We've talked about how to set up a DMR previously, so let's do another one based on your requests. Today, let's talk about a proper sniper loadout.
I'm more technically oriented, so I want to start with the equipment side of it first because your airsoft rifles will highly affect your sniping experience. If your gun is not sorted out you are not going to do any better than another player using an AEG, and at that point, why run something as slow as a sniper rifle?
For a rifle, I'll assume your event or field limits you to a bolt action gun such as a spring-powered or gas-powered rifle. If you're learning how to build an airsoft sniper rifle, I'll tell you that gas rifles can be powerful and easy to manipulate by a long shot. However, the consistency will largely depend on the ambient temperatures and gas. I have not found it consistent, so start with a spring-action rifle.
Now, your budget will play a huge part in this situation when going for a spring action rifle. I hate to say that the equipment makes your experience, but in this situation, this will hold. Most beginner-grade sniper rifles shoot as hard or a little harder than an AEG. Out of the box, that sounds good, but what you need to account for is shooting hard enough to give you that range advantage to justify running the sniper rifle. The other thing that should be discussed is how durable the rifle is in the long run. Spring-powered guns go through a lot of stress, just like an AEG. However, you will run heavier springs that provide more energy with your shot, putting more stress on the critical components overall.
Your base rifle should either be built out of the box or something you can build with the right parts. If you have done some research or heard names being thrown about, you'll hear "VSR-10" come up in any sniper conversation. A VSR-10 is a rifle made by Tokyo Marui and is a prominent system that has been copied and improved by many manufacturers across Asia, where airsoft has drawn its roots. Starting with a rifle largely VSR-10 compatible, you will have an easier time finding parts and upgrades.
Sniper rifles that use proprietary designs will give you problems when you need to find upgrade or repair parts, so remember that. Out of the box, the original VSR-10 is a nice rifle but will be expensive to import and does not provide the performance that most people want to start at without throwing a lot of money at it, which is why a clone or a similarly based gun is ideal.
For fully built guns that we carry, I recommend the ASG Action Army T11 for those on a budget. The gun is built internally with all VSR-10 compatible parts and is made by a company specializing in high-end sniper parts. This is a very high-value gun for those who want to snipe and blow the starter rifles out of the water. If you want something that feels amazing and is fully built and want to spend more, the ASG Archwick Mk13 is where you want to be. The guns speak for themselves, so please check out their respective videos and reviews we did.
For any gun, consider having a quality tight bore barrel and bucking if it still needs to be equipped with one. Combine that with heavyweight ammo such as .32, .36, .40, or higher, and you will see amazing results. The spring in these guns should be swapped to match and get as close to the field limits as possible to maximize your potential. Guns shooting around the 3-joule mark that are well-tuned can hit 300 feet away (with a little bit of lobbing). Even beyond 200 feet, you are outclassing AEGs/riflemen.
The Airsoft range is moderate, so any sort of zoom will be sufficient, but you need more to maintain awareness of your surroundings. Anywhere from 3x to 6x is where I would keep it. I have never had to use max zoom except to observe a target for a milsim event.
Bipods can help steady your shot but won't be a deal breaker. Sometimes, that extra weight isn't worth it. A mock suppressor won't add anything but length, and spring snipers are already insanely quiet from afar. I'd recommend a minimum extra magazine or two and a sidearm or AEG as a backup.
For gear, wear something that blends in, of course. I've seen some well-made ghillie suits by our local players that make them disappear into the background. Their gear tends to be chest rigs or battle belts, which allow them to get prone and keep the bulk and noise down.
This will take a lot of patience and study as you build your load out the more you play as a sniper. If you're figuring out how to build an airsoft sniper rifle, you'll find out what isn't working for you quickly, and that's better than me telling you a generic answer. That does it for today's blog. So let's go out there and play!
