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| · What kind of sniper rifle or weapon should I get? · What's the difference between a spring powered bolt-action rifle, a gas operated rifle and an AEG? · Should I upgrade my sniper rifle or weapon? And why? · What velocity, power level or FPS should I upgrade my rifle or weapon to? · What about higher velocities, power levels or FPS? Like 600 fps and higher? · Are there any other upgrades that I need for my sniper rifle or weapon? · What ranges or distances can I look to achieve with a sniper rifle or weapon? · What should be the minimum engagement range for an upgraded sniper rifle or weapon? · What BB weight should I use for my sniper rifle or weapon? · What about hop-ups, do you really need a hop-up and what does it do? · What other accessories can I attach or add on to a sniper rifle or weapon? · How much does it cost or should I look to spend for a sniper rifle or weapon, the upgrades and accessories? · Credits |
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What kind of sniper rifle or weapon should I get? Asking just what kind of sniper rifle or weapon you should get, isn't going to help anyone to help you decide or to be able to give you an opinion. You need to provide them with more information, like what type of skirmishes or scenarios do you plan to play. The types of sniper rifle or weapon you are considering, like a spring powered bolt-action, a gas operated or an AEG. What range are you looking to achieve and how accurate do you want the rifle or weapon to be. The type of weather conditions that you may experience, which can have an effect on your sniper rifle or weapon and the type of terrain that you will be skirmishing in, like dense woodland, open fields, desert or hills. What is your budget for this rifle? Whatever information that you feel would be helpful to the ones that you are asking, is what you should provide. The more the people know what you are looking for the better they can answer your question.
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What's the difference between a spring powered bolt-action rifle, a gas operated rifle and an AEG? The spring powered bolt-action rifles are powered by a spring that is compressed each time you cycle the bolt. The spring is what drives the piston forward, which produces the air to propel the BB, they are sometimes commonly referred to as "air-cocking". There are few moving parts, are easier to maintain, a little more reliable and quite durable. They can be upgraded to increase their velocity to perform better, extend their range and be more accurate. The advantage of a spring powered bolt-action rifle is that they offer better range, accuracy and are more consistent. The disadvantage is that the bolt must be cycled each time you wish to load and fire the rifle. It will also take a greater effort to cycle the bolt, if you install a high rated spring and are in the prone position, which can put a stress on the bolt handle. Gas operated rifles are powered by a source of compressed gas which is used to propel the BB; you can convert a spring powered bolt-action rifle into a gas operated rifle. The gas supply can be either stored in a gas bolt or cylinder, or it can be stored in an external tank. Again, as with the spring powered rifles, the gas operated rifles have few moving parts and are easy to maintain, their not as reliable or as durable as a spring powered rifle. The reason why is because of the rubber seals that are using to hold the gas in, over time they wear and begin to leak, also the gas may become affected by the weather conditions outside, such as the cold climates. Cold temperatures can affect the gas and can cause the rifle to malfunction, throw a shot or misfire which is the disadvantage of gas operated rifles, the advantage is their adjustability. They can be adjusted or set to different degrees of velocity, either by using different types of gas. Or by using a regulator, if the system you are using is equipped with one. The other advantage is the ease of operating the bolt, even in the prone position which in turn doesn't put a stress on the bolt handle, like a spring powered rifle does. AEG's or Automatic Electric Guns, these types of weapons use an electric motor to drive gears that in turn move the piston back and forth to produce the air to propel the BB. AEG's must have a power source most likely a battery or batteries, which can be mounted internally or externally via a battery bag or converted magazine. Most all AEG's can be upgraded to different velocity, but the higher velocities lessen the durability of the AEG's internal parts. AEG's that are designated as sniper weapons are the SG-1, and the PSG-1, there are other AEG's that can be converted into sniper weapons and the most common ones that are is the G3A3, the SIG 550, the M16A2, the AUG civilian or military and even the AK-47. All the above mentioned weapons have sufficient inner barrel length to help achieve greater range and some accuracy. While some would argue that any AEG or any "airsoft" weapon could be used as a sniper weapon, and while that may be true in a sense. The smaller, shorter barrel AEG's wouldn't offer the range or accuracy that you need for "airsoft" sniping. Advantages to using an AEG as a sniper weapon, semi-auto...No worry about having to cycle the bolt each time you wish to load and fire. Just squeeze the trigger and the next round is ready to fire...Capacity...The magazines for most AEG's allow you to load at least or close to a hundred rounds of BB's at one time. Not to mention, the availability of large capacity magazines. Or “hi-caps” as they are commonly referred too. Versatility...With an AEG you also have the option of switching from a sniper role to a more active role, like assault. Most of the AEG's that are mentioned above offer full-auto capability, by simply switching a selector switch to full-auto. Definitely, a plus if you plan to play more of a dual role.. However, if you upgrade a fully automatic weapon to a high velocity, some organizations will not let you use the full auto function, and will probably give you a minimum combat distance. So please check with your local field and organization before you upgrade your gun. Disadvantages are the limited range that you will be able to achieve from an AEG, while you will be able to get good range. It will not compare to a spring powered or gas operated bolt-action rifle, also the accuracy of AEG's do not compare to the other rifles mentioned above. Reliability and durability also will not be as good because, there is more moving parts which increase the chance of breakage or malfunctions. AEG's also need more maintenance and can be intimidating to even break-down to clean and lube by a less than experienced person or newbie. Then there's the fact of the battery, which if used over an extended period of time will need to be replaced or recharged.
