Airsoft Rifle Tips: Properly Adjusting the Hop-Up and Sighting

While it can be a simple task if done correctly, airsofters often don't take the time or effort to properly adjust the hop-up and sight in their airsoft rifles. Just taking 15 minutes to dial in your sights can make aiming much easier, instead of compensating before each shot.

The first step when you sight in airsoft rifles is to adjust the hop-up. Refer to the manual to find your hop-up adjustment knob and to find out which way adjusts the hop-up in what direction. Determine the range to are most likely to use your airsoft rifle, and shoot a few shots at that range. Make sure the bb color and background do not match so that you can determine the path of the bb. If the shots curving down before they reach that point, increase the hop-up slowly until the bb's are flying straight and level. For increased range, you can also increase the hop-up slightly more so that the bb's arc up and then down.

Now you are able to sight in your airsoft rifle properly. Be sure there is no wind when you sight in an airsoft rifle, so that your results are not affected by any wind. Sighting in airsoft rifles requires you to set up a cardboard box approximately 40'-50' away for the first few shots, depending on how inaccurate your airsoft rifle currently is. Draw cross hairs on the cardboard box to aim at, and take 5 shots at the box. Look at the box, and highlight the holes with a marker.

If you are using iron sights, you need to find how your rifle sights adjust. M4 models have two adjustments on the rear sight, and a vertical adjustment on the front sight. Other models vary on their adjustments to sight them in. Either way, determine where the 5 shots hit, and adjust the rear sights so that they move opposite the direction you want your shots to go.

For example, if the bb's are hitting high right, adjust the rear sight up and left appropriately. Slowly sight in the airsoft rifle until the shots are getting closer to the target, until they are consistently around the target.

If the shots are hitting low, and you are unable to adjust the rear sight down anymore, you must raise the front sight. This often involves a small tool included with the gun which fits around the front sight to screw out, in order to sight in the airsoft rifle. Don't overly unscrew the front sight, as it can become loose and come out.

Sighting in an airsoft rifle with a scope or red dot system is slightly different. Begin again by shooting 5 shots into the cardboard box. Only this time, you sight in the scope by moving the impact towards the target. Sighting in a scope often requires a penny to be fit into the side after screwing off caps, and twisting it in the direction preferred.

For example, if the bb's are impacting high right, adjust the scope dials down and left. You can slowly adjust each knob until the shots get closer, or you can utilize the MOA of the scope.

Sighting in airsoft rifles with scopes is easier because of the use of MOA. MOA is the degree of change in the scope for every click of the knob. Most scopes are 1/4 MOA, which means every click will adjust the point of impact 1/4" at 100 yards. Using this, you can measure how far off the impact is, and how many clicks of the adjustment knob it will take to sight in the airsoft rifle.

Once you have sighted in the airsoft rifle at 50', increase the distance to 100' and repeat. Sighting it in at a further distance reveals inaccuracy better, so that you can sight in the airsoft rifle more accurately.

Continue moving the target back and sighting in the airsoft rifle until you are at your desired range. Be realistic of your range however. Airsoft guns are not very accurate weapons compared to real rifles. The bb's are not aerodynamically sound, and can not be very consistent at increased range. When you increase the range, and it is obvious the gun cannot be accurate at that range, come closer until you feel it can be sighted in properly.

If the bb's are curving to the sides, making it impossible to sight in the airsoft rifle, you may need to refer to my guide on cleaning your airsoft rifle. This will remove crud from the barrel and will realign the hop-up rubber so that it spins the bb more closely to vertical. If after cleaning the airsoft rifle still curves, you may need to invest in a new hop-up, which can be found for less that $10. They are much more accurate than stock, and can make it much easier to sight in airsoft rifles.