Forget Sig Sauer P320: 3 Replacements You Need to Jump On

Posted by Vance on July 19th, 2021

Sig Sauer You may have heard or read the term "air soft" in connection with a gun and wondered what that could possibly mean. It's a fairly recent term applied to a fairly recent type of weapon used in police and military training and in a military-type setting as a recreational sport or game.

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Fashioned after real guns, these weapons are replicas of such famous firearms as Smith & Wesson, Sig Sauer, Colt, Beretta and more. However, they are not lethal weapons and do not shoot actual bullets. Instead, they shoot plastic pellets by way of a mechanism that is operated by compressed gas, spring loaded or by an electric motor. The spring loaded guns are the best way to start out, having to be manually cocked before each shot, just like a real bolt-action rifle.

The way these weapons came about is that back in the 1980s it was illegal for residents of Japan to own true firearms. Yet, the attraction and desire were there. So manufacturers decided to make replicas of the real thing, add a way to make them functional yet non-lethal, and give them a name that made them sound like a toy.

They are in fact considered to be toys. Because of this, they must have a 6mm orange tip on the end of the muzzle while being imported into or transported within the United States. These orange tips can be painted over for use in battle games to make them less conspicuous. However, they cannot be carried in public with the orange tip covered because they are too identical to a real firearm. There is no federal penalty for removing or covering the orange tip, but some states such as California have a state legislation banning the removal and making it a crime to do so.

These toy guns are actually safer than regular BB guns in that they fire plastic pellets compared to the metallic BBs of the BB gun. They also have a lesser traveling speed of about 700 feet per second, whereas the metallic BB will travel at approximately 1000 feet per second.

I would not hesitate to allow kids to play with these airsoft weapons in the right environment with appropriate gear including goggles. Prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses could break or shatter if hit by a close range airsoft pellet so the goggles need to be rated for paint ball or airsoft use. Clothing should also cover the entire body for protection although being hit by a pellet from further away than 10 ft. will not do any damage other than to the face, which is why goggles are required. There is also a full face mask that can be worn, but may become too hot in summer and the cheaper models will form condensation inside and make it difficult to see.

These airsoft guns can also be used in target practice, shooting at a target made just for these plastic pellets, allowing them to stick and then slide down into a catch tray to be re-used.

Playing on a team in an airsoft skirmish or reenactment of a real war scenario could be Learn here a learning experience for a young person, teaching them responsibility and the importance of team work which will be very valuable in the years to come. It may be just a game, but it keeps the kids off the streets and out of gangs and gives them an idea of the sacrifices made for their country in real wars. And they may be using just toy guns, but it keeps them from using real ones in situations where no one wins.

Airsoft guns are toys that can be used to play recreational games that everyone in the family can be involved in, other than the very young. It's a good way for a family to spend time together, work as a team and get exercise while having some fun as well. Be safe and smart and enjoy life.

Ask any good, seasoned patrol officer the importance of maintaining your everyday equipment and you might get a response like "Do cars need gas to run? Or, does a marathon runner need shoes to run in?" Having clean, up-to-date equipment such as a charged Taser or a full can of OC spray is important, but not nearly as important as maintaining your duty weapon. You don't have to be an expert firearms instructor, a Tactical Commander or even be a gun crazy cop to know how to maintain a clean duty weapon. Ask any field training officer if he stresses the importance of a clean, functional weapon to his or her rookies, and I bet you will be hard pressed to find one that does not.

Basic skills should have been taught to you in the academy on weapons upkeep as well as upkeep of your everyday duty gear. A veteran officer knows that maintaining perhaps the most important piece of equipment that you may have to rely on to save your life or the life of someone else doesn't take an expert, only consistency and responsibility.

Every officer should know the workings of his/her duty weapon, and know how to properly field strip and re-assemble their weapon after a proper cleaning. I love the hobby of collecting handguns. I am not a firearms expert, but I can tell you from years and years on the street, that choosing a duty weapon and sticking to that same make and model will benefit you in a life threatening situation. I know my duty weapon, a Sig Sauer P220, .45 caliber handgun better than I know any other gun that I own. I know the exact feel of each and every trigger pull, the way the gun feels when I decock it, and when the slide falls with a round in the chamber.

Having the proper cleaning supplies is a must, and I recommend a separate cleaning kit specifically for your duty weapon, where everything in the kit is designed to clean your best friend. Solvent, gun oil, even some WD-40, frame brushes and bore brushes and a good cleaning cloth will keep your trusted partner operational for years. And, if you have been on the street for awhile, or have spent many a round through your barrel, have an expert do a routine inspection on your weapon every few months. A new recoil spring that may cost you bucks is a small investment when the time may come for it not to fail you.

Most law enforcement agencies are full of officer's that are experts in firearms. If you are like me, not one of them, seek out their expertise on firearms maintenance. Then, with that nice, perfectly cleaned and operational best friend of yours, get your butt to the firing range so that you can return the favor to your weapon, by being just as reliable to the gun as the gun will be to you.

Stay safe, serve proud, and go home at the end of the day.

Andrew G. Hawkes