In 2024, law enforcement instructors looking for firearm training tools are spoiled for choice. Live firearms at a shooting range are no longer the only option. Police departments and academies across the country increasingly use realistic recoil kits to give recruits the most true-to-life training should their firearm be the only factor standing between a threat and public safety. These modern training solutions slot into a service weapon, preventing it from firing, and use CO2 to cycle the action, simulating recoil. These devices often use lasers to interface with projected targets and computers with highly detailed ballistics that accurately simulate a live fire range or scenario. Conversely, non-guns, or blue guns, are inert, detailed firearm replicas, often colored bright blue or orange, with no moving parts. Overall, recoil kits outclass the “blue guns” of yesteryear by every metric while providing a similar experience to a live firearm.
So why are non-guns still a mainstay in curriculums nationwide despite the availability of more realistic options? First, non-guns cost significantly less than their high-tech counterparts. Fair enough. More interestingly, however, are the training applications that necessitate non-guns.
The utilization of non-guns within training environments like VirTra’s offers a secure and efficient alternative to the employment of actual firearms during law enforcement training. In situations where the use of actual firearms would be improper or harmful, instructors may opt for non-guns. For example, departments use them in training environments involving people unfamiliar or uncomfortable with weapons, such as youth, educational faculty, or healthcare staff.
These devices have been developed to ensure safety while serving the form and fit for efficient training. In contrast to genuine firearms, non-guns cannot shoot live ammunition, which considerably reduces the chance of accidental discharge and injury for the user or people nearby. Because of this, they are especially well-suited for usage in sensitive environments, such as schools, community centers, mat rooms, and other places where the possession of real firearms poses extra risk.
The safety characteristics of non-guns make it possible for trainees to participate in high-pressure, realistic scenarios without the risks or concerns associated with live firearms. As a result, non-guns are an extremely useful instrument in the training of law enforcement officers. This issue is especially relevant when working with younger populations, where training personnel need to emphasize developing decision-making skills and comprehending the dynamics of situations involving the use of force in a controlled and relatively risk-free environment. Trainers can deliver training experiences that are both realistic and impactful by utilizing non-guns within VirTra simulators. This allows them to maintain the greatest possible safety standards for all participants.
Ultimately, non-guns have several advantages over recoil kits or live firearms for training applications, primarily that non-guns are safer, permitted in far more locations, and have a greater range of populations. It is also quicker and easier to grab a non-gun and train if you have armory policies that take time, reservation, paperwork, etc. Every police department must evaluate its training needs to determine which solution, if not both, suits its team.
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