Step One: Determining what you consider fun. This is simple. All that you have to do is choose what position appeals to you most.
- Category 1
Do you want to be the first to enter the fight? Do you like to spray your ammo towards the target? Do you like rounding a corner and bringing your sights up quick to take out your slower enemy first? Do you like going for the most kills? Do you want to get up close and personal with your opponent? If so, you fit into category one.
Category 2
Are you a reasonably patient player? Do you take the point of view that carefully aimed sustained fire is the best way to eliminate the enemy? Are you a good shot? Are you able to remain aware of your own teammates positions and changing battle conditions? Do you like to support and work off some of your more brash teammates in their daring maneuvers behind enemy lines? If this describes you, you belong in category two.
Category 3
Are you an excellent marksman? Do you lack a fear of insects (arachnophobia, etc.), animals (snakes, etc.), and plant allergies? Can you lay stay still for hours in the mud and cold, waiting for the enemy to come to you? Can you move stealthily and remain undetected, even in close proximity to enemy players? Can you “disappear’ into the surrounding foliage? Do you mind if you’re not in the center of the action? Would you let numerous free kills walk right by the muzzle of your gun, to achieve an objective? If these traits belong to you, you are in category three.
Picked one? Scroll down...
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Step Two: Take your chosen category and read what the suggestion what you would enjoy most in airsoft.
- Category 1: rusher/runner/CQB/close fire support
You like to be where the action is, and therefore, should NOT get a sniper rifle. Rifles are large and clumsy, and very hard to maneuver in buildings and around corners, so sharpshooting is not for you.
TM AEGs suited to your category:
G36C, all MP5 variants, SIG 552 SEALS, AK47B Spetsnaz, P90, P90TR, G3SAS
Category 2: assault team/medium range attack/CQB support and cover fire
You like to think through your shots a little more than the category 1 players, and you prefer to take your time and check the situation before making any moves. A sniper rifle would not suit you well because you require fully automatic firing to keep your adversaries’ heads down. (Note: This position is commonly mistaken for the job of a sniper on many an occasion.)
Echo1/TM/CA AEGs suited to your category:
G36C, all MP5 variants except MP5K and MP5PDW, SIG 551, all M16/M4 variants except M16A2, Steyr AUG, AK47, AK47S, MC51
Category 3: long range fire support/scout/sniper
You constantly think tactics, eliminating the greatest threat to your team instead of the easiest open shot you can take. The guns that you use are big, heavy, long, and accurate, with high power and a low ROF.
Echo1/TM/CA AEGs suited to your category:
G3-SG1, G3A3, G3A4, PSG1, SIG 550, M16A2
Bolt Action Rifles suited to your category:
CA-M24, Maruzen APS-2/L-96, TM VSR-10/G-Spec, SP M40a1, Tanaka M700
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That's the end of the guide - If you want to be a sniper, I would suggest reading what follows this:
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Other Notes:
You may have noticed I have placed Bolt Action Rifles and some high end AEG's in the sniper category. This is because you can be just as an effective sniper with an AEG in your hands.
About 450 FPS chinese clones:
With all these low cost 450 fps sniper rifles coming out, it is tempting for a lot of us to purchase one and give sniping a try. Some are 'ok' but all of them need substantial work, upgrades to make them accurate rifles. On the field a standard AEG is more effective for the average player, than one of these chinese sniper rifles. Most people believe these rifles will outrange enemies.
This typically does NOT happen in airsoft. An upgraded AEG has 400 fps a good hopup and automatic fire. With a 450 fps chinese clone rifle you only have 50 fps difference to the AEG's with your single shots, a low quality hopup, a poor quality barrel, and bad accuracy outside 100 feet. (marksmanship is everything for a sniper, the first shot will get your general position located, leaving you with no automatic fire to fall back on)
Same effective range as AEG's
You effectively will have the same range as an upgraded AEG because while they may lack a bit of accuracy they make up with shear volume of fire. That AEG user simply needs to angle his rifle a few degrees higher and "rain" 100 rounds on you - 1 of them will likely hit. While you are avoiding getting "rained on" the AEG or his buddy will move in on your position inside of your Minimum Engagement Distance - which is an important Safety Rule. At this point you are dead, or at a severe disadvantage.
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My thoughts on airsoft sniping
While the above is a big negativism to airsoft sniping, it can still be done. It becomes more of an art, and requires patience, and lots of work on fieldcraft. I started off in airsoft as an assault team player with a TM M16-A2 upgraded to close to 400 fps, I also have an Echo1 M4. Then, because I was willing to waste the money, and learn what sniping was about I purchased a chinese knockoff mp001(un-upgradable with most aftermarket parts).
It served it's purpose, it forced me to learn fieldcraft very quickly for the reason you see above. I then hand made a full ghillie, and focused on camouflaging my setup. After a couple months of playing with the mp001, I purchased a VSR-10 and did the full upgrade route. I am still working on it, and I've put down over 300$ on upgrades and is not any more effective on the field for me than my upgraded AEG in my hands. That is my honest truth to you. Thats around 500$ on sniper rifles and parts. To get just a little more performance than an upgraded AEG.
I was not the original author of this guide, to give credit where it is due, this guide was paraphrased and formatted from: Here
