Posted: 4/2/2013 9:11:03 PM EDT
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Anybody into Airsoft? My boys 11 & 9 both just bought a G&G M4's SBR length. It's good for them to practice since both have the real deal. Since ammo is so expensive I plan on purchasing one also and re-enforcing the fundamentals, maybe a bit of force on force when they get a bit older and heading to the arena on 25th and Cornell in Hillsboro. |
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Lots of people think of airsoft as toys, but they are used in many force on force applications and can be a very valuable training tool (especially the higher end models). Mag changes, knowing when something is exposed when you get hit, sight alignment, movement, all good things. Best of all, the cost is so minimal after you are setup it's crazy. Here's a pretty good channel on it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs1c00xksWQ . Man those BB's hurt, it's no joke. |
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When they get a little bit older, check out airsoftpacific.com. We are one of the largest airsoft communities in the country and hold many different events all over the PacificNW. Most of our games are focused within an hour of Portland. Oregon Airsoft Arena is a very small arena (we had an old meat packing facility in North Portland that got closed down that was fantastic for indoor airsoft) and is a draw for younger folks. We (airsoftpacific.com) mainly focus on outdoor events right now, but some teams are working on new fields and some indoor facilities. We offer everything from standard force on force capture the flag type events to "military simulation" where we focus on small unit tactics, uniform requirements, weapons requirements, and structured forces.
If you have any questions, let me know. I've been a member of the airsoft community since 2007 and have been hosting events since 2009. |
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My younger brother has started to get into this. I used to play paintball, but I got tired of my gear all getting covered in paint and the guns sucked and where expensive to operate.
I imagine the air soft guns are cheaper to operate? What would be a good website to look into what type of guns are good? |
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Quoted: When they get a little bit older, check out airsoftpacific.com. We are one of the largest airsoft communities in the country and hold many different events all over the PacificNW. Most of our games are focused within an hour of Portland. Oregon Airsoft Arena is a very small arena (we had an old meat packing facility in North Portland that got closed down that was fantastic for indoor airsoft) and is a draw for younger folks. We (airsoftpacific.com) mainly focus on outdoor events right now, but some teams are working on new fields and some indoor facilities. We offer everything from standard force on force capture the flag type events to "military simulation" where we focus on small unit tactics, uniform requirements, weapons requirements, and structured forces. If you have any questions, let me know. I've been a member of the airsoft community since 2007 and have been hosting events since 2009. Been reading the forum, have a question about FPS. It seemed that when we bought the guns they were adjusted for arena play. I could be wrong, maybe he was just finding ones with a lower FPS. Is there some setting to adjust the FPS make make it a bit stronger for outdoor play? |
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Quoted: I've been in that shop in Hillsboro. Seems reasonably priced for the kids to have some fun. Haven't really considered it for myself. Don't have ammo to burn then I will head to Threat Dynamics. Threat dynamics doesn't have SH!T on Airsoft for training. I would much rather be doing this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWezLBAd6Tc |
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In regards to FPS: There have been many studies about safety in regards to airsoft projectiles. We use a standard that we have done personal studies on, and what our insurance companies are happy with.
Standard 6mm .20g BBs
CQB/Indoor - All under 350 fps (1.13j) Fully/Semi Automatics - 400 fps (1.5j) Semi-Auto DMR (full auto disabled) - 475fps (2.1j) Sniper Rifles (Bolt Action ONLY) - 550 FPS (2.8j) *Limits Measured with .20g BB There are common misconceptions that using a heavier BB will lower the FPS. While this is true, the impact energy is still the same. Our limits are based on the impact energy. Keep in mind that these are LIMITS. There is really no reason to build up to the limit. I use guns that are well under the limit (Replica HK416 at 350fps for outdoors, and a replica M249 at 375fps, replica M700 bolt action at 425fps). I used to have a replica SCAR that shot 275fps and could outrange many of the "upgraded" 400fps guns. There is an art to be able to build these guns for maximum range and efficiency. If you would like to upgrade them to shoot a higher FPS, I suggest you take them to Airsoft Outlet North West in Cornelius. They have a wonderful tech who can get the guns to do exactly what you want. He is a little pricey at $40/hr plus parts, but it's definitely worth it if you aren't very mechanically inclined. That particular gun is fairly widely used by many players in our community. I ran the chrono station at our last game that had 150+ attendees and I think I had over 40 of them in my hands throughout the morning. The preform well and hold up pretty good. I'm not a fan of the polymer receiver and prefer metal receivers due to their durability and "realism". I'm sure you are aware, but I'm going to say it anyway. There are a couple of things you need to teach your children right away when it comes to airsoft guns. They are not toys. They can cause injuries to the user, injuries to bystanders, and potentially cause a law enforcement officer to be stuck between a rock and a hard place. Many people have had run-ins with LEO's due to confused or concerned neighbors. Don't let them run around the neighborhood with them. Transport them like real guns (because some city laws really classify them as firearms). Teach them to respect them and they can have a lot of fun and learn a lot of great things. They are great for teaching basic firearms manipulation and handling. The fundamentals are still the same (sight alignment, target identification, trigger manipulation, loading/reloading). Use them at indoor arenas and organized fields. And ALWAYS make sure they wear eye protection when using them. Anymore questions, and I'll be happy to answer them as best as I can. If you, or anyone is interested in attending a game, I can point you in the direction of getting signed up. We do have age minimums due to liability, but some games allow as young as 12 to attend. I know you said your kids were a little younger than that, but you can always attend and see if it's something you would like to do with your kids. I will warn you that we have a very crude sense of humor, but we also have great fun dressing up as army men and shooting each other in the woods. |