Post by Administrator on Apr 28, 2008 14:14:20 GMT 8
TCF’s Complete Guide To Airsoft Snipers and Sniping
Introduction
I want to begin this guide by thanking the airsoft community for its support over the years. I’ve been doing this for quite a while, and over the past few years, I’ve been trying to do my part to help our sport grow and flourish. Everyone has been very supportive, and have helped me become fairly well-known. This guide is dedicated to airsoft snipers everywhere. Thanks for your support and camaraderie.
Table Of Contents
So You Want To Be A Sniper?
What Is A Sniper?
A Brief History of Snipers and Sniping
Airsoft Sniping vs Real Steel Sniping
Getting Started
The Sniper Rifle Buyer’s Guide
Introduction To Fieldcraft and Camouflage
How To Build A Ghillie Suit
The Accessories Guide
The Sidearm Guide
The Complete Upgrade and Modifications Guide
The Sniper Rifle Maintenance Guide
Sniper Roles and Tactics
Sniper Related Links
Troubleshooting FAQ
So You Want To Be A Sniper?
Snipers have lately become very popular, with the role having been glorified in many movies and games. It is one of the most popular starting roles for beginning airsofters. I'd venture to say that more than half of all airsofters wanted to be a sniper at some point, and almost everyone has bought (or considered buying) a bolt-action rifle at some point. That being said, there are not that many people who really stick with the role. In this guide, I will explore the role, the equipment, and the mystique of the sniper. So, let's assume that you still want to be a sniper, recognizing that most airsofters do not stick with the role. We should first clarify the role, so you know what you're getting yourself into.
What Is A Sniper?
The definition of a sniper has been the subject of much debate (and very little consensus), so I'm going to attempt to give you the broadest definition of a sniper that still captures that entirety of the role. So, what is a sniper?
A sniper is an elite soldier who delivers precise, aimed fired upon specific targets, and is also a master of camouflage and stealth, utilized for intelligence gathering, recon, and assassination or destruction of strategic or tactical targets.
A sniper differs from a marksman, commonly called a DM (designated marksman) in airsoft, in two fundamental ways. First, a DM is capable of playing a standard rifleman/assault role, while a sniper typically uses equipment that prevents them from being efficient in the close quarters combat common in airsoft. Second, a sniper must be capable of delivering precise aimed long range fire, and a DM, in the interests of safety (and rules of ballistics), cannot function in this capacity. I'll discuss the role in more detail later, but for now, I want to leave the definition as it stands.
A sniper is not restricted to any single type of role or tactic, contrary to popular belief. If you want to be an effective sniper, you should start by recognizing that you must be able to adapt your role and tactics to whatever situation you might encounter. This, then, is the first rule of sniping: "Be Adaptive." I like to remember it as the BA rule (bolt-action, anyone?). Of course, we should also remind ourselves of the history of sniping, as that's how sniper doctrine gets developed.
A Brief History of Snipers and Sniping
The term “sniper” derives from a bird called the snipe. The snipe was a very elusive bird that was hard to hunt. Bagging one required very precise shooting and stealthy movement, and the British hunters in India that hunted the bird became experts in a number of the skills that are now commonly considered sniper skills. Sniper, then, literally means “hunter of the snipe.” The role itself has been around for as long as projectile weapons have existed. Archers sniped enemy leaders in medieval battles, and snipers were used in many wars, including the American Revolutionary War. In fact, a British sniper had the chance to shoot an American officer, but chose not to because he did not want to shoot the man in the back. As it turned out, the officer was General George Washington, and that sniper's bullet, had it been fired, could have radically changed the course of history.
Snipers were also extensively used during WWII, with Finnish, Polish, and Russian snipers racking up the highest kills in history (sorry Carlos, you're at least 400 short of the "record," not that you'd care). A pair of these snipers (Major Koenig and Vassily Zaitsev) have been immortalized in the excellent movie, Enemy At The Gates.
Despite this long and glorious history, snipers were still not recognized or appreciated until midway through the Vietnam War, and most commanders had no idea how to use a sniper effectively. The first sniper school was started by then-Captain Land and the legendary Carlos Haththingy, who wrote the book on sniper doctrine and stealth techniques. Haththingy is America's most famous sniper (although, contrary to common belief, he is not the leader in kills for America or even for America during the Vietnam War). Haththingy's exploits are truly heroic, ranging from eliminating an enemy platoon with only his spotter as support, to crawling for days across a field to eliminate an enemy general deep in hostile territory. You can read about Haththingy in the book Marine Sniper.
Sniper doctrine remained unchanged until Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom, when Gunnery Sergeant Jack Coughlin pioneered the Mobile Sniper Strike Team (MSST) concept, which uses snipers as fast-moving strike elements, capable of breaking a defense or stalling an advance by rapidly moving around the battlefield and eliminating leadership and logistic elements. You can read about Coughlin in the book Shooter. Both of these styles are useful, with Haththingy's style being more suited to jungle and woodland combat, and MSST being suited for the fast-moving urban combat common in modern war. An airsoft sniper should be capable of acting in either capacity.
(Thanks to mhiagb hiruio--that was hard to spell--for the help with the history).
Some interesting books to read include:
Marine Sniper
Shooter
Crosshairs on the Kill Zone
Point of Impact
Black Light
Time To Hunt
Airsoft Sniping vs Real Steel Sniping
As ought to be obvious, airsoft sniping is fundamentally different from real sniping. One of the key differences, of course, is in the ranges involved. A real steel sniper rifle can fire out past 1000 yards. An airsoft sniper rifle, in contrast, is lucky to hit out to 350 feet. EneI disagreeaulters can close that distance and get within firing range within a matter of seconds. This range is determined almost entirely by the ballistic properties of the ammunition. Even the most heavily upgraded rifle, using the heaviest ammunition, cannot hit reliably past 300-350 feet, or 450 feet max, due to the poor terminal ballistic properties of the light sphere.
The other key difference lies in scope and time frame. Airsoft is a fast moving game with virtually no strategic element, and conflicts typically last for a matter of hours, rather than days or months. Airsoft snipers do not typically have access to air support or artillery, and skirmishes take place on relatively small areas without non-combatants (with some exceptions). In many ways, airsoft sniping is a completely different animal. But let's set that aside, and return to getting started. If you want to be an airsoft sniper, you're going to need some equipment.
Getting Started
Equipment List
Goggles or eye/face protection
Radio
Throat Microphone
Way to carry food, spare magazines, etc
Water container (Camelbak's are ideal).
Good boots
Rifle
Optic
Sidearm
(Good knife, field permitting)
(Ghillie suit, depending on field)
(Map of field, depending on skirmish size)
The efficiency of a sniper depends primarily upon their skills, naturally. A good airsoft sniper should have excellent observational skills, good fieldcraft, common sense, the ability to quickly assess situations and terrain, and, of course, good shooting skills and other basic military skills. But good equipment is also important. I've listed above some of the most important things for a sniper to have. The million dollar question: What's a sniper's single most important tool? Hint, it's not the rifle. That's right, the radio is centrally important to a sniper (assuming you're playing large scale skirmishes as part of a team).
