I think it is fair to say that just about anyone knows what a real sniper is, but what exactly is an Airsoft sniper anyways? To answer that question, we first need to explore more about this recreational sport.
Originating in 1980′s Japan where it was illegal for private individuals to own real live firearms this low velocity replica firearm system allowed people to own guns that looks and felt like the real thing, but that are, thankfully, far less deadly. It took off like wildfire in neighboring countries where firearms laws also prevented civilians owning their own weapons, and this was the closest they could come to doing so.
Airsoft, as a hobby, is a recreational activity much like paintball. Combatants team up and recreate military style encounters, skirmishes, and missions, but unlike paintball where the ammunition is a small ball of paint, in Airsoft the ammunition is small round non-metallic pellets, shot with highly accurate replica weapons.
Replica guns: Airsoft guns come in all shapes and sizes from the sidearm to the gatling-style minigun. A whole range of quality replica pistols, rifles and even automatic guns are available. One such category of weapons is the sniper rifle, which brings us nicely to just exactly what is an Airsoft Sniper?
The Airsoft Sniper: While some people enjoy close quarters live war gaming, others prefer the role of a sniper – moving silently, hiding at long range, and waiting for your target to show up… then bang! One well aimed shot to take them down.
Typically, regardless of role, most enthusiasts like to mimic actual military look and equipment to as close as possible to battlefront setup as possible. Airsoft isn’t just an occasional half-hearted hobby, for most players it’s a matter of pride to be as realistic as possible. While the games and teams attempt to stay as realistic as possible, unlike with Paintball, it’s very hard to show a clean hit if the victim isn’t honest. The bb ammunition bounces off and doesn’t leave any marks – so there is a high amount of honesty required – which is especially important for a sniping game.