do I Need a Sidearm.

[Impulse]

You don't need one, especially if you're running an AEG with high cap magazines. It'll spend the vast majority of the day in the holster and the only time it will come out is when you're all shooting each other in the butt on your way between games.

 

Are they fun? Hell yeah they are and I'd always recommend adding one to your kit, but is it necessary? Do you need it to be effective? Nope.

 

If you're running low cap or mid cap magazines it's a lot more useful as you'll find yourself reloading in the middle of a firefight and might need to transition (which feels great). If you're using a sniper, it's essential.

[Cyberlawyer]

Personally I always use a sidearm and it gets used at some point in most games, so I wouldn’t leave home without one. 
 

But then I run almost exclusively GBBR rifles with realistic(ish) mag capacities, so getting a deadman’s click and needing a fast transition or just plain running out of ammo is a lot more common than with AEGs.

[Alimcd]

There’s something immensely satisfying about a slick switch to a secondary and getting a cheeky kill every now and again. 
 

There’s something immensely embarrassing realising your mag has leaked or your safety is on and you get absolutely showered by the rental kid you had the drop on.

 

I love mine but they are completely not essential 

[Impulse]

5 minutes ago, Alimcd said:

There’s something immensely embarrassing realising your mag has leaked or your safety is on and you get absolutely showered by the rental kid you had the drop on.

 

Or drawing it and realising at some point your mag release has been pressed and ejected the magazine somewhere 5 minutes behind you...

[Alimcd]

Just now, Impulse said:

 

Or drawing it and realising at some point your mag release has been pressed and ejected the magazine somewhere 5 minutes behind you...

Rummaging around in the effing bushes trying to find it, whilst still being shot at... yup, been there!

[remus]

As someone who usually brings a few guns as well as my sidearm the only time I use it much really is when I use my shotgun(so limited mags and short range anyway) and then I always feel so clumsy trying to use it in the wrong situation. Plus I have dropped it and done stupid stuff soo many times. Tbh I'd say for anyone to go play 3/times before considering a sidearm. You will generally do far more with a main... then again side arms are fun so long term likely will get a few lol.

[GAMBLE]

Hi @DRay! 👋

You’ve brought up a great topic for debate and a lot of interesting feedback from everyone on here! 🔫😎👍

I’m going to do a video next week on it, as funny enough my video this week will be looking at a different side to the sidearm! 🤪👍

Would you be ok with me saying it was mentioned on the forum under your user name Dray, if not won’t mention? 🤔

Also planning to get some more pistols in soon, akimbo (mentioned on recent status updates)! 🔫😆🔫

💷GAMBLE💷

[Adolf Hamster]

44 minutes ago, Impulse said:

 

Or drawing it and realising at some point your mag release has been pressed and ejected the magazine somewhere 5 minutes behind you...

 

This is just one of the many reasons the makarov is the greatest pistol ever made- heel release you'll never lose a mag.

[Impulse]

7 minutes ago, Adolf Hamster said:

 

This is just one of the many reasons the makarov is the greatest pistol ever made- heel release you'll never lose a mag.

 

It's why I've converted primarily to HK pistols. The mag release is a lot less likely to accidentally press itself while I'm crawling through bushes!

[Adolf Hamster]

1 minute ago, Impulse said:

 

It's why I've converted primarily to HK pistols. The mag release is a lot less likely to accidentally press itself while I'm crawling through bushes!

 

Never properly ran hk style releases but i'm surprised theyre good, they feel like they should be pretty bad for accidental drops

[Lozart]

1 hour ago, Impulse said:

 

It's why I've converted primarily to HK pistols. The mag release is a lot less likely to accidentally press itself while I'm crawling through bushes!

 

It's why I stopped using cheap shit holsters.

[benno996]

I never ran with one when I was using hicaps at the start of my airsoft ‘adventures’. The never ending capacity meant it was just easier to swap a mag out and get back to full auto destruction of rentals and kids with gravity fed M4s.
 

Now I’ve come to my senses and I’m running solely midcaps on any AR, I’ve got a Novritsch SSX23 on the way along with a 303 on preorder to enjoy alongside each other. I’m planning on running the pistol as a sidearm all the time and swapping between my Specna and the 303 for different situations/playing styles.

Absolutely love and hate pistols at the same time, but hands down completely agree with other comments about being a better choice for a CQB situation. Last time I played at the Courthouse in Bristol, the guy running around with a GBB and red laser literally bossed the entire day, nobody could get close to him. 

