Why Sidearm Is Important In Airsoft?
Introduction:
Sidearms are usually pretty expensive. Especially if you compare them to the primary weapons. So we airsofters often hesitate to buy them. Is it worth the money?
Do we really need them? Yes, we do. But, the question is, is it worth spending your money?
Let’s find out.
But before that, let’s get one thing clear. We all play airsoft differently in the field. Some may need the sidearm more than others. Some may not need them as much. So, it varies from person to person, player to player. If you are a sniper, you will definitely have little use of an airsoft sidearm. You will find a suitable place to snipe down your enemy from a distance.
However, some people find it assuring that if someone gets close without them noticing, they can take a shot with their sidearm. Forget about the assuring fact, some people even use a primary weapon despite having a sniper. But, most of them don’t use.
So, what I am trying to say is, despite having the clear advantage and disadvantage of having a sidearm, it all come downs to your personal preferences.
Why you should own a sidearm
There are a few reasons to consider carrying a sidearm with your primary weapon. Suppose:
- You ran out of ammo
Sometimes in the middle shooting suddenly and stupidly you ran out of ammo. Well, you might not have the experience (good for you), but I have the similar kind of experience. So, what do you do, in the middle of the fight while there are bbs flying around you and your teams and there are enemies to shoot? You pick up the sidearm and keep yourself in the game.
- Suddenly your primary weapon stopped working
Suddenly for no good reasons, your primary weapon may not shoot anymore. It happens to us all, right? And in the airsoft field there is little time to find out what is causing the problem and fixing it. Instead of doing that, isn’t it better to just switch into a secondary weapon? Think for a second.
You are not unable to use your primary arm, what would you do, if you don’t have any sidearm?
- For pistol only games
There are various kinds of airsoft games to play. Different rules applies for different types of games. Sometimes we airsofters use only pistols in a game. No assault rifle, no sniper rifle…nothing. Just plain pistol.
- High power rate fire option
When you are using a bolt action sniper or similar kind of primary weapon with low fire rate, you would definitely face difficulty in a short and close range. The enemy would move quickly and you can miss your target quite easily and be noticed. So by the time you finish reloading your sniper rifle, you might be easily shot down dead. So, you need to defend yourself in those kind of situations.
First of all, in close range, when your enemies are at a very near distance, don’t rely on your sniper rifle to reload and take a shot. Use the secondary weapon or should I say sidearm that you possess.
- Shooting offhand
There are many times we face enemies on the other side from which we are pointing our primary weapons at. Moving the whole weapon to your other side of the body and fire, might not be the best idea. Instead of doing that, it is better to just draw your sidearm from your holster and shoot from your offhand. And because it is a lightweight sidearm, you can use it pretty effectively even in the offhand.
- It looks cool
Just imagine, using a pistol with silencer and an extended magazine. And if you are really good at them, it would become just as deadly as cool it looks. Who don’t want to look cool in a close range airsoft match? Especially after the Jhon Wick phenomenon in pop culture.
When you are backing off or running away from a place while sniping your enemies, you look way cooler to shoot from a sidearm rather than just flee away.
- Dominance in Close Quarter Battle
Pistols, as sidearm are quite dominant in a CQB or also known as Close Quarter Battle. In my humble opinion, pistols work better than the usual primary weapons we see people using in a CQB match. So, if you practice with your sidearm, you can do way better with it than the primary weapons.
Why you should not own a sidearm
Though, there are a plenty of reasons to have a pistol or secondary weapon, but these cases are rare if you are a newbie.
If you are new to airsoft you should spend your money wisely to buy good primary weapons. The chance that you would have to rely on your sidearm is pretty low. Besides, they are quite expensive.
Unless you play as a sniper from the start, which you should not, you don’t need a pistol as a sidearm.
If you are new in Airsoft-
- Buy a good primary weapon and get comfortable with it.
- Buy the other necessary gears with it.
- Buy a light back-up rifle when you get used to with your primary one.
- Buy a pistol as a sidearm (if you think you need it, then)
The final verdict
If you are a newbie, do not buy a sidearm right away. Get used to the games, then decide on your own, if you really need it or not.