Prepare for TEOTWAWKI and when SHTF by playing Airsoft

I've recently started participating in airsoft games again. It's an activity I used to enjoy a lot back when I was still in college.

I was so into the game that I reached a point where I spent a small fortune on a few rifles (a bolt action sniper rifle, a replica m4a1, an mp5 for CQB and a spetnatz), a few handguns ( the mandatory colt .45 pistol, a Glock and a revolver for showing off) and full military suits (a lot! For different situations, although I favored my black out suit the most). I also had a few plastic knives to complete the over-all appearance.

  

 Back then, playing this game was a bit restrictive due to the high cost of buying the guns. Marui was the only one providing guns then and they were really able to command a high price for their guns. And then the knock offs started arriving and everyone and his mother was playing.

It was at this time that I stopped. It wasn't because I was annoyed that the seeming exclusivity of the game was gone. It's just that a lot of undisciplined players started appearing on the field and was basically ruining the game.

                                       

The honesty system disappeared and rampant gunsmithing brought the FPS levels upwards from the usual 350 to 500 and beyond.

                                      

(Although, I am guilty of having my sniper rifle smithed up to 720 fps...)

There were a lot of zombies on the field (for those who don't know: zombie is the term used for an airsoft player who has obviously been hit by an opponent and yet refuses to acknowledge he is out).

                                      

I almost got into a few real world fist fight scenarios with a few zombies because of that.

And because that would ruin the game more for me and for the people around me, I decided to hang up my guns and move on.

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So here I am again almost 15 years after I last played and I'm getting the same adrenaline rush from the game.

Now why would I even talk about a game here? Isn't this about prepping?

Well, yeah. If you really think about it, playing the game of airsoft can help your prepping skills in terms of home defense and firing skills.

Here's how:

1:1 Replica Ratio

                                        

Airsoft guns are the closest thing to having a real gun in your hand. It's non-lethal for the most part (unless you club an opponent's head repeatedly for an extended period of time with your gun's metal parts) and provides some very realistic simulation of handling a firearm.

If not for the orange tip, you'd swear it was the real thing.

You don't need a gun range

                                    

You can only fire your real gun in a firing range. There's no other excuse to take it out of the vault other than to clean it or to get rid of a real world threat.

This is usually the reason why a lot of gun owners aren't especially trained to fire their guns. They forget that owning a gun and firing a gun are two very different things. You will need to practice to be effective.

An airsoft pistol can be fired indoors. It can also be fired in your backyard. As long as you put the necessary protective materials around the vicinity of the place you're firing in, you should be able to keep firing to your heart's content or you finish an entire bag of BBs or until hand fatigue set's in, whichever comes first.

                                     

NOTE: Although an airsoft can simulate a real  handgun in action, it's still not the same as firing a real gun. For gun owners, get an airsoft replica of your gun and practice with it if you can't go to the firing range. But please make it a point to still practice with the real thing.

Obstacle training can be done with people around

                                     

One of the fun things I love about handling firearms is going through an obstacle course. The adrenaline rush one gets as bullets ping off metal targets is an ultimate high for me.

Sadly, you can only do this at the firing range and with an umpire or gun instructor behind you to gauge your accuracy and reaction time.

With an airsoft gun, you can do this on your own and even if a few people are around. Just make sure everyone has protective gear at all times.

Heck, they can even be the targets! And the cool thing is, they can shoot back!

Which brings us to the next item.

Real world scenarios 

                                      

This is what airsoft is really about. Getting a bunch of guys together, finding an open area and cordoning it off for safety purposes and shooting BBs at each other all day.

To make it more fun, you can devise real world scenarios and treat it like a training simulation so you and your gang of buddies can use maneuvers for when SHTF situations.

It can heighten your situational awareness

If you guys are serious about playing the game of airsoft, you'll notice that your situational awareness is going to double, triple, quadruple or quintuple. WHat's six? Sextuple? Seven?

Ah you get my point.

Play a couple of games and you'll start developing a sixth sense to a certain degree just so you don't get hit.

It's fun

                                         

Nowadays, there are millions of airsoft players worldwide. It has grown in popularity so much that a lot of companies have sprouted bringing back high quality guns without the hefty price tag attached to it.

I'd still prefer Marui guns over all others but I'm slowly opening my eyes to see what's out there.

                                          

And before I go, do these exercises:

• 100 pushups per day (spread throughout the day, try to do a minimum of 20 per session)
• 100 squats (spread throughout the day, try to do a minimum of 10 per session)
• 100 lunges (spread throughout the day, try to do a minimum of 10 per session)
• 300 crunches per day (spread throughout the day, try to do a minimum of 50 per session)
• brisk walk 15 to 30 mins for fat burning purposes
• light jog for 15 minutes for cardio

That should at strengthen your core and improve your cardio, 2 very essential areas to improve for prepping and airsoft purposes.

Be fit, Protect yourself at all times and only shoot at other active players.

Bye!