Airsoft is all about precision and timing combined with smart tactics, so optic devices such as sights and scopes can come quite useful to add up to your playstyle.
Aiming can be quite tricky if you do not use any type of sight or scope because the mere eye can not predict the direction as well as it can with the help of these little devices unless of course, you have practiced for 1000 hours or you are a cyborg.
When it comes to airsoft sights and scopes, the whole story is not complicated, but there are a couple of crucial factors you should always check prior to purchasing any optic device.
In this post, I will name my best picks for red/green dot airsoft sights that you can use on M4, AK47, and other rifles and a few good picks for scopes that will fit your DMR and sniper.
I will explain the important factors you should consider after I name my picks.
My picks for best airsoft sights are the following:
- Sig Sauer SOR52001 Romeo5
- Sig Sauer Air Reflex Sight
- UTG 38mm Red/Green Dot Sight
- CenterPoint Optics 32mm Open Reflex Sight
My best picks for airsoft scopes are the following:
- Vortex Optics Crossfire II
- UTG 30mm Compact
All the sights and scopes on the list have passed the test when it comes to quality and effectiveness based on the factors such as stability, sturdiness, lens quality, and target acquisition, so appearance and customization are the only factors that I will highlight on each model.
1. UTG 38mm Red/Green Dot Sight
UTG has created an awesome-looking, quick-aim sight with red and green dot illumination you can toggle between.
It can cover up to 100 feet of distance in the fields and has a 38mm tube with Emerald Lens Coating which ensures optimal brightness. With this UTG sight, you’ll be spotting targets clear and sharp with 4 MOA dot.
You’ll also get a Picatinny mounting deck in the package and once you install it you’ll be able to forget about it for a while as it’s not just a cheap toy that regularly slackens.
These are the reason why this sight suits most rifles perfectly, yet it can also be used on any other gun except the snipers and DMRs unless you do not mind its obvious carbine-rifle appearance.
Did I mention that it has flip-open lens caps? Great addition and a simple way to protect the lens when off-use.
This sight can fit everywhere and on everything, yet I would still choose scopes for snipers and DMRs due to their better appearance and higher magnification.
2. CenterPoint Optics 32mm Open Reflex Sight
This must be the most customizable, budget-friendly sight for airsoft guns that I could find on the market.
What is awesome about this sight is the availability to toggle between 4 reticles in both green and red color. The 1 MOA dot is the ideal size for aiming at longer distances and when you find your favorite reticle from available options, you’ll have a great advantage over the enemies on the field.
Moreover, for those familiar with the COD games, this sight may seem like something you have seen before because it actually is a replica of one of the most popular red dot sights.
CenterPoint Optics 32mm sight is a great pick for any airsoft gun that is effectively used under 100 feet whether it’s a rifle, SMG, shotgun, or pistol, so you can not go wrong with this one.
3. Sig Saurer Romeo5 sight
This is one of the best red dot airsoft sights for those who want the real thing that is used on real guns.
Why does it matter? Well, the majority of my picks are based on a decent quality-to-price ratio and there are many solid sights for airsoft guns that would not stand a chance for professional use on real guns due to different factors.
In this case, Sig Saurer has placed on the market one of the simplest yet best-performing red dot sights that are originally made for real guns, and owning such red dot sight for airsoft purposes means increased performance and durability.
Airsoft sights are often less durable and effective compared to the real stuff because they are, after all, replicas.
If you want to invest in something that will remain there for years I recommend this red dot sight from Sig Saurer.
For those on a budget and who take airsoft as a hobby enjoyed every once in a while, this red dot sight may be overkill.
Anyways, the price is still relatively affordable for everyone but you can not deny the fact that other airsoft replica sights are way cheaper than this piece!
4. Sig Sauer Air Reflex Sight (the airsoft pistols pick)
This Sig Saurer sight is made only for airsoft and air guns and it is great for any airsoft player.
However, this sight, in particular, is a better suit for pistols and some smaller SMGs rather than for rifles and other heavier airsoft guns due to its size and appearance.
It has 6 levels of brightness making this sight the perfect choice for all fields during the day and night. You will easily adjust to any light condition and when it comes to the distance this sight will be ideal for pistols, SMGs, or even shotguns as it is made for CQB and other close to medium-range outdoor combat.