[DRay]

10 hours ago, GAMBLE said:

Hi @DRay! 👋

You’ve brought up a great topic for debate and a lot of interesting feedback from everyone on here! 🔫😎👍

I’m going to do a video next week on it, as funny enough my video this week will be looking at a different side to the sidearm! 🤪👍

Would you be ok with me saying it was mentioned on the forum under your user name Dray, if not won’t mention? 🤔

Also planning to get some more pistols in soon, akimbo (mentioned on recent status updates)! 🔫😆🔫

💷GAMBLE💷

Reference me with pleasure mate. 
 

To frame my side of the discussion; I ran round with a sidearm on my chest for many many boardings when I was a junior officer. I always regarded it as a pain in the arse, never came close to even thinking about drawing it. Purely just another thing to have to strip and clean to get the salt out of it. 
 

I wondered if it I might suddenly have an epiphany moment and see the point of the extra hassle now that I have taken up airsoft. 
 

It seems like the consensus is;

 

1. Not required for a carbine/aggressive assault role. 
2. Desirable for CQB. 

3. Extra admin (gas/magazines etc). 
4. Satisfying to pop a rental hiding behind cover (which is fun regardless). 
5. Pretty if you have a revolver. 

[Cr0-Magnon]

Of course you don't "need" one, we're not talking life and death situations here. In terms of staying in the game as long as possible they can be useful when fighting room to room (even in a woodland village situation). Depends on your primary too, if it's short to medium you'll likely rarely even think about drawing it. Saying that, some of my most satisfying "kills" have been with my pistol. Anyone can spray 100 BB's from an AEG and hit a couple of people along the way but there's a real sense of achievement when you manage to take out a charging foe or skilfully clear room to room, winning the exchanges with a 20 round mag - of course the blow-back action and noise add to the drama.

[BigStew]

2 hours ago, DRay said:

Reference me with pleasure mate. 
 

To frame my side of the discussion; I ran round with a sidearm on my chest for many many boardings when I was a junior officer. I always regarded it as a pain in the arse, never came close to even thinking about drawing it. Purely just another thing to have to strip and clean to get the salt out of it. 
 

I wondered if it I might suddenly have an epiphany moment and see the point of the extra hassle now that I have taken up airsoft. 
 

It seems like the consensus is;

 

1. Not required for a carbine/aggressive assault role. 
2. Desirable for CQB. 

3. Extra admin (gas/magazines etc). 
4. Satisfying to pop a rental hiding behind cover (which is fun regardless). 
5. Pretty if you have a revolver. 

Pretty much. As to number 5 if you can bring yourself to stump up for a Tanaka you can have pretty and effective revolver. Just a ball ache to reload.

[PopRocket123]

No you don't need one but every time I don't carry one my primary goes down in the middle of a firefight. So now I carry one basically as a totem. 

[heroshark]

or the tm revolvers are respectable. Easy to find , not as solid as a tanaka though . I'm a fan of the co2 kwc colt pythons I can  let the off frame shape off for the fact they are easy to get,  cheap, really robust and have a hop.

[Skara]

Never needed one apart from when I'm sniping.

 

I just carry one to shoot people in the ass between games.

[HuttArmouries]

1 hour ago, BigStew said:

Pretty much. As to number 5 if you can bring yourself to stump up for a Tanaka you can have pretty and effective revolver. Just a ball ache to reload.

Tanaka revolvers seconded if you can find them. 

[Tackle]

Lol, nothing more gratifying than an "ass shot"😈

[CrackCommandoUnit1972]

A side arm is useful when you are running a GBBR with low cap mags. You don't want to get caught short when you have run out of ammo for your main gun.

[Sitting Duck]

if you are going to use it a lot say for CQB...

then try to check for entended mag option...

 

 

[GAMBLE]

Hi @DRay! 👋

Just to let you know, I will bring up your topic this Sunday and mention my one next week! 🤔👍

💷GAMBLE💷

[BobaTheFett]

I play sniper the site I play at requires me to have a back up for minimum engagement distance. I have historically carried a gbb pistol,.. though after this pandemic shit is done with I am thinking of dragging an lmg along behind me,.. for the zombies,... “that bush twitched,.. must be a sniper, let’s all quietly sneak over and Gank him!”  Bush replies with “brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt”

[Alimcd]

Just remember to have a backup sidearm in case your secondary misbehaves