Airsoft sniper rifles are automatic rifle replicas used during airsoft games and are replicas of real guns. They’re a kind of low-power bolt action air gun that’s made to fire non-metallic spherical pellets. 

Airsoft sniper guns, as replica rifles, can be built to look pretty much like real firearms on the exterior, and considering the orange muzzle tips needed in certain regions, it can be quite hard to tell the difference.

There is a great collection of airsoft sniper rifles to choose from. For instance, one of the best ready-made airsoft rifles out there right now is the Silverback Airsoft Desert Tech HTI reviewed in our single product review article here. However, some airsoft players prefer to make their own rifles. “Choice” is the only justification for you to make your own airsoft sniper gun. Because it would be costlier than purchasing a new one, but recognizing that you made it yourself gives you an incredible sense of accomplishment. 

This post will give you an overview of the implications and what it takes to build an airsoft sniper rifle.

In a nutshell, here’s what to do:

  • Decide on the sort of rifle you want to create. When you’ve made your decision, look at the internal and external components you’ll require. Different engines, gearboxes, and other components are available.
  • Purchase the required external components (stock, receiver, outer barrel, etc.)
  • Buy high-quality internal parts, gears, spring, tappet plate, etc.
  • Invest in a strong inner barrel, hop-up unit, and rubber.
  • Invest in high-quality electric parts like cables, MOSFET, connectors, etc.
  • Ensure you get the necessary machining equipment like a CNC machine.
  • Ready yourself with a great deal of patience and a vast selection of technical sketches and research them all.
  • Assemble and test. Before you place the mechbox inside the receiver, assemble and evaluate it first. If it really doesn’t fit, refer to the technical sketches and manuals and figure out what went wrong. Adjust and work it out until you get the best result.

Overview

Bear in mind that constructing an airsoft sniper gun from the ground up would not save you money. The design and manufacturing machinery used is not what most people have in their houses, and the best you can do is produce the shell with a 3D printer. The gearbox and other internals, on the other side, are not anything you’d print with a 3D printer. Previous attempts had been made in manufacturing airsoft pistols with 3D printers, but there were several problems with it, which contributed to poor sales.

Choosing your rifle’s blueprint

So, if you wanted to create an airsoft sniper rifle bit by bit, you would like to start by figuring out the gun’s foundation or base. Are you making an AR-15, an AK-47, a G36, or something else entirely? This will inform you which variant of the gearbox and motor you’ll need for your project. You’ll also need to decide whether you want torque, rpm, or a stable build. This would influence the gun’s overall architecture.

When you’ve worked it out, you’ll get your frame and all of its components, as well as your gearbox with the parts.

Things you’ll need

Remember that you’ll need gears, a pump, a valve, a cylinder head, an anti-reversal latch (ASL), a piston head, a spring, a spring guide, a trigger, a trigger assembly, a MOSFET (if desired), wiring, connectors/adapters, shims, bearings, an air nozzle, and other small springs and more. You’ll need to consider the battery and the engine as well.

Hold on; You’ll need an inner barrel also, as well as hop-up modules and other relevant products. You will need to consider the outer barrel/barrel assembly, tracks, and, of course, the stock.

Actually, it’s quite on the high side to build an airsoft sniper compared to buying an already made one.

Never get me wrong: designing an airsoft sniper rifle is entertaining, but there should be a genuine reason why you should construct your airsoft gun from scratch. Instead, you can purchase a damaged airsoft sniper rifle and repair or upgrade the broken pieces if you badly need to build one. Or you can buy a brand new sniper rifle and just upgrade the inners of it to be more powerful and more suited for your needs. One of the best upgradeable airsoft sniper rifles out of the box is the JG VSR-10 / BAR-10. The platform on which this sniper is built is one of the most popular and widely used among many airsoft rifle manufacturers, and, therefore, many of the parts available now is suitable with this gun. 

Assembling your airsoft rifle

The majority of airsoft weapons are operated by pressurized gas in some way. But you can choose a hybrid system if you like. If you choose to use a gas compressor, which might be perfect if you don’t have to carry it about everywhere, then you’ll need a fast action piston mechanism with a strong spring or any gas canister to use for propulsion.

After that, you’ll need a device for triggering events. If it was anything like a can of machine spray, a gas-powered device might require something to pierce the can before bursting or something in the control system to cause it to emit small blasts of pressurized air.

The piston is the most basic of all the mechanisms. Place a wrench in it, and Screw it in place with a screwdriver. Lock it in place, whichever tool you choose; please ensure it’s free to move. Pulling the lever would cause the end cap, which should be stuck to the spring, to be released and fired upward, bringing an enormous volume of air via the piston and through a tiny hole in the centre, as well as a 6mm tube made of metallic substance. Modify it however you like, but all you’ll need is a piston with a spring and end tip, a lever, a charging handle, and a 6mm diameter tube; use BBs that is 6mm in diameter with a weight ranging from 0.20 to 0.35 grams. Since it’s a medium-heavy BB that’s precise, 0.25g will definitely yield good performance.

You will raise the hand per the second count by changing the spring’s stress weight, so the force is released even faster, but you’ll need a stronger and heavier spring to achieve this. But You’d have to be able to withstand too much pain, as well as change the charge handle and button to avoid breaking them.

I recommend using an AR spring, such as a real-life sniper weapon spring or a piston mechanism from an airsoft manufacturer. And there’s the chance of a good airsoft sniper rifle!

Bottom line

    • Without machines like a CNC Machine or other advanced mill, it would be difficult to build an advanced airsoft sniper rifle.  
    • Your work will be a lot easier if you already had the barrel/hop-up assembly and gearbox or some existing parts. At this point, the major thing that’ll remain will be to develop the sniper frame. 
    • You can also build a magwell, receiver, and outer barrel frame out of PVC plastic and numerous other bits using plastic welding solvent. 
  • To maximize power, you should laminate the stock with several sheets.
  • You can take a look at some youtube videos that detailed the machining process.
  • To reiterate, you’ll need a few parts that are vital to the gun’s operation, like the muzzle and gearbox, to put your new airsoft sniper rifle to work. 
  • Finally, you may need to re-visit your sketched model in case you are missing out on something.
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