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Airguns Are Valuable Training And Sales Tools

Shooting Industry, July, 2001 by Lisa Parsons-Wraith

Firearms often intimidate women. They see guns in the movies and on television programs and at best develop unrealistic notions about guns. Recent shooting tragedies further demonize firearms, adding to the myth that guns are uncontrollable killing machines. But as dealers and shooting sports enthusiasts determined to preserve the continuation of the shooting sports, it's our mission to teach women the truth about firearms. And one tool that could facilitate the achievement of this goal is the airgun.

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Traditionally regarded as toys for children, many of today's airguns look and feel like real guns. Consequently, they are gaining a role as serious training tools. Modern airguns can provide women with a basic idea of how it feels to fire a gun. Dealers can establish an airgun range just about anywhere, without the prospect of a regular range's tremendous expenses. The amount of space required is minimal; a long unused corridor or fenced-in area will work as an airgun range, as long as the appropriate safety measures are observed.

The lack of noise and recoil is another benefit of using airguns to introduce women to guns. While many gun owners quickly become immune to the noise of firing a gun, some women find the noise very unsettling. Recoil can also be a shock. New shooters often feel the gun is jumping out of their hands. This only reinforces the idea that a gun is uncontrollable. No matter how well you explain recoil or emphasize proper shooting stance, that first shot is a surprise. Airguns can ease women into firing a gun without developing a flinch.

Airguns also allow women to get used to wearing ear and eye protection, and develop a feel for firearms. They also give women a chance to practice lining-up sights, performing smooth trigger control, and achieving successful hits on a target without the distractions of noise and recoil. Toss in the fact that airguns are fun to shoot and you've got a budding shooting enthusiast.

Realistic Airguns

Many airgun manufacturers produce replicas of popular handguns, which facilitates the transition from airguns to regular guns. Crosman offers a variety of replica guns that look and feel like popular firearms. Crosman's [CO.sub.2]-powered Model 1008 series is a twin of the S&W 10mm. The accurate little airgun shoots eight .177 pellets in rapid succession. Crosman's Models 3574 and 3576 are perfect for revolver fans. The double-action [CO.sub.2] revolvers have a black finish, gold trigger and closely resemble the Colt Python.

Daisy also offers a wide range of replica handguns. The company has developed the ultimate in realistic airguns with a [CO.sub.2]-powered model that shoots BBs semi-auto style. It features a reciprocating slide that recocks the hammer after each shot. This ultra-realistic airgun is a dead ringer for the Desert Eagle autoloader and is called the Model 400. Another Daisy, the Model 1700, is a 60-shot BB repeater that closely resembles Glock's Model 17L.

Another remarkable Daisy replica is the Model 693, a double-action BB version of the S&W Model 693. Colt fans will appreciate Daisy's line of Colt replica airguns. The Government 1911A1 and Gold Cup models retain the dimensions of the originals and feature high-quality finishes. These guns so closely resemble the look and feel of the original Colts that any 1911 fan would be thrilled to train with them.

The only wheelgun Daisy offers is the Model 44. It sports a rifled steel barrel, a hammer-block safety, and double-action [CO.sub.2] firing capabilities.

Daisy makes it easy to sell airguns by offering the AirStrike Air Pistol Kit. The kit includes a PowerLine AirStrike 240 pistol with a 15-round clip, 10 colorful paper targets, 100-count 6-mm synthetic ammunition and a flat-folding, pop-up target trap with mesh backing for fast ammo retrieval. This is a great package deal that makes it very easy for your customers to start shooting airguns.

Smith & Wesson has entered the airgun field and revolver fans will be pleased to try their two offerings, the Models 586 and 686. They are basically the same gun with different finishes and a choice of three barrel lengths. They feature fully adjustable black-blade rear sights and partridge front sights. They come complete with pellets, [CO.sub.2] cylinders, cylinder magazines, barrel wrenches and instructions, all in a hard storage case.

There are also several foreign manufacturers who offer replica airguns such as Walther, Gamo, Dynamit Nobel and Webley. Basically, any style of firearm you can imagine has a close cousin in the airgun field.

Smart Choice

Of course, beginning with airguns isn't for everyone and there are many women who will choose to skip this introductory step. There's a good chance, however, that when they become proficient with their firearm of choice, they will return to airguns for training. Airguns can be purchased for one-half to one-third the cost of standard firearms. The price of pellets and [CO.sub.2] cartridges are also much less than regular ammunition. In addition, airguns are an ideal training tool for serious shooters. The low cost of airgun shooting means that women who want some inexpensive practice won't have to bust their budgets on training, and will be able to shoot more and buy more products from you.

Airguns Are Valuable Training And Sales Tools

Shooting Industry, July, 2001 by Lisa Parsons-Wraith

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