Choosing a Telescopic Rifle Scope or Laser or Red Dot Sight for Airsoft or Paintball

A scope or sight makes playing airsoft even more fun in a number of ways. If you don't have one you should get one!

While not as essential as say for air rifle shooting where you often need to hit a 5p size target at 30 metres an airsoft scope can help in other ways

Telescopic scopes improve longer distance aimed shot accuracy - Very handy for sniping.
Brilliant for spotting enemy in cover (ambushes!) and - or at ranges way beyond rifle range.
Red dot and laser sights improve hit rates in fast reflex CQB and mad skirmishes.
And of course they make any airsoft rifle look very cool and are loads of fun to use (which has got to count for quite a bit I reckon)



There are 3 types to consider -

1 - Telescopic scopes As the name suggests you get magnified vision. These are ideal for snipers and general rifle combat.

Come in a wide range of sizes, for example -

3-9x40 is the most popular general purpose type but what does that mean?

3-9 - Means the magnification. In this example can be dialed between 3 and 9x (and all the numbers in between)
Very handy for multiple situations and ranges.
40 = lens size in millimeters. 40mm is a very good size. Good light capture and a wide field of view but not overly bulky.
By contrast a 4x32 would mean 4 x magnification only through a 32mm lens.



Cross hairs - There are many different types but for airsoft use you don't need to worry about this to much except as a fashion thing!

The 30-30 type is pretty standard and is fine (similar to a traditional plain X hair)
You'll see others with Mil Dot which is the military standard cross hair.
Just the job you may think but they are more expensive and the mil dot stuff is basically a range finding and distance estimation aid that's of little use until distances over a couple of hundred meters are reached. A nice to have but you don't need it.



Types 2 and 3 Red dot and Laser sights
These are not magnified - what you see is the real size as it is.
Perfect for FIBUA, CQB and close quarter stuff where you need reflex from the hip or fast semi aimed eye to sight shots (a la SWAT style)
Great for pistols as well.



2 - Red dot sight
Projects a red (or green) dot onto the inside of the lens.
Only you can see this dot - hopefully on your target.
You fire and you hit.
Very handy for reflex combat and pistols.
The bigger the lens the better. 20mm is common and OK. 40mm more pricey but much better. (Tasco do some great ones)



3 - Laser sights
Similar principle to the red dot except the dot is "visibly visible"" on the target - anyone can see it.
Brilliant for scaring the hell out of the enemy, but it can give you away too so use with care!
Best in low light, but any decent laser will still give you visible dot even in standard daylight, though effective range will be much less.
Various types, some can go on top of a telescopic sight.
Others can be mounted slung under the barrel or pistol grip.


Makes include, the SMK LS1, LS2 and LS3 models, Hawke Tactical, Beamshot and Cybergun Universal. All are excellent with SMK being at the budget end (I sell loads of them on ebay)

Mounts and base rails - VERY IMPORTANT! An important area and one that causes a lot of confusion on ebay! - To fit a scope or sight to a rifle of pistol there must be somewhere to clamp it onto. Makes sense yes? (not to some people it doesn't!)

Look for dovetail type grooves running along the top of the rifle body - This is the scope or sight rail or base.

To this rail or base you attach the scope or sight by way of scope mounts

But just to make it extra fun there are different type of mounts as rails - bases differ in width!



But OK, assuming you have a base rail of some sort. Next - Measure the distance between the grooves of the base.

If it's no more than 13mm wide (3/8 inch) then you need what are called standard mounts
If it's 20mm wide (5/8 inch) then you have what is called a Weaver base and need weaver mounts (inventors name)

Most airsoft models need weavers. Examples that spring to mind are the TM M4, SR16, SG550-51-52 series, MP5.
Some sniper types have Standard.
It's not a problem if you measure up first and check that the sight or scope you are getting has the right type
Take extra care with models that have fitted mounts. These cannot be changed so if you get the wrong type they'll have to be sent back and swapped for a totally different model.
If in doubt read the product description carefully or email the seller to ask for clarification and include your gun make, model and link to website so the seller can check it out fast.

Nickwake (my) ebay shop fast guide to airsoft suitable scopes and sights

Telescopics -

4x20 - Only come with fitted Standard mounts. Do not buy or bid for if you have a weaver base.
4x32, 3-9x32, 4x40, 3-9x40, 4-12x42 and 8x56

All come without mounts so you choose mount type.
All models can all have the SMK LS2 scope mounted laser sights added to give you telescopic AND relex shooting.

Red dots -
Type 1 - "Open eye" with fitted standard mounts
Type 2 - Tasco BKR - with fitted weaver mounts (a very cool sight this one)



Lasers -
Type 1 - LS2 Scope mounted. A long term best seller. Available on own or as part of a combo set or add on if you win an auction.
Type 2 - Cybergun Laser and Torch - with various adaptors, can be barrel slung. Also come with a tactical torch. Very cool kit.

