to address the cascades of irrational BS around these sports by clear speech and reasoned responses. Spend a little time with the studies the NRA has sponsored so you can use actual scientific research to respond effectively to hysterical propaganda.

Everyone I have met in this sport has at sometime in their lives made the decision not to lay down and die when things get difficult. At that level, a person is dealing effectively with the fear that every human finally must, one way or another. Don't be surprised when people who have not dealt effectively with their own fear, resent you. If you sit with this for a time, I think you may come to understand why compassion and patience are the best responses to a fearful person.

Anyway, Cy, when you get something going let me know. Practice, as with bullets, if some is good, more is better!!

[Flexmoney]

We'd have to change the name to USpSA.

They are a tool. They are fun. They are shooting. They are easy (no going to the range). They are relatively cheap (who is hoarding green gas/propane? lol ). The poppers are easier to carry around and setup. You can host a "home game", without having to own or travel to a shooting range.

They are also missing a big chunk of our D.V.C.

[sfpmb]

I think that if there was no match available to go to and this was held on a weeknight or off competition saturday, I would go. To me it is training, not replacement. I mean you are training doing this, your under the clock, you have to aim etc. This was held by a local airsoft store and It was fun. I don't mean you have to go to airsoft competitions, but many of my uspsa friends come over to my house and we have little competitions in my garage. Its just so easy to change the stages and we run them more than once, keeping times. You wanna talk about fun. But I rememebr when I started shooting about three years ago, a long time club member was explaining the action pistol ropes to me and he said his goal this year is to go from B class to A this year. That was 2006, and he is still B class today. He is a super nice guy and a few weeks ago he asked me about airsoft because he knows I use it. I truly feel guilty being able to train like this in my home because I made A class in production this year. I think you will only get something if you believe it will help. This has helped me. I will offer the only analogy I can think of. I like to run, I run during the lunch hour in San Francisco. I like to do hills since there are many here. Well on the days were it is busy and I can't break out of the office I will walk the stairs (5 floor) several times. I guess you could say, its not running so why do it. But I know it helps my strength and lungs. I think more importantly it reinforces my commitmet that I want to continue to improve and I am willing to do something rather than nothing given my circumstances.

There is this master that comes over and we will do some airsoft stages. We are pretty close usually in our local uspsa matches. You know the trash talking starts almost immediately about who is going to crush. The training I am getting here is not recoil but mind control because I have to preform a series of movements and aimimg that have to be done on demand and efficiently. That sounds like what I have to do at real matches.

Airsoft should be the gateway for junior shooters to USPSA

[Charles Bond]

Airsoft should be the gateway for junior shooters to USPSA

So we would just flush the very successful launch of the Scholastic Shooting program we have set up in partnership with NSSF?

About the only advantage, if it is one, to having juniors use airsoft instead of a firearm would be that maybe we would be albe to attract juniors with parents who are not going to get involved. If the parent does not get involved, the chance of the junior shooter graduating to a firearm before their 21st birthday or entry in the the armed forces is just about ZERO.

[h2osport]

I am setting up a airsoft range in my basement right now. Several of the guys I shoot with and practice with are excited about it and are purchasing new equipment to come and shoot inside this winter.

It is a training tool. Not a replacement. I could see a seperate leauge start up, but I do not think it would not be well attended by USPSA shooters. Some people I have talked to use their airsoft without bb's so it is like dry fire where you get trigger reset.

To answer your questions:

Would you purchase new equipment--I already own airsoft equip

Would you travel an hour to attend a match--No. If I am going to travel to a match, I am going to be shooting a USPSA match

On a side note, I do see another advantage to airsoft trainging that will be useful in general, and that is training in the dark. The people I practice with have been playing around with flashlights and shooting in low light situations. ROing in the dark can pose some problems. I think we will play around with shooting in pitch dark this winter with our airsoft guns, which will help avoid some potential safety problems of live fire. Not a

Airsoft has some advantages useful to our sport. The use of it as a training tool will continue to increase.

Randy

[sslav]

For me the answer is no. I do not have the time to shoot all the matches that are available in the area as is.

[IL-SIG]

Maybe the NFL should start a flag football league. While it is certainly a sport - it's certainly not the same!

[LPatterson]

Well I don't have a basement to shoot in, not can I go out in my backyard in the city and shoot without getting a visit from the cops. I already own a half dozen .22's so I will not waste money on an airsoft when I could/will use it for more bullets. For those people packed next to each other as most people are in the east, airsoft might be viable but please don't start recommending it as an alternative to having real guns as you might get what you wish for. The West used to know how to take care of criminals until the bleeding heart liberals from the east moved out here and screwed everything up. Keep your toys for the boys /kids and let the rest of us keep our real guns.

