How to set your scope?

[fingerpuk]

Hi.

I’m really struggling with accuracy on all of my RIFs, the problem is me.

If I get the hop up set correctly, which I have to guess on by looking down the barrel and trying to get a small lift before the drop, I then wonder where I should dial my scope to?

Do I set it to the top of the lift, so that If I aim for a headshot I’ll most likely hit centre mass unless they are at the exact top of the final lift?

Left and right is simple, up and down - where do I am the scope?

And is hop inconsistency when the lift is different shot to shot? I have that on my Tac and my 308. But I’m not sure is ground effect is happening, or if that’s even a thing with BBs.

I want my Tac to be accurate at 70m and my DMR to 60m. This should be possible, and I think my issue is setting the hop and knowing where the crosshairs should be aligned.

Help.

 

[Lyndication]

Yeah just set the hop flat with an overhop at the end, then pick a target distance, hit it, and zero the optic to that target

 

[Davet]

You need to zero the scope (adjust elevation/windage, i.e. up/down & left/right) on a range, ideally at the distances you want, so that your crosshairs sit on the point of impact of the BB on the target at that range. But bear in mind environmental variables that can affect the BB on its way to the target - the ballistics are no where near as consistent as a real bullet.

 

[fingerpuk]

I have a target at 70m, and I get the hop up looking flat with a little lift at the end. I then get the crosshairs as close to the top of the lift as I can, it’s never consistent, but then I fail to hit the target.

I’m playing tomorrow so I’ll try their range. My target is a 17cm wide square about 2ft off the ground, and so it doesn’t emulate a human standing.

 

[Cannonfodder]

But I’m not sure is ground effect is happening, or if that’s even a thing with BBs.

Click to shrink...

Ground effect as in what affects aircraft landing or allows the ekranoplan to operate? This doesn't apply to bbs

How big inconsistencies are you getting? Airsoft guns are really glorified muskets and won't have the same shot to shot accuracy of a real gum

 

[Lyndication]

Yeah even for a sniper 70m is often the limit IME, maybe if it's fettled to the 9s you can get 80m consistently, but it's very much "man sized target" and you may need multiple shots.

At those distances how straight you're holding the gun matters, as any tilt will impart a slight sideways hook to the BB. Tiny misalignments in the hop patch, variance in exactly how quickly the piston comes forward and the pressure curve it creates, etc, etc.

You can get them tuned up but it'll still miss because a mouse farted along the flight path. Such is Airsoft.

 

[Tackle]

To be honest, at the ranges we operate at, for example the 60-70 metres you mentioned, scopes are a moot point generally, yeah they will allow accurate targeting, but so will the mk1 eyeball using fixed sights, or even line of sight for that matter.
Getting your hop set for your ammo weight at your approximate maximum engagement ranges is crucial, essentially as much straight lift as you can get, just before you get crazy vertical flyers, better to hope for the bb slowly dropping away after 60+ metres.
Finding somewhere private with enough space/distance to set up is the issue for most players, getting to site earlier than usual to use their range is an option.
Only once you're happy with it's straight line accuracy should you then add the scope, with the gun mounted in some way to ensure shot consistency, sandbag or similar is usually the poor man's option, & use a paper or card target so you've got a point of reference from your previous shots, & only make small adjustments on the sight rail for windage etc, even at only 60 metres half a dozen "clicks" could amount to 18 inches rise or fall.
If after all that & the rifle/sights are working well together on the range, but in game your accuracy is still "hit & miss" (no pun intended), you might want to consider factors such as your breathing, if you're struggling with fitness, or your adrenaline spikes during games, your barrel could be bouncing around more than you realise ?

 

[Colin Allen]

I have a target at 70m, and I get the hop up looking flat with a little lift at the end. I then get the crosshairs as close to the top of the lift as I can, it’s never consistent, but then I fail to hit the target.

I’m playing tomorrow so I’ll try their range. My target is a 17cm wide square about 2ft off the ground, and so it doesn’t emulate a human standing.

Click to shrink...

This is not meant to be derogatory so please do not take it as such. In addition to the issues that others have mentioned, some people are just poor shots; this may be due to their technique, including the way they hold and shoulder the rifle to stabilise it, their breathing, how they pull the trigger, how they use the scope etc etc.

 

[fingerpuk]

I’m at a game now, and after taking time in the range I’m getting much closer. Of course ferns etc make harder as does hiding. But I’m getting there. I use a bipod, and take my time. First game I’ve taken out 8 people at 70-80m.

Getting there

 

[Lyndication]

Tbh I use 3X mag on all my Airsoft guns, they reach about 60m pretty consistently.

It's much more for checking targets and scouting ahead a bit as there's some longer sightlines here. Being able to get a closer look at people's arms to check armband location and colour is really handy

 

[Adolf Hamster]

hop setting is something you end up getting a feel for.

typically you want a pretty flat trajectory with a little rise at the end, but make sure that it's only a little rise.

of course that's optimum for open field work, it's viable to find different settings can be useful in different situations, eg i have turned my hop down a tad mid-firefight to get rounds to drop over an obstacle. sometimes cranking it up and angling your pew is the order of business to compensate for a crosswind or shoot around a corner.


sight setting, tbh there isn't a tremendous amount to it imo. fire a few rounds, then set the centre to where the rounds are at the edge of your view distance. depending on wind conditions and whatnot there's usually a ton of kentucky windage involved in airsoft even when the gat is good enough order to shoot where you're pointing it, so you don't need to go too crazy you just need a reference point that's good enough.

whilst it's perfectly viable to make hits at well beyond airsoft ranges with iron sights let alone any optic magnified or no, end of the day those are bonuses as by the time you hit the edge of range in airsoft you need the wind gods on your side and not merely an honest target, but one that's also paying enough attention to notice a hit that lands with fractions of the usual energy.

magnification does at least extend the range at which you can tell if you're hitting the mark but i've always struggled with finding it worth the tradeoff of speedy acquisition.

 

[Cannonfodder]

Not being funny but many people new to sniping have the impression it's a simple case of putting the cross hairs on the target and pulling the trigger, racking up hit after hit. In reality it takes a lot of fiddling, adjustments and getting an overall feel for the rifle as even slight differences in how you hold it can make a huge difference in where the shot goes.

 

[fingerpuk]

Oh I get that. I’m not expecting miracles, just a solid understanding and foundation.