Good communication is absolutely essential to a sniper. Lone wolf types are worse than useless in a skirmish. Snipers are often most useful as recon or intel elements, and even when playing the MSST role, you must know where you are needed so you can deploy effectively. A good radio and throat microphone are thus essential. So, what sort of radio should you get?
I personally recommend Motorola radios, as they are cheap and perform well. When looking for a radio, shoot for multiple channels (sub-channels are great too) and decent battery consumption and range, along with small size for portability. The throat mic is a bit more difficult. Obviously, you don't want your radio beeping and giving away your position, and you want to leave your hands free as well. So, you get a throat microphone. If you're on a budget, you can't beat the Fidragon throat mic (available at http://www.airsplat.com). It runs about 25-30 USD, but the audio isn't super clear. If you want the most reliable equipment, I highly recommend IASUS throat microphones (NT3, NT4, for instance). Those run from 70-150 USD, but are much better in the field, with better audio, stronger wires, and other benefits.
Good goggles are also essential. Many people swear by shooters glasses, but be sure they are ANSI rated high enough to withstand at least 2-3J. I personally don't like paintball masks, although some fields require them, but face protection can be nice. www.ehobbyasia.com has some nice neoprene half and full face masks. As for goggles, there are a wide variety of goggles, and the good ones aren't specific to sniping. I personally prefer Arena Flakjaks, which are available from www.goggleoverstock.com.
For carrying ammunition and magazines, fanny packs are always great, as are web belts and pouches. Full vests are usually not advisable, as you may be spending a lot of time prone. That also means no cross-draw holsters. Hip holsters are usually best if you spend a lot of time prone, as you can reach your sidearm faster. If you are standing, you can't beat a drop-leg for quickly getting to your sidearm. I have yet to find a good cheap shoulder holster. For long games, you may also want to carry a rucksack, so you can store your ghillie, carry food, water, spare magazines, and extra ammo, and have something to stabilize your shots and provide cover where there wouldn't be otherwise.
Camelbaks are great for carrying water because they leave your hands free, and allow you to drink without moving around a lot and breaking cover. You also want nice boots, and, if the field permits, a good knife is a handy tool to have. A knife can help you dig in a little bit and cut native vegetation to improve your camouflage. Of course, it's a REAL weapon, and is not permitted at most fields. The rest of things you'll need to make a careful decision on, so I'm devoting a whole section to each of them. So, now we can finally get around to picking a rifle.
The Sniper Rifle Buyer’s Guide
I have compiled an extensive list of rifles that are available, and will add to this list as more rifles get released. Without further ado, the rifle guide!
Table of Contents
--------------------------------------
Why not an AEG?
Spring section
Budget rifles
Super 9
UTG M324/DE M50
Well Warrior 1/UTG Mk96/BE L96
HFC USR-11 M700
AGM MP001 M700
Kart M40
JG BAR-10 M700
WELL MB-02 M700
AGM MP002 L96
WELL MB03 M700
High-end section
TM VSR-10 series
Maruzen APS-2 series
CA M24 SOCOM
SVD Dragunov
Specialty/Rare rifles
M82A1
WA2000
Gas section
HFC USR-11 GV
KJW M700 Series
Tanaka M700 Series
Tanaka L96
WELL G-22
G&G L96
--------------------------
This thread is for comparing the various sniper rifles. I'll begin by giving the most comprehensive accounting of the various sniper rifle options out there, and compare their pros and cons. Comparisons will be grouped by price range--budget versus high-end, and by power--spring versus gas. I will briefly discuss why I think that sniper rifles should not be electric, and why I think that the proper domain of AEG's is as DMR's, not as SWS's.
Why not an AEG?
This topic is rather controversial, since the option of full-auto certainly seems attractive for a sniper in trouble. But I will always come down on the side of a bolt-action rifle for a number of different reasons.
1. Realism. In real steel, nothing can beat the inherent accuracy of a bolt-action rifle. While in airsoft, AEG's can come close, a bolt-action is still slightly more consistent and accurate, and if you're interested in realism, most sniper rifles ARE bolt-action.
2. Stealth. An AEG is a lot harder to silence, since you have to deal with the characteristic gearbox whining noise, as well as the muzzle noise. Stealth is very important to a sniper, so I prefer to stick with a quieter bolt-action rifle, with less mechanical parts to make noise.
3. Simplicity. A spring-powered bolt-action is much simpler, and easier to fix in the field when something goes wrong. This circumstance isn't very likely, but it's a much simpler gun, which also means there's less that CAN go wrong.
4. The Skill Factor. If you have the capacity for full-auto or rapid semi-auto, you'll be inclined to use it. That means you won't conserve ammunition, and you're more likely to get yourself into situations that require you to fend off large numbers of enemies with full-auto. Basically, those snipers that I've seen using AEG's tend to get themselves into trouble a lot more often. If you have limited ammunition, and low ROF, you're required to be a lot more cautious, and to rely on your skill, fieldcraft, and tactics, rather than your gun. And that, I think, is as it should be.
There are plenty more reasons supporting either side of the debate. But I come down on the side of bolt-action rifles, so I will not include an AEG section in this guide. If you must get one, at least get one that's supposed to be a rifle (e.g. Hurricane kit M82A1, TM PSG-1, SVD if you can build one properly, M21 (M14 based), or SR-25).
Spring Section:
Spring powered bolt-action rifles are my weapon of choice for sniping. They are always reliable, regardless of the temperature (unlike gas rifles), and are simple and easy to fix or upgrade. Although spring rifles require more upper body strength to thingy, they're the most popular type of rifle for a sniper, who relies on fieldcraft, skill, and tactics, rather than ROF and sheer numbers. There are several excellent options available for those wanting a spring sniper rifle (along with some not-so-excellent options).
Budget Rifles
There are several options out there for affordable spring sniper rifles. I will provide a brief mini-review on each rifle, and then compare them at the end, with my recommendations, depending on what you're looking for.
1. The Super 9/Tac 9, in all of its incarnations.
The Super 9 is probably the first rifle that beginner players encounter, since it's cheap, readily available on lower end retail sites and on eBay, which is virtually useless for getting airsoft guns, aside from a few select sellers like evike and ehobbyasia. The Super 9 is supposed to be one of the most powerful stock spring sniper rifles in the budget category, typically listed as shooting over 450 fps. Something to note--those fps measurements are with .12g bb's, which no experienced airsofter uses except in mines and grenades.
