If you have seen people play airsoft on Youtube or in person, you’ll see that they hit each other with high-quantity pellet fire. It might seem like no one has time to aim, yet most people hit their opponents with their shots. So, what’s happening?
As a general rule, you do aim in airsoft but don’t have to have the perfect aim to hit your target since most airsoft guns used today are semi-automatic. Still, aiming an airsoft gun is a useful skill that comes in handy when you’re running out of ammo or when your opponent has cover.
In this article, you will learn about five different types of aiming methods used in Airsoft alongside the best one for you.
You will also discover tips to improve your aim and how you can get better at hitting your target with an airsoft gun, even if you can’t get field time to exercise your aim. But first, let’s start with aiming down the sight, which is beginner airsoft players’ natural instinct.
Do You Aim Down The Sight In Airsoft?
Most players do not aim down the sight in Airsoft because it is efficient. They choose to use semi-auto and aim in the general direction of their opponents. That doesn’t mean you cannot aim using the sight of your airsoft gun.
If you shoot using semi-automatic and individual shot modes, you should be more careful with your aim. Otherwise, you might miss your target. Snipers and campers need to be more intentional with aiming. But most Airsoft forwards and shooters do not have to use their gunsights even if they have to aim.
There are other ways to ensure one hits one’s target. And those are preferred by most intermediate and advanced level players simply because of their efficiency. Let’s explore these methods alongside their strong points and drawbacks.
Ways Of Targeting In Airsoft?
There are two broad ways to target in Airsoft. The first is the intentional aiming category meant to minimize the fire-to-contact ratio. The second is the general direction fire which is meant to maximize hits regardless of how many pellets are fired.
More specifically, targeting methods in Airsoft can be narrowed down to 5 methods.
- Using gunsights – This is the beginner method for BB preservation. It is often used by people who use their guns in the semi-automatic mode for Airsoft. It requires zeroing the sights and firing as one would a traditional gun.
- Barrel direction aim – This method is used by beginners and intermediates using semi-automatic guns. By aiming the gun barrel in an opponent’s direction and shooting multiple pellets, you improve your odds of hitting your target.
- Multiple shots in the general direction – You can use this tactic in semi-automatic guns. To execute this, you have to fire multiple times but change your barrel position slightly with each shot. This helps you hit fast-running opponents, as it is ideal for moving targets.
- Close-range shots – Sometimes, players just move closer to their targets. Since airsoft guns are pretty accurate at a short distance, moving closer improves the accuracy of most methods.
- Muscle memory aiming – This method is used by experts and intermediate players. Because of consciously aiming and adjusting, regular players develop an intuition for the target. When you don’t have to think about where to aim when firing an airsoft gun, you’ve reached the muscle memory phase. It is interesting that people who have Airsoft aiming muscle memory can adjust to different guns by shooting a few times intentionally.
Now that you know all the different ways in which airsoft guns can be “aimed” with and without actual aiming, we can go over the specific methods that might be right for you.
What Is The Best Way To Target In Airsoft?
The best way to target in Airsoft is to aim the barrel in the opponent’s general direction and use a full-auto pellet spray to make contact. However, full auto is not allowed in Airsoft.
The next best thing is a semi-automatic fire with high frequency. Airsoft BBs aren’t expensive, and none of the drawbacks of semi-automatic fire apply when the gun isn’t real.
The only problem with this method is that it is not available to those with non-automatic airsoft guns. It is also not ideal for people who are running out of pellets in the middle of the game.
Those players need to be more conscious of where they fire, and they must get a lot more intentional about whether or not the pellets make contact with the target.
How Accurate Are Airsoft Guns?
Airsoft guns have decent accuracy in a 40-yard range but can be fairly accurate from 50 to 60 yards away as well.
A range of factors determines the accuracy of airsoft guns. But that requires a separate post, which I have already written elsewhere on this blog. Regardless of the base accuracy of your airsoft gun, you can always do something to improve your hit rate.
Airsoft Aiming Tips
The following Airsoft aiming tips will help you get more hits-per-fire:
- Learn to Zero the aim during the game – calibrating your gun during the game can be crucial for your aim. The sight of an airsoft gun doesn’t stay perpetually accurate, especially when semi-automatic fire rattles the barrel.
- Let hours of play improve your aim – The more you play, the better your aim gets. Let the hours stack up and make you unconsciously competent. You will not be as good at aiming if you spend hours analyzing potential shots as you would simply taking them.
- Aim for larger areas – The bigger your target, the higher the chances are of you hitting it. The torso is a better target. And more importantly, it isn’t as sensitive as the head, which you should not be aiming for anyway. Read my post on headshots in Airsoft for more on that.
- Do not trust the gun sight only – Finally, learn to fire not based on just the sight of your gun but the overall position in relation to the target. This can help you offset the difference in pellet trajectory because of pellet weight, wind speed, etc.
As you might have noticed, a major part of improving your airsoft aim is the active time you spend playing the game. Airsoft field rental is expensive, and not everyone lives next to an airsoft field. Moreover, airsoft guns can’t be fired in the open in many states. That limits some people from practicing their airsoft gun aim.
How To Improve Airsoft Aim Without Shooting?
You can improve your aim in Airsoft by improving your barrel alignment with the target. If you live in an apartment where you cannot fire the gun, you can try to aim an empty airsoft gun with your eyes shut.
The tip of your barrel must zero in on a marked spot on the wall. You can use a dartboard like Viper Dart Board for this exercise.
When you get good at making the gun’s tip align with a target without even looking, your aim will be good enough, and you will not need to spend any time trying to aim for the perfect shot.
Final Thoughts
You do aim in Airsoft but not as seriously as you would in big-game hunting. Airsoft pellets aren’t as expensive as hunting rifle bullets or metal BBs. Most airsoft guns used today are semi-automatic. These factors allow you to get away with shooting in the general direction of your target.