| The PISTOL ONLY REVOLUTION
(POR) |
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| What?: |
The POR is a group of Airsoft players dedicated to the use
of Pistols, usually GBB's, as their PRIMARY weapon on the
field of play. It matters not what reason any POR member may
have for going Pistols only, What matters is that they play
with Pistols as their primary weapon.
Now I know that there are many out there that will say that
the idea is crazy. Or that its not "Mil Sim" to
play with just a pistol. Well I wont argue those points, but
you Mil Sim guys and girls should read this article as well,
it may help you out in those times when you need to switch
to your sidearm.
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| Why?: |
The POR was born of two things.
1.) My LOVE of a GBB action, a GBB sound, and my likeness
to quick target acquisition and unencumbered movement.
2.) My seemingly unstoppable desire to use full auto when
available to me, as it is available on all but one AEG.
You see, I didn't like the type of player I became when using
an AEG. I wasted ammo, and used full auto as a crutch when
I either couldn't find a tactical solution to a conflict,
or was too lazy to find one. (Which is quite common with SOME
AEG users*1)Then the first time I got my hands on a
GOOD GBB, I began to sway my preferences. I had used a KSC
glock (With a metal slide and barrel upgrade) and it was good.
I had used a couple of different NBBs which I wasn't too excited
about. But then, I decided to splurge on a Western Arms SVI
pistol.. The Xcelerator
Limited 5". WOW was all I could say. The SVI line
rules. I DID try to continue with an AEG. Got myself a TM
AUG SRT and a Phantom Kit. Which I LOVED....But I just
couldn't stop myself from going full auto all the time. I
resorted to Paintsoft "tactics" (if you can call
it that) way too often for my taste. So I made the decision
to go GBB only. I Picked up a second Xcelerator, the Xcelerator
Fluted Black (I got it on a GREAT DEAL) so I could go
Dual Pistols.
I sold the AUG at a local Airsoft storefront on Consignment.
That was in Mid 2004, after playing most of the season with
just my Xcelerators. I have been AEG-less ever since that
time. I had a short flirtation with the Western Arms Prokiller
Gigant Interceptor... but the full auto feature of the Prokiller
series was not my cup of tea, and I sold that in 2005.
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1. Disclaimer: I understand that not
ALL AEG users are spray and prayers... I just know, through
my own experience, that MANY are. No hate mail please. |
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| Who?: |
The POR is for anyone who LOVES Pistols so much, that they
prefer to use JUST pistols in Airsoft skirmish or scenario
events. And I am talking about all kinds of events, NOT just
"pistol only events".
Crazy you say? Well I have been doing it since the 2004 season
with great success. I realize that not many people will be
as gung ho as I am to go against the hordes of AEG users with
just a pistol... ALL THE TIME. But it only takes a few to
make a group, and once I have a group be it local or world
wide, the revolution has begun.
I also realize that there are those who may want to "Part
time it" with Pistols. For the sake of the excitement,
or the hope of "shoving it down the throats" of
other full time AEG users by beating them with just a pistol
or two. There is a place for these people in the POR.....
BUT...... I will be making a definite distinction between
Full Time PORs and Part Time PORs. If I get enough interest
one day, a POR patch may be in the works. Time will tell.
DISLAIMER: The POR is NOT for people who are looking
for the easy way out, or the cheap way out. Being an APOC*
is NOT easy...and it is not cheap. AEG users will have better
possible long range accuracy than you, they will have higher
ammo capacity than you, and they will DEFINITELY be gunning
for you. If you happen to come across an AEG user who doesn't
use his/her AEG as a crutch, and who is as skilled as you
SHOULD be, that AEG user will have the advantage.
Also, with the exception of CQB environemnents, It is unlikely
that an entire APOC TEAM will be able to be effective against
AEG users. IE... don't get to gun ho about forming APOC only
teams.
Now that you know the What, Why and Who, I will start with
the various forms of How.
* The term APOC stands for "Airsoft Pistol
Only Combatant" and the term DPC
stands for "Dual Pistols Combatant"
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| How?: |
So your asking "How!. How on Earth am I going to
be able to use Pistols as my primary weapons against AEGs
spitting out hundreds of rounds a minute?"
Well here's the list:
Good Pistol(s) (and good ammunition)
Enough Magazines
Good Pistol Marksmanship Training (followed by high skill)
Good Practical Pistol Training (utilizing TAPSS
or other similar ranges)
Good Gear
Good Tactical Skills
Good Teamwork (With other APOCs or with AEG users... APOCs
don't do well solo)
Positive Mentality
Pride and Perseverance
Now I can definitely help you with your Pistol Choice, your
ammo choice, your number of magazines and your gear choices.
