I took my wife out to dinner yesterday.  We live just north of Ft. Food in the little town up there.  We parked at the little Italian joint thats next to a motel.  As I'm pulling in, my cop sense started tingling.  I saw trucks with rucksacks, kevlars with no covers and fat ass dudes wearing pieces of three different camo pattern uniforms talking shit in the motel parking lot.  Tons of pickups and SUV's with equipment piled inside and not a damn one of them was in "proper" uniform.  I also saw a 5 ton parked in the area with Marine bumper markings.  My wife and me thought it could possibly be a Marine Reserve unit from North Ft. Hood but that was quickly ruled out since no Marine NCO, Reserve or Active would let his Jarheads run around and grabass in public looking like this.  My second thought was maybe Gunstock was kicking off early but since I saw zero AR15.com type bumper stickers/decals I also dismissed that idea.

So today I'm in the local WallyWorld picking up some things and lo and behold two of these dudes come waddling in.  One was at least 260+ lbs and his XXL BDU Blouse was unbuttoned over his black T-shirt.  He also had black elbow and knee pads on with a boonie cap.  I made it a point to walk past him to get a better look.  No name tapes, rank or flags but a shit goofy civvy type unit patch that actually had colors on it.  Yep, definitely Airsofters!

did they go for the airsoft ammo counter?

Probably a militia formed up to fight for their right to eat trans fats in their favorite junk food.

Quoted: did they go for the airsoft ammo counter?

Shit man, this is a backwoods Texas ass WalMart.  It's Gun counter is several dozen times bigger than its tiny little airsoft section on the toy aisle!

I was a semi-pro paintballer for a number of years. Airsoft'ers were complete nerds in our eyes.

Quoted: I was a semi-pro paintballer for a number of years. Airsoft'ers were complete nerds in our eyes.

At least you knew that Heavy Six had your back.

Anyone look familiar?

Heavy6

Good lord was it him?

Take pics next time.

Max

Ah good tactic...take cover behind the big guy

All this talk of Airsoft, I had to look it up. I had no idea what this was. It must not have a big following where I'm at, or I spend too much time having a life..whatever...

Anyway, this is just my opinion on what I found out about airsoft and the people involved with this hobby.

If ever I had the slightest little desire to aquire an airsoft gun, I hope I would have enough sense to kick my own ass before I got to my airsoft retailer.

Airsoft, like paintball could be a useful training aide and lots of fun with mature players.  But like many shooting sports it is very "gamey" or so I hear.

Plus the systems are CQB only pretty much.

Quoted: Airsoft, like paintball could be a useful training aide and lots of fun with mature players.  But like many shooting sports it is very "gamey" or so I hear. Plus the systems are CQB only pretty much.

Every time someone lumps airsoft in with paintball somewhere an angel dies.

What's their screen-names?

I dont understand all the airsoft hate. I am sure most of you had toy guns as a kid...and for the crowd that is a little older, how much better would they have been if they were airsoft?

I can sit in my house and shoot at stuff in the evenings with my airsoft. I have a shelf full of figurines and dolls that live in a state of fear.

:)

Michele

Quoted: Quoted: Airsoft, like paintball could be a useful training aide and lots of fun with mature players.  But like many shooting sports it is very "gamey" or so I hear. Plus the systems are CQB only pretty much. Every time someone lumps airsoft in with paintball somewhere an angel dies.

Paintball is MORE gamey than airsoft....

Quoted: I was a semi-pro paintballer for a number of years. Airsoft'ers were complete nerds in our eyes.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Airsoft, like paintball could be a useful training aide and lots of fun with mature players.  But like many shooting sports it is very "gamey" or so I hear. Plus the systems are CQB only pretty much. Every time someone lumps airsoft in with paintball somewhere an angel dies. Paintball is MORE gamey than airsoft....

Uhmm paintball is an extreme sport.





Just some facts:

1. Paintball is the #1 extreme sport in the United States, with 9.97 million participants.
2. Paintball is the fastest growing extreme sport in the United States, with a 44.0% growth from 2001 to 2006.
3. Paintball participants are 81.1% male.
4. 83.2% of Paintball participants are in the 12-34 demographic.
5. The average age of Paintball participants is 22 years old.
6. 61.2% of the Paintball participant household has annual income greater than $50,000 per year.

Quoted: I dont understand all the airsoft hate. I am sure most of you had toy guns as a kid...and for the crowd that is a little older, how much better would they have been if they were airsoft? I can sit in my house and shoot at stuff in the evenings with my airsoft. I have a shelf full of figurines and dolls that live in a state of fear. :) Michele

It isn't really the actual guns themselves, it is the mentaility, the I know 'everything about guns' type personality and the fact that the wear full military uniforms in public, when they have had zero affiliation with out nations military.  It isn't the airsoft gun, its the Airsofter we tend to have problems with.

Should have come over and said hi.


