With daylight savings time coming to an end and days getting shorter, I will no longer be able to shoot in the evenings after work. I've read threads on here about training with an airsoft pistol in the back yard before.  Can anyone tell me where to get an airsoft pistol that is durable, has a fairly realistic trigger, and will work with a weapon light?  I want a Glock 19, Glock 17, and/or M&P 9 "copy", and I'd like to be able to attach an APL or TLR-1 for some low light practice.  Also, what are you using to catch the BBs?

Here's your best option. Fit's in Glock 17 holsters Keep in mind you will need to make sure to air out where you are shooting indoors as in fact you are releasing gas.

http://www.evike.com/products/35937/

Mags: http://www.evike.com/products/36480/

23% off coupon code: AIRSOFTNATION


For targets, take some boxes, stuff them, tape them up and cut a square hole in the front just small enough for a piece of paper to cover the whole. Tape the paper to the whole and when you shoot out the paper target, just release the paper. The stuffed box catches the BBs

I've got a P226 airsoft clone, which interestingly enough is what I had first and was the reason I bought the real thing, which also happened to be my very first gun. But anyway... I find it's useful for practicing things like drawing from the holster and acquiring your first target, but beyond that, the recoil characteristics are so vastly different that anything else you do after that first shot doesn't translate all that well to the real thing.

Yeah, I know it is a long way from realistic.  I don't get to the range much on the weekends (9 month old baby and no family around to babysit), and I don't know that I can stand to go through the fall and winter only shooting a handful of times after shooting almost weekly all spring and summer.

I use  Daisy and Gamo CO2 pellet / BB guns for practice. Remarkable how much better I shoot  with my 9MM now and it doesn't break the bank. Practice mainly stance and trigger squeeze. Use it in my back yard and garage. Pyramid Air has a great selection. Wal Mart isn't too bad either.

I run a crossman 1911 springer clone that is pretty darn close in size to the real thing (fits in my 1911 holsters).  It's quite a bit lighter, but the trigger is similar (tho plastic of course).  I picked it up at walmart, it's an el cheapo but I've had great luck with it so far.  I read shitty reviews on the m&p and glock clones, so I picked up this one instead as it had great reviews.  Thing will leave a good little mark!  First thing I did was shoot myself in the foot, and than my roomie, at his prodding, in the gut!

I have bb's all over the downstairs living room floor    i pick up what i step on/can see, but the 10k can i got will last years anyways...

ETA: don't get bb's that color match your carpet  

take a look at this

there are many laser practice systems

Copy/pasted from a rimfire pistol post:  far superior to any airsoft gun:

As an interesting monkey wrench in the comparison assuming the purpose was to find a training aid for the owner of a S&W M&P full size auto pistol, in 2013  I bought a Umarex "medium" M&P CO2 BB pistol and 5 magazines.  

The plastic pistol is a dead ringer size wise for a standard M&P.  The trigger function is similiar in that the BB pistol is simply a short DA pull to fire without other controls.  The sights are decent 3 dot copies.  A CO2 cylinder lasts for 4 of the 18 shot BB magazines.  A normal M&P holster is a perfect fit.  Draw and fire practice on an IPSC target is easily done keeping all hits in the A zone through 20 yards.

More fun is to put three pop cans on three vertical pieces of electric wire about a foot above the ground.  Draw and fire three shots. The cans rattle and clang around if hit.   If you hit two of the three, one shot at each, take a step backward.  Repeat.  Hit two of three and take another step back.  At about 20 yards it gets difficult.

When .22s were (are still mostly) unobtainable, a milk carton of BBs lasts a L O N G time.

I liked the set up enough I bought a second one.

Setting up both BB pistols required two things.  First, both shot high so I reduced the height of the rear sight and they shoot to zero at 15 yards.  I simply turned the pistol upside down with the front sight on a slick plastic pad and the rear sight flat on a fine bastard file.  Back and forth a few times reduced the rear sight height.

