The use of inert training weapons is often essential for ensuring safety while honing critical skills. Armament Systems and Procedures (ASP) Red Guns® are among the very best in this regard and offer some unique features.

The Foundation of ASP and Its Red Guns

If you’ve been involved in law enforcement in the past 50 years, you know ASP. But for those unfamiliar, ASP is legendary in the law enforcement community. The company provides a wide range of products, including batons, handcuffs, tactical flashlights, and more. Around 150 patents cover ASP products.

The company was founded in 1976 by Dr. Kevin Parsons, who had a background in police management and use of force. He was also a police academy instructor in firearms and defensive tactics. The company was founded to design and provide innovative use-of-force tools and training, hence the name behind the initials—Armament Systems and Procedures.

ASP’s first product was the expandable baton, which quickly gained popularity among law enforcement agencies for its portability, convenience, and effectiveness. This product set the foundation for ASP’s reputation for quality and innovation in law enforcement equipment. To this day, virtually any police officer will refer to any expandable baton as an “asp.”

ASP is also known for its commitment to training. The company invests millions of dollars to provide tuition-free training to law enforcement officers worldwide. It focuses on the integrated use of batons, restraints, and flashlights.

This training is highly sought after and considered the gold standard in the industry. A significant portion of the company’s sales go to fund this free training.

What Are ASP Red Guns?

ASP Red Guns are widely recognized inert training weapons designed for law enforcement and military personnel. They’re used in over 100 countries around the world. The guns are precisely molded from the actual firearm they replicate.

Made from a durable, proprietary solid polymer with internal steel reinforcement, Red Guns are nearly indestructible. Their unmistakable bright red color signifies their inert status and ensures absolute safety during training exercises.

Features like removable magazines—a patented feature that’s exclusive to ASP’s new “Enhanced Red Gun” collection—add to their utility. It allows for realistic training scenarios that include emergency and tactical reloads.

Training with Red Guns

Training with Red Guns offers several important advantages. Most importantly, they’re completely inert, eliminating the risk of accidental discharge or injury during training exercises. They do this while replicating the real firearms’ look, feel, weight, and holster fit, thereby enhancing the realism of training scenarios.

Red guns are easily distinguished from actual firearms, ensuring safety in the training area. These training replicas are built to withstand rigorous use and can endure repeated training sessions without compromising their structural integrity. They’re also cost-effective.

Red Guns are useful in a wide range of training scenarios, from basic handling drills to advanced tactical exercises, providing a realistic training experience without the associated risks. Individuals of all skill levels can use Red Guns to practice and improve their techniques without the risk and intimidation factor of live firearms. Likewise, training may be conducted in places where live firearms may not.

Training for Concealed Carry

Red Guns are invaluable tools for concealed carry training. They allow you to practice clearing your cover garment, drawing, presenting, and holstering your weapon safely. Additionally, you can use your weapon in conjunction with a flashlight, without the risk of accidental discharge.

By using Red Guns, you can simulate real-life scenarios where you might need to access your concealed weapon quickly and efficiently. They are also ideal for practicing weapon retention and disarming techniques with a partner.

Training with Red Guns helps develop what’s commonly referred to as “muscle memory”—committing a specific motor task into memory through repetition, allowing it to be reproduced without conscious thought. It’s muscle memory that allows you to execute the technique smoothly and efficiently under pressure.

Additionally, Red Guns provide a safe way to practice situational awareness and decision-making under pressure, which are crucial skills for anyone carrying a concealed weapon. This type of training emphasizes decision-making under pressure and teaches when and why to use weapons. Simulating high-stress environments helps you manage stress and maintain composure during critical incidents.

Limitations of Red Guns

While Red Guns are excellent training tools, they have limitations like all inert training weapons. They are an adjunct to live firearms, not a replacement. Red Guns lack moving parts like slides or triggers, so certain firearm manipulations, such as racking the slide or pulling the trigger, cannot be practiced realistically. As a result, they do not provide the same feedback as live-fire training and do not simulate recoil.

Even though Enhanced Red Guns have removable magazines, they do not replicate the full functionality of real magazines, such as feeding rounds into the chamber. Additionally, although Red Guns are designed to replicate the weight of real firearms, slight differences can affect training realism. This is especially true for those attuned to the weight and balance of their service or carry weapons.

ASP M18 Enhanced Red Gun

ASP provided me with its new M18 Enhanced Red Gun. It replicates the look, feel, and weight of the real SIG SAUER® M18, the U.S. military’s new compact sidearm. This high level of realism ensures you can train with a tool that closely mimics the service weapon. It enhances the effectiveness of training sessions for anyone who carries the M18, one of its commercial counterparts.

I have done a lot of training with Red Guns over the years, but this is the first time I’ve handled and trained with one of the new Enhanced Red Guns. I must say, I’m very impressed.

The magazine release functions the same as on the actual firearm. It comes with two magazines, allowing you to practice tactical reloads and build upon your current skills right out of the box . One of the two magazines supplied with the enhanced guns is heavy and one is light—to simulate both a loaded and unloaded mag. They drop free like standard magazines. Additional magazines are available for purchase from ASP.

I have been training with the Galco® Holsters Triton 3.0 Kydex IWB holster. It’s an excellent choice for anyone seeking a reliable, versatile, and comfortable concealed carry solution. Its durable construction, adjustable features, and compatibility with red dot sights make it a top-tier holster. The M18 Enhanced Red Gun fits perfectly, as expected, improving the overall training experience.

Final Thoughts

ASP Red Guns offer exceptional value as training tools. Their realistic design, durable construction, and distinctive red color ensure safe and effective training sessions. With a lifetime warranty and a wide range of models available, ASP Red Guns are an essential investment. 

They are a must for any training program, whether professional or personal. The peace of mind they provide is invaluable.

You can purchase ASP Red Guns directly from the ASP website, where they offer a wide range of models. You can also purchase Red Guns at ASP authorized dealers. Depending on where you buy, the solid model handguns are typically $56-$69, and the Enhanced “Drop Mag” pistols around $91-$113.

For more information, please visit ASP-USA.com.