It's called "Operation Bulldog" a big airsoft get-together and fund raiser.  It takes place yearly on Ft Hood.  They fly in from all over the country and beyond.  Met one guy from Ireland.

The 5-ton is a private vehicle belonging to a military truck collector.  So were the 2 1/2 tons.  They volunteer to drive these guys around North Fort mainly for the laughs.  There were about 150 participants this year.

They have a website.  Even an official photographer.

DISCLAIMER

Neither myself or the three others involved in this own any airsoft, will ever own any airsoft or take these guys seriously for ONE MOMENT.   The owner of the 5-ton also has an armored car, a Unimog, and guns that match each

However, it's better entertainment than you will EVER find on TV.  
And yes, they were buying all the airsoft pellets WalMart had.  North FT Hood is practically carpeted with the things already.  

Quoted: Quoted: I dont understand all the airsoft hate. I am sure most of you had toy guns as a kid...and for the crowd that is a little older, how much better would they have been if they were airsoft? I can sit in my house and shoot at stuff in the evenings with my airsoft. I have a shelf full of figurines and dolls that live in a state of fear. :) Michele It isn't really the actual guns themselves, it is the mentaility, the I know 'everything about guns' type personality and the fact that the wear full military uniforms in public, when they have had zero affiliation with out nations military.  It isn't the airsoft gun, its the Airsofter we tend to have problems with.

I guess I just dont get it. I see people come and go all day. They are often dressed pretty "tacticool" just to go shoot (real weapons)  Some are Military and some are not. We all dream. I guess as a woman it is easier for me to understand why some people want to play "dress up" and not hold that against them.

I see it as a constructive outlet. Think about it. Someone who is willing to dress up like a high speed low drag guy and is interested in guns...Chances are that is one person you dont have to worry about voting for a gun grabbing commie. If your kids are out doing airsoft, at least they are not playing video games indoors all day or out being bums and if they are grown men, Find out if they would like a chance to shoot real guns and take them out shooting. An ally is far better than someone who resents a group of people.

Quoted: Airsoft, like paintball could be a useful training aide and lots of fun with mature players.  But like many shooting sports it is very "gamey" or so I hear. Plus the systems are CQB only pretty much.

Yeah, mostly useful for CQB, out to about 100-150 feet for the most part.  These things are not a replacement for actual trigger time on a firearm, but can be a reasonable way to learn things like movement and tactics if the game is set up right.  

IMO, airsoft is a better choice over paintball as a training aid because airsoft guns are replicas of actual firearms, while paintball guns are not.  Paintball guns typically run off of compressed gas, with Co2 and compressed air being common, they look like a bunch of pipe-fittings, and handling is pretty bad.  Paintball is also too messy for indoor use and can potentially stain clothes and other objects.  The paint is actually colored liquid soap, so it usually washes off easily.  

Paintball accuracy is pretty lousy; they shoot like open-bolt submachine guns.  The ergonomics and sights on most paintball guns are horrible.  Paintballs are notorious for getting chopped-up inside the gun, leaving you with a mess to try to clean out of your gun while in the middle of a game.  The recoil is fun, though, and there are fully-automatic paintball guns in existance.  

An airsoft M16 or M4 operates in the same general way as the real thing, except there is a battery under the handguards to charge up and connect, and there is no need to pull the charging handle and the bolt releases don't work.  Also, there is no recoil, but there is some vibration from the electric motor used to operate the gun (it's in the pistol grip).  Ironically enough, airsoft M4's and M16's actually feel a little bit heavier than the real thing, at least to me.  

Things like mag changes, sight picture, handling, etc on an airsoft M16 or M4 are the same as on the firearm.  Real tactical gear like slings and mag pouches work fine on airsoft.  The selector switch works the same, and you get to have FA, as well as whatever damn barrel length you want.  

There is no restriction on fully-automatic or short-barreled BB guns.    It's fun for those of us who don't get to run a real M4.  It gives you the opportunity to handle accurate replicas of weapons that you may not otherwise have an opportunity to handle.

Paintball is becoming more of a tournament-oriented sport; most of the organized paintball world is trying to distance itself from anything resembling "military" training in order to present a more PC image.  It's turning into a huge game, and it is unfortunate.  

Both paintball and airsoft can become gamey when you have Counterstrike nerds playing it who have no understanding of how things work in the real world.  But it's great for civilians who are serious about training yet can't obtain Simunitions.  

I myself usually don't play in "games' with other people because there's too many damn kids and jackasses, unfortunately.  In the past, my brother and I would occasionally chase each other around the house.  

I mostly use airsoft for plinking against soda cans and other random objects around the house.  I use it as a supplement to dry-fire practice.  Occasionally, I practice room-clearing; I'll have my girlfriend set up targets somewhere in the apartment, and I'll go and do my thing.  