And trust me, its not going to be cheap. I can help you to
some extent with the Practical Pistol Training (If you set
up a TAPSS range). I can help you somewhat with your tactical
skills (I'll cover a bit of that here), I can only give you
hints on Teamwork though. Positive Mentality? I can tell you
how I see things... but only you can act on how you feel and
react to your own experiences. And finally... Pride and Perseverance...
that's all on you kiddies....
I will begin with Gun and Gear selections next:
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| Which
Gun?: |
OK OK I know, "Which gun?" is the evil question
sent by Satan to drive all the Airsoft veterans insane. But
in the case of an APOC, because they are looking at such a
WIDE range of models and manufacturers, asking "Which
gun" is a valid, and tough to answer question.
I do not pretend to think I am an expert on GBB pistols,
NBB pistols, or Gas Revolvers. But I DO know that for the
most part, a GBB will be what you will want as your PRIMARY
skirmish weapon. And I can tell you, of all the different
pistols I personally have used, I BELIEVE that the Western
Arms SVI series of pistols are the best choice for the serious
dedicated APOC.
I have personally used the following pistols as of this writing:
KWC co2 Desert Eagle
KJW Ruger MK1
KJW M9
KSC Glock 19 (with pre installed metal slide and barrel upgrade)
KSC P232
KWA Glock 19 with metal slide
KWA Glock 26C
Tokyo Marui HiCappa 5.1
Western Arms SV Infinity Xcelerator Limited 5"
Western Arms SV Infinity Xcelerator Fluted Black 5"
Western Arms Prokiller II Gigant Interceptor
Western Arms SV Infinity Expert 5"
I have seen at close inspection, but not used the following:
WE HiCappa Dragon Silver
WE HiCappa Type K
KSC Glock 18C
KWA Glock 18C
Why am I listing these guns you ask? It may look like I am
trying to brag, I am not, I am listing these to prove a point.
Of the 16 pistols listed above, I would only say 7 of them
could work as an APOC's primary skirmish pistol. Which ones?
Well lets see, I start by telling you which ones I DON'T recommend.
Take any of the pistols above that have a full auto feature,
and remove those. (Yes that's the right, even the WA Prokiller)
Now take ANY gun made by KWC or KJW out of the picture. Any
gun that is known to not handle Green Gas well in warm to
high ambient temperature. Take out any gun that doesn't hold
at least 20 rounds in its magazine. And now take out the one
that is so dramatically flashy that it shadows the sun. That
leaves us with:
KSC Glock 19 (with pre installed metal slide and barrel upgrade)
KWA Glock 19 with metal slide
Tokyo Marui HiCappa 5.1
Western Arms SV Infinity Xcelerator Limited 5"
Western Arms SV Infinity Xcelerator Fluted Black 5"
Western Arms SV Infinity Expert 5"
WE HiCappa Type K
Now in case you don't see the pattern, I'll list the qualities
I believe you need in your Primary skirmish pistol.
The manufacturer must have a good track record.
OR the model must have a good set of reviews from the community.
The magazine must hold at LEAST 20 rounds.
The barrel should be at least 3.9 inches long,
5" is better, 6 is even better if you can handle the
weight.
Now the Gun Choice FAQ:
OK, now where can I find good pistol reviews?
I have a few pistol reviews
here at Airsoft Specialists, not as many as I would like of
course. But really, the number one guy for Airsoft Pistol
Reviews is the Snowman in the UK. His site Just
Pistols has more Pistol reviews than any site I have ever
known. He is partial to Western Arms guns, but he is objective
in all his reviews. Snowman has been very helpful in my decisions
about Pistol purchases. If he doesn't have the review you
are looking for, just google it.... Google is your friend
in research.
How can I compete with the accuracy and range of an AEG
with a little Glock?
Well, you can't really. I mean, the range thing.. overall
max range is pretty much dependent solely on Muzzle Energy,
not barrel length. But the ACCURACY at those longer ranges
is going to be piss poor compared to an AEG with a much longer
barrel than a Glock. This is why although I think the KWA
and KSC glocks will do GREAT as an APOC weapon in close to
medium ranges (QQB - 60 feet) they won't cut the mustard in
a woodland or long range environment. This is why I WHOLELY
recommend you go with a pistol that has a 5 inch or longer
barrel. Ideally of course, you should have more than one pistol.
Even if you aren't going the dual wield route. One pistol
that you can use in short range, and one that you can use
at longer ranges.
I have done quite well at long range with a 5" Western
Arms pistol. Including a witnessed and confirmed kill at approximately
170 feet (It only took 3 shots to do it too) But I still want
to get a 6 inch pistol to help me get better at those long
shots.