This Sig Sauer sight is not made for range fighting but rather as a tool to give you the advantage of acquiring the targets in close and medium proximity, so if this describes your playstyle go for it!
5. Vortex Optics Crossfire II scope (for snipers and DMR)
Originally made for hunters, the Vortex Optics Crossfire II series offer one of the most quality scopes that airsoft snipers and DMR players can enjoy.
Optics should be accurate at long distances and have some magnification to it (recommended around 3x for most airsoft players) and this series offer from x3 to x12 and although you can get any model from the series that you want, I recommend the x3 to x9 or x2 to x7 models.
This optics is a real deal and if you are sure that you want to get into sniping this is a great investment.
6. UTG 30mm Compact Scope (for snipers and DMR)
UTG SWAT rifle scope is my second-best pick when it comes to scopes for snipers and DMRs.
It offers 4x to 16x magnification and the way it’s built is truly outstanding, so it is worth every penny.
This is my favorite scope, but I feel that Vortex Optics is more famous when it comes to branding and I know that some people will rather recognize their brand with the quality, so let it be.
Anyways when the quality and features are present on both models, the appearance is what makes the final say, so if you like this UTG scope consider it as your scope to go!
Whatever you choose, you can not go wrong.
What is better red dot or holographic sight?
Both red dot and holographic sights can be used in airsoft but in short holographic sights are better for real guns and are also more expensive while they do not do much for airsoft anyways.
I would advocate holographic sights if airsoft guns were more like real guns, yet they are not and often airsoft players do not have a big budget for all the fancy, real stuff out there and in that case, red dot sight will do the job better.
In order to explain the difference and see what are the benefits and disadvantages of red dot sights vs holographic sights for airsoft, we must name important factors and their meaning to airsoft players.
How do they work?
Red dot sight simply projects the reticle on the optic lens while holographic sight uses the laser to project the image in front of the sight.
What is more effective?
Red dot sight will project the reticle at the same spot on the optic lens which means that when you change the view angle, the reticle won’t „adjust“, while holographic sights will assure that no matter the viewing angle, the reticle will always stick on your point of impact.
Therefore, holographic sights offer better insight for aiming but bear in mind that replica airsoft holographic sights do not use the same technology that high-end real holographic sights do, so if you see someone claiming that an under $100 holographic sight does the same as the real $300+ holographic sight for real guns it will be false.
They are just trying to replicate the real thing, but in reality, there is almost no difference between replica holographic sights and classic red dot sights.
The battery efficiency
Although I could not test this on my own, I have heard that red dot sights can last for 50 000 hours, while holographic sights usually last for 500 hours.
Which one is right for you?
I would personally choose a solid red dot sight that has a sturdy build and possible reticle customization for the entertainment factor.
Red dots fit everybody’s budget and they are a great pick for airsoft players due to the different expectations that airsoft players have from the military and people who use real guns for real purposes.
Unless you want to cash out $300-$800 for a holographic sight, the red dot sight is the way to go.
Why laser sights are not a smart pick
Some players may not agree with me, but I think that there are already good solutions when it comes to sights such as the red dot or holographic sights that do the job perfectly without any serious disadvantage.
Lasers are good at marking the spots, I agree with the premises, however, I have seen more than a few times that someone accidentally hit others in the eyes with the laser beam.
It is painful, scary, and dangerous and it’s really difficult to control the laser so that someone does not get hit in the eyes sooner or later in the match.
Yet, if you are really keen on lasers and believe that you can responsibly use them or perhaps use them outside of the fields for the purposes of training or something similar you can go for it.
What is the difference between sights and scopes?
Some people prefer to use the word “sight” over the word “scopes” and will probably mean the same thing if you talked to 100 random people.
However, the difference is that technically every scope should have a significant magnification and the word “sight” originates and is best known from the simplistic iron sights without magnification.
Yet, today and especially in airsoft, people use both names for the optic devices that allow them to get better at aiming, and in some instances sights can also have magnification.
The only difference you should care about is the price and the look because you won’t need to go above 3x with magnification and every decent device will improve your aiming.
Scopes are usually longer and heavier than sights and have a recognizable shape.