Sometimes there is no substitute for putting a projectile into a target, even if it is impractical to fire real bullets.  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Airsoft, like paintball could be a useful training aide and lots of fun with mature players.  But like many shooting sports it is very "gamey" or so I hear. Plus the systems are CQB only pretty much. Every time someone lumps airsoft in with paintball somewhere an angel dies. Paintball is MORE gamey than airsoft.... Uhmm paintball is an extreme sport. www.mafia.azpaintball.cz/clanky-obrazky/nppl_paintball_tampa_2004_126_2699.jpg www.splatkids.com/gap/sk0D9F2119.png Just some facts: 1. Paintball is the #1 extreme sport in the United States, with 9.97 million participants. 2. Paintball is the fastest growing extreme sport in the United States, with a 44.0% growth from 2001 to 2006. 3. Paintball participants are 81.1% male. 4. 83.2% of Paintball participants are in the 12-34 demographic. 5. The average age of Paintball participants is 22 years old. 6. 61.2% of the Paintball participant household has annual income greater than $50,000 per year.

So what are you trying to say, YOU PLAYED FOR DYNASTY?  Cause I call bullshit if you say you dd...

I smack talk a lot of air softers, especially since I used to play paintball when I still had the time and money.  But it's a hobby for most like any other.  There will be some fat bodies, and morons, but ther will also be dudes like my former grenadier who played until he airsoft rifle got stolen from his storage unit while he was in Iraq.
Depending on the style of play, it's the closest thing you can get.  Simunitions are a bit hard to obtain, as is MILES gear, and both are pretty damn expensive.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Airsoft, like paintball could be a useful training aide and lots of fun with mature players.  But like many shooting sports it is very "gamey" or so I hear. Plus the systems are CQB only pretty much. Every time someone lumps airsoft in with paintball somewhere an angel dies. Paintball is MORE gamey than airsoft.... Uhmm paintball is an extreme sport. www.mafia.azpaintball.cz/clanky-obrazky/nppl_paintball_tampa_2004_126_2699.jpg www.splatkids.com/gap/sk0D9F2119.png Just some facts: 1. Paintball is the #1 extreme sport in the United States, with 9.97 million participants. 2. Paintball is the fastest growing extreme sport in the United States, with a 44.0% growth from 2001 to 2006. 3. Paintball participants are 81.1% male. 4. 83.2% of Paintball participants are in the 12-34 demographic. 5. The average age of Paintball participants is 22 years old. 6. 61.2% of the Paintball participant household has annual income greater than $50,000 per year. So what are you trying to say, YOU PLAYED FOR DYNASTY?  Cause I call bullshit if you say you dd...

No I did not play for Dynasty, I was just showing random action photos of paintball.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I dont understand all the airsoft hate. I am sure most of you had toy guns as a kid...and for the crowd that is a little older, how much better would they have been if they were airsoft? I can sit in my house and shoot at stuff in the evenings with my airsoft. I have a shelf full of figurines and dolls that live in a state of fear. :) Michele It isn't really the actual guns themselves, it is the mentaility, the I know 'everything about guns' type personality and the fact that the wear full military uniforms in public, when they have had zero affiliation with out nations military.  It isn't the airsoft gun, its the Airsofter we tend to have problems with. I guess I just dont get it. I see people come and go all day. They are often dressed pretty "tacticool" just to go shoot (real weapons)  Some are Military and some are not. We all dream. I guess as a woman it is easier for me to understand why some people want to play "dress up" and not hold that against them. I see it as a constructive outlet. Think about it. Someone who is willing to dress up like a high speed low drag guy and is interested in guns...Chances are that is one person you dont have to worry about voting for a gun grabbing commie. If your kids are out doing airsoft, at least they are not playing video games indoors all day or out being bums and if they are grown men, Find out if they would like a chance to shoot real guns and take them out shooting. An ally is far better than someone who resents a group of people.

It is differen't up here in the north...airsofters are just liberal high school / college kids.  Or, at least the ones that I've ever known...

Quoted: I smack talk a lot of air softers, especially since I used to play paintball when I still had the time and money.  But it's a hobby for most like any other.  There will be some fat bodies, and morons, but ther will also be dudes like my former grenadier who played until he airsoft rifle got stolen from his storage unit while he was in Iraq. Depending on the style of play, it's the closest thing you can get.  Simunitions are a bit hard to obtain, as is MILES gear, and both are pretty damn expensive.