The Super 9 also has some interesting features. It doesn't have the usual type of magazine, but rather a stick magazine which holds something like 25 rounds, and a rotary magazine, which holds a small number of shells (6, I think), in which you insert the bb's. This feature is very cool if you like realism, since it will eject an empty shell when you cycle the action. The Super 9 also comes with a bunch of extras, such as iron sights, scope mount, scope, bipod, and sling. However, I do not recommend the Super 9 for anything, even backyard wars, for a number of different reasons.
The Super 9 and the other UHC sniper rifle series are universally known by the moniker "Craptastic 9," or some variation thereof, due to their relatively horrible performance. It is completely unreliable past 80 feet, which means even a low-end MPEG can outrange it in terms of effective distance (some people have had better experiences, but on average, they have a minimal effective range), and are virtually unupgradeable. That means no tightbore without heavy modification, no cylinder upgrades, no hopup upgrades, nothing.
The magazine system is also irritating, because the stick magazine is unrealistic and harder to load than other sniper rifle magazines, and the shells are easy to lose. More, the gun is very toy-like. The build quality is okay, but not great--mostly middle quality plastic, which doesn't have the greatest feel, and the bolt is designed poorly, so the bolt-pull is much stiffer than it should be.
All in all, the Super 9 in its various incarnations is suitable only for backyard skirmishes, and even then, there are better guns to get.
springer.airsoftretreat.com/articles/super9.htm
springer.airsoftretreat.com/reviews/super-9.htm
I should add that the Super X-9 is significantly better than the Super 9 or Super 9 Pro, and is capable of reasonably good performance (unlike the others, it is accurate past 100 feet, and can take upgrades, like spring and spring guide, and tightbore). However, even upgraded, it's still not capable of the longer range shots that most of the other rifles can make, especially because the hopup is so poor, and it is still very poorly constructed. While it can be a fairly decent rifle (unlike the others, which were basically trash) with enough work, it's still not much good in a larger skirmish. Thanks to Tippman2000 for reminding me that they actually did it almost right on their most recent version.
2. The UTG M324 Master Sniper/ DE M50.
Click to enlarge.
The M324 is commonly called a VSR-10 clone, although it is actually more similar to an APS-2. However, it isn't actually a clone of either, having it's own internals. The M324 shoots about 350 fps stock with .2g bb's, and has a number of nice features.
The M324 comes in 3 colors--black, olive drab, and desert tan. The stock is nice and textured, with very little flex, although the look is somewhat spoiled by the various screw holes. The barrel and receiver are held into the stock by three screws of different sizes. Many people that break their guns do so by screwing the wrong screw into the wrong hole. The gun is not upgradeable with high-end aftermarket parts, but there are custom cylinders that allow power upgrades, various performance enhancing modifications, and a dbcustom 6.01mm tightbore available. Also in the plus column is the cheap and easy Leapers (UTG) customer service, which makes it very easy to replace broken parts of all kinds.
The M324 comes with scope mount, bipod, sling, extra magazine, and front accessory rail, which are all very nice touches. The sling is a very nice nylon sling, and is one of the better knockoff slings. In addition, the gun has a silent cylinder--it's about 80% quieter than most other spring sniper rifles, and with the addition of a foam-filled suppressor, is virtually silent. This feature is, for me, the biggest draw of the M324 aside from the Leapers customer service, since it allows for much more efficiency while sniping.
It does have some problems in stock form. First, the compression of the stock cylinder is very poor (although much better on the v.3's, which shoot about 400 fps stock), and requires a teflon tape modification to achieve its full potential. The cylinder is sealed, and cannot take upgrades, and the stock inner barrel is both aluminum (and hence lower quality than the brass barrels that come with most other guns), and enormous--a gaping 6.14 mm. This means that the M324 is not great in stock form. It is still capable of decent performance out to 100 feet, but is not effective past that. However, once upgraded with dbcustom tightbore and the teflon modification, it will shoot about 450 fps (perhaps closer to 470 fps with the v.3's), and will be effective out to about 180 feet.
Overall, this gun is great for backyard wars (probably the best budget sniper rifle for that purpose, due to the silent bolt), and is capable of competing with stock AEG's in the sniper role, or middle-range sniper rifles. Although it lacks the range of an upgraded high-end or some of the other more powerful budget rifles, the silent bolt, coupled with a suppressor, means that you can take shots from much closer in without giving away your position. In my opinion, that feature makes the M324 a force not easily dismissed, and all in all, an effective and affordable spring sniper rifle.
www.airsoftretreat.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=104&cat=39
echo1og.american-forum.net/Site-Discussion-c3/Reviews-f13/Double-Eagle-M50-UTG-M324-t11.htm
3. The UTG Mk. 96/WELL Warrior 1 L96A1/BE L96A1.
Click to enlarge.
These guns are all actually different guns, but I'm grouping them together due to their similar price, and the fact that their internals are essentially the same, with a few differences that I will cover here.
These clone L96A1 guns are the most powerful stock spring sniper rifles on the market, with the exception of the various SVD models. They shoot about 460 fps with .2's stock, and are also upgradeable (or downgradeable), since the cylinder can be opened. The various models differ in terms of build quality and extras. The UTG Mk96 comes with a bunch of extras, like all UTG guns, such as bipod, scope mount, sling, extra magazine, etcetera. The BE L96 has almost entirely plastic construction, including inner body construction, while the WELL Warrior 1 has metal construction for many of the parts, meaning it is more durable.
The major thing that should be mentioned about this gun is that the trigger box is made out of plastic (true for both the BE and the UTG/WELL). IMO, that was a very stupid thing to couple with a 500 fps spring, but these guns are probably not terribly reliable in stock form. Fortunately, the spring is very easy to thingy, with a bolt-pull light enough that some have called the spring magical. That's a good sign that the construction is pretty solid. The gun performs reasonably well in stock form, with an effective range of about 150 feet, but the high fps exacerbates inaccuracy problems at longer range.
Fortunately, this gun is upgradeable. I do not suggest leaving this gun in stock form, but rather to replace the stock trigger with an APS-2 trigger assembly or an APS-2 L96 zero trigger assembly. The hopup and inner barrel should also be replaced, and eventually you may want to replace parts in the cylinder as well. Since the gun is fully upgradeable with aftermarket parts, it's a great platform for building a fully upgraded sniper rifle, but probably shouldn't be left in stock form. I would suggest this rifle as an option for those wanting an upgraded sniper rifle, capable of competing with the best rifles, but would probably not rely on it in its stock form. The UTG and WELL versions are also probably better deals, as they have stronger internals than the BE version.
4. The USR-11.
Click to enlarge.
The USR-11 is a fairly venerable VSR-10 clone. And that's right, it is a full clone of the VSR-10, compatible with all of the aftermarket parts. It's got a solid build, and is quite durable, although not as durable as an actual VSR-10. The cylinder can be opened and upgraded by drilling out some pins, and that will increase the FPS from a fairly low stock fps to a more respectable 350+ fps. It can be upgraded with teflon mod and tightbore to approach 430 fps with .2's, without any internal upgrades.
