An Airsoft Impression of Travis Haley and Chris Costa

OK, ok - I know. It's so easy to start ragging on these guys and talk about all the things they are doing wrong or different than the experts. But let's just pause to think about what they are doing right here. They are out there training - good. They are working on moving, communication, and reloading - good. They are out there - good. Oh wait, did I mention that already? Well, it's worth noting because so many airsoft critics are just chairsofters, bustin' everyone's chops but never getting away from the computer long enough to actually train, skirmish, or run in an OP. So the bottom-line is good to go for anyone (like these guys) who is actually out there and working on improving.

That said, here are a few of my observations.

First, you have to think about switching hands from time to time. I realize not all real-steel operators do that, but if you watch Costa at the last barricade, he does switch shoulder and shoot around the barricade from his left. Haley doesn't switch and that may be because he would lose time in the fire fight. But at least knowing how to do that would be helpful (a video on this coming in the future).

Another observation - one of the great axioms of training or practice is to train like it's the real thing. I notice that there is some mag dropping when these guys reload. In my world at least (and I think in most of our worlds) we can't afford to leave airsoft mags behind or even take the chance of losing one. If I were doing this, I'd be dropping mags into a dump pouch or back into a mag pouch. For realism based on a real firefight, this video gets points for dropping mags. For airsoft realism, I wouldn't be dropping mags.

Last one - good muzzle control - no one sweeping across their fire buddy.

Overall though, this is a great video to show some basics on how to train.

- Carp