What's more important to you, your gun or your tactics?

Back when my rifle was completely stock I played a game with it with some branches attached to my back because I hadn't made a ghillie yet. I saw a sniper on the other team and. Tried to shoot him but my bb curved to the right just before it made it to him. He saw my bb and found out where I was. He must have bad better accuracy because he shot me and it hit me with range to spare.

Keeping that anecdote in mind think tactics are more important than an upgraded gun. Our concealment and tactics are what make us snipers, not our guns. Our guns are just a very good asset that helps us along with our job of being an airsoft sniper. It is possible to tune a stock rifle to have the performance of a maxed out one with enough time, but a maxed out gun can still be tuned better. You should however still try to get your gun to be as good as possible because it helpsyou be an airsoft sniper.

I think you, the OP, is getting things a bit mixed up in terms of the general opinion towards upgraded rifles on the forum. I think most of us here will say that tactics are more important. But having a high quality rifle is something to look into. When we get questions on the board of which rifle to buy, we consider all different things that go into the equation. We look ahead into how to make the rifle perform at its best. We say that if you are going to upgrade, buy the high quality parts and you will never look back. People CONSTANTLY ask "which rifle can I buy that shoots 300 feet out of the box and is cheap". We simply reply one does not exist, and that A LOT of money has to go into it.

Rather than take that as we all thinking that upgraded rifles are the only way to go, think more so of trying to help young and new users understand the limits of a stock rifle, or one that has little work into it/upgrades.

Not sure if that is what you meant, but thought I might as well share it.


As for me, I ran a stock UTG l96 for my first solid year of airsoft sniping. Loved the rifle, didn't do a thing to it, and was pin point up to around 125-150 feet. I wasn't picking people off with the long shot, and more than anything, taught me to get close enough to target without being seen, otherwise sheer firepower would over run me.

Heck, I even ran without a sidearm for quite some time too, due to financial limitations. Taught me to pick off targets quietly, without being seen, otherwise opponents would just run at me and over run my position. Not like my bolt action rifle is any good in CQB, right?

So I say that using a stock rifle, one that has limitations is not at all bad. It does teach you some things, and while it was difficult, I still was rather effective on the field. More so, now that I have an upgraded rifle, one that performs three times as good (at least), I can do the things I could not before in terms of long distance shooting, while at the same time, harnessing the skills to be effective in a short range/distance, just like back in the old days.

I prefer to run a stock rifle unless something breaks. I started with a springer sniper rifle back in late 99 or early 00 and my buddies and brother used the assault rifles. I was always about the sniper role. And because they were cheap springers we had to get in CLOSE to even shoot one another,lol.. Later our guns got better and so on. But I have always been a strong believer, its not the guns that win the battle.. its the soldier. I try to play like its life or death and was told back in the old days I was a sneaky bastard by Livonia who I never ever see on here anymore. I rarely get spotted in a game, whether I'l in a ghillie "very rarly wear one" or if I am rockin my bdu's. I just do basic do it yourself mods on my rifles and spend countless hours working on it because when a rifle doesnt shoot where you want it to, that just blows! I love my rifles probably more than anything else I own and when me and the wife split up, my rifles were the first thing in my car, then my gear.... Then my personal clothes,hahaha..

I never want to own any of them $1000 guns.. I dont need it. I prefer a clone rifle ONLY.. I prefer them to shoot between 400 and 425fps nothing more "currently at 421".

I am one of them dudes that has to prove a clone rifle in my hands can and will compete and win against the guys at my feild with sytstema,Tm etc.... We dont have many snipers out there. But nearly everyone has them damn R hops,lol.. I recently purchased some but I havent installed them yet.