Most businesses won't sell Simunitions to anyone but LE and .mil and MILES is no good for CQB.  A laser does not always do the best job of simulating the flight of an actual projectile.  The options are pretty limited for civilians.  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I dont understand all the airsoft hate. I am sure most of you had toy guns as a kid...and for the crowd that is a little older, how much better would they have been if they were airsoft? I can sit in my house and shoot at stuff in the evenings with my airsoft. I have a shelf full of figurines and dolls that live in a state of fear. :) Michele It isn't really the actual guns themselves, it is the mentaility, the I know 'everything about guns' type personality and the fact that the wear full military uniforms in public, when they have had zero affiliation with out nations military.  It isn't the airsoft gun, its the Airsofter we tend to have problems with. I guess I just dont get it. I see people come and go all day. They are often dressed pretty "tacticool" just to go shoot (real weapons)  Some are Military and some are not. We all dream. I guess as a woman it is easier for me to understand why some people want to play "dress up" and not hold that against them. I see it as a constructive outlet. Think about it. Someone who is willing to dress up like a high speed low drag guy and is interested in guns...Chances are that is one person you dont have to worry about voting for a gun grabbing commie. If your kids are out doing airsoft, at least they are not playing video games indoors all day or out being bums and if they are grown men, Find out if they would like a chance to shoot real guns and take them out shooting. An ally is far better than someone who resents a group of people. It is differen't up here in the north...airsofters are just liberal high school / college kids.  Or, at least the ones that I've ever known...

Then take the time to introduce them to shooting if you can. Even liberals tend to smile while shooting a gun. It is the first step towards recovery.

:)

Michele

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: snip snip It is differen't up here in the north...airsofters are just liberal high school / college kids.  Or, at least the ones that I've ever known... Then take the time to introduce them to shooting if you can. Even liberals tend to smile while shooting a gun. It is the first step towards recovery. :) Michele I happen to be a "college kid", but I'm certainly not liberal. Most of my peers of liberal leaning think airsoft and paintball are really cool, but when you mention REAL FIREARMS they freak out. A couple interactions I've had- I mention to a guy that I'm stopping by the local gun store just to see what they have in. His response- "Who are you going to kill." Walking through a field in the middle of the night with a group of people in between rounds of capture the flag. They get to talking about what brand of paintball marker they have at home, and how it would be cool if they had them now. I mention a Beretta and an AK, and they ask, "Airsoft?". "No, the real thing." I was given extra space the rest of the night. Apparently owning replica firearms (Airsoft) and marking guns (paintball) and pretending to kill people is awesome. But owning real firearms that just have the potential to actually kill someone, and will most likely never be used for such a purpose, is not cool. Oh well. At least there are people who aren't so anti-gun on campus as well. There are even a few arfcommers

I've seen this before.  It is illogical and just doesn't make sense.  I usually don't associate with other airsofters because of this kind of stupidity.  

I like all guns and for that matter virtually all weapons.  I don't discriminate; I like shooting airsoft and airguns just as much as I like shooting .22's and EBR's.  

It's all good fun to me !  

I've hosted some airsofters here on my property a few times. They come and do "skirmishes", battles, whatever it is they do for competition.

Know what? They have a good time, they are respectful, tread lightly on my property, pay me for the little trouble they cause, and they're quiet. Other than some little bb's laying around here and there, they are completely unobtrusive.

Having hosted "real" guns and shooters for a good number of years and all the trouble that can come with that, I'll take airsofters any day.

The ridicule that gets hurled at guys just having fun shooting at each other always makes me shake my head in bewilderment. Some people just can't stand to see anyone else having fun.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Airsoft, like paintball could be a useful training aide and lots of fun with mature players.  But like many shooting sports it is very "gamey" or so I hear. Plus the systems are CQB only pretty much. Every time someone lumps airsoft in with paintball somewhere an angel dies. Paintball is MORE gamey than airsoft.... Uhmm paintball is an extreme sport. www.mafia.azpaintball.cz/clanky-obrazky/nppl_paintball_tampa_2004_126_2699.jpg www.splatkids.com/gap/sk0D9F2119.png Just some facts: 1. Paintball is the #1 extreme sport in the United States, with 9.97 million participants. 2. Paintball is the fastest growing extreme sport in the United States, with a 44.0% growth from 2001 to 2006. 3. Paintball participants are 81.1% male. 4. 83.2% of Paintball participants are in the 12-34 demographic. 5. The average age of Paintball participants is 22 years old. 6. 61.2% of the Paintball participant household has annual income greater than $50,000 per year. So what are you trying to say, YOU PLAYED FOR DYNASTY?  Cause I call bullshit if you say you dd...

