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I know a lot of people who shoot/used to shoot practical pistol that did exactly the same thing. Buy a pistol that works in the same ways, do the drills with it, keep doing the drills with it. Using the real thing during a competition is therefore smoother, quicker and more likely to be second nature.

Plastic guns in training also prevents "accidents" when someone fires and unloaded weapon or "freak outs" when someone gets a REAL gun pointed at them - which of course you should never do.

Orange and blue plastic guns in a variety of models (pistols, rifles etc) are also common and allow various training scenarios to be carried out safely.

Not quite a SA80 but in the same family, i own a very nice airsoft replica L86A2 LSW that i use for talks and displays on infantry weaponry, I'm VCRA exempt so it looks the part, the bolt latch, mag release and bipod function as designed and it is pretty close in weight to the proper model. I find airsoft guns do provide inexpensive and safe target practice tools. I do know the US Army have been using airsoft for a number of years as a cheap alternative to real rifles blank fire adaped/ infared systems in training operations.

It's all changed somewhat then...

"Train as you fight, so you fight as you train..."

All of the training I had as an infantry soldier had me carry my "real" rifle. Later on, when I had a role change and that required carrying concealed in an urban environment, then we trained for such carrying out issue weapons.

Even when competing in the pistol days, dry fire practice, presentations and IA drills were all done with the same pistol that I competed with.

Airsoft and/or use of simunition is the way forward, despite the often caustic remarks from chairborne warriors. When I did room clearing drills in the past the attacking team ALWAYS won, 'wiping out' all the enemy with apparent ease. Of course, it was all just a 'set piece' and the enemy were instructed to lose. With the realistic chance of being 'shot' now, modern training is [ironically] a whole lot more realistic with airsoft/simunition.

Even as an untrained OTC OCdt I was handed a real rifle and ordered to lug the thing around with me on FTXs. Plastic? Never heard of it.

that IS a good point Sim, though my long gone Airsoft Beretta 92's and HK USP compact were as near as makes no difference weight and feel wise...

Not all airsoft mimick the real thing though, they are obviously not as noisy for one and airsoft doesn't kick back - but then again airsoft's not 70p a bang ..

A MIX of both is good, but there's no substitute for the real thing at the end of the day.

Salut,

One of the "top" ISPC shooter in Czech Republic does the same, ie : carries a airsoft ard the house and constantly practice drawing, aiming etc ... and before you ask his wife doe the same :roll:
Some french BAC units (Brigade Anti Crime) use airsoft to drill before moving to some sort of "kill house" to use simunition.