Sniper Calibration

Hi guys,

i just bought the Well L96 sniper rifle. i'm trying to calibrate it, but i have a lot of trouble with it (as i am totally unexperienced in this area)

when i try to adjust the hop-up, it doesnt seem to affect the precision. i have to say the distance i test on is about 10m, so maybe in that range the hop-up doesnt matter? in that case on what range should i test?

also how do i use the 2 adjusters on the scope? i know that one is for windage, and the other for elevation, but how do i interpret these indicators? is there a link between the settings on the scope and the hop-up?

maybe my questions are a bit general, but as i've said i'm a rookie..

many thanks in advance!
Bodhi

that close the hopup might not matter, try going to at least 100 ft before calibrating it seeing as that will probably be the range that you will engage somebody in a skirmish

here is a good site to learn how to calibrate make sure you read the entire thing though because he made a math error in the guide but explains how to fix it like 4 posts down

http://www.airsoftforum.com/board/index.php?showtopic=97544

Yeah, at 30 feet the hop up on my L96, and pretty much every airsoft gun, does nothing for the bb. You really only see the effect of the backspin around or past 100 with this rifle due to its power, and the weight of the bb's will matter as well (I use .3's which act differently than .2's at these ranges). Ergo, test at 30m min to hone the hop-up. As for the scope I dont know as mine did not include one and I bought it separate, which is marked on the knobs. Look for any markings on the knob itself along with arrows. If there's a "L" turn it in the direction of the arrow to move the crosshairs left. Do the same if there's a R, U, or a D which I hope you know what it stands for. Other than that I cant say which is which. Check the manual or try looking up the scope online. Better yet, message KONRAD the site admin as he owns the same gun with the included scope and should be able to tell you.

ok tx for the replies! i can get a long way with this ;-)

my only concern now actually is that, even when i test at short distance (when hop-up has no influence, neither have the settings on the scope i presume) the precision is still off : a bit to the left of the crosshairs. could this mean the scope is not attached properly, and if so how should i attach it then so it is aligned with the barrel?

btw i can't find this guy Konrad u refer to..

Konrad is the admin, he is the leader of this site.

KONRADs user name is Admin.....

As far as your accuracy problem, thats what calibrating the scope is for. Even at 30 feet, the scope can still be off as they dont go out of their way to adjust it at the factory. Remember, the hop-up and the optics are two completely different things so just because the hop-up wont matter at 30 feet, the optics of a gun definately can. I mean it could be on wrong, but chances are that if it looks right externally and you're semi-competent, then you're good with the mounting. If the grouping of shots is to the left of the crosshairs, move the windage knob a quarter turn to compensate, try again, and adjust further if needed. This is assuming you know which is which b/w the windage and elevation knobs, as well as which direction to turn the knob. Like I said, message Konrad by finding a post of his using the name Admin and click the "mp" button. Also, know too that there is a differenve b/w PRECISION and ACCURACY. Accuracy refers to how close your rounds come to hitting your aiming point (bulls eye) and precision is how tight the grouping is no matter where it is relevant to the bulls eye.

ok thanks for your inputs!

i think i found the right setting but still i have to use it for the first time in a skirm, so that will be a better exercise

in the meantime i found this link, which explains perfectly how to zero in the scope : http://www.zeroriflescope.co.uk/

greets to you all

Bodhi,

the first question that i would ask is in regards to the scope.

Is it the one that you received with the airsoft gun?

If so, that might be part of the problem. In my experience the scope that was included is very difficult to accurately adjust and I ended up purchasing a replacement scope. The replacement was better, though not perfect and that is to do with the nature of the airsoft gun itself.

As many have said, the hop up wont really affect your shots until past a certain distance [30-50 feet] and even then the hop up is only putting backspin on the bb and affecting its vertical movement. [At least thats what it is designed to do].

Now you are suffering from bb placement that is to the left of the crosshair. If all was working as it should, this would be a windage issue. My feeling however, is that it is either the scope, the gun or you.

Now, I already mentioned the scope issue [its not as adjustable as it may seem to be].

The gun barrel may be "bent" ever so slightly or simply out of alignment with the sight rail. One good thing to try to do if you havn't already is to swab out the barrel with a cleaning solution [preferably an airsoft lubricant] and try to get all of the debris out.

You would be amazed at how much "Gunk" can be found in a new airsoft gun barrel. A clean airsoft barrel can really improve your accuracy and this is the simplest "Fix".

Finally, it may be your shooting technique. Here is what I mean. Remember that hop up affects the bb in a more or less vertical sense. That is, the back spin placed on the bb causes the bb to have momentum that pushes the bb upward against gravity for a longer period of time than if no backspin [hopup] was applied.

OK, so picture in your mind the bb spinning end over end. With no wind to push it left or right, the bb will only go up or down. This is assuming that the bb left the barrel in a perfectly vertical manner.

That is how the bb SHOULD leave the barrel, however, in the L96, you have a movable bi-pod and of course there is always the question of how you shoot.

Thus, it is possible that you are tilting [pitching, rolling etc...] the entire gun ever so slightly to the left or right which causes the bb to exit the barrel such that the vertical orientation of the spinning bb is now off by a few degrees.

This will cause the bb to spin and apply its momentum in a direction other than simply up and down.

In a word, it would cause the bb to veer off course in the direction the gun is tilting.

