How to start running a bolt?

[Icepick]

I know, I know, I'm too young to run a bolt! Before you rag on me for being 16, hear me out!

I've taken some interest into getting a bolt action just to use for fun at skirmishes and what not. But what is the likelihood of me being able to go any further than that? I want to start trying new things in airsoft and going beyond my comfort zone, as well as start to use more tactics as opposed to "Run here, shoot there!" methods. A few things that I would enjoy about the marksman/sniper role are...

1. Being able to go on my own.

2. Acting as support for a small squad.

3. Gathering recon info, as well as relaying enemy positions back to my team.

With this mindset, what can I achieve? Also, It seems like most of the snipers that sign up for larger events are veterans of the role, and I'm just a new kid. If I stick with this, how long do you think it would take before I can actually be reputable compared to those who already are snipers, and start to sign up for Bolt-Action spots without shafting someone who deserves it more?

[Mcluvin]

This thread is a death trap for you. Give it a few days and it will be locked. I hope you make it out alive. Good luck.

[glockmeister]

Dude, do what you want to do. This game is about fun and enjoyment.

[Jester316]

There are quite a few threads about properly employing a bolt action. I suggest you read them. All of the things you listed can be done with any aeg. Work on your field craft before sinking a bunch of money into a bolt. They require lots of money and time to get working properly. I have close to $400 and over 100 hrs of tinkering time in mine and it's still not where I would ultimately like it. a properly tuned bolt is a lot of fun to use. But one that isn't is more frustrating then washing your hand after the head cheerleader writes her phone number on it.

[DJ]

Do not worry what some of the "experts " say regarding your age. learn what snipercraft is all about before you invest in any equipment. There are a lot of good books on the subject. One of the most desirable traits for a sniper is patience. Unfortunately at your age patience or lack thereof is a limiting factor. Know yourself. If you do not have the patience to lie still and let non consequential kills walk past, then it might not be for you. In the real world, a sniper role is about 98% recon and maybe 2% shooting. Maybe not quite that percentage in airsoft but a sniper should be used as a force multiplier even in AS. Even a good AS sniper rifle does not have the range to be truly a stand-off asset so you need to be stealthy. At my age I do not have the discipline to let easy kills walk past, so I do not often act as a sniper except under certain circumstances. What I really enjoy is inflicting mass casualties in a sapper role ( land mines and trip wires).....just my thing, again know yourself before you dedicate funds and time

[Switchback]

One of my friends just gave me a KJW M700 that needs just a little love, if you'd like.

I've tried it a few times. Wear warm clothes, read some of KA-BAR's old posts.

I'm no Sniper in any sense of the word, but you might find that M700 useful.

[Variable]

How to start? Get one and go to games with it.

[Osprey]

How to start? Get one and go to games with it.

You have to learn on the job. Thats how I did it.

[Icepick]

Thank you guys for the info, all of it will be taken into consideration.

As for the sniper rifle, would you guys recommend a spring rifle, or a gas rifle? Gas seems cooler for the realistic bolt and high fps, but that's about it. I just don't know enough yet to make a smart decision.

[phiz]

I often run a bolt in a DMR position. I've got a lot of hours and a giant pile of money into it. I usually hang with my squad and go after the longer range targets, not low crawling sniper recon. In my opinion, it sucks and I would much rather have an AEG, they are a lot more fun and you get a lot more kills by chucking a crapload of bbs downrange. Sniper rifles are finicky at the higher energies. The rain can throw off your shot, the bb is not perfect and it spins, and you almost always miss if you dont have a solid shooting position. You need real breathing / trigger control, unlike an AEG. But sometimes it is an important role, the primary job being finding and removing SAW gunners. The sniper fear factor can sometimes close down entire lanes on the field. You don't need a ghillie. The suck factor is why kids are normally disappointed when they try it, it is hard to hold steady, breath slow and squeeze. You don't get a lot of kills in this role.

That is different than low crawl / ghost recon 7. You can do that with an AEG. A bolt is OK but not required, a quiet AEG is better. One of the low crawlers I ran against used an AK on single and he tied up an entire squad for an hour. It needs to be quiet, you need to be patient. Shoot, wait a long time, move around slowly in the open. That is an adrenaline rush.

And don't worry about stepping on toes. You deserve the role as much as I do. Just don't take head shots unless they have a complete mask on. Fingers and genitals, however, are fair game.

[Switchback]

1. Get short bolt action, downgrade to CQB limits.
2. Make it crazy accurate and slay bodies.
3. ?????
4. Profit.

[pathfinder]

just get what ever platform that you can afford. go out and play the game with it. if you enjoy what you are doing that is all that matters. i was told to not get a bolt action rifle for my first platform.... of course i am a newb and a rebel bucking the system, so i did it anyway...

it just so happens that it worked for me. i may not have any internet charisma, but ne thing i do possess is patience.

i always wound up with a cheap bolt. so i had to compensate with really REALLY good fieldcraft. in my opinion this is your strongest weapon is the ability to remain unseen if you desire.


glad to hear even though that douchebag KA-BAR got banned that his legacy on the field, still lives on.


thanks for the mention guys.

[Matt]

The more you practice it, the better known you will become as a good bolt-turner. It may take a few skirmishes here and there before you are selected for OPs that have limited sniper spots, in which case - the skirmishes are the proving grounds for your skills.

Having a great radio that works is extremely important if you want to relay recon information. If you cannot be understood, you are useless. If you cannot speak at low volume and still be understood, you'll give your position away. You need reliability all around, from your earbud to your mic to the radio itself.

I don't agree with Mcluvin at all, based on the 3 points you made in your post, it sounds like you already have the right idea about what your role should be. Some people just want to be a sniper so they can hide in the bushes all day and count kills. That does help your team/squad a little bit, but mostly it just helps yourself. If a CO doesn't know where you are and what you are seeing, the rest of the platoon or company is not able to take advantage of your recon findings. There's plenty of skilled players who can crawl around quietly all day and rack up kills galore, but when the time comes to take an objective... They are nowhere to be found.

[[HARPER]]

All i will say to this is i agree with almost all of it. Honestly iv been testing out being a bolt and yeah you get those nice shots once and a while, but most of the time i found myself telling my guys where the enemy is and what way they should go. Saved several people at R&R many times. My way of putting it is the guy with a bolt hits the enemies moral and slows their movement. Never really attacking the front. That is why i have an AEG most of the time.

All in all think of what you can do for other while still having fun.

[Mr. Killing Spree]

If you want a good sniper rifle, get an A&K Dragunav SVD, put a tight bore in it, a scope on it, upgrade the spring, and shoot a .30g to .38g bb out of it.
The SVD's are cheap, easy to work on, reliable, and very accurate. I have only gone to one war with mine, so I am not experienced, but when I put the crosshaires on the guy, the bb hit him consistently. I would highly recommend this gun