Basically, the USR-11 is the option for those who want an upgraded VSR-10, but don't want to pay as much for the starting platform. It can take all the aftermarket upgrades, comes with iron sights, but no scope mount, and also has a gas cylinder available, although there is very little information on the gas version. All in all, the USR-11 is always a good choice if you want to upgrade, but not the best choice if you want a competi**ve rifle in stock form.
Helpful thread: www.airsoftretreat.com/forums/index.php?topic=12470.0
5. The AGM MP001 Sharp Shooter (sometimes called the JG MP001).
Click to enlarge.
The MP001 is one of the most recent clone rifles out of China. Visually identical to the VSR-10, it is nevertheless not a true clone, and is not upgradeable with most VSR aftermarket parts. It takes VSR-10 trigger parts, and has an APS2 compatible cylinder. The only barrel upgrades it can take are dbcustom, EdGI, or madbull tightbores. However, it makes up for the lack of standard upgradeability with truly superb performance with a small amount of easy modification, and its ability to take a number of replacement parts from other guns with slight modification.
The MP001 comes in three colors--faux wood, olive drab, and matte black. The stock is well-made, and has some of the best fake wood available, which was a surprise. Almost all of the rest of the gun is metal. It shoots 400 fps stock, but with teflon mod, tightbore, and a few other performance-enhancing modifications, can get up to 470 fps on average, and 491 fps if you do a really good job.
Stock performance is very good, but not spectacular, with a 170-190 foot effective range, but post modification, this gun is easily capable of 250+ foot shots, which makes it competi**ve with all but the very best rifles. It does have a very wide inner barrel, at least 6.1mm, but it is made out of brass, and is surprisingly accurate. It is also the cheapest rifle on the market, so if you're willing to take a little time learning about the internals of your gun and working on it (you'll have to spend no more than 5 dollars on upgrade parts), you'll have a very competi**ve rifle. There is a ton of information available on this rifle on ASR (I'll get links up in a while), and I know this gun inside and out, so if anything goes wrong, I can almost always give you a quick and easy fix. All in all, I recommend this rifle for almost any type of player--beginner or expert, backyard war or full skirmish.
One important note: I recommend you get the wood version. The people that have purchased the black pre-assembled version (usually from http://www.airsoftgi.com), have reported having performance issues. If you want a gun that's more likely to work, stick to the wood versions.
www.airsoftretreat.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=114&cat=77
6. Kart M40.
There is very little information available so far on this gun, so I will update as I learn more. Internals seem to be loosely based on the VSR-10, but not an actual clone. It doesn't have magazine compatibility, and finish is rather poor. It is probably not upgradeable, but may still be comparable in performance to the MP001 with modifications.
www.airsoftretreat.com/forums/index.php?topic=29767.0
7. JG BAR-10.
The Jing Gong (Golden Bow) BAR-10 is the latest bolt-action sniper rifle (BASR) out of China. It is a full VSR-10 clone, and is definitely the all-around best budget rifle available. The cylinder is openable, and does not require pins to be drilled out, and it has the best finish of any of the budget rifles. The stock is durable ABS plastic with a rubbery finish that's absurdly comfortable to hold, it's a bit heavier than the MP001 or USR-11, and is well balanced. It also has a slightly different bolt-handle that's a bit more comfortable and sturdy-feeling than the VSR-10 handle, and (aside from the safety switch) is made from strong, durable materials. The only issue is that the magazine release is liable to pop out when you remove the barrel assembly from the stock, so you should put some tape over the release button before you take it out to prevent it from popping out. Be sure not to lose the spring.
Stock performance is superb, matched only by the AtoZ and KA SVD's and the UTG L96A1, all of which have 450+ fps stock springs and tightbore barrels. This gun shoots about 390 fps stock, but with 5 minutes of work and a little electrical tape, it can be modified to shoot over 500 fps stock (shorten the airbrake and electrical tape the cylinder head nozzle). With it's superior performance and the fact that it has better finish than any other budget rifle (and comparable finish to high-end rifles), this gun is clearly the best budget spring sniper rifle you can buy. It comes in two forms, the non-scoped version with iron sights, and the scoped version, with a scope mount and JG scope (some reports indicate a Tasco, others suggest it's a JG scope that isn't great. Pricing runs in between 90 and 160 shipped. It is also a JG gun, so QC is likely to be very good.
groups.google.com/group/asgar/web/sniper-rifle-mini-reviews--new-releases
8. MB02
The second sniper rifle by WELL is a GSPEC look-alike. The trigger mech is compatible (although not adjustable, most likely), and the cylinder is sealed on early versions, but screws off on later versions. The cylinder and hopup are also VSR-10 compatible. The finish is fairly good, and the fake wood looks very good. They are advertised as chronoing at 400 fps. Magazine feeding is reported to be shaky, but decent, and accuracy and power are fairly good. Pricing is close to the MP001, making this another reasonably good budget alternative, although it's probably not the best choice for a serious sniper. The internals are compatible with the VSR, and it fits the GSPEC silencer as well. This gun is a good budget option for an upgrade platform, although the quality of the metal and finish isn't great. If you want to upgrade, you should replace just about everything.
9. AGM MP002 L96.
The AGM L96 is AGM's second foray into the spring sniper rifle market. It's basically the MP001 with a longer cylinder in an L96 AW stock, much like the AICS. It's very cheap, costing typically 80-100 dollars, and chronos in at around 440 fps with .2g bb's. The trigger mech is a VSR-10 clone, and fits VSR-10 aftermarket sears. The cylinder is an APS-2 Type 96 clone, and is longer than the MP001 cylinder. The hopup and barrel are identical to the MP001 In other words, the hopup isn't upgradeable, and it only fits dbcustom, EdGI, or modified Madbull barrels. Stock accuracy isn't very good, as it has a wide inner barrel. The finish is pretty good, but not as good as the WELL MB01. Heft is very good, as it has weights glued into the stock. The major advantage to this rifle is that it's cheap, has very good stock power for a very light bolt-pull, and is a solid gun if you install a tightbore. The U-hop is a major drawback, as is the APS-10/96 style upgradeability (VSR-10 trigger/APS96 cylinder). It's a good budget rifle, and would make a good starter sniper rifle, but I would recommend the WELL over this gun for budget owners seeking a more competi**ve gun. However, it can be easily modded by cutting down the middle of the U-hop arm to make a v-hop, and that effectively doubles it's range, making it a very effective rifle.
groups.google.com/group/asgar/web/sniper-rifle-mini-reviews--new-releases
10. WELL MB03.
This rifle is also a VSR-10 clone, and has excellent performance. Build quality is not as good as with the BAR-10, but the magazine catch is much better designed, and the barrel is much longer (455mm). The receiver is a bit smaller than on the BAR-10, so you'll have to do a bit of mod work to get some upgrade parts to fit. It's pretty much the same as the MB02, but with a longer barrel.
