Airsoft optics

Optical sights are basic accessories used not only by uniformed forces, but also in shooting sports. Thanks to them it is possible to shoot various types of weapons or replicas thereof more accurately. The available options include several basic categories of sights, by brands such as Vector Optics or Theta Optics. If we wish to fully benefit from their capabilities, it is very important to adjust the parameters of the sight to the conditions in which we intend to use it. 

Optical sights and airsoft guns

Airsoft optics include both professional models of sights and their airsoft versions, i.e. products that imitate the red dot sights or scopes used by the uniformed forces. It is better not to use airsoft sights with real firearms that experience very high vibrations when shooting. We are however free to mount them on all types of airsoft guns and thus improve the precision of shots.

Scopes

Optical scopes are a type of aiming equipment that allows us to take precise shots at longer distances. For this reason, they are usually mounted on airsoft sniper rifles. They are designed to magnify image and can do so to a very different extent. Depending on the model, magnification can be constant or variable, such as in the Vector Optics Forester 1-5x24 scope, which can magnify a given target from 1x to 5x. The next parameter is the diameter of its lens, which in this case is 24 mm. The bigger the diameter, the better the image quality, but also the dimensions of the scope, which increase the weight of the entire airsoft sniper rifle. Aiming with a scope requires appropriate settings, so it takes a little longer than with other types of sights. This is one of the reasons why the scope is mainly used in sniper shooting, where we shoot at longer distances.

Laser sights

Laser sights are a type of shooting equipment equipped with a laser. Its beam points out the object at which we aim our weapon at a given moment - thanks to this we can be fairly certain that we’ll hit our target. The laser beam can be red, which is highly visible after dark, or green - which we can also use successfully during the day. The advantage of laser sights is that they allow you to react very quickly and take the shot immediately. The disadvantage is certainly the fact that the laser beam is visible not only to the shooter, but also to their target and any bystanders.

Red dot sight

The collimator is one of the most often used types of sights when it comes to airsoft gun battles. It is small and works well with a wide variety of airsoft guns, from carbines to handguns to submachine guns. The collimator utilizes the phenomenon of collimation, and is usually equipped with the feature of adjusting the brightness of the sight shape, and sometimes even its shape and color, e.g. as in the Wraith red dot sight by Vector Optics. As a result, it works very well in various weather conditions - also in cases of limited visibility. It allows as to quickly aim and shoot and is recommended for shooting at short and medium distances.

What to consider when choosing airsoft sights?

It is certainly very important to match the type of sights to the nature of a given shooter. The laser sights will be the best choice if we plan to take part in skirmishes organized in closed rooms, while for longer distances it is definitely better to choose a scope. The collimator is quite universal in use - that’s why players choose it most often, to use use both in CQB and open-air games.

Each type of sights has various parameters - important when choosing a specific model. In case of scopes, it will definitely be the diameter of the lens, the available magnification, and the field of view - the larger it is, the easier and more comfortable it is to aim. It is also worth verifying whether parallax is eliminated in a given scope. It’s always worth it to have the illumination feature, which will allow us to shoot precisely even in poor light conditions.

The optics we choose must also match our airsoft gun. Therefore, it is important whether it’s mounting type is compatible with the accessory rail of our weapon. For this purpose, we can, for example, choose equipment from the same manufacturer, e.g. Vector Optics, which offers both optics and mounting accessories.