Scopes are more expensive compared to common replica sights and are more of a thing in hunting, but scopes are a must for airsoft snipers or DMRs because without good-looking long scope the realism and experience will suffer.
So in the end, if you have a rifle, SMG, heavy machine gun, pistol or shotgun go for sights, for snipers and DMRs long and heavy scopes will be a better pick!
What should you look for in sights and scopes for airsoft?
1. Reticle customization and intensity
The reticle should be bright and visible, otherwise, you could find it unreliable when switching from darker to very bright environments.
This is yet, another issue with cheap sights, but quality sights do not have such a problem and it is considered a default.
When it comes to customization that allows you to switch colors (red, green) and shapes of the laser point you see, it greatly depends from model to model, so if you like the idea behind it calculate it as one of the considerations factors before purchasing.
2. Do not go beyond 3x zoom
On most airsoft fields, with most airsoft guns, you won’t need any extraordinary zoom because most scenarios are played under 200 feet.
Super zooms are great on real guns, especially for the purpose of being super accurate and always landing a bullhead.
In airsoft, there is no need to zoom a lot due to the naturally lower distance that airsoft guns can reach, nor for the accuracy causes.
Sure, snipers and DMRs may take advantage of a higher zoom, but this really depends from field to field, and 3x is still a golden number on your average field.
One may argue that zooming over 3x may make it easier for you to land BBs accurately even at targets 100 feet from you, but this is not the case because the airsoft gun is naturally incapable of sharp precision and although you may have a better focus, the BBs will still fly around.
However, there is truth in that that snipers and DMRs are more accurate at longer distances, so if you own a great sniper or DMR, a scope with higher magnification than 3x may be useful, yet no beginners should worry about this.
The conclusion is that you need something that will mark the target and make it easier for you to aim accordingly, but it is more of help that tells you which direction should BB go than something that will make you extra accurate.
Sometimes you won’t need a zoom at all, but rather just a red dot for this same purpose.
One thing is for sure, aiming without sight will be more difficult and instead of miss-and-adjust tactics, the red dot sight will help you to start shooting in the right direction from the very first attempt.
3. A Strong mount
Airsoft replica sights are not as good as the real sights and it is understandable, however, if you have a tendency to be cheap and get a $10 red dot sight, it may fall off quite soon.
To assure that the mount is solid and that the sight won’t fall once you start running with the gun, simply buy something proven and in the range of at least $30-$50.
Anything that can not stand in one place won’t be useful at all, so aiming through a movable sight is one of the most malevolent nightmares.
This especially applies to blowback guns, so if you own a GBBB pay special attention to the strong mount!
A strong blowback recoil will have an additional impact on the mount and cheap, unstable sight mounts will break almost immediately.
4. Clarity of the glass
Go for standard clear glass without anything fancy, this is a very important basic factor.
Some sights, especially the cheap ones, tend to be manufactured of shady glass and once you enter a dark corner of the room or the night falls, it becomes difficult to see through it.
Hopefully, this is not the case with any scopes on the list.
5. High riser
Airsoft players wear mandatory face protection and whether it is goggles or a mask, it is sometimes impossible to adjust the view through the scope because one part of the gun collides with the face protection.
In this case, you will need to set up a high riser on your airsoft gun.
High risers are really affordable and a must device for the solution!
Such an issue is mostly seen with bigger airsoft optics such as the ones you would put on a sniper rifle.
6. Set up an optic shield or kill flash
It would be a terrible inconvenience if after investing and setting up a great-looking sight on your airsoft gun it broke into pieces in the middle of the battle.
Optic shields and kill flashes are great and in my opinion, mandatory protection for any scope and sight.
Moreover, Kill Flash is great protection for sniper scopes.
Yeah, the odds are not that high that the enemy BB will immediately find its way and crush the sight, but it may happen and had happened before.
It is way cheaper to install either the optic shield or kill flash than to buy a new sight.
7. It must be cool
If it does not look cool and straight out of your favorite movie or a game, then what is the point?
Airsoft is anyways mostly about appearance and functionality comes second in most cases.
This is the case, at least with most players and if you would make research all the cool things we have in airsoft, you would soon realize that most are unnecessary for actual performance, but rather may help slightly or are there to replicate the real soldier’s arsenal.