Is it really worth being a sniper in the UK?

[Nitrox]

Over the past few weeks I have been increasingly getting drawn to buying a sniper rifle, I think I would really enjoy the tactical side of the sport as a sniper. My main concern is that given the FPS limits at most sites (500 fps, .2g BB) is it really worth it?

Now of course I don't want to hurt anybody during game play. However, I would have thought that 500fps using a .4g bb would be more realistic for sniper play with a strict minimum engagement distance. The whole point of playing as a sniper is to be able to engage the enemy while being outside the firing range of enemy AEG's.

Which begs the question, is it really worth it?

Thoughts?

Dan.

 

[Lozart]

Ah, this old chestnut.

Arguably, no. In the same way that it's not worth being a support gunner or running a DMR. But then, we don't all want to be the same so if you WANT to be a sniper, be a sniper.

 

[AndyGif290368]

Don't think of it in terms of fps, it's the energy of the bb at the muzzle that the important thing. 

A bolt action/single shot is allowed nearly twice as much muzzle energy compaed to an AEG,  2.5j versus 1.3j.

Snipers use the heavier bb's, so the wind is less of a problem.  Having a long range gun still does not make you a sniper, there's all the fieldcraft to master as well.

 

[Wo1f]

If you buy an off the shelf sniper rifle then yeah, you're gonna struggle. But a well set up one will always have a decent range advantage over an AEG. If you're in range of the guy with the m4 who's hosing you down, then you're not playing as a sniper. The idea is you should almost always be untouchable. 

 

[M_P]

If you have a good game it makes you feel on top of the world, if you have a bad game then you have a rubbish day simple as that I normally find 

 

[Esoterick]

I think they are worth it in terms of range, easily. When I got my first VSR which was upgraded when I bought it I was shocked at how far it could shoot. It wasn't hard at all to find spots that I had solid accuracy but people couldn't hit me lobbing shots.

I'd say a bigger thing to consider is whether you can find a style of play you enjoy with a sniper rifle. If I just used my LMG as a suppressive weapon like you keep seeing people talk about I'd have thrown mine in the bin as it barely works in Airsoft.

 

[Prisce]

I agree with the last post. This Sunday I actually went out and played with two guns, my sniper and an AEG, I just left one at the respawn, went out with one, if the game style didn't match that load out, I just swapped guns and voila. 

Actually worked really well and had an awesome time!

 

[AshOnSnow]

I loved playing with a DMR, it really suited my game style. Some sites only allow 450 for DMR though which is a pain.

If you spend enough money on it, and tune it up well, a DMR will keep you satisfied for a long time, especially in woodland games.

 

[Tommikka]

Contrary to Hollywood, snipers are not about long distance.

A sniper gained the name from their ability to stalk and shoot a snipe. This needed numerous skills of patience, stalking and concealment, timing and finally marksmanship to hit with the one chance they had to fire a shot. 

This then advanced with concealment with Lord Lovats who brought their country fieldcraft skills and ghillie suits.

If it's just range that you want then fine tune, learn how your gun shoots and practice.  It then won't matter if you're in full view when you're sat at the back out of range of the opposition, but you lose all of that advantage when they manage to push ahead and can reach you, or someone sneaks off to the side and flanks you.  Let alone if they just give up walking into your line of fire and pick another route.

If it's a half an hour mission etc then there's little value in you sneaking around off in the bushes to eventually get one shot - or to run out of time having done nothing.

But if it's an all day long game, or a few hours then you can run off in one direction then take the time to sneak around up to the opposition and hide in a bush picking people off quietly.

 

[Samurai]

I agree with Tommikka. Sniping is a play style. You can do it with a sub 350 fps boltie because it's not about the range of the gun.

 

[Careless]

 iv used a bolt action and i did have fun with it but it wasnt for me and the reason i had fun was becuase of the scoped kills i was getting not becuase it was a bolt action , and yea agree 100% with the 2 comments above me ^ , the best gun i have used for airsoft sniper style is actually a mk23 { a pistol } in a carbine kit with a scope the gun is soooo quiet yet allows you to make scoped accurate shots without telling the enemy your there....

 

[Nitrox]

Certainly food for thought guys, looks like I'll be giving it a whirl sometime soon. 

 

[Steveocee]

From someone who exclusively snipes now. Yes it is worth it.

You can still outrage the opponents on AEGs and I personally play in the woods a lot and it's great fun flanking round then ripping the enemy up before they even know where the shots are coming from.

You get a real satisfied kind of feeling when it comes off, occasionally though you do get the odd game or 2 where you feel had you got an AEG you'd have been more effective.

 

[Defender90]

What kind of grouping/range does one really get though?

I'm used to making precise shots with my air rifle but airsofts aren't rifled so they're not going to be all that precise or long ranged.

How do snipers and DMRs compare? Wouldn't I be better off with a DMR?

 

[Samurai]

You can still outrage the opponents

Especially when they don't take that carefully placed shot.

 

[Steveocee]

Especially when they don't take that carefully placed shot.

Follow up headshot normally does the trick.

 

[Steveocee]

What kind of grouping/range does one really get though?

I'm used to making precise shots with my air rifle but airsofts aren't rifled so they're not going to be all that precise or long ranged.

How do snipers and DMRs compare? Wouldn't I be better off with a DMR?

Enough to make it fun. 

DMRs are usually slightly lower FPS but semi auto, bolt action snipers usually get higher FPS. Means you can chuck a higher weighted BB that bit further. Pretty difficult to sell the advantages of sniping over a DMR role. Sniping with a spring action boltie has a brilliant feel to it and is really satisfying when you can see enemy team members losing their shizz as they can't reach you or don't know where you are.

 

[Nitrox]

Enough to make it fun. 

DMRs are usually slightly lower FPS but semi auto, bolt action snipers usually get higher FPS. Means you can chuck a higher weighted BB that bit further. Pretty difficult to sell the advantages of sniping over a DMR role. Sniping with a spring action boltie has a brilliant feel to it and is really satisfying when you can see enemy team members losing their shizz as they can't reach you or don't know where you are.

Just out of curiosity what setup are you currently running?

Dan.

 

[Steveocee]

Just out of curiosity what setup are you currently running?

G-SPEC VSR, ASPUK Sniper1 cylinder, piston, spring guide and trigger. AA M150 spring and Laylax PSS barrel with spacers. I get 504-506 every time with a 0.2.

I shoot Geoffs 0.43's in game.

 

[BenBurnside]

It depends where you play for one, also airsoft is a hobby you should play in the style you want to play