One of the biggest debates among airsoft players is how far an airsoft sniper gun can shoot. Airsoft guns use a spring mechanism to fire a plastic pellet, which makes them look and feel like real firearms.
Airsoft Sniper Average Shooting Ranges
An airsoft sniper rifle is capable of shooting out to over 6 hundred meters which are about 2,000 feet. This certainly beats all of the "gun experts" that say that a gun will not shoot more than 100-200 feet. The trick to achieving these distances is in the hop-up unit. Adjusting the hop-up on your sniper rifle can increase the range of your BBs.
The farther you are away from the target, the lower your BB will be when it reaches it. However, this is only partially correct. All you need is a sturdy BB and a little bit of luck to get a perfect shot as well. If you can adjust your airsoft gun to shoot further than 200 feet, then you may want to shoot with a .30 Cal airsoft gun instead. .30 Cal airsoft rifles are capable of shooting up to 500 feet which are approximately 150 meters.
Before You Get Started
If you are new to the world of airsoft and have never played before, then you shouldn't dive straight into buying an $800 gun without seeing how it feels. It is recommended that you start with a very cheap gun that shoots around 100-150 feet like an AEG or a spring pistol to see if you like how it plays. If you find it very expensive and you don't want to spend so much on an airsoft gun then try renting an airsoft gun to see if you like it.
On another note, there are many different types of sniper rifles. Some sniper rifles such as the ones used in Vietnam shoot projectiles very fast in a straight line. Others, such as sniper rifles used in Iraq and Afghanistan shoot slower projectiles but can take out objects from a much greater distance. Other sniper rifles such as the ones used in World War II shoot around that do not travel very fast and can do incredible damage but is difficult to hit the target.
If you are interested in purchasing a gun, we recommend that you get one with a lot of range. This way, you will be able to choose between guns and rifles around $200-$600 that have ranges from around 100-200 feet to guns with ranges from over 1000 feet up to nearly 2K feet. You won't be disappointed with your purchase.
Types of Airsoft Sniper Rifles
Spring Sniper Rifles
Spring airsoft sniper rifles are the least expensive of all the different types. There are two different kinds: one with a fixed hop-up (called a "hop-up gun") and one with an adjustable hop-up. The fixed hop-up guns shoot every BB at the same speed and ensure that all BBs will fly at a consistent distance. This makes these guns easier to use, but their range is limited to about 200 feet (60 meters). For more information on BBs, check out this post on airsoft sniper rifle BB's.
Gas-powered sniper rifles
Gas-powered airsoft sniper rifles are the most advanced and expensive of all of the different types. These guns use a small tank to hold compressed gas, which is then fed into the gun by a special valve. This improves the accuracy and range of your BBs without having to adjust anything.
Electronic sniper rifles (EBRs)
Electronic airsoft sniper rifles are frequently called "ebrs". These snipers fire BBs at infrared frequencies, which allows them to accurately detect where the bullet will go. This makes them more accurate than gas-powered and spring guns. EBRs are very advanced, which is why they are so expensive.
What to Expect From Your Gun
One thing you will notice about the various guns is the weight. Most spring guns weigh ten pounds, and gas guns weigh up to over twenty pounds! These weights can vary greatly between different manufacturers though. Some of these guns tend to be very inaccurate at long ranges, but are still very user-friendly. Others are fairly accurate, but are extremely heavy, and need to be held with both hands to take advantage of them's long-range capabilities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, airsoft sniper rifles can do a lot for you. They are fun to use and are perfect for beginner players. We suggest that you try out many different guns before deciding what gun you want to buy.
