Existing Happy DMR User, Is A Bolt Action Worth It?

[Fatboy40]

I've settled into a groove now with my DMR and becoming a mobile bush, it also suits the fact I'm in my early 50's and really don't like running around (which I leave to others). I'm happy that my AEG DMR is the best it will ever be, with doubts that HPA would improve anything at all consistency / range wise and I don't fancy the hassle of bottles and lines.

A little bit of my brain always wonders what gameplay would be like though with a good bolt action and if I should bite the bullet and invest in one and the many upgrades over time.

Currently I shoot 0.40g with my DMR, it's almost spot on for 1.6 joules at this weight, and is accurate up to 80 meters or so in the right weather. For those of you with both a well tuned DMR, and a well tuned bolt action, do you really notice that much of a difference between the two? (range, accuracy, consistency etc.).

I quite like the DMR life, in that I can hide and be sneaky but when needed be a little more rapid moving around within my MED. A bit of me worries that the bolt action life in comparison could be a bit more dull, waiting for the perfect shot, and all you need is a player to spot the incoming BB / move a little and all the effort is wasted?

 

[Impulse]

As an HPA DMR enjoyer... I completely agree with you. Don't swap your AEG DMR to HPA because it won't improve on the performance of a well-built AEG DMR outside of making it quieter. The preconception that some people have that HPA is some magic propellant is silly because it's propelling the BB with exactly the same idea as an AEG; compressed air pushing a BB through a tube. It just differs on how it produces that compressed air. If you have a well set up AEG DMR, keep it that way.

I definitely see improvements in range with my bolt actions over my DMRs. With my measure for effective range at the range that I test my builds on, my bolt actions at 2.32J I would say the effective range is 75m and my DMRs at 1.88J are 70m. Bolt action I can also hit 85m fairly easily, whereas for my DMR it comes to hitting the 75m target fairly easily, with the 85m target being a bit of a stretch and involving a bit more luck. At the end of the day, 2.32J on a .48 is more than 1.88J on a .43, and I do see that 5 - 10m increase in range. How often does that come up? Not too much, but I find it also helps with doing the silly long distance archery shots of 100m+, though there's definitely a large element of luck involved in those shots so it's not really worth the comparison.

I can't compare when it comes to AEG DMRs, as my two DMRs are an MTW 308 (HPA) and an MWS in a mk12 kit (GBBR), but in terms of consistency I don't really see much difference when comparing like for like. My co2 powered VSR is just as consistent as my co2 powered MTW (they're not inconsistent like normal co2 guns because the regulator is still regulating as it would with an air tank!) and my green gas powered m700 is just as consistent as my green gas powered mk12 MWS. An AEG DMR built correctly will be just as consistent as a spring-powered bolt action built correctly in my opinion; it's just more difficult to build an AEG correctly than a spring or HPA gun, again in my opinion.

The main benefit you'll get using a bolt action is you can build them to be a lot quieter than an AEG DMR. Whether spring, HPA or green gas powered, bolt action rifles can be made incredibly quiet because there's less moving parts and no motor whirring with each shot. I'm still shocked at how quiet my SRS is even though there's a bloody great piston whacking forward with each shot I take. The difference in range is definitely there, but I feel like the DMR mitigates that with the ability to make rapid follow up shots if your first one misses. If you miss with a bolt action, you then need to pull the bolt back and that movement can give you away, or it can give your target enough time to dive behind cover and start yelling "there's a sniper over there" at which point it can become a case of hoping the wild spray of full auto AEG BBs doesn't hit you, so that is a valid concern you have there. This is less pronounced with gas or (non-mechanical) HPA bolt actions because the bolt pull is effortless and can be done quickly, or super slowly and deliberately if they're looking at you but haven't spotted you yet, but it's still there.

Personally, I would do a bolt action as well, because variety is the spice of life and I'm biased because I love bolt actions. However, it's not for everyone. An idea might be to get a Tac41 Lite Sport to see if you like it, and if you really do then flog it / keep it as a backup or for spares and get a proper Tac41, as the Lite Sport version is only £200 and the internals are all the same as the more expensive Tac41 models so all you really need is a new spring and maybe play around with the hop up. I wouldn't want one to do a proper, fully kitted out bolt action build with one though because the externals and general features aren't as good as the higher priced variants, but I feel like they're good for their price at least.

 

[Tommikka]

A bit of me worries that the bolt action life in comparison could be a bit more dull, waiting for the perfect shot, and all you need is a player to spot the incoming BB / move a little and all the effort is wasted?

That’s the advantage / disadvantage 

We play games with equipment that doesn’t really behave as per real life.

In airsoft the rules tend to differ by certain classifications, allowing x type player to have a higher velocity but lesser ROF.

A well tuned consistent RIF accompanied by practice will be better than a so called super ninja look that has had all the add ons but not properly set up

The disadvantage of being more likely to miss is the ‘advantage’ of the suspense and bragging rights

 

[Fatboy40]

Personally, I would do a bolt action as well, because variety is the spice of life...

Well, I suppose it's cheaper than getting into using TAGinn rounds (which if I won the lottery I 100% would).

 

[Lozart]

Well, I suppose it's cheaper than getting into using TAGinn rounds (which if I won the lottery I 100% would).

Since paying off my mortgage, I have discovered that Tags are, in fact great.

 

[MrTea]

Well, I suppose it's cheaper than getting into using TAGinn rounds (which if I won the lottery I 100% would).

This may interest you. Not so much the launcher he's using - but the projectiles.

 

[Rogerborg]

bite the bullet and invest in one and the many upgrades over time

The only thing I've changed on my TAC-41 is the spring, which takes a couple of minutes start to finish, and the new Lites and Lite Sports have much the same internals for a fair bit less money. Novritsch guns should be good out of the box as well.

I prefer my TAC-41 to my ok-ish DMR because of the higher feeling of reward for making a hit using energy that you've put in yourself.  Same with a pump action in CQB - you get fewer kills, but they mean much more.