Gas magazines are expensive, how many will I need?:
I have always told people in the past that being an APOC
is NOT a cheaper way to Airsoft. It can cost you as much as
an upgraded AEG with mags a plenty, to have a proper pistol
loadout. There are of course shortcuts and budget conscious
ways to cut those costs, but as my daddy used to say "Anything
worth doing is worth doing right". What was I saying?...
Oh yeah, how many mags will you need? Well, The bare minimum
number of loaded rounds you should have mags for is 100. Any
less than that and you WILL run out of bbs too soon, and need
to do that field mag reload we all hate to do. I RECOMMEND
that you have at least 150 rounds loaded. I PREFER to have
200 rounds loaded.
On average, the cost in spare mags to have the recommended
150 rounds loaded will be about 200-300 dollars (depending
on the brand make and model of your gun)
Carrying a gun with a 20 round bb capacity is going to mean
4-6 extra mags. A gun with a 30+ round capacity (like the
Western Arms SVIs) will mean only 4 extra mags.
Yes this means your magazines will be worth more than your
pistol.
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| In
Field Reloading of Magazines: |
For most of your short weekend skirmishes, if your playing
like a good APOC, you wont need to reload your magazines in
the field. BUT if the shit hits the fan, or if your in a large
scale all day or longer op, you WILL need to reload in the
field. This is why you NEED one of these:
Pictured above is what is called a Grenade Gas Recharger.
This one is a GBtech Distraction Device gas recharger.
There is also another company that makes a similar product,
the VFC M116A1 Simulator Hand Grenade Gas Charger.
Both can be found at several online retailers for $30 to $55
in most cases.
The gas recharger grenade replicas are a NECESSARY part of
an APOC's loadout if you plan to play in large operations.
In case you can't tell from the picture, the grenade is merely
a gas canister, that you can fill with your gas bottle, just
as you would fill a magazine. It can hold Green Gas, HFC 134A
or Red Gas, OR a combination of those gasses if you like to
mix gasses for optimal power.
You will also want to get some kind of bb container that
will fit in one of your vest pouches. It can be one of the
smoke grenade replica bb holders, the el cheapo flying colors
pineapple grenade bb holders, or even a simple evian water
bottle.
With those two items in your loadout, and a magazine loading
tool (most good pistols come with a loading tool) the headache
of in field magazine reloads isn't quite so bad. Its still
not going to be THAT easy. IE trying it under fire will suck,
but whenever you have a chance, and someone to cover you...
it'll be quick and easy.
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Tactical
Vests and
Holsters: |
This is one subject I myself have a hard time with. I don't
have enough experience with all the possible combinations
of vests, belts and holsters. (Anyone who wants to donate
some stuff to Airsoft Specialists for the cause feel free
to let me know) I currently have a BlackHawk
Omega Tactical Vest and an unknown brand thigh holster.
And to tell you the truth, I prefer to carry my pistols in
the rifle mag pockets of the vest, than in a thigh holster.
It may be because I just haven't tried a good thigh holster
yet... but I find them to be too insecure. I don't know how
many times I have seen people in the field looking for a sidearm
that has fallen out of their thigh holster amidst the action.
I have had no problems carrying not only one, but two large
frame pistols, my reloading gear, and 6 magazines all in my
Omega vest. For an example, see the vest loadout section of
the Dual Pistol Loadouts
and Techniques article.
In that setup, you have 6 mags loaded, 2 in the pistols,
and 2 each in 2 pouches. (For a double stack pistol like an
SVI, that's up to 198 rounds) If your going the single pistol
route, then you have one more pouch to fill, and could bring
your mag count up to 8.
A side note, the basic Omega Vest is not designed to hold
pistol mags. I manage to get my SVI mags to fit, by rolling
up a few camo bandannas and stuffing them into the bottom
of the pouches, so that my pistol mags extend out of the pouch
far enough to be reached and to be held secure by the Velcro
flaps. This may be more difficult if your going the smaller
pistol, 20 round mag route.
I desperately want to get my hands on a Blackhawk Omega Crossdraw
pistol mag vest. It is set up to hold 4 spare mags. (counting
the mag in the gun, that makes 5 mags, and with a Western
Arms SVI, that means 165 rounds in nice neat pistol mag pouches.
Then that still leaves several large pouches to hold your
reloading equipment. And other gear.
Here is a list of several vests that should be acceptable
for a POR APOC.. They are listed by price, cheapest first:
(Disclaimer, I have NOT reviewed any but the Omega Tactical..