So, want to get one? I hope you know what you need to know now and to see you online soon! Or, for more scope guide stuff see my website zero rifle scopes

Nick Moseley runs Hunting-Shooting-Fishing http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Hunting-Shooting-Fishing on ebay and is a Gold Powerseller specialising in rifle scopes, red dot sights, laser sights, Realtree clothing, Realtree accessories and military styoe kit for hunting, shooting paintball and airsoft Also fishing sections with rods and reels from Fladen of Sweden.

He also runs http://www.zeroriflescope.co.ukroriflescope.co.uk a site set up to address many questions that were being asked about setting rifle scopes and laser sights up after the sale which were taking up loads of time the answers mostly being the same. It's proven very popular and gets 50-150 unque visitors a day purely from natural search and link referral traffic.

There are site sections on how to find places to hunt and shoot, scope terminology, types of scopes and choosing mounts. This is also a free download of the US Army Sniper Training guide, links to downloadable military thriller audiobooks.

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How To Zero A Rifle Scope

You've just got yourself a new rifle scope, fitted it and let me guess...for some reason your shots are landing nowhere near the crosshairs?

Sadly there's more to rifle scope sharp shooting than just plonking the scope on the rifle and forever after shooting like an SAS sniper! You have to "zero" it.

Think about it. It's like a bike wheel. If you tighten the bolts wrong, too much on one side for example, it spins wrong and rubs the brake pads. It's the same with a Rifle scope. If it's not set up correctly it will be offline and even at short air rifle, airsoft and paintball ranges this is going to throw your accuracy right off. At longer ranges you'll miss by a mile (well figuratively anyway!)

What Does "Zero a scope" mean?

Zeroing a sight or scope means getting the crosshair in position so that when you shoot. Ground zero if you like. The point of impact.There's a lot of discussion amongst shooters on the best way to zero a scope or sight. What I've written below is what I've been sending out to my ebay scope buyers for the last year or so and received a lot of good comments back about it so I know it's OK!

How to Zero a Rifle Scope

First of all you need to set a firm foundation by fitting the scope mounts well.

Put the scope mounts on the rifle first with the top brackets removed.
Tighten them into place using 1/2 turns at the time so that they sit solid and level as best as is possible, i.e., the downward pressure is as equal as possible. At this stage don't tighten them fully as you might want to slide them up and down a little.
Now take scope and place it on top of the open rifle mounts. Make sure the windage and elevation turrets are one up and one to the right (these are the "turrets" on the sight. You use them later to make micro adjustments and in the field adjustments for wind)

Then put the top mount brackets on and tighten - Again use partial turns to tighten up. Don't tighten fully at this stage, you may yet need to adjust a little.


Zero the scope

Lie in your normal shooting position and check that you can see through the scope well...
The distance between your eye and the rear scope lens is called Eye Relief.
Unlike cartoons you do not use a scope by pressing your eye up against the scope lens!


Once comfortable complete the screwing down of all mounts so that your set up is solid - take care at this stage to keep the final turns partial and one by one to ensure pressure is equal.


Now it's time to zero the scope for shooting:

Load the rifle
Adopt your standard prone/lie down shooting position. Prone is the best way as if you test shoot from standing or kneeling positions you waver more and it's harder to do a "true test".

Put some sort of target in place at say 20 yards - or whatever you think your "standard" range will be.
Using cross hair on target centre - Take 2-3 shots - Where do do they fall in relation to where you want them to? Right, left, up, down - dead on (lucky you!)

2-3 shots is best as it will average out shooter inaccuracy and give you a more "significant" feel for how far or close you are from true zero.

Now it's time to use the windage and elevation turrets to get it zeroed dead on. These are the 2 turrets on the top and right side of the scope. See my website for pictures.

Models vary, you'll probably screw a cap off and expose either a coin twist or finger knurled type of dial.
The top turret adjusts up and down. The right one left and right.
If you have your scopes instructions they should have a table with figures to tell you what each click adjustment means in terms of cross hair movement at "x" distance, e.g., 1/8 inch at 100 metres.

Use single click turns and each time take a new shot to gauge where the shot now falls - the dials basically adjust the cross hair position up-down and left-right.

It's trial and error basically but with testing you'll get to where you need to be and be able to trust that your shots will go where it says they will! This may take some time and a lot of shots. Be patient!

I sell rifle scopes and laser sights on ebay for a living. After getting asked repeatedly for instructions on how to zero scopes I wrote a text file guide to send to people. This had some really good comments back so I decided to use it as the basis for a new website which is about, funnily enough, how to zero rifle scopes (and zero in laser sights, how to go about choosing a new scope and more) See it at http://www.zeroriflescope.co.uk/ and my ebay shop at http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Hunting-Shooting-Fishing

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