Choices For an Airsoft Sniper Part 1 of 2

Of all the options that can be given for a good or best sniper rifle, the option of choice is the biggest factor. By choice I mean it is up to the individual. Each shooter will have their set of preferences. These are driven either by experience or by information gathered or given by others.

Again this information could be good, if given by those that really have experience or bad if taken from the Internet and those that are giving the info have never been involved in the sport. These will include the rifle as a starter and go as deep as to which brand of BB they will use. Now each of these choices will add to or detract from the performance of the shooter. Add to this the ability of the shooter and you have a mix of variables that determine how well or bad the shooter can perform as a sniper.

Now you may wonder what the draw is to being a sniper. Movies for one thing; another is the ability to be where the enemy does not expect you to be and to pick off those that are out of reach by the normal soldier. The normal grunt is shooting at everything that moves. The sniper is waiting for that one shot that will disable the enemy. He or she, (yes, women like being snipers too, sneaky aren't they), may be looking for glory, too.

Now this next item deals more with the pocketbook than the shooter. Well maybe not since the shooter controls the pocketbook. How much do I spend on a rifle? That is a good question. If you opt out for the cheap gun you are asking for trouble. Here is why, they will break, fall apart, jam up, make you pull out your hair before the game is even started. Now you know how I feel, lets try and be non emotional about it. Cheap rifles suck.

As the old saying goes "you get what you pay for". That is especially true for Airsoft guns. If you want a toy to play with in the back yard, go to Wal-Mart for a gun. If you want a rifle to actually use in an Airsoft combat game then you need to go to a dealer that sells realistic Airsoft weapons. Ones that are made for this type of use and will hold up under fire, so to speak.

Now you can go online and find great deals, and the good dealers usually have a good return policy. Prices in the range of $200 to $350 will buy you a good rifle, one that is accurate and sturdy. Also the rifle should be able to shoot a 3-inch grouping at about 100 - 130 foot range. Of course you have to take into account all the normal elements, wind, rain, snow and of course the urge to go potty.

One of the variables that are always good for a rousing discussion is, bolt or semi-auto action. This again has many points to the decision of the shooter. On one side you have the fact that a bolt action is more solid and has the advantage of fewer parts to fail, so it is more dependable. On the other side we have the fact that a semi-auto action allows you to get off another shot quickly if you need to before the target disappears. But then again, the idea of being a sniper is the ability to not be seen and have the advantage of surprise, while the enemy is trying to find you; you have the opportunity to get off another shot regardless of the type of action you have chosen.

History will always play a role in the type of weapon being chosen for the Airsoft sniper's rifle. Some shooters like reliving the past and will choose a weapon that was popular in previous wars. Nothing wrong with that in Airsoft combat as the playing field is pretty much even. By that I mean all the Airsoft weapons are pretty well matched in performance or ability regardless of the style. Now today in the real world, using a WW2 weapon against a modern 50 cal. Sniper rifle would be suicide. The ability to reach out and touch someone is far more advanced today.

Which power of scope do I choose? That question comes up a lot, especially with the new Airsoft player trying to get into the game as a sniper. Do I go with a variable power or just get one that is super powerful to start with? You have to remember most Airsoft play is not at 1000 yards but more like 100 yards to start, the length of a football field. As the action closes in to 130 to 150 feet range you should be able to start getting kill shot. So a super powerful scope would be over kill and not be the best choice. Choose something in the area of a variable 3X to 9X, this should give the best field of vision and also provide a good magnification of the target. One last suggestion buy a scope that has illuminated cross hairs, you will need this in darker areas.

The second part will recap a little of Part 1, and then cover some of the other variables; BB's good or bad, is it the weapon or the shooter, and then accuracy and maybe more. Hope this has given you some useful information if you are thinking about becoming a sniper in the sport of Airsoft and be sure to read "Choices For an Airsoft Sniper Part 2".

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