I do not know of their actual quality)
TechFORCE Crossdraw Tactical Vest w/Belt
Tac Force Cross Draw Tactical Vest
UTG Deluxe Quick Draw Tactical Vest w/Belt
Blackhawk Omega Crossdraw/Pistol Mag Vest
Blackhawk Omega Tactical Vest
Blackhawk Omega Elite Vest Cross Draw/Pistol Mag
Blackhawk Omega Elite Tactical Vest
As for holsters... if anyone wants to volunteer to write
me some tactical holster reviews, I would appreciate the content.
You must be able to provide the Brand and Model name, and
a link to where they can be purchased. I only need reviewers
who have actually used their holsters in combat conditions.
You can contact me either by email or at AirsoftForum.com
(user name BattlePriest)
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| Other
Gear: |
There is of course all kinds of other gear, not specifically
related to pistols, that you could or should have in your
APOC loadout. I will list below the gear I recommend you have,
with brand and model names whenever possible.
Eye Protection: Of course all airsofters should wear
adequate eye protection while using airsoft replicas. When
playing in a combat environment (IE NOT target shooting) you
MUST wear full seal ANSI Z87.1 or equivalent eye protection.
Full Seal meaning that there must be a foam or foam rubber
seal that completely surrounds the eye orbits, and a head
strap that holds them to your face. This being said, these
are the models I recommend, for your particular situation.
If you are a Minor or play where full face protection is
required:
I recommend the V-Force brand of goggles, they are I believe....
all OTG (over the glasses) and have excellent anti fog venting
and coatings. I have also tried both Scott and JT goggles,
and I was not as impressed as I was with V-force. Here is
my review of the V-Force
Morph goggle. Here's the cool thing... since your an APOC...
no more of that problem with paintball goggles being too big
to get behind your sights!
If you are an Adult and play where goggles only are allowed...
I cant say enough about how good the Wiley-X combat goggles
are... they have several models to choose from. I have and
use the Wiley-X
CQC goggle. I have never had a better pair of goggles.
They are nearly as low profile as a pair of sunglasses and
I, as of yet, have never had a fogging problem. I do hear
though, that some have a fogging issue with the CQCs, if you
are prone to fogging issues with goggles, I recommend trying
the new Wiley-X Nerve Tactical Goggles, which are supposed
to have greatly improved venting, but sacrifice only a tiny
bit of profile.
There is also the Bolle Brand goggles, which are great, but
not so low profile. If you dont wear a helmet, then the Bolle
X500 goggle would work great for you. They again, are
OTG.
Hydration Systems:
Hydration is a very important part of any Airsoft loadout.
Some may take the standard Military spec canteens on an ALICE
belt. But the best and most efficient hydration is a hydration
bladders or packs from BlackHawk or Camelback. I have a BlackHawk
Hydrastorm Tsunami and it has been a life saver on the hottest
of days in the field. Whether you go with the Canteen or a
Hydration pack... you MUST have hydration for the field.
Flashlights:
It is always good to have a flashlight at your disposal,
especially if you will be in an environment where the ambient
light changes a lot (going from outdoor to indoor without
lighting). This means either a tactical light attachment for
your pistol lower rail, or a hand held light. I personally
do not yet have a rail light... I am thinking about getting
one, but for now, I get by with a good old Mil-Spec MX-991/u
angled flashlight. That's another good thing about pistols,
you can hold a flashlight and still use your weapon without
losing your sight alignment stability.
Mag Drop Bag:
I have never had occasion to need a drop bag, but I know
many people who are fond of them, so I will add this to the
list of accessories. If you aren't familiar with this item,
its a bag that hangs under your vest belt, where you can drop
your used magazines and other items in, when you dont have
time to return them to thier proper pockets in the vest. It
could be as simple as an oversized ALICE pouch on your belt.
Tactical Gloves:
I don't generally wear gloves for the grip. When I do wear
gloves, its for protection from BB hits though. Whatever reason
you wear them for though, being an APOC, you will have occasion
to extend your arms (and thus hands) out further out away
from your body than a rifle user would, thus making your hands
a target in themselves. IF you clear obstancles properly though,
this should not be a problem.
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| Pistol
Marksmanship Training: |
This is one of the MOST important things to consider when
making the decision to become an APOC. Do you have time and
facilities for pistol marksmanship training? I am not talking
about just shooting thousands of rounds into a target trap
or at cans. Shooting 1000 rounds downrange will do you no
good if you aren't hitting the target, or aren't understanding
the reasons why you are or are not hitting the target.
Those of you who have real marksmanship training or experience
can skip this... I am sure you have it covered. Now I don't
have a lot of time to write a basic marksmanship course here.
So I will just hit the main points.
