Sniping in airsoft?

[C4lv1n]

Hey all,

I'm looking at buying a sniper as my second gun. I've heard loads about sniping being boring in airsoft but wanted an opinion from loads of airsofters.

Thanks

[Saltyyy]

Re: Sniping in airsoft?

You have to put both a lot of time and money into getting a good airsoft sniper rifle.
Hop tuning, air seal, trigger pull etc, are all things you will need to finely tune to get everything working at a high standard.

Even with the best rifle, you aren't going to have much more range over a standard AEG, you could spend a whole day getting shot to sh*t and not hit anyone. You could spend a whole day not firing at all!

I'd suggest, if you want to give it a go, borrow a sniper rifle from a friend, make sure it's a good rifle, and have a day's play with that. If you enjoy it, then pursue it, if not, then you're not out of a few hundred quid.

[loki7491]

Re: Sniping in airsoft?

I don't want to sound rude.... But this question comes up every few weeks. There are loads of threads on this.

Either try the search function or look in the avice section or general airsoft discussion section.

[ChuckNorris56]

Re: Sniping in airsoft?

As above, if you are going to be a good sniper, it requires a lot of time, effort, practice and of course, money. Sniper rifles which have no internal upgrades can shoot further than an AEG with a decent hop rubber, but normally the target with an AEG only has to move forward a few meters before you are in range. Remember he can fire many rounds a second at you, while you can only fire one round every few seconds back at him. The rifle needs to have a perfect air seal, preferably an R-hop so you have the ability to hit targets from a distance that's they can't reach you, or hear you.

Sniping in airsoft isn't the same as it is depicted in video games. You need to be patient and have good fieldcraft skills to ensure you go undetected. There was a fantastic thread somewhere on here all about fieldcraft and rifle tuning ect but I don't remember where it is. I'm sure if you try the search function you will find it

There is so much that you need to consider before you go and give sniping a go and as mentioned before, find a friend or a nice person who will lend you their rifle for a few games and try it. Just so you don't go and spend hundreds of your hard earned pounds on a whole new loadout just to discover you don't like your new role.

Bear in mind this is just my opinion and some people may violently disagree with what I have said here... So read what others have to say also then go out and make your decision.

[Olphy]

Re: Sniping in airsoft?

I tried sniping one day with a standard but high quality TM VSR in a woodland game, it bored me to tears and I didn't even get close to one kill. Now sniping is not my play style and I am not well practiced, the point I'm trying to make is that you not only need a good gat and a good load out, you need the patience to lie in a cold ditch for a kill that may never come.

[PureSilver]

Re: Sniping in airsoft?

I agree with Olphy; if I wanted to spend my days lying prone in a ditch and not moving, I'd get murdered.

I think the limitations of airsoft ammunition and the rules most sites enforce lend themselves better to DMR-type players than true snipers. The velocity difference enforced by most sites between bolt-action sniper rifles ('BASR's) and semi-automatic-only designated marksman rifles ('DMR's) is usually quite small (50-75fps). The BASR's advantage (50-75fps) has to be balanced against the inherent inaccuracy of BBs, which means that your first (even your first few) shots may be blown off course, bounce off soft cover, or not by felt by your target. The DMR has an overwhelming advantage in firepower to mitigate those problems (even restricted to semi-automatic, most airsoft shooters can put 2-4 aimed rounds downrange per second) and it is consequently much more flexible - you can realistically use it as a defensive weapon at reasonably close quarters, particularly as it will usually have a smaller MED than a higher-power BASR.

[C4lv1n]

Re: Sniping in airsoft?

Alright thanks guys. I have a friend that might be able to lend me his sniper and I'll have a go with it. I guess it sounds a lot cooler than it is fun.

[FireKnife]

Re: Sniping in airsoft?

<insert typical joke about 'well they don't perhaps hire themselves out' when someone confuses 'sniper' with 'bolt action rifle'>

However what you will probably become is a marksman role. Essentially that option to reach out and touch enemies that are a little further away. To play as an actual sniper role you would need the patience, kit and correct rifle to do it. Not to mention a spotter if doing a US type team in particular. By being a marksman you run just behind your own teams lines, using your slightly longer range to engage targets or your extended vision from the scope to call shots.

To do a marksman role is simple and easy and can still be fun. To do a true sniper role you will need a lot of time, patience and perhaps not even get a single hit in a game as you spend much of your time relaying enemy positons or simple denying an area through the unknown fear of 'that shot that keeps coming from nowhere and hitting that tree / piece of cover'.

'FireKnife'

[god84]

Re: Sniping in airsoft?

I gotta say i do like to play the role of a sniper midway through the day or at the start of the day.

But i always switch it up to a moving role.

I really like that stalk type approach to the game being able to hit a solid 70m without too much droppage is a nice feeling. The only thing that i do which i will criticize is only shoot once per target. I try and treat it like the real thing haha.

I use my M82 locked to semi and still only shoot once, then get frustrated if they dont call hit LOL. The general calling people out and noticing gaps for my team mates is something i enjoy.

[Lt. Macka]

Re: Sniping in airsoft?

Alright thanks guys. I have a friend that might be able to lend me his sniper and I'll have a go with it. I guess it sounds a lot cooler than it is fun.

Firstly it's a sniper RIFLE.

Check out the thread linked in my signature below.
Enjoy.

Andy