I practiced with the Naughty Dogs for 2 years

Quoted:] Yeah, mostly useful for CQB, out to about 100-150 feet for the most part.  These things are not a replacement for actual trigger time on a firearm, but can be a reasonable way to learn things like movement and tactics if the game is set up right.   IMO, airsoft is a better choice over paintball as a training aid because airsoft guns are replicas of actual firearms, while paintball guns are not.  Paintball guns typically run off of compressed gas, with Co2 and compressed air being common, they look like a bunch of pipe-fittings, and handling is pretty bad.  Paintball is also too messy for indoor use and can potentially stain clothes and other objects.  The paint is actually colored liquid soap, so it usually washes off easily.   Paintball accuracy is pretty lousy; they shoot like open-bolt submachine guns.  The ergonomics and sights on most paintball guns are horrible.  Paintballs are notorious for getting chopped-up inside the gun, leaving you with a mess to try to clean out of your gun while in the middle of a game.  The recoil is fun, though, and there are fully-automatic paintball guns in existance.   An airsoft M16 or M4 operates in the same general way as the real thing, except there is a battery under the handguards to charge up and connect, and there is no need to pull the charging handle and the bolt releases don't work.  Also, there is no recoil, but there is some vibration from the electric motor used to operate the gun (it's in the pistol grip).  Ironically enough, airsoft M4's and M16's actually feel a little bit heavier than the real thing, at least to me Things like mag changes, sight picture, handling, etc on an airsoft M16 or M4 are the same as on the firearm.  Real tactical gear like slings and mag pouches work fine on airsoft.  The selector switch works the same, and you get to have FA, as well as whatever damn barrel length you want.   There is no restriction on fully-automatic or short-barreled BB guns.    It's fun for those of us who don't get to run a real M4.  It gives you the opportunity to handle accurate replicas of weapons that you may not otherwise have an opportunity to handle. Paintball is becoming more of a tournament-oriented sport; most of the organized paintball world is trying to distance itself from anything resembling "military" training in order to present a more PC image.  It's turning into a huge game, and it is unfortunate.   Both paintball and airsoft can become gamey when you have Counterstrike nerds playing it who have no understanding of how things work in the real world.  But it's great for civilians who are serious about training yet can't obtain Simunitions.   I myself usually don't play in "games' with other people because there's too many damn kids and jackasses, unfortunately.  In the past, my brother and I would occasionally chase each other around the house.   I mostly use airsoft for plinking against soda cans and other random objects around the house.  I use it as a supplement to dry-fire practice.  Occasionally, I practice room-clearing; I'll have my girlfriend set up targets somewhere in the apartment, and I'll go and do my thing.   Sometimes there is no substitute for putting a projectile into a target, even if it is impractical to fire real bullets.

There is actually quite a big market for Military Sim Paintball guns...like mine...everyone knows of the XM-8....well this is the SP8, much like the real one...sight picture, feel and everything...especially when running a remote line to a C02 tank on your back. Also, electronic eyes eliminate the paint chopping problem



accuracy depends on your gun, and the ammo you use.

and Woodsball is alive and well, just because it isn't on TV doesn't mean it's not being played widely. Scenario games are also out there...doing things like D-day, Red Dawn, Blackhawk down and many more.


oh yeah and lastly...if you want accurate replicas check out Rap 4 paintball they use mags just like an M16 and also put brass casings behind paintballs so the gun actually ejects a casing every time it's fired

Quoted: Quoted:] Yeah, mostly useful for CQB, out to about 100-150 feet for the most part.  These things are not a replacement for actual trigger time on a firearm, but can be a reasonable way to learn things like movement and tactics if the game is set up right.   IMO, airsoft is a better choice over paintball as a training aid because airsoft guns are replicas of actual firearms, while paintball guns are not.  Paintball guns typically run off of compressed gas, with Co2 and compressed air being common, they look like a bunch of pipe-fittings, and handling is pretty bad.  Paintball is also too messy for indoor use and can potentially stain clothes and other objects.  The paint is actually colored liquid soap, so it usually washes off easily.   Paintball accuracy is pretty lousy; they shoot like open-bolt submachine guns.  The ergonomics and sights on most paintball guns are horrible.  Paintballs are notorious for getting chopped-up inside the gun, leaving you with a mess to try to clean out of your gun while in the middle of a game.  The recoil is fun, though, and there are fully-automatic paintball guns in existance.   An airsoft M16 or M4 operates in the same general way as the real thing, except there is a battery under the handguards to charge up and connect, and there is no need to pull the charging handle and the bolt releases don't work.  Also, there is no recoil, but there is some vibration from the electric motor used to operate the gun (it's in the pistol grip).  Ironically enough, airsoft M4's and M16's actually feel a little bit heavier than the real thing, at least to me Things like mag changes, sight picture, handling, etc on an airsoft M16 or M4 are the same as on the firearm.  Real tactical gear like slings and mag pouches work fine on airsoft.  The selector switch works the same, and you get to have FA, as well as whatever damn barrel length you want.   There is no restriction on fully-automatic or short-barreled BB guns.    It's fun for those of us who don't get to run a real M4.  It gives you the opportunity to handle accurate replicas of weapons that you may not otherwise have an opportunity to handle. Paintball is becoming more of a tournament-oriented sport; most of the organized paintball world is trying to distance itself from anything resembling "military" training in order to present a more PC image.  It's turning into a huge game, and it is unfortunate.   Both paintball and airsoft can become gamey when you have Counterstrike nerds playing it who have no understanding of how things work in the real world.  But it's great for civilians who are serious about training yet can't obtain Simunitions.   I myself usually don't play in "games' with other people because there's too many damn kids and jackasses, unfortunately.  In the past, my brother and I would occasionally chase each other around the house.   I mostly use airsoft for plinking against soda cans and other random objects around the house.  I use it as a supplement to dry-fire practice.  Occasionally, I practice room-clearing; I'll have my girlfriend set up targets somewhere in the apartment, and I'll go and do my thing.   Sometimes there is no substitute for putting a projectile into a target, even if it is impractical to fire real bullets.   There is actually quite a big market for Military Sim Paintball guns...like mine...everyone knows of the XM-8....well this is the SP8, much like the real one...sight picture, feel and everything...especially when running a remote line to a C02 tank on your back. Also, electronic eyes eliminate the paint chopping problem i15.photobucket.com/albums/a351/ashepard/PA020001.jpg accuracy depends on your gun, and the ammo you use. and Woodsball is alive and well, just because it isn't on TV doesn't mean it's not being played widely. Scenario games are also out there...doing things like D-day, Red Dawn, Blackhawk down and many more. oh yeah and lastly...if you want accurate replicas check out Rap 4 paintball they use mags just like an M16 and also put brass casings behind paintballs so the gun actually ejects a casing every time it's fired

