Airsoft alternatives?

[FMJ]

Hello group,
I have lurked here for a while but finally joined as a member today. I have been shooting for a couple months now and frequent the Pocono Pistol Club shooting range. I've clocked about 12 hours of range time. Definitly a newbie but I'm hooked. I own 2 S&W firearms, a 7 shot revolver and the M&P Semi- 9mm. I really enjoy shooting for accuracy and have made some good progress. Now Im starting to feel the pinch of ammo expenses.
My question is.. I own a very well made S&W M&P airsoft gun that shoots 4mm BB's. It only weighs about 9 oz. less than the real M&P. Can I expect to improve my shooting with live ammo by practicing with the Airsoft gun?
There is obviously no recoil... but my grip and trigger would benefit from the extra practice, wouldn't it? I would think that shooting the airsoft gun would be more beneficial that dry-shooting the real M&P. Bottom line is, to improve my accuracy, I have to practice. Allot. The reality check though is that I can't be spending $65 for a lane and ammo everytime I practice.
So how about some opinions on this?
Thanks!
Mike

[CHEMICAL]

Hello group,
I have lurked here for a while but finally joined as a member today. I have been shooting for a couple months now and frequent the Pocono Pistol Club shooting range. I've clocked about 12 hours of range time. Definitly a newbie but I'm hooked. I own 2 S&W firearms, a 7 shot revolver and the M&P Semi- 9mm. I really enjoy shooting for accuracy and have made some good progress. Now Im starting to feel the pinch of ammo expenses.
My question is.. I own a very well made S&W M&P airsoft gun that shoots 4mm BB's. It only weighs about 9 oz. less than the real M&P. Can I expect to improve my shooting with live ammo by practicing with the Airsoft gun?
There is obviously no recoil... but my grip and trigger would benefit from the extra practice, wouldn't it? I would think that shooting the airsoft gun would be more beneficial that dry-shooting the real M&P. Bottom line is, to improve my accuracy, I have to practice. Allot. The reality check though is that I can't be spending $65 for a lane and ammo everytime I practice.
So how about some opinions on this?
Thanks!
Mike

you're definitely not going to improve your accuracy with an airsoft gun, those things go flying everywhere, not too sure about trigger control either since, alot of people that have that problem with a real gun are anticipating recoil, while with an airsoft you wont be.

it may help you get used to the feel of normally pulling the trigger and become second nature. but at least airsoft SHOOTS PROJECTILES and you can do it safely in your house.have fun with whatever you decide., but if you havent found it somewhere on here, there is an old trick for working on trigger flinch.

.put a quarter on top of your slide, and practice dry firing, trigger flinch will usually make it fall off.. keep practicing until you get it to consistently remain on the slide, if it makes you feel more comfortable about not messing up your gun, get snap caps to use while dry firing.

[FMJ]

Chemical,
Thank you for your reply. I have to disagree about the gun being all over the place.. it's very accurate. Like I said, its a very well made replica of the M&P. It's got the same dimensions.. just a little lighter. I can easily pluck cans from 50 feet and groupings on paper targets are 3 inches at 50 feet so it's not completely useless on a windless day..lol
I agree with your thoughts on recoil anticipation which gets me on at least 1 or 2 shots per mag.. but my bigger issues are grip. Slapping and jerking the trigger or sqeezing too tightly on the grip. I'm right handed and allot of my shots end up at the 9 o'clock position.
So the airsoft will lend no value to my shooting techniques?
Can using it actually hinder my progress,for example by creating any bad shooting habits?
Thanks again,
Mike

[CHEMICAL]

Chemical,
Thank you for your reply. I have to disagree about the gun being all over the place.. it's very accurate. Like I said, its a very well made replica of the M&P. It's got the same dimensions.. just a little lighter. I can easily pluck cans from 50 feet and groupings on paper targets are 3 inches at 50 feet so it's not completely useless on a windless day..lol
I agree with your thoughts on recoil anticipation which gets me on at least 1 or 2 shots per mag.. but my bigger issues are grip. Slapping and jerking the trigger or sqeezing too tightly on the grip. I'm right handed and allot of my shots end up at the 9 o'clock position.
So the airsoft will lend no value to my shooting techniques?
Can using it actually hinder my progress,for example by creating any bad shooting habits?
Thanks again,
Mike

best advice i can give you is this: to improve your performance with a specific gun,,you have to practice with THAT SPECIFIC GUN!!! practicing with the airsoft will just make you one hell of an airsoft shooter..just like if you're excellent with one gun, it doesn't mean you'll be excellent with EVERY gun.

[biggs88]

best advice i can give you is this: to improve your performance with a specific gun,,you have to practice with THAT SPECIFIC GUN!!! practicing with the airsoft will just make you one hell of an airsoft shooter..just like if you're excellent with one gun, it doesn't mean you'll be excellent with EVERY gun.

+1

Not only the gun, but ammo counts to. You practice with nothing but cheap FMJ rounds, then shoot a quality self defense round that is +P.

You will get the picture. . .

[FMJ]

best advice i can give you is this: to improve your performance with a specific gun,,you have to practice with THAT SPECIFIC GUN!!! practicing with the airsoft will just make you one hell of an airsoft shooter..just like if you're excellent with one gun, it doesn't mean you'll be excellent with EVERY gun.

Agreed. That is definitly the best argument to this theory I can fathom.
Excellent advice. Thanks a million!

[CHEMICAL]

Agreed. That is definitly the best argument to this theory I can fathom.
Excellent advice. Thanks a million!

you got it.

[Carnes]

Airsoft guns can be used as an excellent training aid.

Shooting guns at paper on a square range won't make you into a great gun-fighter, but it helps. Airsoft is similar. You can't expect to become a great gun fighter if you do nothing but shoot Airsoft, but it will definitely help.

[Warpt762x39]

Slapping and jerking the trigger or sqeezing too tightly on the grip.

Slapping the trigger can actually be a very accurate way to shoot rapidly. You have to do it right though. While at the range in AZ, Rob Leatham was there talking to another competitor about it.

As for using airsoft? It can be useful for practicing drawing from concealment without the risk of losing a toe or worse. If it uses a magazine similar to your actual pistol it could be useful for practicing mag changes as well.

Don't count the airsoft "training" out completely. It may not help be a more accurate shooter but it does have its uses.

[wellcraft]

if cost is an issue my best recommendation would be to get a 22 cal pistol to practice with as opposed to shooting a BB gun. Sig makes a couple semi auto pistols as does SW, beretta and walther.