pellet vs air soft ?

[jingle]

Hello,

My kids love to shoot (11 &12). We shoot mostly 22 due to volume and economics. That even gets pricey nowadays. I'm considering getting a good pellet rifle for them to cut ammo costs a little more. They like to shoot aerial stuff and we don't like to shoot the 22s up. We're out in the boonies but not that far. Can anyone tell me about these airsoft guns? What exactly are they designed to do? Should we get a good 177 pellet gun or one of these airsoft things? Thanks for the help and God Bless.

Jingle

[steve708]

For aerial targets a Daisy Red Ryder BB gun is used for shotgun trainin.  My son's have both soft air and pellet guns.  I like the pellet guns because they are generally more accurate.  I bought them a pump up Daisy 880.  I am currently working on putting a crossman 2240 carbine together for them to squirrel hunt with.  I think a CO2 gun or pumper is easier to shoot than a break barrel spring gun.  They are hold sensitive.

One of the best values in CO2 guns IMO, is the QB78 from Archer Air guns, around $70.00.

Whatever you choose, keep those younguns shooting, I have a blast with my sons 9 and 12.  You did not ask but one of the top pellets that are generally available is the Crossman Premiers.  I prefer .22 cal, but that is just a personal thing!!

Best of luck!!

[steg]

I haven't played with the airsofts,so I can't help there, but as to what steve said about the BB gun without the front sight, after some practice you would be surprised what you can do with it.
My son was around seven when I started him playing with one, I had to cock it for him at first, anyway the jist of the story is he's now 35 and I'm 63, and were still shooting buddies, actually we have a very close relationship, he's not only my Son he's my best buddy also, and I attribute alot of that to the time we spent target shooting and plinking, among other things. Good luck to you and your Sons, I think you are walking down the right road.............steg

[ohio_boy]

There is a big difference.  I've seen You Tube videos of people shooting each other with airsoft guns...BUT, don't try that with a pellet gun, or air rifle.  My .22 Crossman is a hunting rifle, and can take small animals, smaller birds, crows, etc.  The air rifle/ pellet rifles are not toys, and can be accurate, and fun to shoot.  It depends on what you want to do with it, the different types have different characteristics, different uses.

[bobtodrick]

I'm a strong believer that airsoft is a no-no until your kids are really able to understand the difference between play and reality.
I started both my sons out at age 6 with Red Ryders...with lots of training and the firm rule that if any of the safety rules were violated, even if by accident, the guns would go away for two weeks.
Now at 10 and 7 they are both very responsible with their b.b. guns and they both have the option when they are 10 of moving upto a good pellet gun (whcih would be my choice)...or an airsoft (because they both think an M-4 looks 'so cool').
But I would never have started out with an airsoft because the whole idea behind airsoft is to play 'milsim' (military simulation) games...and telling a 6 year old that it's okay to shoot his bother with his airsoft...but not with daddy's .223, before they have been taught any firearms discipline, is, in my opinion asking for a whole world of trouble.
It sounds like your kids already are shooters, so I'd say your safe on either count.  Just be aware that, though an airsoft may leave the barrel at 300fps, the b.b.'s are so big and light that any wind will deflect them in a massive way.  And that beyond 30 feet or so they really start to loose velocity.

[jamaldog87]

airsoft are for play. I used a saw airsoft in a war game but there for fun or running off animals. Most airsoft even at 1 feet it cases little pain.  I took a 3 round bust from a airsoft M4 at close range in the back and i did not know i was hit tell he told me he got me.  Also airsofts look like real guns and some side by side with the real thing it's hard to tell.

[Bigeasy]

For real shooting practice, a BB or pellet air gun is the way to go.  Plenty of accuracy, the power to take small game at close range.  But then, the airsoft guns are fun.  Most of them are fired by a rechargeable battery, firing hollow plastic BB's that don't shoot to far, or penetrate much (compared to a regular BB / pellet)  That said, you still don't want to get hit in the face.  I have 2 soft air guns (Colt M-4, and a H&K MP-5)  They are fun to shoot full auto, and hit with enough oomph to roll a tin can around some.  Heck, how about both?

Larry

[Redneckguy77]

airsoft are like paintball guns with small bb's instead of paint they are made to shoot at each other. get a low velocity bb gun like a red ryder.    i hoped that i helped

[10_point]

I have a rugger .45cal air soft replica. It shoots 430 fps and let me tell ya that at anything under 25ft or so it FREAKING HURTS, lol. I sit on the porch with mine and shoot bee,s, wasp, and flys. Get a good hit and they laterally turn into a mist.