With over 11 million views, the YouTube video from T.REX Arms testing whether airsoft skills translate to actual firearms proficiency has captured the attention of shooting enthusiasts worldwide. The video proves one thing: dry firing works.
Unlike other creators’ reaction videos, we bring a unique perspective to this topic. Having transitioned from airsoft to firearms ourselves, my brother and I have firsthand experience with both the benefits and pitfalls of using airsoft as a training tool.
In this blog, we’ll share our journey, discuss the challenges we faced, and highlight the advantages of airsoft in skill development. We’ll also draw conclusions based on our findings and compare them to insights from the T.REX Arms video.
But before we dig into this subject if you want quality gear and like our work, please support us by buying over our store!
Our Background in Airsoft and Firearms
We started out with airsoft in 2015 when we were college students studying physics. Like many, we stumbled into airsoft and were hooked. By 2019, we started learning from professionals, including a former SF instructor and military CQB experts.
These experiences taught us foundational stances, movements, and shooting techniques—all with airsoft guns.
To enhance realism, we switched from AEG to GBB systems, incorporating realistic magazine capacities into our training and events. That same year, we had our first range experiences with firearms, marking the beginning of our transition.
In 2021, we joined a pistol course led by an SOF/SWAT instructor, which inspired us to obtain licenses and firearms. Since then, we’ve completed five additional courses covering various disciplines and continue regular live-fire practice and dry firing.
The T.REX Arms Video: A Case Study
The T.REX Arms video features Liku_Tactical, a Japanese trainee who mastered shooting fundamentals using only airsoft guns.
After three years of practice, Liku’s first-ever live-fire session with firearms revealed impressive skills, especially in timed drills. His performance underscored the power of disciplined dry firing.
However, while Liku’s speed was remarkable, we’ve focused more on the tactile aspects of shooting—something we’ll explore in detail.
Pitfalls of Transitioning from Airsoft to Firearms
1. Pistol Challenges
Grip Strength: One of our earliest hurdles was maintaining proper grip during live-fire with 9mm pistols. Despite practicing grips extensively with airsoft pistols, our grip strength was insufficient to manage recoil effectively.
Starting with .22 caliber pistols helped bridge this gap. We also experimented with techniques from instructors and online sources, refining our grip through trial and error.
Fear of Handling a Loaded Firearm: Our first pistol course introduced the freedom of carrying a chambered weapon. Despite extensive practice with airsoft, we couldn’t shake the fear of accidental discharge. This hesitation faded by our second course but highlights a mental barrier when transitioning.
Flinching: Anticipating recoil caused rounds to hit low left, a common issue for new shooters. Overcoming flinching required slow, deliberate trigger pulls to “relearn” surprise breaks, ball-and-dummy drills, and grip-strength training.
Blinking and Fatigue: Blinking during shots and muscle fatigue were additional challenges. Consistent live-fire practice helped mitigate blinking, while dry firing built endurance for sustained shooting sessions.
2. Rifle Challenges
Bolt and Slide Manipulation: Pulling a rifle bolt or racking a slide on a real firearm demanded
significantly more strength than airsoft counterparts. Learning to use opposing
forces—pulling with one hand while pushing with the other—proved essential.
Recoil Management: Even the best gas blowback airsoft rifles
couldn’t replicate the recoil of a real .223 rifle. Managing this required
focus and effort to maintain on-target accuracy during rapid-fire sequences.
Positives of Airsoft Training
Despite the challenges, airsoft offered several advantages:
1. Tactical Foundations: Our prior airsoft training ingrained proper stances, movements, and teamwork. These habits translated seamlessly to firearms, especially in dynamic scenarios like room clearing and team-based tactics.
2. Manual of Arms: Reloading drills, safety manipulation, and up drills practiced with airsoft rifles closely mirrored real firearms handling. This muscle memory proved invaluable during live-fire training.
3. Force-on-Force Experience: Airsoft provided realistic force-on-force scenarios, improving our
target identification, communication, and decision-making under pressure.
Key Insights from T.REX Arms and Our Experience
The T.REX Arms video highlights the value of dry firing and tactical airsoft practice. However, Liku’s malfunctions drills stood out as exceptional, indicating he trained specifically for firearm applications rather than solely airsoft scenarios. For us, malfunction drills were a new skill learned only after transitioning to firearms.
Additionally, platform familiarity plays a
significant role. Switching from AR-15s to other platforms can slow even
seasoned shooters like Liku or Lucas Botkin, reinforcing the importance of
diverse training.
Conclusion
Airsoft can indeed translate to firearms skills but is not a direct replacement for live-fire training. Its primary value lies in tactical combat shooting skills, teamwork, and equipment testing.
However, static airsoft shooting or speedsoft-style play offers limited transferability to real-world applications.
The combination of dry firing, live-fire practice, and tactical training provides the best outcomes. As tactical units demonstrate, integrating these elements creates well-rounded proficiency.
For gear that performs in both airsoft and firearms training, check out Reconbrothers.com. We only sell the good stuff!
Hopefully this blog was helpful for you. If you’re looking for these sort of products, accessories and much more cool stuff make sure to visit our webshop.
If you haven't seen the video from T.REX arms, we highly recommend you to watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQDfwyUgtjg&t=0s