Nice, I didn't know about these !  Looks pretty cool.  

I'm not ashamed to say that I really want to try Airsoft.


I mean, jeezus, who here didn't dress up as an army man and play war with their friends as a kid? It's not at all different, only now we can actually shoot at each other! If I can find a group around here that's fun and doesn't take itself super seriously, it might become a favorite hobby. Beats sitting on the computer.

Ill admit i own 2 airsoft guns they are great fun

I love my gas  Glock 18  but the happy selector broke awhile back and I cannot for the life of me figure out how to fix it

I wish they had made airsoft when I was younger as we use to have REAL bb gun wars in the orange groves after school.Some kid got his eye shot out and that was the end of our games...

I played a bunch of airsoft in hawaii. Played with a shitload of 25th ID guys, and a few Rangers came out a time or 2. Fun as hell. Lotsa little ninja kids who have mom and dad buy them $2000 worth of the baddest ass Japanese high tech gear, the newest camo and gear before everyone else has it. Then you have the bone stock gun guys, and those who hand craft all their hi speed shit(me). We played some un-sanctioned games at Barbers Point, in a couple hangars there. Lemme tell you, .2 grams at 450-500 FPS and 800 RPM is nothing to sneeze at.
I bought my kids a couple of cheaper than dirt POS M4 types, and I play with my marui  M14. We have a shit load of fun in the back yard, and I bet they are less likely at 8 and 10 to muzzle sweep and finger fuck the trigger guard than most of you! They can clear a room like pros and woe be unto the cat that invades our backyard, and the squirrel who was shitting and dropping chewed acorns in the pool.

I own a couple paint guns. Just a couple ...

Quoted: The ridicule that gets hurled at guys just having fun shooting at each other always makes me shake my head in bewilderment. Some people just can't stand to see anyone else having fun.

+1

I think a lot of it is weird, but they are having fun.  I am a big Stargate fan so I like to sometimes go to the various Stargate reenacting (or just acting?  I don't know) boards and look at pics and video of their airsoft games.  I try not to read too much though--their butchering of terminology is amazing.

But these guys and girls are having fun.  It's like expensive role playing and tag in one big game.  I prefer playing football or basketball with friends myself, but that doesn't mean their way is any less fun.  This isn't to say I don't snicker, heh.

I LOL at airsoft.  "Hey! I shot you!"  

"Nuh uh! You didnt hit me!!"

LMAO!!!

At least in paintball you know if someone has been hit or not.

Quoted: I LOL at airsoft.  "Hey! I shot you!"   "Nuh uh! You didnt hit me!!" LMAO!!! At least in paintball you know if someone has been hit or not.

When people do this, you shoot them again and again.  After all, anything worth shooting is worth shooting more than once.  Or you flip the selector to auto.  Or...you shoot for the balls, to ensure that they "feel the hit".  

A BB hit to the balls is impossible not to feel unless the guy is a complete numbnuts.    Hell, I've caught richocheting BB's in that area before - OUCH !  

Declaring yourself hit in an airsoft skirmish is based on the honor system; if people can't handle that, then they aren't worth playing with.  Simple as that.  It's considered cheating not to call a hit.  A paintball definitely hits harder than an airsoft BB, but you'll usually know it if you are hit with either.  

My experience is that a person has to be wearing some really heavy-ass clothes to not feel the hit, or the BB has to hit a piece of the person's gear and bounce off.  Even then, they will usually notice a BB bouncing off of them.  

One time, I got shot in the back with a BB during a game and didn't feel it because it had hit part of my vest (at a grazing angle) and bounced off, so the shooter proceeded to switch to auto and fire a burst into me.  I knew I was hit that time.  