This concludes the budget spring sniper rifle section.
www.airsoftretreat.com/forums/index.php?topic=56248.0
Introduction
I want to begin this guide by thanking the airsoft community for its support over the years. I’ve been doing this for quite a while, and over the past few years, I’ve been trying to do my part to help our sport grow and flourish. Everyone has been very supportive, and have helped me become fairly well-known. This guide is dedicated to airsoft snipers everywhere. Thanks for your support and camaraderie.
Table Of Contents
So You Want To Be A Sniper?
What Is A Sniper?
A Brief History of Snipers and Sniping
Airsoft Sniping vs Real Steel Sniping
Getting Started
The Sniper Rifle Buyer’s Guide
Introduction To Fieldcraft and Camouflage
How To Build A Ghillie Suit
The Accessories Guide
The Sidearm Guide
The Complete Upgrade and Modifications Guide
The Sniper Rifle Maintenance Guide
Sniper Roles and Tactics
Sniper Related Links
Troubleshooting FAQ
So You Want To Be A Sniper?
Snipers have lately become very popular, with the role having been glorified in many movies and games. It is one of the most popular starting roles for beginning airsofters. I'd venture to say that more than half of all airsofters wanted to be a sniper at some point, and almost everyone has bought (or considered buying) a bolt-action rifle at some point. That being said, there are not that many people who really stick with the role. In this guide, I will explore the role, the equipment, and the mystique of the sniper. So, let's assume that you still want to be a sniper, recognizing that most airsofters do not stick with the role. We should first clarify the role, so you know what you're getting yourself into.
What Is A Sniper?
The definition of a sniper has been the subject of much debate (and very little consensus), so I'm going to attempt to give you the broadest definition of a sniper that still captures that entirety of the role. So, what is a sniper?
A sniper is an elite soldier who delivers precise, aimed fired upon specific targets, and is also a master of camouflage and stealth, utilized for intelligence gathering, recon, and assassination or destruction of strategic or tactical targets.
A sniper differs from a marksman, commonly called a DM (designated marksman) in airsoft, in two fundamental ways. First, a DM is capable of playing a standard rifleman/assault role, while a sniper typically uses equipment that prevents them from being efficient in the close quarters combat common in airsoft. Second, a sniper must be capable of delivering precise aimed long range fire, and a DM, in the interests of safety (and rules of ballistics), cannot function in this capacity. I'll discuss the role in more detail later, but for now, I want to leave the definition as it stands.
A sniper is not restricted to any single type of role or tactic, contrary to popular belief. If you want to be an effective sniper, you should start by recognizing that you must be able to adapt your role and tactics to whatever situation you might encounter. This, then, is the first rule of sniping: "Be Adaptive." I like to remember it as the BA rule (bolt-action, anyone?). Of course, we should also remind ourselves of the history of sniping, as that's how sniper doctrine gets developed.
A Brief History of Snipers and Sniping
The term “sniper” derives from a bird called the snipe. The snipe was a very elusive bird that was hard to hunt. Bagging one required very precise shooting and stealthy movement, and the British hunters in India that hunted the bird became experts in a number of the skills that are now commonly considered sniper skills. Sniper, then, literally means “hunter of the snipe.” The role itself has been around for as long as projectile weapons have existed. Archers sniped enemy leaders in medieval battles, and snipers were used in many wars, including the American Revolutionary War. In fact, a British sniper had the chance to shoot an American officer, but chose not to because he did not want to shoot the man in the back. As it turned out, the officer was General George Washington, and that sniper's bullet, had it been fired, could have radically changed the course of history.
Snipers were also extensively used during WWII, with Finnish, Polish, and Russian snipers racking up the highest kills in history (sorry Carlos, you're at least 400 short of the "record," not that you'd care). A pair of these snipers (Major Koenig and Vassily Zaitsev) have been immortalized in the excellent movie, Enemy At The Gates.
Despite this long and glorious history, snipers were still not recognized or appreciated until midway through the Vietnam War, and most commanders had no idea how to use a sniper effectively. The first sniper school was started by then-Captain Land and the legendary Carlos Haththingy, who wrote the book on sniper doctrine and stealth techniques. Haththingy is America's most famous sniper (although, contrary to common belief, he is not the leader in kills for America or even for America during the Vietnam War). Haththingy's exploits are truly heroic, ranging from eliminating an enemy platoon with only his spotter as support, to crawling for days across a field to eliminate an enemy general deep in hostile territory. You can read about Haththingy in the book Marine Sniper.
Sniper doctrine remained unchanged until Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom, when Gunnery Sergeant Jack Coughlin pioneered the Mobile Sniper Strike Team (MSST) concept, which uses snipers as fast-moving strike elements, capable of breaking a defense or stalling an advance by rapidly moving around the battlefield and eliminating leadership and logistic elements. You can read about Coughlin in the book Shooter. Both of these styles are useful, with Haththingy's style being more suited to jungle and woodland combat, and MSST being suited for the fast-moving urban combat common in modern war. An airsoft sniper should be capable of acting in either capacity.
(Thanks to mhiagb hiruio--that was hard to spell--for the help with the history).
Some interesting books to read include:
Marine Sniper
Shooter
Crosshairs on the Kill Zone
Point of Impact
Black Light
Time To Hunt
Airsoft Sniping vs Real Steel Sniping
As ought to be obvious, airsoft sniping is fundamentally different from real sniping. One of the key differences, of course, is in the ranges involved. A real steel sniper rifle can fire out past 1000 yards. An airsoft sniper rifle, in contrast, is lucky to hit out to 350 feet. EneI disagreeaulters can close that distance and get within firing range within a matter of seconds. This range is determined almost entirely by the ballistic properties of the ammunition. Even the most heavily upgraded rifle, using the heaviest ammunition, cannot hit reliably past 300-350 feet, or 450 feet max, due to the poor terminal ballistic properties of the light sphere.
The other key difference lies in scope and time frame. Airsoft is a fast moving game with virtually no strategic element, and conflicts typically last for a matter of hours, rather than days or months. Airsoft snipers do not typically have access to air support or artillery, and skirmishes take place on relatively small areas without non-combatants (with some exceptions). In many ways, airsoft sniping is a completely different animal. But let's set that aside, and return to getting started. If you want to be an airsoft sniper, you're going to need some equipment.
Getting Started
Equipment List
Goggles or eye/face protection
Radio
Throat Microphone
Way to carry food, spare magazines, etc
Water container (Camelbak's are ideal).
Good boots
Rifle
Optic
Sidearm
(Good knife, field permitting)
(Ghillie suit, depending on field)
(Map of field, depending on skirmish size)
The efficiency of a sniper depends primarily upon their skills, naturally. A good airsoft sniper should have excellent observational skills, good fieldcraft, common sense, the ability to quickly assess situations and terrain, and, of course, good shooting skills and other basic military skills. But good equipment is also important. I've listed above some of the most important things for a sniper to have. The million dollar question: What's a sniper's single most important tool? Hint, it's not the rifle. That's right, the radio is centrally important to a sniper (assuming you're playing large scale skirmishes as part of a team).