#1 SQUEEZING the trigger. I know it has become common
language to say "pull the trigger" but this is not
a correct way of describing this action. When you PULL a trigger,
which means pulling back on the trigger with a jerking motion
towards the back of the gun, you are also pulling down and
either to right or left. With a pistol.... this is HORRIBLE
for your accuracy, more so than it is for a rifle at the ranges
we are talking about in Airsoft. Add to that the releasing
of the trigger after a pull... when you often will actually
completely remove your trigger finger from the trigger...and
this makes your pistol rock back and forth... ESPECIALLY when
you are rapid firing.
Squeezing a trigger consists of tightening your grip on the
pistol with emphasis on the trigger finger. Then releasing
your grip at the trigger with steady motion without pulling
your finger away from the face of the trigger. This becomes
most difficult during rapid fire of course. Before you start
trying to work on your rapid fire trigger action.. work on
your single shot trigger action. A lot.
Once you get this right.... your target groupings will get
much better.
#2 Shooting at target traps. I know your thinking
to yourself... "Why do I need to be able to hit a
target paper at short range? We're shooting at man sized targets"
Well think of it this way. The farther away your target is,
the smaller your target looks, and the more chance there will
be of outside influence on your bb's flight path.(Wind, brush,
cover objects etc..)
IE... the better you can hit a 10" paper target at 15-25
feet, the better you will be able to hit a 5-6 foot tall man
size target at 100-150 feet. When you are practicing, you
need to have a system. Dont just keep filling your target
with holes. Take a specific number of shots (I usually take
10) then record your target score. Note the size of your grouping,
and which side of center your grouping may be. Your goal should
be to center your grouping, either by sight adjustment or
adjusting the point you aim at. Your other goal will be to
decrease the diameter of your grouping. Change targets between
practice rounds, or you can circle the previous shots with
a pen, or use target pasters*
Now... to get to that outside influence on bb flight path
thing. When it is possible, you WILL want to get some target
practice at range in the outdoors. Do so ONLY if you have
a remote location, where no one will be seeing your activity.
This outdoor target practice can be done several ways, if
you have the means to set up a wooden target stand with full
size silouhette targets, that's great. If you have teammates
that are willing... and don't mind the peppering, have your
teammates don their safety gear and run down range for you
to shoot at. Or you can both practice on each other. DO NOT
do so as a skirmish. Take turns shooting each other... the
goal here is to get used to how your gun shoots at long range,
with wind and other factors. You may find that there is common
feature of your pistols bb flight path, that you can compensate
for by adjusting your aim up, down right or left. This is
what you have to do when you don't have full auto. Its difficult,
but if you practice enough... it will work. And you will find
that even at LONG range, you can end up hitting a stationary
target at over 150 feet with 3 adjusted shots.
If you need a good target trap to shoot in your basement,
that will have a minimum of ricochet... check out the A.S.
home made bb traps.
*Target Pasters are round or square stickers, of the same
color of your target paper, that you can use to cover previous
shots on the target. Target pasters are cheaper than targets,
so you save money. I buy my targets and target pasters from
Pistoleer.com.
But if you want to go the cheap route there are MANY places
online to find free printable targets. Here is a google search
for
free printable targets
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| Practical
Pistol Training and Competition: |
After you have a good handle on marksmanship, that's when
you need to start working on your practical pistol training.
What does that mean? It means that you will not always be
standing stationary, or crouched in a nice target environment
when your out skirmishing. You now need to practice shooting
under different stances, in different lighting conditions,
shooting while moving, shooting around off hand corners and
etc...
Without those skills, your not going to be able to survive
as an APOC in the skirmish world for very long. Well it just
so happens, Airsoft Specialists has an article, outlining
a GREAT tested and proven system for practical pistol training.
It can be done in spaces as little as a garage or a basement,
but if you have permission and access to a larger safe space,
so much the better.
Here is the Tactical Airsoft
Pistol Speed Shooting page. Its a long article, I wanted
to be as specific as possible and include as much info as
I could, so others would be able to do it themselves. TAPSS
is good as both a training system, AND a friendly way to compete
with others. Competition helps improve your skills, so I encourage
you to get your friends to do TAPSS with you, even if they
aren't committed to becoming an APOC.
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| General
Pistol Techniques: |
The following are skills and techniques that you will want
to practice often as well.
Pistol Hold and Firing stance:
First I will start with a little bit about whether or not
your chosen pistol actually FITS in your hand properly. Many
people out there, especially in the airsoft world, have pistols
way to big for their hand size. The following guideline will
help you decide if your pistol is the right size for you.
In this picture, see how the first pad of my finger, is paralell
to the back of my hand (where it would fit around the back
of the pistol grip)
Now, see in this picture, how my hand fits around the pistol,
and how my finger is still paralell to the back of my hand,
AND the back of the pistol grip:
OK... now, since you cant really see my finger tip on that
picture... now see in this one (slightly blurry, sorry) where
JUST the middle of the pad of my first finger is contacting
the trigger, perpendicular to the travel of the trigger.