If the person is wearing a helmet, there is no way they won't be able to hear or feel the BB bouncing off the helmet.  There is no mistaking that.  You can even hear BB's whizzing past your head sometimes, and you can see them in flight as they are subsonic.  

Quoted: I've hosted some airsofters here on my property a few times. They come and do "skirmishes", battles, whatever it is they do for competition. Know what? They have a good time, they are respectful, tread lightly on my property, pay me for the little trouble they cause, and they're quiet. Other than some little bb's laying around here and there, they are completely unobtrusive. Having hosted "real" guns and shooters for a good number of years and all the trouble that can come with that, I'll take airsofters any day. The ridicule that gets hurled at guys just having fun shooting at each other always makes me shake my head in bewilderment. Some people just can't stand to see anyone else having fun.

how about you go out and try and interact with them some time while they're playing.....

Quoted: Quoted: I've hosted some airsofters here on my property a few times. They come and do "skirmishes", battles, whatever it is they do for competition. Know what? They have a good time, they are respectful, tread lightly on my property, pay me for the little trouble they cause, and they're quiet. Other than some little bb's laying around here and there, they are completely unobtrusive. Having hosted "real" guns and shooters for a good number of years and all the trouble that can come with that, I'll take airsofters any day. The ridicule that gets hurled at guys just having fun shooting at each other always makes me shake my head in bewilderment. Some people just can't stand to see anyone else having fun. how about you go out and try and interact with them some time while they're playing.....

I'm supposed to go talk to them while they're shooting each other? Sounds like a good way to eat a plastic BB. I prefer to talk to them before they shoot, or after, thanks. I have offered to play with my M4gery, but they seem to think it presents me with an unnatural ballistic advantage.

Anywho, I know most of them, talk to them plenty, and a good half of them are "real" gun owners too...they just like the game. Ther rest are just younger guys, kids or whatever but none I've met have been "wannabes" or douchy about their sport. They know it's a game.

Quoted: No true airsofter would ever use the supercheap .12g Wal-Mart bb's! Everyone knows they'll muck up an AEG!!!

Yeah, they can.  AEG's use tighter barrels than spring guns (on average) and they have rubber hop-up units installed (puts a backspin on the BB).  

Cheap BB's that have lots of seams and burrs on them can damage the rubber hop-up bucking and scratch the inside of the barrel.  Sometimes, they develop too much friction in the barrel due to not being polished and they can get stuck in the barrel, causing a "jam".  Basically, cheap ammo is for cheap guns.  

Experimentally, I've tried the cheaper BB's in an AEG (Tokyo Marui M4A1), and the biggest problem with them is that they are horribly inaccurate, with BB's curving off in every direction, even within 30 feet.  AEG's are set up to run .2 or .25g BB's.  

Even if you adjust the hop-up, you'll get screwy accuracy with .12's.  Kinda like shooting 62gr 5.56 in a 1/12 twist M16A1 barrel, except BB's don't keyhole; they just fly off in random directions.  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I've hosted some airsofters here on my property a few times. They come and do "skirmishes", battles, whatever it is they do for competition. Know what? They have a good time, they are respectful, tread lightly on my property, pay me for the little trouble they cause, and they're quiet. Other than some little bb's laying around here and there, they are completely unobtrusive. Having hosted "real" guns and shooters for a good number of years and all the trouble that can come with that, I'll take airsofters any day. The ridicule that gets hurled at guys just having fun shooting at each other always makes me shake my head in bewilderment. Some people just can't stand to see anyone else having fun. how about you go out and try and interact with them some time while they're playing..... Yeah, unfortunately, too many airsofters today are damn immature kids who just want to play Counterstrike in real life.  Too many have no interest in or knowledge of the RKBA or in the real-world application of tactics and next to no knowledge about the military.   They have got to stop with wearing unit patches and other .mil insignia, and if they are going to wear BDU's, they ought to wear them right.  Wearing them improperly or with insignia that hasn't been earned is an insult to the people who wear them for a living.   If I choose to wear BDU's, I wear them correctly.  My BDU's have no insignia on them whatsoever; not even name tapes.  I stick to the good old woodland BDU's.  I don't go out in public dressed up in BDU's or tac gear and I think it's stupid to do that.   It's easy to assume that all airsofters are the same.  A person is supposed to be 18 to own and use airsoft.  It's the kids who make everyone else look bad.

what makes it worse is they think they do.
some examples of what I've found

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNU_JGEBCJ0
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAWSK6F5VB4
in the second video at least they had the good sense to put a disclaimer.

Quoted: what makes it worse is they think they do. some examples of what I've found www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNU_JGEBCJ0 www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAWSK6F5VB4 in the second video at least they had the good sense to put a disclaimer.

That first one; WTF ?  What the hell is that supposed to be ?  Bump-firing with an airsoft pistol or something ?  

