However, I think the guys that understand the utility of a blue gun go out and get them and don't wait for a gun show purchase.
I guess I was thinking of all the other plastic devices around that don't cost nearly that much. All my DVDs and CDs are the same size. All of the caps on Coke bottles are the same size, etc.
I guess when you have a niche, you can charge what the market will pay...
We have some on our table at the 1500 as displays, and guys will point and laugh at them
Are people so unsure of themselves that they can't clear the weapon with confidence for use in solo-training exercises?
We have read and seen too many tragedies. The training culture is full of incidents of people shooting themselves and fellow cops with "cleared" weapons. (Some of the worst catastrophes were at Gunsite. I am thinking of the two guys shooting each other with cleared guns and the USMC sniper who launched a .308 with his cleared M14 through many hotel rooms).
If we follow Rule #1 and "treat all guns as if they are loaded", then the chances of me putting a round through the television as I practice presentations or through the front of my vehicle as I practice seated draws or whatever I am practicing has been reduced to zero.
As I live in a city, my neighbors appreciate my decision.
I dry fire practice but only into a sand barrel in the basement.
Blue guns reduce the chance of unintended bloodshed to zero.
If you don't have one you need one for every pistol you EDC. Without it there is no way to pressure test your training.- George
I guess I was thinking of all the other plastic devices around that don't cost nearly that much. All my DVDs and CDs are the same size. All of the caps on Coke bottles are the same size, etc.
I guess when you have a niche, you can charge what the market will pay...
I'm not going to try to reason with anyone who has already decided that a real firearm is acceptable to use in lieu of an inert replica just because they've verified it's unloaded. As Kirk mentioned, too many tragedies have occurred and it's simply not worth the risk. If you can't see that, you're not willing to see that.
There are plenty of times when we use inert replicas specifically because the muzzle will be pointed at someone. One example is when teaching people to use cover and concealment effectively. You can't see if they're using cover/concealment properly unless you're downrange from them looking to see how much of their body is exposed. Whether the students are doing it to each other or if the instructor is the one downrange, it doesn't make any difference. Using a real firearm for that is unacceptable, even if multiple people verify that the gun is unloaded. You gain absolutely nothing from using a real gun and you lose nothing by using an inert replica.
Another situation is retention training and extreme close quarters training. Muzzles not only will be pointed at training partners and instructors, but they will actually make contact with them at times. Using a real gun would be beyond irresponsible.
Two things:
Are people so unsure of themselves that they can't clear the weapon with confidence for use in ***solo-training exercises***? Sure, I understand that force-on-force & grappling training make safe-replicas a necessity (so that all involved can be absolutely certain of the status of the "weapon" at all times). But to have a replica for solo-training seems silly to me. If I cleared the firearm & I haven't let the firearm out of my control...then I know it is still cleared. If I want the weight of a full magazine, I turn the top 2 cartridges around backwards (H&K-style) & remove all other magazines/ammo from the room.
- Google can't find any XDm Training or Airsoft replicas.
- I don't see why people are so afraid of the plastic & steel which their firearms are made out of. It's the bullets which do the damage.
For FoF & other group training...almost any firearm replica would do. Just a simple, generic 1911-ish shape should cut it (or piece of wood, as has been mentioned). I don't see any reason to have an exact replica of all of your handguns...
Ultimately, a firearm is no more deadly/dangerous than industrial machinery. Both can be handled quite safely if you're paying attention.
If you weren't talking about me...please carry on as you were.
Huh...
So the weapons training in the military I have done fro 20 years doesn't count cause we used real guns...