Good communication is absolutely essential to a sniper. Lone wolf types are worse than useless in a skirmish. Snipers are often most useful as recon or intel elements, and even when playing the MSST role, you must know where you are needed so you can deploy effectively. A good radio and throat microphone are thus essential. So, what sort of radio should you get?
I personally recommend Motorola radios, as they are cheap and perform well. When looking for a radio, shoot for multiple channels (sub-channels are great too) and decent battery consumption and range, along with small size for portability. The throat mic is a bit more difficult. Obviously, you don't want your radio beeping and giving away your position, and you want to leave your hands free as well. So, you get a throat microphone. If you're on a budget, you can't beat the Fidragon throat mic (available at http://www.airsplat.com). It runs about 25-30 USD, but the audio isn't super clear. If you want the most reliable equipment, I highly recommend IASUS throat microphones (NT3, NT4, for instance). Those run from 70-150 USD, but are much better in the field, with better audio, stronger wires, and other benefits.
Good goggles are also essential. Many people swear by shooters glasses, but be sure they are ANSI rated high enough to withstand at least 2-3J. I personally don't like paintball masks, although some fields require them, but face protection can be nice. www.ehobbyasia.com has some nice neoprene half and full face masks. As for goggles, there are a wide variety of goggles, and the good ones aren't specific to sniping. I personally prefer Arena Flakjaks, which are available from www.goggleoverstock.com.
For carrying ammunition and magazines, fanny packs are always great, as are web belts and pouches. Full vests are usually not advisable, as you may be spending a lot of time prone. That also means no cross-draw holsters. Hip holsters are usually best if you spend a lot of time prone, as you can reach your sidearm faster. If you are standing, you can't beat a drop-leg for quickly getting to your sidearm. I have yet to find a good cheap shoulder holster. For long games, you may also want to carry a rucksack, so you can store your ghillie, carry food, water, spare magazines, and extra ammo, and have something to stabilize your shots and provide cover where there wouldn't be otherwise.
Camelbaks are great for carrying water because they leave your hands free, and allow you to drink without moving around a lot and breaking cover. You also want nice boots, and, if the field permits, a good knife is a handy tool to have. A knife can help you dig in a little bit and cut native vegetation to improve your camouflage. Of course, it's a REAL weapon, and is not permitted at most fields. The rest of things you'll need to make a careful decision on, so I'm devoting a whole section to each of them. So, now we can finally get around to picking a rifle.
The Sniper Rifle Buyer’s Guide
I have compiled an extensive list of rifles that are available, and will add to this list as more rifles get released. Without further ado, the rifle guide!
Table of Contents
--------------------------------------
Why not an AEG?
Spring section
Budget rifles
Super 9
UTG M324/DE M50
Well Warrior 1/UTG Mk96/BE L96
HFC USR-11 M700
AGM MP001 M700
Kart M40
JG BAR-10 M700
WELL MB-02 M700
AGM MP002 L96
WELL MB03 M700
High-end section
TM VSR-10 series
Maruzen APS-2 series
CA M24 SOCOM
SVD Dragunov
Specialty/Rare rifles
M82A1
WA2000
Gas section
HFC USR-11 GV
KJW M700 Series
Tanaka M700 Series
Tanaka L96
WELL G-22
G&G L96
--------------------------
This thread is for comparing the various sniper rifles. I'll begin by giving the most comprehensive accounting of the various sniper rifle options out there, and compare their pros and cons. Comparisons will be grouped by price range--budget versus high-end, and by power--spring versus gas. I will briefly discuss why I think that sniper rifles should not be electric, and why I think that the proper domain of AEG's is as DMR's, not as SWS's.
Why not an AEG?
This topic is rather controversial, since the option of full-auto certainly seems attractive for a sniper in trouble. But I will always come down on the side of a bolt-action rifle for a number of different reasons.
1. Realism. In real steel, nothing can beat the inherent accuracy of a bolt-action rifle. While in airsoft, AEG's can come close, a bolt-action is still slightly more consistent and accurate, and if you're interested in realism, most sniper rifles ARE bolt-action.
2. Stealth. An AEG is a lot harder to silence, since you have to deal with the characteristic gearbox whining noise, as well as the muzzle noise. Stealth is very important to a sniper, so I prefer to stick with a quieter bolt-action rifle, with less mechanical parts to make noise.
3. Simplicity. A spring-powered bolt-action is much simpler, and easier to fix in the field when something goes wrong. This circumstance isn't very likely, but it's a much simpler gun, which also means there's less that CAN go wrong.
4. The Skill Factor. If you have the capacity for full-auto or rapid semi-auto, you'll be inclined to use it. That means you won't conserve ammunition, and you're more likely to get yourself into situations that require you to fend off large numbers of enemies with full-auto. Basically, those snipers that I've seen using AEG's tend to get themselves into trouble a lot more often. If you have limited ammunition, and low ROF, you're required to be a lot more cautious, and to rely on your skill, fieldcraft, and tactics, rather than your gun. And that, I think, is as it should be.
There are plenty more reasons supporting either side of the debate. But I come down on the side of bolt-action rifles, so I will not include an AEG section in this guide. If you must get one, at least get one that's supposed to be a rifle (e.g. Hurricane kit M82A1, TM PSG-1, SVD if you can build one properly, M21 (M14 based), or SR-25).
Spring Section:
Spring powered bolt-action rifles are my weapon of choice for sniping. They are always reliable, regardless of the temperature (unlike gas rifles), and are simple and easy to fix or upgrade. Although spring rifles require more upper body strength to thingy, they're the most popular type of rifle for a sniper, who relies on fieldcraft, skill, and tactics, rather than ROF and sheer numbers. There are several excellent options available for those wanting a spring sniper rifle (along with some not-so-excellent options).
Budget Rifles
There are several options out there for affordable spring sniper rifles. I will provide a brief mini-review on each rifle, and then compare them at the end, with my recommendations, depending on what you're looking for.
1. The Super 9/Tac 9, in all of its incarnations.
The Super 9 is probably the first rifle that beginner players encounter, since it's cheap, readily available on lower end retail sites and on eBay, which is virtually useless for getting airsoft guns, aside from a few select sellers like evike and ehobbyasia. The Super 9 is supposed to be one of the most powerful stock spring sniper rifles in the budget category, typically listed as shooting over 450 fps. Something to note--those fps measurements are with .12g bb's, which no experienced airsofter uses except in mines and grenades.
The Super 9 also has some interesting features. It doesn't have the usual type of magazine, but rather a stick magazine which holds something like 25 rounds, and a rotary magazine, which holds a small number of shells (6, I think), in which you insert the bb's. This feature is very cool if you like realism, since it will eject an empty shell when you cycle the action. The Super 9 also comes with a bunch of extras, such as iron sights, scope mount, scope, bipod, and sling. However, I do not recommend the Super 9 for anything, even backyard wars, for a number of different reasons.