And in this picture, see how my hand is well tucked in and
under the thumb gaurd on the back of the grip, yet my hand
is not stretched out and tense to reach the trigger.
Bear in mind that this is only to help you determine if your
pistol fits your hand. The above pictures are only to help
you determine if your pistol FITS your hand properly. Grip
discussions will follow.
Before I go on, for the purpose of this article, when I say
"strong hand" I am referring to your dominant hand.
The hand you write with.
One hand hold, and firing stance: One of the advantages
of pistol use is the ease of one handed operation. I do not
usually use this technique when using a single pistol, but
it does come in handy on occasion.
The IDEAL form of this firing stance consists of holding
the pistol in your strong hand, with tight but unstrained
grip. Your feet should be from shoulder width to slightly
more than shoulder width apart, with the leg opposite your
strong hand pulled back, and the other leg directly under
your strong hand. Your feet should form a 90 degree angle,
with your opposing foot at a 90 degree angle to your shooting
arm.
Obviously in the field this stance will be very fluid and
changing with the terrain and the situation, but keep your
form set and modify it only as necessary. The most common
time you should use this kind of stance would be when firing
around cover objects, when you want to conceal as much of
your body as you can. Any other time you might use this stance
and one hand hold, would be unnecessary and... well showing
off. The 2 hand hold and firing stance is the most stable
and accurate stance, and should be used whenever possible.
Two hand hold and firing stance:
There are many different schools of thought when it comes
to a two hand grip. I recently have adopted the two hand grip
taught by a real steel Practical Shooting master named Todd
Jarret. You can watch his video at Youtube Here.
(Please let me know if this link goes dead)
Here is my photographic tutorial on the two hand grip:
Reloads:
The reload method I feel is the best to use is a "Mag
Safe Speed Reload" or as I sometimes call it, the "Kneel
and Drop Reload". This type of reload consists of dropping
the mag out of your gun then replacing it with a fresh one.
I know what your thinking... "I'm not dropping my mag
out onto the ground, it'll break." Thats why you drop
to one knee before you drop your mag, making the distance
the mag drops a low as possible. This action doubles as a
duck for cover.
Its easy. Drop to one knee, and at the same time start pulling
the fresh mag out of your vest pocket, and as you get to the
ground you drop the mag out of your gun, then replace it with
the fresh one, then if you need to stand up you can hit your
slide release as you do. When you have time you can pick up
your used mag and place it in a pouch.
Confused? Here is a video to show you how its done. This
is how I practice my reloads, This isnt neccessarily the fastest
I can do it, but this way you can see the motions easier.
"Mag Safe"
Speed Reload Practice Video. (Quicktime format, 4 meg.
Right Click-Save Target As)
This is a slow motion rerender of the last reload in the
above video. The time from slide lock to ready in this video
was 3 seconds:
Slow Motion "Mag
Safe" Speed Reload Video (Quicktime format, 1.5 meg.
Right Click-Save Target As)
If you are into Racing (bbIPSC or TAPSS) there are often
times when the drop knee reload just isn't fast enough. Many
times the course you are running requires a reload, and since
time is the key, you don't have time to drop to one knee.
Often courses will supply a soft landing zone for your mag,
but not always. In these cases, the reload is MUCH faster.
But as I said, you usually will not reload this way when skirmishing.
Here is a video of what I am talking about, bear in mind
that I am NOT very good at this, and have never had training
in it, so if your an experienced bbIPSC shooter, dont bust
my chops:
Speed
Reloads Demo (Quicktime format, 7 meg. Right Click-Save
Target As)
There is of course a few other methods that many people can
use when time isnt a factor. The only one I will cover is
a"Reload With Retention". This kind of reload consists
of dropping the used mag into your off hand palm, placing
it into a pouch or pocket, then pulling the fresh mag out
and placing it into the gun. Slower, but then your mag doesnt
hit the ground. (If your worried about that)
Hitting your target:
Now that we have your grips and reloads covered, all you
have to do is hit your target. There are many different schools
of thought and practice on this topic, I will cover my own
here, and provide some small bits of info on others. The key
thing here though, is that once you find a method that works
best for you, that you PRACTICE it. Either by actual skirmish
practice, or through a practical shooting system such as TAPSS,
or bbIPSC. Because you can set up a functioning practical
shooting range in your basement or garage, this is often the
best way to get your practice in.
There are 3 positions for your pistol to be in while on the
field. Movement position, Ready position and Firing position.
Movement position is, as the name implies, where your pistol
and arms will be while you are moving tactically through terrain.
