When we go to public events, especially firearm-centric events, we often hear comments that contain some of the following phrases: “Ah, those are airsoft guns”, “Oh, they sell BB guns”, “Pushaw, I have real guns…” Yes, it’s a big world and not everyone understands everything. And, unfortunately, the shooting world has more than its fair share of FUDDs* who love to rain on anyone’s parade except the parade they are in, which, more often than not, involves M1 Garand’s, 1911’s and extreme loss of hearing.
But there is a bright side to doing such events as we get to play “educator” for those who come by, even a few of those aforementioned FUDDs. In this role we can see what a person is into and we can often steer the conversation towards a use within that person’s interest where an airgun will be a perfect fit. As such, below I will take you through a few scenarios that will show you how you can fit an airgun into your life.
Serious Hunting
We talk to serious hunters all the time. Many of the people here at Umarex *are* serious hunters. What many people in the big game hunting world don’t realize is that today’s airguns can produce some serious power. This power can be harnessed but a big bore slug rifle like the Umarex Hammer or an air archery gun like the Umarex AirSaber. Both of these platforms have been used to harvest dangerous game in Africa. If one of these air rifles can humanely harvest a cape buffalo, then your 160 lb whitetail deer should be safe to harvest with air. The biggest obstacle for airgun hunters is not “what” can you hunt but rather if you can hunt that species legally. Some states have been slow to adapt to the revolution in airgun technology and power. Check out your state’s hunting regulations by clicking here.
If you ever wanted to get your name in a record book, the Safari Club now has opened up airgun categories. Yes, people are using airguns to harvest trophy game all over the world!
My Life Depends on my Firearm
We get it. You are high-speed, low-drag. You might work in law enforcement, spend weekends at pistol matches, or concealed carry to protect yourself and your family. So do we. Each area mentioned above can be augmented with airgun training. Howso? For starters, you can use either airsoft or paintball airguns to do force-on-force training. You can do all the shooting on the static range that you want to, but there is nothing on earth that compares to training on a two-way range. You will feel how good you are or rather aren’t. Training with a paintball marker or airsoft pistol provides instant feedback. Not only your shooting abilities under stress, but your speed, accuracy, and proficiency with your duty gear can be measured and evaluated by training with air. Be sure to outfit yourself and those training with you with proper personal protective gear before engaging in force-on-force training with air.
Even if you aren’t interested in force-on-force training you can still do quite a bit with an airgun. Many of our licensed replicas will fit into holsters made for the corresponding firearm. As such, for us folks who conceal carry or shoot in competitions, being able to holster and draw with a safe practice tool in your backyard or garage means hundreds of, if not thousands of reps every week. If you want to build speed and proficiency, clearing leather with the quickness is the first step in doing so. Also, with the cost of BBs (either .177 or 6mm airsoft) and CO2 being extremely affordable, you can get more trigger time with an airgun than you can with a firearm for a fraction of the cost of firearm ammo.
The Squirrels are Trying to Eat my House!
This one we hear quite often. So many folks live in residential neighborhoods which also means that they live within city limits. As such, and for good reasons, one can’t just go outside with a firearm to defend the garden or house when either is under attack by furry little pests. When stealth is the key (even if skirting the law) an airgun is the answer. Many air rifles like the Notos PCP or the Komplete NCR offer very quiet and accurate performance without having so much power that it puts your neighbors at risk. Pellet rifles are excellent for taking care of garden and house pests
Shooting Instructor's Toolchest
The past decade has seen a sharp increase in the number of non-shooters who are transitioning to shooting. Handing a person a firearm for the first time can be a daunting experience, especially if the first time they handle a firearm is at a “hot” range. It’s already loud, there might be an over-zealous range officer there, and then the student is on edge, likely missing valuable information you are trying to communicate– why not step back? Using an airgun to go through the handling procedures and even the student’s first shots is much less stressful.
In this training scenario, there’s no hearing protection needed. No need to raise your voice just to be heard. The airgun will likely have blowback action and all the same functions and features of the firearm— imagine this low-stress environment taking the edge off of your students *before* you head out to the live fire range.
But I Like Accurate Guns
So do we. Accuracy has taken a new meaning when it comes to small bore style precision. Just recently I watched a YouTube review of a really nice bolt action .22 long rifle. This rifle, topped with a reputable scope and shot by a well known personality with top-tier ammo and he could do no better than 1.5 MOA groups at 100 yards. While not horrible by any metric, many .25 and .30 caliber air rifles can do just as well, if not better. Yes, wind is still a factor but being able to shoot competitively, if not better than a traditional firearm, is certainly worth a look. Who knows? Maybe one day you will find yourself on the podium at the Rocky Mountain Airgun Challenge, the Pyramyd Air Cup, or Extreme Benchrest!
Is this list exhaustive? Nope, but it does represent a few of the biggest objections people have to investing in airguns. Airguns have their place in today’s shooting world and that place is growing. Are you on board?
“FUDD” is a euphemism for the gun club gatekeeper who is not only set in his ways, but also likes to serve as the arbiter of all things gun related whether or not he knows anything about the subject matter. Also wants to see your Form 3 if you shoot an SBR or have a suppressor. Or both.