The Super 9 and the other UHC sniper rifle series are universally known by the moniker "Craptastic 9," or some variation thereof, due to their relatively horrible performance. It is completely unreliable past 80 feet, which means even a low-end MPEG can outrange it in terms of effective distance (some people have had better experiences, but on average, they have a minimal effective range), and are virtually unupgradeable. That means no tightbore without heavy modification, no cylinder upgrades, no hopup upgrades, nothing.
The magazine system is also irritating, because the stick magazine is unrealistic and harder to load than other sniper rifle magazines, and the shells are easy to lose. More, the gun is very toy-like. The build quality is okay, but not great--mostly middle quality plastic, which doesn't have the greatest feel, and the bolt is designed poorly, so the bolt-pull is much stiffer than it should be.
All in all, the Super 9 in its various incarnations is suitable only for backyard skirmishes, and even then, there are better guns to get.
springer.airsoftretreat.com/articles/super9.htm
springer.airsoftretreat.com/reviews/super-9.htm
I should add that the Super X-9 is significantly better than the Super 9 or Super 9 Pro, and is capable of reasonably good performance (unlike the others, it is accurate past 100 feet, and can take upgrades, like spring and spring guide, and tightbore). However, even upgraded, it's still not capable of the longer range shots that most of the other rifles can make, especially because the hopup is so poor, and it is still very poorly constructed. While it can be a fairly decent rifle (unlike the others, which were basically trash) with enough work, it's still not much good in a larger skirmish. Thanks to Tippman2000 for reminding me that they actually did it almost right on their most recent version.
2. The UTG M324 Master Sniper/ DE M50.
Click to enlarge.
The M324 is commonly called a VSR-10 clone, although it is actually more similar to an APS-2. However, it isn't actually a clone of either, having it's own internals. The M324 shoots about 350 fps stock with .2g bb's, and has a number of nice features.
The M324 comes in 3 colors--black, olive drab, and desert tan. The stock is nice and textured, with very little flex, although the look is somewhat spoiled by the various screw holes. The barrel and receiver are held into the stock by three screws of different sizes. Many people that break their guns do so by screwing the wrong screw into the wrong hole. The gun is not upgradeable with high-end aftermarket parts, but there are custom cylinders that allow power upgrades, various performance enhancing modifications, and a dbcustom 6.01mm tightbore available. Also in the plus column is the cheap and easy Leapers (UTG) customer service, which makes it very easy to replace broken parts of all kinds.
The M324 comes with scope mount, bipod, sling, extra magazine, and front accessory rail, which are all very nice touches. The sling is a very nice nylon sling, and is one of the better knockoff slings. In addition, the gun has a silent cylinder--it's about 80% quieter than most other spring sniper rifles, and with the addition of a foam-filled suppressor, is virtually silent. This feature is, for me, the biggest draw of the M324 aside from the Leapers customer service, since it allows for much more efficiency while sniping.
It does have some problems in stock form. First, the compression of the stock cylinder is very poor (although much better on the v.3's, which shoot about 400 fps stock), and requires a teflon tape modification to achieve its full potential. The cylinder is sealed, and cannot take upgrades, and the stock inner barrel is both aluminum (and hence lower quality than the brass barrels that come with most other guns), and enormous--a gaping 6.14 mm. This means that the M324 is not great in stock form. It is still capable of decent performance out to 100 feet, but is not effective past that. However, once upgraded with dbcustom tightbore and the teflon modification, it will shoot about 450 fps (perhaps closer to 470 fps with the v.3's), and will be effective out to about 180 feet.
Overall, this gun is great for backyard wars (probably the best budget sniper rifle for that purpose, due to the silent bolt), and is capable of competing with stock AEG's in the sniper role, or middle-range sniper rifles. Although it lacks the range of an upgraded high-end or some of the other more powerful budget rifles, the silent bolt, coupled with a suppressor, means that you can take shots from much closer in without giving away your position. In my opinion, that feature makes the M324 a force not easily dismissed, and all in all, an effective and affordable spring sniper rifle.
www.airsoftretreat.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=104&cat=39
echo1og.american-forum.net/Site-Discussion-c3/Reviews-f13/Double-Eagle-M50-UTG-M324-t11.htm
3. The UTG Mk. 96/WELL Warrior 1 L96A1/BE L96A1.
Click to enlarge.
These guns are all actually different guns, but I'm grouping them together due to their similar price, and the fact that their internals are essentially the same, with a few differences that I will cover here.
These clone L96A1 guns are the most powerful stock spring sniper rifles on the market, with the exception of the various SVD models. They shoot about 460 fps with .2's stock, and are also upgradeable (or downgradeable), since the cylinder can be opened. The various models differ in terms of build quality and extras. The UTG Mk96 comes with a bunch of extras, like all UTG guns, such as bipod, scope mount, sling, extra magazine, etcetera. The BE L96 has almost entirely plastic construction, including inner body construction, while the WELL Warrior 1 has metal construction for many of the parts, meaning it is more durable.
The major thing that should be mentioned about this gun is that the trigger box is made out of plastic (true for both the BE and the UTG/WELL). IMO, that was a very stupid thing to couple with a 500 fps spring, but these guns are probably not terribly reliable in stock form. Fortunately, the spring is very easy to thingy, with a bolt-pull light enough that some have called the spring magical. That's a good sign that the construction is pretty solid. The gun performs reasonably well in stock form, with an effective range of about 150 feet, but the high fps exacerbates inaccuracy problems at longer range.
Fortunately, this gun is upgradeable. I do not suggest leaving this gun in stock form, but rather to replace the stock trigger with an APS-2 trigger assembly or an APS-2 L96 zero trigger assembly. The hopup and inner barrel should also be replaced, and eventually you may want to replace parts in the cylinder as well. Since the gun is fully upgradeable with aftermarket parts, it's a great platform for building a fully upgraded sniper rifle, but probably shouldn't be left in stock form. I would suggest this rifle as an option for those wanting an upgraded sniper rifle, capable of competing with the best rifles, but would probably not rely on it in its stock form. The UTG and WELL versions are also probably better deals, as they have stronger internals than the BE version.
4. The USR-11.
Click to enlarge.
The USR-11 is a fairly venerable VSR-10 clone. And that's right, it is a full clone of the VSR-10, compatible with all of the aftermarket parts. It's got a solid build, and is quite durable, although not as durable as an actual VSR-10. The cylinder can be opened and upgraded by drilling out some pins, and that will increase the FPS from a fairly low stock fps to a more respectable 350+ fps. It can be upgraded with teflon mod and tightbore to approach 430 fps with .2's, without any internal upgrades.