Holding your pistol in a two hand grip, both your arms should
be extended downwards, so that the barrel of your pistol is
pointing at the ground about 1-2 feet in front of you. When
you need to kneel down for whatever reason, you bend your
arms at the elbows, keeping your grip on the pistol the same.
If you need to use a hand to steady yourself on a tree, rock
or wall, you relase your grip stabilizing hand from your pistol,
and keep your strong hand on the pistol. Use this free hand
to stabilize yourself on the terrain. (Makes "Stabilizing
Hand" a convenient term, it stabilizes your grip on your
weapon AND is used to stabilize you in movement) Once you
have finished your move bring your stabilizing hand back to
its position on your weapon.
Ready position is where you have your arms and weapon while
a target or contact is imminent. When you KNOW or THINK you
might need to fire your weapon, but have not yet seen a target.
This position consists of holding your pistol just2-3 inches
lower than it would be if you were aiming at a target. By
holding it this way, the distance your sights need to travel
up to firing position is minimal, yet your sights will not
obstruct your view of the target area. This will also allow
you to stay out of the common "Can't see out of the line
of your weapon" problem that many get into. When you
hold your sights up to firing position without a target...
you forget there may be other targets appearing outside of
that line of fire. ONLY raise your pistol to firing position
when you actually HAVE a target to aquire. If you "jump
the gun" and raise your weapon to aim BEFORE you have
a target... your target may appear out of your line of sight,
behind your pistol. (Your own pistol blocks them from view)
Firing position is exactly that, the position you hold your
pistol in when you are ready to fire at a target. Remember
that your strong hand and forearm are the primary support
for your shot, they should be pointing at your target, with
your stabilizing hand only there to keep it steady. When you
need to adjust your line of fire, you move your body, not
your shoulders. IE, your pistol and sights should always be
out in front of you. When I am in this firing position, the
shoulder of my stabilizing hand is closer to the target than
the shoulder of my strong hand. I call this the 45 degree
stance. I will have a diagram for this in the future.
Sighting on your target: Your target should be just above
the top line of your sights, slightly fuzzy. Focus on your
sights is more important than focus on your target. You should
be able to focus on your sights, and still see your target
well enough to line them up in front of your pistol.
Point Shooting, Point and Shoot, Instinctive Fire and
Israeli Method
These are all similar methods for "Reflex Aiming"
used to make response time quicker for engaging short range
targets. (Shorter than 30-40 feet)
Point Shooting consists basically of simply pointing your
weapon at your target, just as you would point your finger
at a person. My favorite method consists of looking at my
target, usually around chest height, then raising the muzzle
of the pistol up to just below the level of my eyes in the
center of my view.
The Point and Shoot method consists of using your middle
finger to squeeze the trigger, and using your first finger
to point down the side of your pistol, to better emulate the
"pointing" that you would do without a pistol.
For more detailed information you can use the above terms
to search google.
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| Woodland
Pistol Techniques |
This section is going to cover the use of Pistols in a woodland
environment. The term "woodland" being in reference
to a playing area which is primarily natural terrain, with
trees, bushes, underbrush and rocks. SMALL bunkers can be
included in this as well, such as those that can provide cover
for only a few people at a time. If you are reading this section
of the guide, I will assume that you have read and understand
the "General Pistol Techniques" and various gear
portions of this article.
DISADVANTAGES of using only Pistols in woodland settings:
Accurate Range. Woodland regions are where Pistols
will specifically have a distinct disadvantage to rifle users.
This does not mean though, that it will be impossible to prevail
over a long armed opponent with your pistol. The main disadvantage
comes from the fact that most often, the engagement ranges
in woodland settings are much longer than in other settings.
As such, the long gun (rifle) users will have a distinct range/accuracy
advantage over pistol users. Meaning, that while your pistol
may be able to shoot just as far as their rifles, their rifles
will be more accurate at those ranges. What you will have
to do, is take special care to utilize the ADVANTAGES you
will have in woodland settings, to counteract this major disadvantage.
ADVANTAGES of using only Pistols in woodland settings:
High Mobility. This is an advantage that crosses all
the playing areas, but has a special importance in the woodland
setting.
If you have played with an AEG/Rifle in woodland areas, you
know how hard it is to move fast through thick underbrush,
up steep hills and over rocks and logs. Even with a sling,
your rifle hinders your ability to manuever over and around
these obstacles. Either you keep one hand on your rifle, or
you sling it, and have to keep adjusting its position on your
back or chest as you go up down and over.
Now, think of how much easier it will be when all you have
is a Pistol. If you choose to keep your weapon in hand at
the ready, you still have one completely free hand, and only
a light easy to hold item in the other. Giving you the ability
to use your off hand to move brush aside, stabilize yourself
on rocks and logs while climbing, keep your balance while
running and jumping.
