What bolt-action sniper do you recommend?

im am VERY new to airsoft, in fact the only kind i have shot/owned was the reallllly cheap ones from walmart that break a week later =p anyways i wanna start getting more into airsoft and i want to be a sniper, and i want to use a bolt action one, so i was wondering what you guys would reccomend for one?

please add the links to the website with the gun, so that i can look at it and see prices and such

oh also how much fps is good for a sniper? low, average and really good?

Well if you want a sniper that will shoot nice out of the box go with the UTG L96, but if you want a gun that you can upgrade I would go with th JG-Bar 10. The Bar 10 will have a lower fps to start but can be upgraded to exceed th L96.
Hope this has helped you

Yea there are alot of free DIY upgrades you can do with a bar-10.

This is an extremely popular question, and one that gets answered often, especially on this forum. If you take the time to look around the forum you'll find the answer to your question. But, let me go ahead and answer your question to the best of my ability anyway:

1st - A good FPS for a sniper rifle is anywhere between 450-600 FPS, depending on your environment and field rules. Do not be confused by guns online that offer an $80 gun that's firing 500 FPS. FPS means nothing if your gun is crap and fires inaccurately. Besides, they're typically chronoed with .12g - .20g BBs. You should be using .25g to .30g+ BBs during skirmishes.

2nd - Here are some good choices of airsoft sniper rifles, from cheapest to most expensive. Please do not ask "Which one is better?" It all depends on you, your environment, your gear, your spending allowance, etc. etc. Obviously a Maruzen L96 will be better built than an UTG L96. However, maybe you don't have the $$ to spend on the gun and the needed upgrades. It all depends on YOU. I will say this though, for someone looking to get into sniping on a budget - the JG Bar-10 is a great rifle. I, along with most members on this forum, will always recommend this gun first (and it's only $100):

JG Bar-10: 4.4/5 overall rating
This gun is amazing, especially for it's $100 price tag. It looks and feels great, and gives you great performance out of box. One of the famous attributes of this gun is it's ability to be easily upgraded. It can be made into a rifle firing 550 +/- with only a few "tweaks" to the internals which can be done 100% FREE - in fact, we even have a guide w/pictures on how to do this yourself.

Link: http://www.airsoftgi.com/product_info.php?products_id=2761
Upgrade Guide: https://airsoftforum.darkbb.com/sniper-rifle-upgrades-modifications-f8/jg-bar-10-free-mods-tutorial-with-pics-t201.htm

UTG/WELL L96: 4/5 overall rating
This is a very popular gun among airsofters because it offers all the specs and looks they desire, but still comes with a fairly low price tag of around $120-$130. The WELL version even comes with a scope. This gun is very impressive for its price, and can take some serious abuse w/its durable ABS plastic body and metal scope rail, outer barrel, trigger, bolt, etc. It has somewhat of a heavy pull to the bolt, but it makes up for it with a 435 average FPS (.25g). Upgrades can get costly, but if you're on a budget and looking for a good looking gun that you don't plan on putting a lot of upgrades into, then this gun will suit your needs just fine.

Link: http://www.airsplat.com/Items/AR-UTG-AWP-368B.htm

Tokyo Marui VSR 10: 4.2/5 overall rating
Tokyo Marui is one of the most advanced airsoft manufacturers out there, and therefore one of the most well-known as well. They pretty much set the standard for all guns, every model available. The VSR 10 is a great rifle made by TM. It feels great, shoots great, pretty much gives you everything you'd expect from a Tokyo Marui replica... including low FPS. Firing at a stock FPS of around 285, we're not talking great specs here. However, throw in a few upgrades and you have yourself a top-of-the-line sniper rifle. And because the rifle is fairly cheap (around $185), you won't have to completely break the bank throwing upgrades into it. You'll still be able to use it un-upgraded, but I honestly wouldn't recommend going like that for long. Then again, I'd recommend getting the JG bar-10 (G Spec) for $85 less and throwing the extra $$ into that - but that's my opinion.

Link: http://www.airsoftextreme.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=74_81&products_id=3268

KJW M700: 4.1/5
The KJW M700 is a clone of the impressive Tanaka M700 sniper rifle. It's different than standard sniper rifles you're used to seeing because it runs on gas as opposed to bolt spring/batteries. Because it's gas-powered it requires little bolt-pull and comes standard with a high stock FPS (around 500-550). I've yet to fire this gun myself, but based on reviews I've read it's very impressive and highly-underrated. I hear it's fairly accurate, although it could use a tightbore barrel, and it can be adjusted to shoot between 375 FPS all the way to 610+ FPS depending on your manual adjustments and type of Gas you use. One negative aspect to take note of is its small mag capacity of only 10 rounds. Also, gas guns are known to not work that well in very cold conditions.

Link: http://www.airsplat.com/Items/GR-KJW-M700.htm

Tokyo Marui M24: 4.3/5
The TM M24 is another impressive rifle that seems to be much like the VSR 10. It has the low FPS, but everything else is above par for airsoft sniper rifles. It looks and feels great, and you'll think you're holding a real steel rifle. You'll still most likely need the upgrades in this gun to reach satisfactory range and speed.
Link: http://www.guncity.co.nz/xurl/PageID/9567/function/viewprd/prd_id/120529/xid/1/orgfn/tokyo-marui-m24-sniper-6mm-bb-soft-air-gun/content.html
Link: (CA Version) http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/airsoft/ProductDetail?prodID=9407

Maruzen Type 96: 4.5/5
I thought I'd go ahead and throw out one of my favorite, more expensive rifles - the Maruzen type 96. It has a great physical feel to it and will impress anyone and everyone who lays their eyes upon it It's well balanced and has strong enough internals to simply throw in a stronger spring for higher FPS (as PrecisionAirsoft states in the link below), which means you're ready to go for fairly cheap upgrades! It's of course going to cost a little more ($400), but it's well worth it if you have the money.