[Cy Soto]

...airsoft might be viable but please don't start recommending it as an alternative to having real guns as you might get what you wish for.

>LPatterson: It wasn't until I read your reply that it finally dawned on me why there is such a hesitation from people on this forum to be receptive to this idea. After reading what you wrote and rereading my post, I noticed that I used the phrase: "great alternative" and I now see how some people might have understood this to mean replacing real guns with toys. Thanks for the clarification!

[Flyin40]

Well I don't have a basement to shoot in, not can I go out in my backyard in the city and shoot without getting a visit from the cops. I already own a half dozen .22's so I will not waste money on an airsoft when I could/will use it for more bullets. For those people packed next to each other as most people are in the east, airsoft might be viable but please don't start recommending it as an alternative to having real guns as you might get what you wish for. The West used to know how to take care of criminals until the bleeding heart liberals from the east moved out here and screwed everything up. Keep your toys for the boys /kids and let the rest of us keep our real guns.

It is a good alternative regardless of where you live. Airsoft will never be the cause of losing gun rights. Airsoft was created because the guns were taken and made illegal not vice versa.

If you want to shoot in your backyard you can, cops have nothing to do with it, its not illegal. A simple phone call to let them know what your doing prior to it will solve any issues and if they are really interested about it they can send an officer out to check it out. If you don't want to use it thats fine but it doesn't mean it isn't a great training tool and nothing more that.

The thread was opened asking about shooting in the winter months when there are no other matches available. It isn't meant to replace guns but just a way to work on skills and a way to stay behind the gun. One thing about airsoft is you can get some guys together and shoot in a garage. Just BS and have some fun. Dryfiring is boring to alot of people and with dryfiring your not getting true feedback as in hits on paper. You can practice anything done in Uspsa with airsoft except recoil control.

Its already been proven that shooting airsoft helps in Uspsa but it can never replace real bullets or guns.

If there was a airsoft match that was close would I go??

In winter when there zero matchs for 3-4 months that are close........Yes, why go to the range when is about 10degrees out and snow. I can get more out of

a session with airsoft in the basement than going to the range.

In spring, summer or fall.........I'm with you there, no reason too. I'm hitting the outdoor range with real guns.

Will I use airsoft in spring, summer and fall..........yes, its a great training tool and will probably shoot 3-4 times a week for about 15-30min in the basement.

If a range was closer would I still use airsoft......yes, its a training tool. Dryfire, airsoft and live fire

Do I think Uspsa should have airsoft.........No Way, we have zero need for it

With the cost of ammo and components its even cheaper than shooting a 22, alot cheaper.

I train alot with a 22 and to me there isn't any difference between a 22 and airsoft as a training tool. Both give you great feedback with hits on targets. Neither has the actual recoil of guns used in Uspsa. Both can make you better Uspsa shooters.

Flyin

[ChuckS]

If you want to shoot in your backyard you can, cops have nothing to do with it, its not illegal.

I suggest that you check on this before you act. In my town, gas powered guns were banned outdoors due to pinhead slackers committing paint-ball drive-bys.

Later,

Chuck

(Practiced with a/s earlier this week but now I have to choose either to shoot the real match today, tomorrow or both )

[smokshwn]

Well I don't have a basement to shoot in, not can I go out in my backyard in the city and shoot without getting a visit from the cops. I already own a half dozen .22's so I will not waste money on an airsoft when I could/will use it for more bullets. For those people packed next to each other as most people are in the east, airsoft might be viable but please don't start recommending it as an alternative to having real guns as you might get what you wish for. The West used to know how to take care of criminals until the bleeding heart liberals from the east moved out here and screwed everything up. Keep your toys for the boys /kids and let the rest of us keep our real guns.

It is a good alternative regardless of where you live. Airsoft will never be the cause of losing gun rights. Airsoft was created because the guns were taken and made illegal not vice versa.

If you want to shoot in your backyard you can, cops have nothing to do with it, its not illegal. A simple phone call to let them know what your doing prior to it will solve any issues and if they are really interested about it they can send an officer out to check it out. If you don't want to use it thats fine but it doesn't mean it isn't a great training tool and nothing more that.

Flyin

Please be careful administering advice as to the legality of airsoft in backyards or even in your garage. In most municipalities it is illegal by definition as it is exactly the same as a BB gun or air rifle. Whether the particular officer who comes to visit you decides to issue a citation or not may be a different story, but to state that the cops have nothing to do with it and it is legal is false.