Yes.Exactly, could you imagine mounting your bayonet to an air rifle and using it on someone in battle?Semper Fi!
Not practical for the military. Refilling the air tank during combat is too problematic. Air rifles are excellent for civilian use but the modern battlefields are another story. Been there, done that.With the introduction of these new rifles such as the Skout Epoch rifles, the FX Panthera, and the Impact M3…I think it’s only a matter of time before they are adopted by the military for training or actual military application (they might already be in use…I recall the Impact was being used as a training tool for snipers under the Black Hawk Down instructor). Then there will be regulation…then I cry. I wish we could just be stuck in limbo where we are at now…but I don’t think it’s going to happen since it’s human nature to want more and more and better toys. People are hitting 4 inch targets at 250 yards with a little .22 slug. Imagine 10 years from now…
What do you all think?
Actually, Napoleon didn't do it. The Austrian military used them against the French/Napoleon during that conflict. Napoleon thought the air rifles were so dangerous that he ordered anyone caught with one was to be executed.Napoleon did it many, many years ago…
Napoleonic weaponry and warfare - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
The Austrian Army introduced the Girardoni M1780 repeating air rifle as a specialist weapon and used them in the Napoleonic Wars. A multi-shot breech loader, it only had an effective full charge range to about 150 yd (140 m). It was nearly silent and made no smoke or noise, but was complex and needed a significant infrastructure to support it. The air rifle fell out of use after 1815 as more conventional types of weapons proved superior overall, in only a few more decades, all soldiers would be gunpowder rifle equipped.
They were used when the best military rifles were black powder muzzleloaders. Other than training (basic rifle marksmanship maybe?), there is no realistic place for them on the modern battlefield.Lewis and Clark took an air rifle on their expedition. A Giradoni pcp that took 1500 pumps to get 30 shots, according to Wikipedia.
They were used in actual combat.
The Girardoni air rifle was in service with the Austrian army from 1780 to around 1815. Many references to the Girardoni air rifles mention lethal combat ranges of 125 to 150 yards and some extend that range considerably. The advantages of a high rate of fire, no smoke from propellants, and low muzzle report granted it acceptance.
It looks like they do use paintball markers for training.
Could I ask, what are the mayor shortcomings of airguns in terms of self defense? And what is wrong with airguns that shoot rubber balls?I agree. I always slam in on the YouTube vids touting airguns for self defense too. I get it that felons may have no other option but these video makers should point that out and stress the massive short comings they have. Drives me almost as nuts as those idiotic pepper ball guns. OMG don’t even get me started on the idiocy of those things.
With the introduction of these new rifles such as the Skout Epoch rifles, the FX Panthera, and the Impact M3…I think it’s only a matter of time before they are adopted by the military for training or actual military application (they might already be in use…I recall the Impact was being used as a training tool for snipers under the Black Hawk Down instructor). Then there will be regulation…then I cry. I wish we could just be stuck in limbo where we are at now…but I don’t think it’s going to happen since it’s human nature to want more and more and better toys. People are hitting 4 inch targets at 250 yards with a little .22 slug. Imagine 10 years from now…
What do you all think?
Well, the biggest shortcoming on this forum is that it's against the rules to discuss it.Could I ask, what are the mayor shortcomings of airguns in terms of self defense? And what is wrong with airguns that shoot rubber balls?
Hoping a comment explaining why NOT to use it for these purposes will be allowed.Could I ask, what are the mayor shortcomings of airguns in terms of self defense? And what is wrong with airguns that shoot rubber balls?
So if you are facing severe bodily injury or death, what would be a good thing to do? pepper spray?Hoping a comment explaining why NOT to use it for these purposes will be allowed.
Reliability- In a situation where you’re facing severe bodily injury or death you don’t want the thing that’s substantially more complex to be what you’re relying on. Likewise they can leak so readiness isn’t assured.
Durability- most pbs can get thrown around and still function, I don’t think any of us would feel comfortable dropping a pcp to the pavement.
Power- for the same size you’ll always be able to extract more power from a pb, this is just inherent to physics.
Escalation without sufficient stopping power- the drawing of a PCP may result in the attacker escalating themselves with a pb.
Better tools exist- People think of pepper spray as a feminine thing. Best tool out there in my opinion, legal ramifications for use are far less than something firing a metal projectile and boy does it work. Also don’t need to worry as much about where a shot could go if it misses its target.
Well in most parts of the good ole U S of A, we express our 2nd amendment right. Castle doctrine is a thing of beauty.So if you are facing severe bodily injury or death, what would be a good thing to do? pepper spray?
But what in a country like the Netherlands, where firearms are heavily restricted. In principle all firearms are forbidden. Certain groups can acquire one, but it is not easy. Sport shooters who have a gun license need to store their firearms in a safe, with a separate compartment for the ammunition. Using your firearm for self defense, even if it is legally justified, will lead to your license being revoked. How can one defend oneselve against bodily injury/death in a country like the Netherlands. Also pepperspray, blank guns and tasers are forbidden and considered as an illegal weapon.(unlike our eastern neighbour Germany). many knives are also forbidden to own. The only weapons that you are legally allowed to own, you cant carry on the street, if caught they will be confiscated.Well in most parts of the good ole U S of A, we express our 2nd amendment right. Castle doctrine is a thing of beauty.
Pepper spray is illegal in the Netherlands. Many dutch people go to Germany to buy pepperspray, but it is still illegal. If caught the pepperspray is confiscated, you get a penalty which is also put on your criminal record.As far as Airguns go the primary thing is reliability. They just aren’t close when compared to the primary SD tool.
Rubber balls? What good are those going to do you if your life is on the line? If the situation doesn’t dictate use of lethal force is it really a good idea to use a tool that looks exactly like one capable of such? Sounds a good way to get dead. Just carry pepper spray for less than lethal. Leave the less than lethal launchers that look just like lethal ones to non civilian use. Just my opinion.
Learn to fight? Get good with a sword? Move?But what in a country like the Netherlands, where firearms are heavily restricted. In principle all firearms are forbidden. Certain groups can acquire one, but it is not easy. Sport shooters who have a gun license need to store their firearms in a safe, with a separate compartment for the ammunition. Using your firearm for self defense, even if it is legally justified, will lead to your license being revoked. How can one defend oneselve against bodily injury/death in a country like the Netherlands. Also pepperspray, blank guns and tasers are forbidden and considered as an illegal weapon.(unlike our eastern neighbour Germany). many knives are also forbidden to own. The only weapons that you are legally allowed to own, you cant carry on the street, if caught they will be confiscated.
But pepperspray is also not a lethal weapon. It is also not a wonder weapon.Not sure what to say there. People need to figure a way to elect actual freedom I guess.![]()