Now, say you are in a BIG rush... and you want to sprint
as fast as you can to a specific map location. Put your pistol
away in your cross draw holster, then sprint as fast as you
can, totally unencumbered by your weapon. You will get there
faster, and less exhausted than ANYONE of your same athletic
ability who carries a rifle.
If your a team leader, and you need a fast Recon mission,
send a couple of APOC's perhaps with a light SMG user and
you have the fastest recon to the map position.
Small Target Profile. If you've played a lot of woodland
games, I'm sure you'll know the answer to this question.
Q. What is usually the first parts of a Tango/Target you
see?
A. Their weapon, forearm, shoulder and head when they try
to line up a shot over or around cover.
Now, lets think about that. When you use a Rifle, to shoot
around cover, you need to expose MUCH more of your upper body
to get the long barrel lined up to your target. Rifle users
often need to expose the entire length of their weapon, their
forearm, their left shoulder and their face to be able to
take an AIMED shot from cover. Otherwise all they are doing
is shooting blind or half blind.
OK, so now lets take a look at what you need to do to take
an AIMED shot from around or over cover with just a pistol.
Your Small pistol barrel, your hands, and part of your face.
Less than half the target area exposed by a rifle user. This
includes shooting from fallen trees, around or over rocks,
around live tree trunks. Even when shooting from soft cover
like bushes and underbrush, you will have less of a chance
of giving away your position using a pistol. Especially when
you add into it the high mobility, and ease of movement you
get as a pistol only user, crawling into firing position.
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UNDER CONSTRUCTION |
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"Membership" in the
POR:
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I had originally thought of the POR as nothing more than
an idea, something to give people something to think about,
and perhaps take advantage of for the sake of fun. In recent
months though, I have been bombarded with requests from people
who want to "Join" the POR. I have always had an
idea of what kind of criteria I would require before I considered
someone a true Pistol Only Revolutionary, but I never wrote
it down because I wasn't going to take things that far. BUT.....
Recently I have found a LOT of people with POR member claims
in thier signatures online. Some of who I would not consider
a true revolutionary. Therefore the following regulations
are hereby set down to govern who can, and who cannot call
themselves a POR "member". Only if you meet ALL
the following criteria will you be truely considered a Pistol
Only Revolutionary.
1.) Must currently use a GBB Pistol or high quality
NBB or Revolver* as your primary weapon on the airsoft
field 80% of the time or more.
2.) Must have played in an organized airsoft skirmish
or event* at least ONCE in a pistol only capacity.
3.) Must have enough magazines to carry at least 70
rounds (keeping in mind the minimum I consider worthwhile
is 100 rounds)
4.) Must understand and apply the idea of temperature
vs gas type on gun performance.
5.) Must have read and understood the entire POR article.
6.) Must have the proper gear and equipment*
to carry your replica(s) and magazines into the field securely.
7.) Must have the proper attire/look professional*
to represent the POR.
8.) Must submit a full kitlist of your qualified
POR APOC loadout* to me via PM at AirsoftForum.com
or any other forum I frequent. Be as specific as possible
with all items in your loadout. It will help your application
if you show me a photo of yourself in your qualified POR APOC
loadout, whether its posed or in the field. Once reviewed
and accepted, I will list you in the POR
member listing.
Definitions:
High quality NBB or Revolver: Generally, if you aren't
sure if your NBB or Revolver fits this qualification, it probably
doesn't. Examples of those that I DO consider high quality
are the TM Socom NBB or other TM high grade NBBs, Tanaka Gas
Revolvers and Marushin Gas Revolvers.
Organized Airsoft skirmish or event: Refers to an
Airsoft event with a minimum of 20 players that is run by
an Airsoft business, a regional Airsoft organization, or a
regional team field utilizing a full set of written and followed
safety rules.
Proper gear and equipment: What this means is, if
your carrying your magazines in your pants pockets, or tucking
your pistol onto under your pants belt... your not using the
right equipment. Ideally, you should have a vest to carry
your pistol and magazines in. The bare minimum being a thigh
or belt holster to carry your pistol, and a pistol belt with
magazine pouches.
Proper attire/look professional: Means that when you
play Airsoft as a POR, you wear a uniform. Be it US BDUs of
any pattern, a Flight Suit, Flectarn, Alpenflage, whatever....
the only exception is given when you are playing a part in
an organized scenario that requires some other outfit.
Qualified POR APOC loadout: A listing of ALL the replicas,
magazines, gear and accessories you normally take with you
into the game. (Right down to your clothing) If your loadout
does not meet the stated minimums listed above, you will not
be accepted.
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