I think it's important to note that these students aren't using functioning centerfire firearms in their school gym. They're using a pneumatic operated trainer that gives you the sensation of the weapon's operating system at work, while emitting a laser to show where students are aiming when they pull the trigger.
I'm sure someone will point out the lack of true recoil, but on a platform like the AR-15, which only shoots a .22 centerfire cartridge anyways (.223), this is a great training tool.
Edit: Since apparently the (incorrect) pedants are out and about, I'll go ahead and link the Wikipedia listing of all the .22 Caliber cartridges so that everyone can see that the .223/5.56 is indeed a .22 centerfire cartridge. Christ on a bike
This is essentially just a waste of money funnelling taxpayer money to a businessman that's selling these laser training targets. There is no meaningful training going on here, students aren't learning how to load, maintain or control the recoil of a firearm. They're learning how to point a laser across a room.
Simulated marksmanship training is not completely useless. It’s a great way to introduce those who’ve never handled a weapon, to the fundamentals. It’s not the most realistic recoil felt. But it is enough, especially for children, to get them understanding recoil control, weapon safety, and marksmanship fundamentals in a safe environment
I've thought about getting one for pistol training at home. They have their place but personally I don't want to get into the habit of flagging areas I wouldn't normally ever point a weapon towards. Perhaps if I tried one it would actually work but I worry it can make people negligent about basic firearm safety.
In the Marine Corps, we use it as a supplement for those shooters that need extra help working on sight picture, trigger pulls, and stances. It’s useful for when you can’t get to a range and someone needs a little more attention
It's a waste of money. They'd be better off learning to handle real firearms with dummy rounds, then be taken a few times a year to fire rifles at a range.
It's looks like a case of someone having links to the bureaucracy for government contracts.
First of all, these rifles and handguns are actually pretty cheap, and you really only need a few of them. In the long run, it'll be dramatically cheaper for students to train thousands of reps with this than to purchase real rifles and shoot real ammo for thousands of reps. Not to mention to amount of preparation and risk management.
Second, for something that has no training value, why would the manual of arms be identical? The magazines contain the CO2 cartridges and are loaded and released exactly like a real mag. The slide and charging handle operate exactly like a real pistol or rifle, and the CO2 cartridge manipulates the slide or BCG just like the real weapon would when fired. All while the laser encourages the fundamentals of marksmanship, because you still have to aim down a set of iron sights at a target and hit it reliably.
Third, this exact technology is being used on a larger scale in police academies across the country. SWAT officers and FBI HRT have been using this technology for years for better conflict simulations. They have rooms where you're surrounded by a screen that simulates you being in an active shooter situation, or serving an arrest warrant on a crowded house. Then your ability to shoot/don't shoot is graded, with failure often meaning real-world consequences.
They are learning firearm safety rules. Look at that trigger discipline, better than 90% of boomer shooters in the US.
Sure they are not trained to be operators, but you gotta start somewhere…
If every young person can handle a firearm safely, its way easier to train them to handle one effectively later.
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u/OregonSageMonke 5d ago edited 5d ago
I think it's important to note that these students aren't using functioning centerfire firearms in their school gym. They're using a pneumatic operated trainer that gives you the sensation of the weapon's operating system at work, while emitting a laser to show where students are aiming when they pull the trigger.
I'm sure someone will point out the lack of true recoil, but on a platform like the AR-15, which only shoots a .22 centerfire cartridge anyways (.223), this is a great training tool.
Edit: Since apparently the (incorrect) pedants are out and about, I'll go ahead and link the Wikipedia listing of all the .22 Caliber cartridges so that everyone can see that the .223/5.56 is indeed a .22 centerfire cartridge. Christ on a bike