Basement range for dryfire/airsoft?

[peterb]

I'm moving to a house where I'll have use of an empty unfinished basement. This will be my safe space for dryfire, but will also have enough room for full-sized targets at ranges up to 15 yards.

Is there an advantage to using full-size targets as opposed to reduced-scale targets & distances for dryfire?

Would there be a benefit to running some drills with a good airsoft pistol, or would that just build bad habits?

I am considering getting a pellet trap for airgun use, but that would be more for bullseye-type shooting.

[BN]

How much room do you have in your basement?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pE728I7370

[octagon]

That sounds like a huge basement. I had 28 feet in my old house and used a heavy blanket and a larger tarp behind it for training with pellet gun and airsoft. I hung paintcan lids from 550 cord from the ceiling and put up paper targets in various location. This was nice for fun and safety as well as staying out of the weather but I didn't focus enough to get the training value out of it I could have. I have always found airsoft to be less than optimal for training from a target standpoint as the guns feel so different in balance, trigger, recoil and in general that I do it for fun or FoF. This is with several quality Glock Airsoft guns from KSC and KWI with metal slides and gas blow back. I have them still and a Co2 Walther 8 shot pellet gun which matched the Sig P226 close enough and was good for working DA trigger as it was longer heavier and worse than the Sig.

Reduced size targets will allow you to get a better feel for longer range targets so with 1/3 size you could get 45yards instead of 45 feet for how it looks in the sights and smaller target engagement. Dryfire is nice for safety if it is an empty basement with nothing to damage and no risk of over penetration if a ND occurred. You can also do low light training almost all day depending on windows and coverings.

[Bigghoss]

I'm a fan of good airsoft pistols for practice. It's not a replacement for dry fire with a real firearm or for live fire but it's a nice supplement to them. I bought a higher end gas blowback Glock replica that is externally identical to my Gen 3 17, cost about $125 bucks plus some extra mags and a few other accessories but worth it.