We get a lot of questions from people interested in sniper rifles for airsoft.
The videos usually kill montages, making people believe that being an airsoft sniper gives you an unfair advantage on the battlefield, taking out targets with one shot. Regarding the rifle reviews, most of these videos, including ours, will be out-of-the-box impressions, which are good for the initial purchase. However, if you are looking to be among the accurate airsoft snipers, you must look beyond that initial impression to get the most out of it.
When it comes down to the individual, your experience will vary, especially as you start, and you have to ask yourself if you are doing it for fun or want to do it to a higher level. And, of course, people want to know how accurate sniper rifles can be.
ASG Archwick Accuracy International Mk13 Mod 5
What Do Experienced Airsoft Players Think?
Experienced players will tell you that it’s mostly the skills and stalking that make a sniper rifle worth it. Not the accuracy out of the box.
Airsoft is by no means a cheap sport, but it is certainly enjoyable at any level, so don’t believe there is a paywall you have to get through to have a good time. Buying good equipment will save you a lot of aggravation, but it is not the only thing to consider for your experience to be good. People who are overly confident about their equipment, thinking it is a bandaid for skill, will often have a bad time regardless of whether they have a $100 or $1000 airsoft sniper rifle, particularly if they don’t maintain the equipment or have unrealistic expectations.
I’ve encountered players who become overly confident thanks to the equipment. If you want an accurate conversation about airsoft sniping, talk to the more humble players out there, and don’t take a random person’s word on it by itself.
By the end, if you think playing airsoft sniper is not what you want, playing a DMR/designated marksman is a good in-between. You get added range over standard AEG users. Check out our previous video on playing a designated marksman if you wish to learn more.
Okay, now that I have grounded your expectations about airsoft sniping, I want to have an honest conversation about the equipment: the rifle.
ASG Archwick Accuracy International Mk13 Mod 7
Bolt Action Sniper Rifles
So, if you are getting a bolt action airsoft sniper rifle, I want to talk about two types of rifles: Sportline rifles and proline rifles. Sportline rifles are fun for first-time players out of the box. The people often buying them are younger players too, which I have to warn is not always suitable if you don’t have the arm strength to operate these spring-powered rifles. Others might want to dabble in the experience, but it is not an expensive way to do it.
If you are seriously getting into the gun-building aspect of this, these rifles are limited in what you can do. There are too many generic rifles out there that look similar and take proprietary or hard-to-source parts, and ultimately, they might take a lot of work or money to make durable to push higher power. Also, if you like a good-feeling rifle, these will feel more toylike no matter how you cut it.
Once they break, if you are not a DIY type, they will cost a lot in shop fees to get going or would not be feasible compared to replacing it outright. Inexpensive sniper rifles, by nature, will wear out because they are built to cost. If you ever research upgraded parts for more popular airsoft systems such as the VSR-10, there is a reason a high-quality trigger, for example, can cost $200 alone. So, buy these things with having fun in mind and expect it to break one day.
Okay, now to the real stars of the show, the premium or proline sniper rifles. You want high-quality parts designed to withstand the rigors of a sniper rifle. Airsoft sniper rifles, by nature, are high-stress, so low-grade parts will often fail quickly.
If you start with a higher-quality rifle, you will have less parts you need to address over time. One common system or type of rifle people like to start with is the Tokyo Marui VSR-10 or its clone rifles due to parts availability. Out of the box, it shoots okay, but it feels toy-like, so that might bother some people. You’ll replace everything from the trigger system to the piston to realize its true potential. If you are a DIY builder, then this is a great system to look into.
This leads me to the VSR-10 system: this is a common system, so many of these rifles I will talk about share parts commonality with that design, making it possible for upgrade choices.
A sniper rifle that withstands higher-powered springs needs a sound trigger system. A lesser rifle will have a 45-degree sear with a matching piston. These work for most applications but wear out and then you run into slam fires. A 90-degree sear and piston setup is often used in more durable and high-powered setups. If you want your rifle to last at all, you’ll make sure you have this already or get a conversion to it for your VSR-10 or JG BAR-10.
Accuracy Depends Partially On The Spring
The next thing you want to look for is the availability of springs to upgrade to reach your FPS goals for whatever field you play. If the gun shoots right where it needs to, skip this part. If you need to tune it to shoot harder or softer, you’ll need to swap the spring. Some rifles use AEG springs. Some will use a dedicated spring type or a VSR-10-compatible spring. Understand the differences before buying a spring, or you’ll be wasting money.
Make sure the piston is high-quality metal. Very few come with plastic pistons for the more expensive rifles. This is going to help it last longer. Worn-out pistons, especially 45-degree pistons, will result in slam fires. In conjunction with the sear, this is the most failed part of cheaper or high-mileage sniper rifles.
A Great Sniper Rifle Needs a Great Barrel
The inner barrel will usually be cut differently from AEG barrels and require its own type if you want to upgrade (some rifles do use AEG barrels, but it is rare). Most will follow a VSR10 pattern or an APS2 pattern. APS2 is often seen on lower-priced rifles, although it was originally developed for more expensive rifles in Japan. You have many options if you should require a VSR10 barrel for upgrades. This is also the same cut of barrel used in many pistols, so the same types of bucking will work.
If your stock bucking works well, don’t mess with it. Otherwise, get one that will work well with your intended BB weight. Sniping will require much work to get a good zero, zeroing your scope, and playing with BB weights to get your best results. If you are lazy, your rifle won’t be effective. Also, have access to a chronograph to verify your rifle’s performance; otherwise, you are wasting your time.
This video will not cover installing the upgrades or opening up the gun. The building or modifying your rifle is best left to experienced techs. If you are a DIY type, you will save money by doing this, but you do this ALL at your own risk.
If you should pay someone else to do it, be sure they know what they are doing and be sure to budget for it. If you don’t see what you are doing, do not start taking it apart. You may damage your rifle, making the reassembly even more expensive.
