Is AirSoft target practice in an apartment viable?
November 12, 2008 11:52 PM Subscribe
Is AirSoft target practice in an apartment viable?
I live in an apartment that is about 30' wall-to-wall. My idea is to train accuracy, so I'd probably be shooting from at least 20'. Here are my concerns:
* Are they loud (I never had one)? My apartment has decent noise insulation, but I probably can't get away with realistic gunshots. Do CO2 or spring-loaded differ in quietness?
* Will shooting from 20' be dangerous in regard to ricochet? (I'll use glasses, of course). Can it damage the drywall, window, etc if I miss?
* Are Airsoft guns (pistol-sized) precise at ~20' with no wind?
* Is anything else more adequate for this? I suppose .177's are too powerful for an apartment, and NERF guns are too weak.
I live in an apartment that is about 30' wall-to-wall. My idea is to train accuracy, so I'd probably be shooting from at least 20'. Here are my concerns:
* Are they loud (I never had one)? My apartment has decent noise insulation, but I probably can't get away with realistic gunshots. Do CO2 or spring-loaded differ in quietness?
* Will shooting from 20' be dangerous in regard to ricochet? (I'll use glasses, of course). Can it damage the drywall, window, etc if I miss?
* Are Airsoft guns (pistol-sized) precise at ~20' with no wind?
* Is anything else more adequate for this? I suppose .177's are too powerful for an apartment, and NERF guns are too weak.
Airsoft tend to make a popping sound more than anything, I've had electric semis and pump action, both spring. Not too sure about CO2 but I would imagine that indoors a CO2 could inflict some unintentional damage, as for the spring ones it probably couldn't do too much.
The main problem really is picking up the BBs, since they tend to bounce anywhere they can get to.
posted by chrisbucks at 12:40 AM on November 13, 2008
The main problem really is picking up the BBs, since they tend to bounce anywhere they can get to.
posted by chrisbucks at 12:40 AM on November 13, 2008
Probably too powerful for indoor use.
The ricochets weren't too bad, and if you have glasses, then no problem at all, because the guns are designed for shooting at people remember.
BUT they will leave little divots in all your walls and they will break thinner glass. probably not windows, but yes to light bulbs.
The sound isn't too bad, the Auto Electric Rifles(AEGs) are a bit loud, but not in a way that would make neighbours call the police. Ive used the steyr aug to deter some birds from building a nest in a tree outside my window and nobody complained.
The gas ones are even quieter. They sound like silenced pistols from in a movie. One of my friends used that fact to play a prank on one of our friends.
The quality ones are pretty accurate to that range I would think. I have an airsoft glock 18 and two Mac 10s. Also the stey aug AEG. Im terrible at estimated distances and stuff, but all the airsoft seemed to be more accurate than paintball guns.
I have seen some people with spring airsoft, and those might be ok for indoors. They seemed to be naturally weaker, and you could also put a weaker spring in them.
posted by Iax at 12:53 AM on November 13, 2008
The ricochets weren't too bad, and if you have glasses, then no problem at all, because the guns are designed for shooting at people remember.
BUT they will leave little divots in all your walls and they will break thinner glass. probably not windows, but yes to light bulbs.
The sound isn't too bad, the Auto Electric Rifles(AEGs) are a bit loud, but not in a way that would make neighbours call the police. Ive used the steyr aug to deter some birds from building a nest in a tree outside my window and nobody complained.
The gas ones are even quieter. They sound like silenced pistols from in a movie. One of my friends used that fact to play a prank on one of our friends.
The quality ones are pretty accurate to that range I would think. I have an airsoft glock 18 and two Mac 10s. Also the stey aug AEG. Im terrible at estimated distances and stuff, but all the airsoft seemed to be more accurate than paintball guns.
I have seen some people with spring airsoft, and those might be ok for indoors. They seemed to be naturally weaker, and you could also put a weaker spring in them.
posted by Iax at 12:53 AM on November 13, 2008
I've used a spring airsoft indoors. I set up a heavy duty cardboard box with a window cut into it where I taped my paper target. The pellets would go through the paper and bounce around the box. Rarely did one escape and have to be vacuumed up later.
You can shoot accurately at significantly farther than 20' with a decent spring gun. Like the others have said, they're not all that loud.
posted by andythebean at 1:43 AM on November 13, 2008
You can shoot accurately at significantly farther than 20' with a decent spring gun. Like the others have said, they're not all that loud.
posted by andythebean at 1:43 AM on November 13, 2008
An old roommate of mine used to fill a paper grocery bag with empty beer cans, and draw a target on it. Seemed to work pretty well. My contribution was to tape packets of ketchup on, and then a photo of George H W Bush.
posted by Restless Day at 4:11 AM on November 13, 2008
posted by Restless Day at 4:11 AM on November 13, 2008
When I was a kid, we'd hang heavy fabric, like denim, behind the target we were shooting at. It gives under the impact so instead of penetrating, BBs and stuff hit it and fall down, so no holes and no ricochet.
posted by RustyBrooks at 7:52 AM on November 13, 2008
posted by RustyBrooks at 7:52 AM on November 13, 2008
My ex-roommate and I used to use each other for AirSoft target practice in our old apartment. We never had any complaints about the noise from them, but we did lose $30 of our security deposit from damage to the window blinds. And the only damage we had to our walls was from throwing wet macaroni at them, but that's another story.
posted by mjp at 9:12 AM on November 13, 2008
posted by mjp at 9:12 AM on November 13, 2008
I've used C02-powered pellet air pistols indoors no problem. I'd say they are no louder than a mousetrap springing closed. Use a good backdrop (RustyBrooks has a good idea) and have fun.
posted by trinity8-director at 4:26 PM on November 13, 2008
posted by trinity8-director at 4:26 PM on November 13, 2008
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It's not ridiculously loud, but it pops.
They're definitely precise enough...
I was shooting into a cardboard box. Collected all the pellets, no ricochet, no damage.
Spring-loaded's are universally slower.
posted by disillusioned at 12:40 AM on November 13, 2008