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Should I upgrade my sniper rifle or weapon? And why? It's highly recommended that you upgrade whatever sniper rifle or weapon you get for the simple fact it makes the rifle or weapon more reliable, durable, extends the range and makes it more accurate. All the above add to achieving the rifles or weapons maximum potential, which are what any or most “airsoft” snipers are looking to do. If you plan to do any real skirmishing then you should seriously consider upgrading your rifle or weapon. For backyard plinking or skirmishes, a stock rifle or weapon would do just fine, but for the serious enthusiastic skirmish, upgrading is a must.
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What velocity, power level or FPS should I upgrade my rifle or weapon to? The velocity limit that you decide to upgrade your rifle or weapon to can be easily answered, but first there are some things that you need to consider. First, if you play or plan to play on a team or at a designated playing field. You want to find out if there are any rules or guidelines that govern sniper rifles or weapons, as what velocity limits, BB weights allowed to be used, engagement ranges and anything else that may pertain to sniper rifles or weapon. Once, you learn what the rules or guidelines are, you can go from there…If there are no rules or guidelines to follow then here is a simple rule of thumb…Most “airsoft” sniper want to have the advantage of out-ranging their AEG wielding opponents, so to do this they commonly upgrade accordingly. For example, if your opponent has an upgraded AEG with a velocity of 400 fps, then you would want to upgrade your rifle or weapon to at least 50 to 100 fps more, then the AEG equipped opponent. So you would have your rifle or weapon upgraded to at least 450 fps or up to 500 fps. Of course, these velocity limits will be lessened if you use heavier weight BBs, but the energy will still be there; just the velocity will be decreased. These velocities will make your shots hit with a lot of power, so please don't shoot anyone at a close distance. Refer to a pistol if someone gets close to you.
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What about higher velocities, power levels or FPS? Like 600 fps and higher? This is where safety comes into play and the consideration of your fellow team members or the people you plan to play with. There is no reason to upgrade your rifle to velocities at are higher than 550 fps, not to mention the added stress on the internal parts and the question of durability. Remember safety first and foremost, take in consideration or be respectful of your team members or the people you plan to play with. Let's keep the velocity limits within an acceptable range, there's no need to go insane and no real advantage to upgrading to such high velocity limits.
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Are there any other upgrades that I need for my sniper rifle or weapon? There are other upgrades that will improve or add to the durability of the rifle or weapon, but they are not really necessary. Other upgrades or reinforcing parts include tight-bore inner barrels, reinforced trigger assembly, separate reinforcing parts for the trigger, reinforced bolt handles. A tight-bore inner barrel may improve a AEG's range and accuracy, but it would be a slight improvement so whether it is worth spending the extra money or not, is up to you.
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What should be the minimum engagement range for an upgraded sniper rifle or weapon? Again, this is where safety should come into play…Any sniper rifle or weapon that shoots velocities up to 500 fps, should never be fired at any person that is less than 100 ft. Most teams and playing fields have rules that govern minimum engagement ranges for upgraded sniper rifles or weapons. The safety and well being of your team members or the people you play with should be first and foremost. Remember “airsoft” is just a game and everyone should go home when it's over.
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What BB weight should I use for my sniper rifle or weapon? One thing about “airsoft” sniping is the fact that it's through “trial & error” that you learn what will and what won't work. The weight of the BB's that you use does have an effect on the range and accuracy of your rifle or weapon. Of course, the lighter weight BB's will tend to fly off course sooner and won't be as accurate as the heavier weight BB's. You won't get the range with lighter weight BB's because, of the “fly-off” and this maybe due to the conditions, like wind which affects the lighter weight BB's more than the heavier weight BB's. The most effective weight BB's will be the heavier weight BB's like the .36g and the 0.43g BB's; you'll find these to be the most popular amongst “airsoft” snipers.
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What about hop-ups, do you really need a hop-up and what does it do? Hop-ups allow for a flat trajectory at longer ranges or distances, it also gives it quite a bit more distance than without the hop-up. This is important for “airsoft” because, you can shoot longer ranges or distances with minimal force, but are still capable of skirmishing at longer ranges or distances. Your accuracy may suffer a very little bit from the hop-up, but again it is best to have a hop-up. Of course, there are adjustable hop-ups and fixed hop-ups, the adjustable hop-ups allow for you to adjust it for varies weight BB's to achieve the flattest trajectory. The fixed hop-up is set for a fixed or designated weight BB, like the Maruzen APS-2 SV that is equipped with a fixed hop-up that is set for the Maruzen GrandMaster .29g BB's.
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What other accessories can I attach or add on to a sniper rifle or weapon? There is an unlimited supply of accessories that you can attach or add on to a sniper rifle or weapon, everything from bi-pods, scopes, slings, and even aftermarket stocks. Whatever you like, want or feel you need, you can attach or add to your rifle or weapon.
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How much does it cost or should I look to spend for a sniper rifle or weapon, the upgrades and accessories? Prices will vary from retailer to retailer and depending on where you go to get your rifle or weapon, the upgrades and accessories will affect the pricing. On average, look to spend for the rifle or weapon alone around $250 to $300.00. For the upgrades, depending on the power level and any required reinforcing part, look to spend around $150 to $200.00. For accessories, depending on what you are looking to get let's just say you want a decent scope, rings, a bi-pod and a sling, look to spend around $150 to $175.00. Total cost will average you somewhere around $550 to $675.00…Shipping is not included in the prices and again depending on where you plan to go will affect the pricing.
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Big thanks to SHADOW for writing this up for all the new snipers out there! |