Travis Haley; Airsoft X Training.

[Switch]

I saw this on Facebook this morning, thought some people might find this interesting. It would seem that Travis Haley is a big supporter of airsoft for training. He has his own company were he offers his own training for firearms and tactics. If you want "like" his Facebook page for his company, Haley Strategic Partners. Of course he is all about real firearms, but it was just cool to seem him post this video up.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?desktop_ur ... GeG4&gl=US[/list]

[Jerm_G]

His message is not new to airsoft. Many have been swearing by airsoft as a valid training tool if used properly for several years. The key word is properly. When used improperly, training scars are created that tend to be a phony pony to train out later. As the airsoft guns advance the amount of train-ability will increase. What Haley did though was put that out to the public from a well respected instructor. Something that has been needed for a while in the firearms community. Haley has a lot of great free instructional videos on his site as well as free targets. If you are a serous shooter, they are worth the look.

If you don't deal with real firearms and only live in the airsoft world there is a great message in the video. One that most airsofters will over look, is his message on safety. The rules when handling an airsoft gun should be no different then when handling a firearm. Something that isn't done by over 95% of airsofters. This is because as a community we have regarded them as nothing but toys. We don't hold others accountable, and then we phony pony when people treat them like toys and get caught doing so by the general public.

[Switch]

You are right Jerm, he does bring up the safety issue. And it was a good message to hear from a great instructor like Travis too. I didn't think the use of Airsof replicas were in a high use of training intill a couple of years ago.

[Jerm_G]

LE groups are starting to switch over and there is even batches of airsoft guns that have been in the hands of Army and National Guard units for years, so they can conduct cheep force on force training. Airsoft guns are something that I discuss in many of my classes and I have heard other instructors discuss it as an affordable training tool.

When I was at Lejune there was a squad of MARSOC guys that rolled out to the local airsoft field once a month and practiced wood line drills against the locals. They would snag up any 03s that were there and have us roll with them to even out the teams. They would brake out their "playbook", do a walk through, then apply it on the field. Some of the best training I have ever done. Not so much fun or great training for the local high school kids, unless the lesson was pain and suffering.

[DJ]

Much cheaper than simunitions and much less protective gear ( cooler), also much easier to obtain. I wished that some of the better GBB pistols had been available when I was doing this stuff. Our agency tried paintball gear but it was a disaster in CQB. One deputy lost an eye despite protective gear ( long story)

[Transition]

so does hawaii national guard, bought them all out of a shop in washington in fact

[R.O.B.]

What we would have given to have access to simunitions and/or airsoft 15-20 years ago

With regards to training scars, Jerm nailed it. Back in the day, our rules were 'you sweep me with your weapon, I punch you in the throat'

[league 4]

Cool video. I'm surprised he doesn't use GBBRs though.

[Reese]

From my experience with the ONG, airsoft isn't a very good tool for government organizations because they don't have the first inkling of how to take care of their replicas. They buy them, but the guys who use them don't treat them with the respect they require so they break and they have no idea how to fix them. They do not provide any instruction on how to operate the replicas so you run into guys who don't even know how to plug in the battery. Hopefully as they are used more, the understanding will increase and they will be able to maintain them better. Until then, the replicas will sit in boxes because they no longer work.

[Jerm_G]

It's no different with MILES or Sim rounds in that regard Adam. But for the individual and small, educated groups it's one of the best tools out there. The military has absolutely bad a$$ toys to play with, but they never leave the box. Nobody wants to assume the responsibility if something goes wrong.

[Steve]

It's a good message. Rich Daniel's been using airsofts in his FFKG courses for years. It isn't a new concept. Funny thing is, the biggest impediment to the adoption of Airsoft by the real steel community is airsofters.

[Reese]

It's a good message. Rich Daniel's been using airsofts in his FFKG courses for years. It isn't a new concept. Funny thing is, the biggest impediment to the adoption of Airsoft by the real steel community is airsofters.

Ding ding ding! I think most of the live fire community hates the player, not the game.

[The Tedi Way]

BB guns have been a training tool for young children for years and years to instill the fundamentals of gun safety, along side/in-place of .22s.
As someone who was introduced to real steal (sometimes real plastic) before airguns, I carried my respect over to airsoft; and have found replica guns to be invaluable in teaching gun safety and handling to younger relatives as a supplement to the real thing. I have no police/military background, I am just a rural Oregonian who looks at his guns as tools and also for pleasure.
I think that if more youth where introduced to real firearms, preferably by their fathers/families, we would have much less airsoft foolishness.

[ogrejager]

Yep. I can look around at an airsoft game and tell who's used to real steel regularly. They're not waving their muzzle around at people randomly.

[Unconventional]

Yep. I can look around at an airsoft game and tell who's used to real steel regularly. They're not waving their muzzle around at people randomly.

Ka Ching!



BTW, the use of air-soft guns are gaining ground in the EP industry as well.

Especially with GBB's and GBBR's as the sound and function can't be beat with regards to enhancing the training and experience of quick reaction combat.