Airsoft conversions for real guns

Training Training and Tactics
1

(not sure if this is the right place for this or not)

I have an airsoft G19, and it’s an OK training tool and fun to muck around with in the yard, but the trigger is lighter than I’d ever feel comfortable with on a real gun. Taking the slide off I don’t see any reason someone couldn’t make an airsoft conversion kit like they do the .22 rimfire kits. I could see where there might be a slight difficulty resetting the trigger, but otherwise the airsoft gun doesn’t look a while lot different.

For those that aren’t familiar, the Airsoft gun uses the extra room in the magazine (BB is smaller than 9mm) to store the gas and the magazine is weighted to try to make the total package weigh similar to the real gun.

I’d like to get the benefits of the .22 rimfire conversion I have but be suburbia-safe (provided the neighbors can’t see me).

2

It might be more worthwhile to try and add a heavier return spring to the airsoft pistol rather than trying to convert a G19 to airsoft.

Does your airsoft G19 have a return spring?

3

Can you post a picture of the internals of the airsoft gun? I’m sure there is someone here with an engineer mindset that would come up with a solution.

4

Putting heavier springs in the trigger is unlikely to work, as it directly affects the amount of gas released form the magazine. Too heavy a spring and the gun will bash itself to death and/or bleed the gas reservoir in no time flat.

I think a smart fellow could come up with an airsoft conversion for a real pistol, but it would have to be a nearly ground-up job. Sure, the slide could be super lightweight aluminum (not unlike a 22 conversion) hollowed out for the gas blowback conversion but the magazines would have to be a complete redesign. If you’ll look inside your airsoft Glock frame, you’ll note the hammer that pushes the valve striker forward. I can’t see a way off the top of my head to make a real Glock frame interface with a magazine in such a way to get it to vent gas.

It would be easier, I think, to talk to one of the manufacturers about making an airsoft gun with a more realistic trigger weight around 5 or 6 pounds. Then they could play with valves and springs and figure out how to make it run with a heavier trigger.

5

Ive considered pursuing this but the issue lies in the fact that there is too much liability associated with this.

You would essentially be putting your airsoft slide onto a serialized firearm part.

I dont believe there is any way to make a real slide work on an airsoft lower, its simply too heavy.

Airsoft technology is so far behind firearms when it comes to materials and craftsmanship. We have a long way to go before we are caught up…if that even ever happens.

6

I know this response has nothing to do with converting a real Glock to an arisoft with some mods buuut…

I would try a pellet/bb Glock replica as I feel the only way to get as close to the real thing is simunitions.

I consider airsofts more for FOF than backyard practice since you are actually shooting people with a replica of what you would use in real life… Albeit, not exactly the same but somewhat close with the dopeamine and hydrocortisol to boot.
A bb or pellet would get you almost half the fps that an actaul 9mm would while the airsoft may get you a quarter of that. A bb gun is also a better reference point since you can actually print your results on paper. I could even attempt ToddG’s dot torture with an airsoft but my BB HKUSP did fairly well…even got some bbs stuck in the neighbors shed(went trhough the fence,oops).

http://www.co2airguns.net/Collection/Crosman%20T4/index.htm

7

The technology isn’t far behind. The metallurgy is more than behind, it’s generally bassackwards beyond belief.

This is entirely mechanically possible - for an M4 use a complete exising lower (would require modified WesternArms/CA/STTI gas M4 magazines), modified WA upper half, would probably need an underpowered buffer, or a self-contained short reciprocating bolt simiar to the .22lr conversion, with it’s own brass barrel, dummy outer barrel, and hopup.
For a glock upper slide - I don’t think the striker can be used in Glock geometry with any of the standard blowback chamber arrangements out there (when GBB pistols fire, they send about 40% of the expanding gas to propel the BB, the rest into a cylinder that forces the slide to cycle). The magazines also don’t fit.
That said, there are viable training Glocks and M1911’s that already exist, and are pretty affordable.

My Western Arms ICQB fits into every holster, and uses every accessory my LesBaer CQB can. I can run indoor training with the same holster, same magazine pouches, with only minor caveats (mostly, dropping $50 magazines is out). I reworked the trigger, tossed in a spare 15lb mainspring (extreme wear on the shit-quality sear it came with, but I have a somewhat nicely breaking 5.5# trigger), it points the same, runs the same Surefire Lights and GTRL, lives in the same Safariland 6004.

As for the AR’s, they’re coming down in price (the gas versions that more closely replicate the AR15 manual of arms) that will also accept all Magpul and Magpul PTS accessories, so just get a complete airsoft dummy gun that’s simpler. Magazine cost is again the real issue - they’re pricy, as the magazine is the heart of the system, and will require some PM on the rubber seals (and a trip to HomeDepot to get spares at most), but the savings is pretty incredible.

The ability to use them in FOF applications, as well as price per round when using propane or duster gas (A bag of 4000 rounds is $12, a couple cans of propane is $3) when compared to even cheap wolf is eye-opening.

Sadly, very few of them are affordable, and lack the quality to be used the way a blue/red gun would for retention drills, I’ve seen them come apart that way, but for some tailored applications, there’s no legitimate reason not to use a 6mm airsoft gun.

If there’s real interest, I can start putting up pictures and explaining the details of how these work. I meddle in airsoft for recreation, and serious training, glad to put some of this knowledge to work.

8

Yours and Magz knowledge of airsoft surpases any that I know or have ever conversed with. I have attempted to replicate my HK USP the best I could but I keep coming up short. I also attempted a milsim G17 but the infringment shyt that is going on had all Glock replicas pulled from the shelves at AE here.

I have a genuine interest in a full scale 6mm replica for FOF purposes and habituation of basics only. Airsoft in not good for hand to hand if you spend beaucoup bux on the rigs becuase they will break after being dumped once. I have broken a couple pricey ones myself. I now buy the cheapies for that purpose since they still act like the real thing and fire projos…unlike red and green guns which do not do not really coincide with actuality becuase they dont cycle, accept mags nor fire anything. I found that the “unarmed against the gun” scenarios required projos and not just a positive click of the trigger or a person making a bang sound, in order to guage how time and space needs to be utilized so one can efficiently get behind the muzzle without taking a fatal wound. Albeit an actual gun will be pushing velocities that almost triple some airsoft projos…it is still better than nothing and a true eye opener once you get beaned repeatedly from mistakes.
Camp P in O-side has a full scale battle zone for FOF, in fact I believe its multiple different set-ups.