Basically, the USR-11 is the option for those who want an upgraded VSR-10, but don't want to pay as much for the starting platform. It can take all the aftermarket upgrades, comes with iron sights, but no scope mount, and also has a gas cylinder available, although there is very little information on the gas version. All in all, the USR-11 is always a good choice if you want to upgrade, but not the best choice if you want a competi**ve rifle in stock form.
Helpful thread: www.airsoftretreat.com/forums/index.php?topic=12470.0
5. The AGM MP001 Sharp Shooter (sometimes called the JG MP001).
Click to enlarge.
The MP001 is one of the most recent clone rifles out of China. Visually identical to the VSR-10, it is nevertheless not a true clone, and is not upgradeable with most VSR aftermarket parts. It takes VSR-10 trigger parts, and has an APS2 compatible cylinder. The only barrel upgrades it can take are dbcustom, EdGI, or madbull tightbores. However, it makes up for the lack of standard upgradeability with truly superb performance with a small amount of easy modification, and its ability to take a number of replacement parts from other guns with slight modification.
The MP001 comes in three colors--faux wood, olive drab, and matte black. The stock is well-made, and has some of the best fake wood available, which was a surprise. Almost all of the rest of the gun is metal. It shoots 400 fps stock, but with teflon mod, tightbore, and a few other performance-enhancing modifications, can get up to 470 fps on average, and 491 fps if you do a really good job.
Stock performance is very good, but not spectacular, with a 170-190 foot effective range, but post modification, this gun is easily capable of 250+ foot shots, which makes it competi**ve with all but the very best rifles. It does have a very wide inner barrel, at least 6.1mm, but it is made out of brass, and is surprisingly accurate. It is also the cheapest rifle on the market, so if you're willing to take a little time learning about the internals of your gun and working on it (you'll have to spend no more than 5 dollars on upgrade parts), you'll have a very competi**ve rifle. There is a ton of information available on this rifle on ASR (I'll get links up in a while), and I know this gun inside and out, so if anything goes wrong, I can almost always give you a quick and easy fix. All in all, I recommend this rifle for almost any type of player--beginner or expert, backyard war or full skirmish.
One important note: I recommend you get the wood version. The people that have purchased the black pre-assembled version (usually from http://www.airsoftgi.com), have reported having performance issues. If you want a gun that's more likely to work, stick to the wood versions.
www.airsoftretreat.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=114&cat=77
6. Kart M40.
There is very little information available so far on this gun, so I will update as I learn more. Internals seem to be loosely based on the VSR-10, but not an actual clone. It doesn't have magazine compatibility, and finish is rather poor. It is probably not upgradeable, but may still be comparable in performance to the MP001 with modifications.
www.airsoftretreat.com/forums/index.php?topic=29767.0
7. JG BAR-10.
The Jing Gong (Golden Bow) BAR-10 is the latest bolt-action sniper rifle (BASR) out of China. It is a full VSR-10 clone, and is definitely the all-around best budget rifle available. The cylinder is openable, and does not require pins to be drilled out, and it has the best finish of any of the budget rifles. The stock is durable ABS plastic with a rubbery finish that's absurdly comfortable to hold, it's a bit heavier than the MP001 or USR-11, and is well balanced. It also has a slightly different bolt-handle that's a bit more comfortable and sturdy-feeling than the VSR-10 handle, and (aside from the safety switch) is made from strong, durable materials. The only issue is that the magazine release is liable to pop out when you remove the barrel assembly from the stock, so you should put some tape over the release button before you take it out to prevent it from popping out. Be sure not to lose the spring.
Stock performance is superb, matched only by the AtoZ and KA SVD's and the UTG L96A1, all of which have 450+ fps stock springs and tightbore barrels. This gun shoots about 390 fps stock, but with 5 minutes of work and a little electrical tape, it can be modified to shoot over 500 fps stock (shorten the airbrake and electrical tape the cylinder head nozzle). With it's superior performance and the fact that it has better finish than any other budget rifle (and comparable finish to high-end rifles), this gun is clearly the best budget spring sniper rifle you can buy. It comes in two forms, the non-scoped version with iron sights, and the scoped version, with a scope mount and JG scope (some reports indicate a Tasco, others suggest it's a JG scope that isn't great. Pricing runs in between 90 and 160 shipped. It is also a JG gun, so QC is likely to be very good.
groups.google.com/group/asgar/web/sniper-rifle-mini-reviews--new-releases
8. MB02
The second sniper rifle by WELL is a GSPEC look-alike. The trigger mech is compatible (although not adjustable, most likely), and the cylinder is sealed on early versions, but screws off on later versions. The cylinder and hopup are also VSR-10 compatible. The finish is fairly good, and the fake wood looks very good. They are advertised as chronoing at 400 fps. Magazine feeding is reported to be shaky, but decent, and accuracy and power are fairly good. Pricing is close to the MP001, making this another reasonably good budget alternative, although it's probably not the best choice for a serious sniper. The internals are compatible with the VSR, and it fits the GSPEC silencer as well. This gun is a good budget option for an upgrade platform, although the quality of the metal and finish isn't great. If you want to upgrade, you should replace just about everything.
9. AGM MP002 L96.
The AGM L96 is AGM's second foray into the spring sniper rifle market. It's basically the MP001 with a longer cylinder in an L96 AW stock, much like the AICS. It's very cheap, costing typically 80-100 dollars, and chronos in at around 440 fps with .2g bb's. The trigger mech is a VSR-10 clone, and fits VSR-10 aftermarket sears. The cylinder is an APS-2 Type 96 clone, and is longer than the MP001 cylinder. The hopup and barrel are identical to the MP001 In other words, the hopup isn't upgradeable, and it only fits dbcustom, EdGI, or modified Madbull barrels. Stock accuracy isn't very good, as it has a wide inner barrel. The finish is pretty good, but not as good as the WELL MB01. Heft is very good, as it has weights glued into the stock. The major advantage to this rifle is that it's cheap, has very good stock power for a very light bolt-pull, and is a solid gun if you install a tightbore. The U-hop is a major drawback, as is the APS-10/96 style upgradeability (VSR-10 trigger/APS96 cylinder). It's a good budget rifle, and would make a good starter sniper rifle, but I would recommend the WELL over this gun for budget owners seeking a more competi**ve gun. However, it can be easily modded by cutting down the middle of the U-hop arm to make a v-hop, and that effectively doubles it's range, making it a very effective rifle.
groups.google.com/group/asgar/web/sniper-rifle-mini-reviews--new-releases
10. WELL MB03.
This rifle is also a VSR-10 clone, and has excellent performance. Build quality is not as good as with the BAR-10, but the magazine catch is much better designed, and the barrel is much longer (455mm). The receiver is a bit smaller than on the BAR-10, so you'll have to do a bit of mod work to get some upgrade parts to fit. It's pretty much the same as the MB02, but with a longer barrel.
This concludes the budget spring sniper rifle section.
www.airsoftretreat.com/forums/index.php?topic=56248.0