So in summary;

Try a different scope if you can;

Clean out the barrel very well;

Make sure that you are not tilting the gun, or if you are not tilting, the gun, try to compensate by tilting the gun slightly in the opposite direction, thereby forcing the bb to strike true.


One more point to make, airsoft is not really a precision sport like other airgun sports. The projectiles are light and flimsy and many times have imperfections in them that cause differing performance from batch to batch. Although having the L96 makes you feel like a real sniper, the sad part of it is, that you will have to deal with the flaws of the gun.

BTW, as mentioned, heavier bbs should improve accuracy, though of course it will diminish you FPS. (BUT FPS really doenst matter at all as long as you can hit the target).

Thanks a lot for that extensive explanation!

Cleaning out the barrel is idd something i have to do, though the included rod is crap.. it doesnt have a hole on the end to put in a piece of cloth, so i'll have to get some other rod that does

The bi-pod might idd also affect the accuracy, as it hangs loose from the gun, so i'll have to practice to keep my gun straight while shooting

The scope seems ok until now, but as i've said i really have to get more on field-practice to assess that part of the gun

In any case, i'm very happy to have bought the L96, it's such a beauty
i named it Eleanor

Just one more question : is the L96 MB01 the same gun as the L96 Warrior I, and if not whats the difference?

Keeping in mind your pointers, i'll practice some more, and post any things i find out

Greets!

Bodhi

I use a laser boresight to get the scope as close to my aimpoint as possible. You can pick one up for less than $40.00 at most gun stores. Just be sure to get one that sticks in the end of the barrel, and is at least 2 to 3 inches long. It should fit only slightly snug in the barrel. (Don't want to get it jammed in there, and cause any damage). Then set up a range area with at least 100 feet distance from your gun to the target. Make sure you also have a good target with rings, and cross lines, (going top to bottom and left to right). These will help adjust the scope. With the laser site in place, adjust the scope so the reticle is over the laser dot.
Adjust as follows: if the laser dot is above the reticle, turn the elevation ,(top knob), clockwise. And vice-versa if it is below the reticle of the scope. If the laser dot is to the left of the reticle, move the windage ,(knob on right side) counter-clockwise. Scopes typically make a click sound when turned, and most scope one click is 1/4 of an inch at 100 yards. Note that is 100 YARDS, not feet. So if you're using 100 feet that is slightly more than 1/16th of an inch, but that doesn't much matter with an airsoft rifle since they are never absolutely consistent. They always have a round or two fly off somewhere out of several fired. Often due to slight changes in wind, or the rare imperfect BB.
After sighting in with a laser boresight, (or even if you're not using one), fire 3 rounds at your target insuring your gun is stabilized, preferably with sand bags or something that you can rest it on without really having to hold the gun. Then check the grouping. (This is the procedure we use in the military). As long as your grouping is consistent, you can adjust your scope. If it isn't consistent, then something is affecting your shots, either the gun is getting bumped, or wind is affecting your shots, or you are using substandard BB's. Once the grouping is good, adjust the scope just as mentioned above with the laser boresight. If you plan on shooting targets farther than 100 feet, you might want them to be a little high on the 100 foot range, or set up an area with the distance you prefer. At these ranges, you probably want to use at least .25gram BB's.

As far as the manufactures go, there are several that maufacture the same exact gun. This is because they don't really use, or enforce a patent system overseas, so many companies will aquire an item from another, reverse engineer it, and make their own often using inferior components to sell theirs below the cost of the others. The MB01 is listed as being manufactured by Well, (aka Wellfire), The Warrior 1 is often remarked as being manufactured by UTG, however UTG, (which is a brand name of Leapers), is imported by companies such as TSD, who re-brands these guns as TSD. Well is the prime gun re-branded by TSD. My research seems to indicate that there are several companies making these guns, and several distributers who will re-brand them as something else. You can look up pictures of the TSD/Well/UTG, and see they look identical on most sellers websites. Then sometimes you will see vast differences between the TSD/Well, and the UTG/Well. It seems this is due to a difference not in maunfacturers, but in generation 1 and 2 guns. There are some other manufacturers out there whose guns are reported to be really sub-standard to even the so-called Well/UTG "clones". These are BE (Both Elephant), which makes the Mars 1 M13 (L96), and AGM which makes the MB002 (L96) These companies reportedly have a plastic sub-frame inside the stock to which the barrel, and receiver group mount onto. Well/UTG/TSD etc, have a metal frame inside the stock. Reviews are not usually very good with the BE and AGM models. They also seem to lack some fps power compared to the UTG/Well guns. I have not personally had the oppotunity to test these guns.
One other thing, many people who have Maruzen guns like to refer to the UTG/Well, and BE guns as "clones", well I've got news for you, the Maruzen is also a "clone" The real gun or real steel gun is made by AI, (Accuracy International). The Maruzen is a clone of the real L96, and UTG/Well just copied theirs. I have read on a few other forums that some Maruzen owners don't think their gun is really all that much better than the so-called "clones". Besides, it is more about the person shooting the gun, than it is about the gun itself. All the bells and whistles in the world on, and in your gun can't make up for poor marksmanship. I've seen people use "inferior" guns, and outshoot people with the high tech stuff simply because the people with the high tech stuff couldn't hit the ground underneath them if they tried.