Dialing in the ole Scope!

Got a Question.
I was just outside adjusting the scope on the VSR. What distance do you like to place your target and dial into. I was around 100 feet.
With typical engagement rules i figure that is pretty standard. Juuuuust wonderin'.

DK

I guess it kind of depends on your VSR's FPS and range. I would probably say 100 feet may be good if it is shooting around 430 FPS or so... but that is coming from somebody that hasnt actually been a sniper.

it's prolly shooting just over 400 w/ .25's (425fps). max effective range is about 50 yards.

DK

I think, as Seabass mentioned, it all depends on your gun's specs. If it's firing at a higher fps with greater accuracy then your target will be farther back than a gun firing at a lower fps with less accuracy. It's more about how accurate and consistent your gun is at various distances. I would say start your target out a little farther than 100 ft., say 125 feet. Take some shots at it while keeping variances in your gun's position to a minimum - the best way to do that is to use some sort of a stand, even if it's a makeshift one. Follow where your shots are going. If they're inconsistent (not even looking at accuracy yet) then you're too far away. Some guns just aren't built to fire those types of distances, hence the inconsistency. Find the farthest range your gun can fire at while remaining consistent (again, not taking into account accuracy) and sight your gun in there (now taking accuracy into account).

You're goal is to sight it in at the farthest distance your gun can remain both consistent and accurate at. Farther the distance = more effective sniper(rifle). Also, use a heavier BB when doing so. .25g MINIMUM. .28g is most desirable I would think, but that's your call.

i pretty well agree with the rest of you guys, but i would probably sight myne in to whatever range i typically engaged at. This idealy should be near the max range of the gun, but i would probably do a little shorter than the max range, and then sight high if over that range. this way it is a more simple point shoot for most circumstances you would be shooting rather than having to adjust from center all the time. most scopes should have the distance tic marks below center for the longer shots anyway right? if you could learn how they would work in respect to your rifle....i would think you would be golden.

just .02 from a non sniper who thinks he may snipe in the future:)

i set mine for 30ft because my hop-up goes straight after 30 ft for another 120ft. i guess im lucky to have such a fine tuned weapon . if it didnt work that way i would use the idea that stormtrupr said in the above post.

sticks

When I started reading your post I was thinking 30ft with a sniper?! My pistol is accurate at that range!!! Then I saw the 120 ft past that and I thought, yep thats about right.

stormtrupr wrote:

i pretty well agree with the rest of you guys, but i would probably sight myne in to whatever range i typically engaged at. This idealy should be near the max range of the gun, but i would probably do a little shorter than the max range, and then sight high if over that range. this way it is a more simple point shoot for most circumstances you would be shooting rather than having to adjust from center all the time. most scopes should have the distance tic marks below center for the longer shots anyway right? if you could learn how they would work in respect to your rifle....i would think you would be golden.

just .02 from a non sniper who thinks he may snipe in the future:)

I can see the advantage of sighting a rifle in at the distance you most often engage the enemy in, but I see some flaws in that method as well:

1 - distances can vary greatly at times, and where in one event your average distance might be 80 ft., in another event it might be 110 ft.
2 - in airsoft, every single inch counts for a sniper. Because our range isn't too much farther than a typical AEG carrying opponent, we need to fire on them from as far away as possible. Distance is our friend, considering it's extremely easy to be overran and out-gunned at events. That's why I said find the farthest range you can fire shots at that are both consistent and accurate.

I'm not quite sure which method is better or if either one is even the best out of all options. I just think that if we're sighting our rifles in at closer ranges (ranges that AEGs are effective at) then we lean more and more to becoming like a player with a non-sniper's role. Think about it, most AEG users are sighting their guns in at 80-100 ft. Should we, as snipers, sight our guns in at the same distances? That basically makes us a regular foot soldier except with a much slower firing weapon. Does that make sense?

Hey Stormtrupr, look forward to having you as a fellow sniper someday (possibly). We'd love to have you

im not sniping now that you bashed my theory!

lol....no i didnt quite explain that part out fully....i completely agree that your engagement range you usually fire at better be as far as possible or yes, you then might as well use an aeg and have full auto:)

good topic btw:)

Ok, here is my revised answer for you...

FIRST- On a day with basically NO wind, get out your .25/.28/.30 BB's and get your hop up shooting fairly flat with a slight arc in the shot (not completely flat as it will fall off fast and you wont be able to judge distance by your shots). Bench / steady the replica and then use your iron sights / aim down barrel if you dont have sights and shoot at a target that is in range before you will experience drop off (say 100ft.). Shoot a few shots to make sure your hop up is good...

SECOND- Center the scope in on that target regardless of range. This will get your scope centered on all angles, which will allow you to make easy small adjustments for the third and fourth steps.

THIRD- Ok, so now you have your scope pretty well centered on the target. Now take several shots and get as tight of a grouping as you can to insure that you have everything setup well.
*If you have problems, sell your replica and get a new one. J/K... you may have a problem with your hop up or barrel.

FOURTH- Now you have the hop up adjusted, scope centered for closer range, and it is time to find your maximum distance. Put out a few targets that are about the size of a pie pan at several different lengths from where you are shooting (notice that I specifically said pie pan... they work well). Maybe space them out by 25 yards or so until you get to a point where you wont hit the last target. Take several shots at each target and adjust your scope with each target if needed.
**I wouldnt adjust your scope to the point where you experience drop off as it is very hard to determine where the shot will go right before and after this happends. Instead, get the replica shooting a good trajectory and try to get it so if somebody is in your scope (at a distance within your maximum range) the BB will pretty much hit them regardless of what range they are at... Works with my CA36, sometimes I dont even aim and it works.

I havent messed with bolt actions much yet, but I have one on the way... once I get it and have some time, I will sight in my scope and take some pics of results.

I'm just happy i'm hitting anything consistently from any distance. However i definately agree i'd like to elipse the AEG range by a few yard . Great Point.

stormtrupr wrote:

im not sniping now that you bashed my theory!

lol....no i didnt quite explain that part out fully....i completely agree that your engagement range you usually fire at better be as far as possible or yes, you then might as well use an aeg and have full auto:)

good topic btw:)

NOOO!! I'd hate to push away a possible future sniper

I completely see your point too though. Why not zero your rifle in at the distance you're usually engaging the enemy in? It just makes sense. I guess a better response would have been to make that distance far back as possible, so you're not in the effective range of AEGs.