That second one: Somebody's been playing too much Rainbow Six.  I saw some muzzle sweeps and some bunching up.  

Quoted: Quoted: what makes it worse is they think they do. some examples of what I've found www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNU_JGEBCJ0 www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAWSK6F5VB4 in the second video at least they had the good sense to put a disclaimer. That first one; WTF ?  What the hell is that supposed to be ?  Bump-firing with an airsoft pistol or something ?   That second one: Somebody's been playing too much Rainbow Six.  I saw some muzzle sweeps and some bunching up.

check this one out

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR0tt53hnCM

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: what makes it worse is they think they do. some examples of what I've found www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNU_JGEBCJ0 www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAWSK6F5VB4 in the second video at least they had the good sense to put a disclaimer. That first one; WTF ?  What the hell is that supposed to be ?  Bump-firing with an airsoft pistol or something ?   That second one: Somebody's been playing too much Rainbow Six.  I saw some muzzle sweeps and some bunching up.   check this one out www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR0tt53hnCM

LOL.  That camo pattern really doesn't wokr, and what's with pretending to be dead and adding in sound effects ?  

This one's pretty funny, it's a crappy re-enactment of Hamburger Hill:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWQSWaQSfUo

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I've hosted some airsofters here on my property a few times. They come and do "skirmishes", battles, whatever it is they do for competition. Know what? They have a good time, they are respectful, tread lightly on my property, pay me for the little trouble they cause, and they're quiet. Other than some little bb's laying around here and there, they are completely unobtrusive. Having hosted "real" guns and shooters for a good number of years and all the trouble that can come with that, I'll take airsofters any day. The ridicule that gets hurled at guys just having fun shooting at each other always makes me shake my head in bewilderment. Some people just can't stand to see anyone else having fun. how about you go out and try and interact with them some time while they're playing..... Yeah, unfortunately, too many airsofters today are damn immature kids who just want to play Counterstrike in real life.  Too many have no interest in or knowledge of the RKBA or in the real-world application of tactics and next to no knowledge about the military.   They have got to stop with wearing unit patches and other .mil insignia, and if they are going to wear BDU's, they ought to wear them right.  Wearing them improperly or with insignia that hasn't been earned is an insult to the people who wear them for a living.   If I choose to wear BDU's, I wear them correctly.  My BDU's have no insignia on them whatsoever; not even name tapes.  I stick to the good old woodland BDU's.  I don't go out in public dressed up in BDU's or tac gear and I think it's stupid to do that.   It's easy to assume that all airsofters are the same.  A person is supposed to be 18 to own and use airsoft.  It's the kids who make everyone else look bad.   what makes it worse is they think they do. some examples of what I've found www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNU_JGEBCJ0 www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAWSK6F5VB4 in the second video at least they had the good sense to put a disclaimer.

Yeah, those are fucking goofy, but it's not like there aren't TONS of similarly idiotic things done with the "real" gun guys....hell just peruse the topics here to read some of the half-brain and silly things people come up with and it would be very easy to use those examples against us as clueless "operators".

Most airsofters I think are just having fun...and there's nothing wrong with that.

Like thegungal said i think we need to not be so hard on the guys who play this. Chances are they are on our side politically. We can use every vote we can get especially going into 2008. Maybe instead of busting balls we can throw some pointers about properly wearing gear .

A friend of mine is into what he calls "tactical paintball."  They have modded out markers that look more similar to real weapons, with all sorts of tactical stuff put on them.  He invited me to come play at an indoor location in North SLC.  

I went and I had some fun but what the senarios mostly consisted of was people blasting away with full auto with their 200 round hoppers.  Most players cant use their sights because their markers have stocks that cant be used with a protective mask.  Some of the hard core folks knew the layout of the location so well that they could use the drop of the ball to make non linear shots on people hiding behind cover.  While all the hard core guys with their cool markers were saying that "tactical paintball" is the best training around, it seems like their are major issues that they are neglecting, ie limited magazine capacities and, using the sights.

I was visiting my 15 year old cousin and he had a cousin from his other side of the family over.  His cousin was talking about his new G36 AEG.  I said to him "thats cool, a while back I picked up a real HK USP."  He replied with "how much did you pay?"  I told him "about $800.00."   He said "Dude, you could have got a nice airsoft blowback version for less than $200.00."    I hope he has fun with his toy guns.  

While a lot of airsoft guys seem to think their "guns" are almost as cool as the "real steel," airsoft does have some good training aspects if you were to ditch the gamey attitudes and practice real senarios.  Firstly magazine capacity and magazine changes can be easily suited to simulate real situations, while the tactical paintballers discounted mag changes and just went with full loads in their massive hoppers.  In airsoft you dont need as much protection and can actually use the sights(somewhat).

While I dont seriously play Paintball, and have very limited Airsoft experience, I do see some promise on the training side for Airsoft if one were to get serious and actually train rather than play games.