2012 Shot Show shuts down JAG Precision and Echo1 booth... WTH!

[cloakndagger]

And higher prices on otherwise affordable guns

[coldfire]

Airsoft will stay within reason, dont assume anything just because "Real Steel" companies are getting involved that the prices will go up.

[cloakndagger]

You put liscenced trades on a gun, esp colt, hk, or fn an i gaurantee that the price will go up compared to an un traded gun from the same oem. Example, jg red star. Same oem (cyma) same as the cm ak74 full metal i have sitting in my rack. Price $25 more. In the scheme of things, that might not seem a lot, but i have been in the situation where that much decided that i had to get a far inferior gun.

[coldfire]

More Money = Better Quality but still dont assume till it happens

[cloakndagger]

You must know what youre buying to use that equation. Example echo 1. Not recently but in the past they rebranded oem clones and you paid for the branding, but got the same quality. On the flipside, as much as i dislike them, kwa guns cost more but have superior out of box performance. Caveat emptor.  There is a (cool) emerging trend of airsoft companies actualy putting their own branding on guns, which to me says theyre either proud of their work, or covering for some downfall in mfg. Hwever to the base of the debate, do i endorse counterfitting of other companies property at their expense? NO. I do think fn has made a mountain of a molehill as far as going to the extremes of cracking down on guns that "look" like one of theirs. I DO NOT agree with the way they handled the issue at shot show, making a big stink over what couldve been handled in a side room over a glass of scotch and a handshake. Not only did it tarnish echo1, spartain, cybergun, and fn's reputation, but it added a small blemish to shot show itself.

[VADER]

I still just don't see airsoft being adopted on any type of grand scale for training.  Not long as Simmunition is still in business.  They are cheaper and much more realistic.  As far as trades, I have no preference.  Not sure if my post really means anything lol, oh well!

[coldfire]

Simunition rounds are not cheaper they can cost up to 20 a box airsoft is cheaper, about 9 diff departments in northern cali use airsoft on a regular basis for training. Where I work we also have one of the biggest police academy's using airsoft before live fire ranges because of cost

[VADER]

I figured the largest use of airsoft for training would be in Cali.  Yes the ammo more expensive than airsoft but converting a standard RS LE handgun or AR cost less than $200 to fire Simmunition as opposed to buying a reliable ie. Systema or equivalent gun for a $1000.  As little ammo that is fired during training plus the realism of using the actual firearm you are carrying, it is actually less expensive.  Remember us LE guys are in the business of saving lives which translates to firing a weapon only when its a last option.  We dont fire thousands of rounds of ammo during scenario based training.  The most shots I have ever fired at a scenario based training simulation amounted to less than half of one magazine and that was a shtf scenario.  Where we do fire thousands of rounds of ammo is on the range during quals and special technique schools.  It only makes sense to use live ammo there and airsoft would actually be a bad alternative.  California has always been different when it comes to purchasing things like that and their current economic situation reflects that.  Im not trying to down airsoft but when it comes to training for actual life or death situations it is best to be as realistic as possible all the way down to the roleplayers for the scenarios.  The cost is debateable but the bottom line is Simmunition is more realistic and has the closest ballistics to RS.  For argument sake Simmunition may be slightly more expensive but the benefit far surpasses airsoft.  California would have been smarter wasting taxpayer dollars on Simmunition than airsoft.  BTW California uses Simmunition too which only escalates the waste of taxpayer money as they aparently purchased both because in their out of control spending mentality they HAD to have it all.  The other issue that some airsofters feel the need to know artificially that LE or Military are using airsoft guns "like they use" to create some kind of "I'm one of them now" feeling because they use it too.  That is not the case in reality.  I say let airsoft be what aifsoft is and let the rest be what it is.  Again I'm not downing either side because I'm both.  I encourage anyone that wants to do either or both.  All you have to do is step up to the plate!

[coldfire]

Not to argue, even though I'd love to have a friendly debate with u, believe it or not systemas are not bought as much as u think at least for training, the mostly use kwa and g&g rifles.  This thread is going into another topic but I'll create another in a bit that we can have the friendly debate:)