Second, the top of the trigger where the barrel is activated needs lubed for a smooth pull (and lighter weight).

With those two steps, the sensation is a normal M&P trigger or a Shield trigger that still needs lubed and broken in.  Both pistols show no sign of damage or wearing out.

Still seeing no accuracy info on the .22 Compact besides a 2" at 10 yards or 5" at 25 yards reference, I am not in a rush to buy one.  Considering the safety style SA action of the .22 Compact, the BB pistol is a closer action copy of the M&P system than the .22 is.

I've used the Umarex to introduce new pistol shooters to the idea very adequately.

The BB pistol is a full size copy.  It is too big for my granddaughter to function.  So I bought the SR22P which was a nice first step.  I started her with a CB Long single loaded which goes pop once and nothing more.  She got the hang of it.

I am no fan of the cheap .22s sold by the Walther/Umarex/whoever group, but freely admit the Umarex BB pistols are extremely nice.

I suppose this will get laughed at a lot, but its why they put doors in boxes so you don't have to stay inside all the time.  Trigger time is trigger time.  And with no noise or recoil, you can see your good ones and your bad ones.



Other Useful Info:

Umarex site:  http://www.umarexusa.com/Smith-Wesson-M-P-Black.html#.VExQVVeDe-I

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005116QN8/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1/179-7283556-6990525?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_r=11DF6R7XJV7T0F7NHFK6&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=1944687442&pf_rd_i=B00193TWYW

They go $35-40, sometimes with and sometimes without extra shipping.  A lot more $ in stores.

Magazines:  Amazon or Walmart:  http://www.amazon.com/Beretta-Elite-Crosman-19-Shot-Stick/dp/B001BR2YTQ/ref=pd_sim_sg_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0GRJG8B45HKEW9ERBM5G

Pellet Gun Oil:  Always put a drop on the seal area of the C02 powerlet.  If you don't, the seal may leak and will wear out for sure.  Buy this if you need the extra penny for free shipping:  http://www.amazon.com/Crosman-Pellgunoil%C2%AE-Air-Lubricating-ounces/dp/B0002IL6M6/ref=pd_sim_sg_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=0GRJG8B45HKEW9ERBM5G

Are you using some kind of trap to catch the BBs?  Is a cardboard box with heavy fabric in the back durable enough to stop them?

NO.

Thanks, but I dry fire all the time already.

Thick carpet lasts for a while.  Better is a wood box with an angled piece deflecting the BBs down into sand.

Weather available, outside with an IPSC target is my choice.

Avoid a steel trap because the steel air rifle shot comes back as fast as it went forward, or so it seems,  if you hit steel squarely.

I built a trap out of 3/4" plywood. Put a piece of 1/16" steel plate in the back angled at 30 degrees. Put a piece of 1" mattress foam in the bottom to stop the bb's/pellets. Works great indoors or out.

I've got a KSC G19 that I bought to play with.  I can't remember where I bought it but it shipped from Hong Kong yet arrived really quickly.  I swapped barrels and added a hop up kit (I think from Evike.com) and it's been a lot of fun for plinking in the garage or back yard.  It's the same size and basically the same weight as my Glock 19; the magazines are weighted to compensate for the lightweight slides and barrels.  It fits in my G19 holsters and a TLR-1s fits on it just fine.  No, it's not going to feel just like a real gun but it's close enough to simulate drawing and shooting practice when noise and money are concerns.  There are several websites out there that give you target dimensions and how to make replica targets along with courses of fire to replicate IDPA matches.  I just set up Solo cups in the yard and use the biodegradable BBs so I don't have to have a bunch of traps to catch them.  If you plan to shoot it much I'd recommend buying the propane adapter and a bottle of silicon oil so you don't have to buy the Green Gas.  

Bottom gun is the airsoft; the real Glock has had some re-contouring done on it which I haven't gotten around to doing on the airsoft.