Link: http://www.precisionairsoft.net/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=SSR040

Tanaka Type 96: 4.6/5
This gun looks much like other type 96 rifles, but unlike most it's powered by Gas as opposed to the standard spring models. This can be good or bad depending on your preferences. I personally wouldn't mind having the gas version. It allows for a higher FPS w/fewer modifications and has several other benefits. The spring versions have their benefits too though which is why I stated it depends on your preferences. This gun is heavy, as are most type 96s, but still offers the great balance that most Type 96s have as well.

Link: http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/airsoft/ProductDetail?prodID=23491

Hope that helps! There are obviously other manufacturers and models to choose from, these are just a few I chose to mention. Just try to stick to popular manufacturers and if you feel a specific model/make needs to be included in this guide please PM me.

READ THIS AS WELL:

A lot of airsofters start off wanting to get into sniping because they remember back to watching movies like Shooter and Sniper and see it as this exciting role where they're making amazing long-distanced shots on "high-level" targets (presidents, VIPs, etc.). This just simply isn't the case. Most often they will be in the action, but not nearly as much as an AEG carrier. A Sniper's main goal will typically be to give recon to its team, provide support when needed, and harass troops. Sure it can be an adrenaline rush and it's a lot of fun, but it also take patience, a clear mind, maturity, and skill in many different areas. That's why I recommend to most newer players that you start off with an AEG. They're still a blast to play with, they give you a better idea of how airsoft works, and they still have incredible ranges.

For those who are still going to purchase an airsoft sniper rifle, please - by all means - spend at least $100 on a gun. And the only reason I keep it that low is because of the JG Bar-10. (It really is an incredible rifle) Other than that, don't go out and throw down $70-$120 on a mid to low grade gun that looks great in the pictures and supposedly shoots a whopping 500 FPS (with .12g bbs). It's a waste of your time and money. If you don't have the patience to wait to save enough money to buy a decent gun, then I'd say you don't have the patience enough to be a decent sniper.

Another thing, and now I'm just venting - don't get on forums or go to events and brag about how great of a sniper you are, about how amazing of shots you've made, or about how great your gun is. You will only be laughed at, looked down upon and labeled immature, and you won't give a good name to snipers. If you make a great shot then awesome - isn't your internal pride of knowing it good enough? You can brag about it to one or two of your friends who may be playing with you, but don't start sharing it with everyone you cross ways with. If you come off as being cocky and arrogant, you come off as being weak and easy to manipulate. This is not the way of the sniper.

So purchase a nice rifle, take care of the upgrades, keep your gun well maintained, and have fun!! Just remember every single person out there on the field has a specific and important role - no one is superior to another. So show respect to everyone equally.

Thank you.

thank you, this is EXACTLY the type of answer i was looking for, but i have one question, how much do upgrades usually cost?

i think im ganna get the JG BAR 10, one thing tho, how do you get rid of the orange tip? does it come with a different color or? oh, also is the JG BAR-10 metal or plastic?

plastic...

Lone Wolf wrote:

plastic...

Not helpful enough. The barrel, rail, much of the internals, and other various parts ARE metal. The stock, grip, and a few other parts are made of plastic. However, the JG bar-10 has a rubbery coat covering all the external plastic that makes it feel GREAT. I loved holding it.

ok, and how much do upgrades usually cost? i know you said they are free for this gun, but what about other guns?

ok, i was reading what comes in the package and it says- Package Includes: gun, magazine, speed loader, manual, and hardware. does a scope come with it? if not what scope should i buy?

Id recommend the Well L-96. I have one, it is very easy to work on. It does require a little maintenance, but very little things. I would recommend starting with an assault rifle or something. AEG of course. I started with a M-15.

Now from alot of airsofting (+ROTC) with x marines... I have many uniforms. All my gear is real military except for my guns.

ok, i was reading what comes in the package and it says- Package Includes: gun, magazine, speed loader, manual, and hardware. does a scope come with it? if not what scope should i buy?

midevilsniper wrote:

ok, i was reading what comes in the package and it says- Package Includes: gun, magazine, speed loader, manual, and hardware. does a scope come with it? if not what scope should i buy?

The scope does come with it.... its a pretty good scope. I might by another one though

Well the free upgrades are things internally that you can do to the gun, and as for scopes its called Walmart haha yes i said it walmart sells some really nice scopes

I reccommend the UTG L-96 highly . I have it and I love , but , the gun itself is heavy and not a gun for beginners . The J-Bar is a great gun to start out with as a sniper . The choice is entirely yours anyway. But the L-96 works for me and my needs .

If you are new, and insist on starting as a sniper, go with the JG BAR 10.
But...
If i were you, i would start with an M-14, such as from CYMA, for $130, and start out as a DM. That way you will learn basic things about sniper tactics and distance shooting. Then, After around 6-18 months, you can get that coveted sniper rifle and be a much better sniper.
Thats the way I went, and being a DM was a lot of fun too.

I love my agm but I would get the jg bar 10 gas bolt.