Airsoft Sniper Rifle Upgrade Guide - VSR platform - Increasing range and FPS
Increase the Range and FPS of your VSR platform Sniper Rifle
If you are preparing to take the plunge and get into Airsoft sniping, this guide may be of use to you, once you have got your eye in that is!
Airsoft bolt action rifles have their fair share of disadvantages in-game. They are single-shot, use magazines of low capacity, are often difficult to cock and usually have a minimum engagement distance enforced by site marshalls, meaning when the AEG user advances on you it's sidearm time!
The edge the Airsoft Sniper rifle has in performance over an AEG is its range, accuracy, consistency and capability to use stronger springs, and adhere to a higher FPS limit, in most cases, 500 FPS with a 0.2g BB. This guide will give you the run down on our picks for the best parts to use if you want a bit more range and velocity (FPS) from your Airsoft sniper rifle.
This article will focus on the famous and highly popular Tokyo Marui VSR-10 spring sniper rifle platform, and other spring powered bolt action sniper rifles based on the TM design. These include the Jing Gong BAR-10, the Well MB02/03/07/10 and the Cyma CM.607, to name just a few. If your rifle has not been mentioned but uses the VSR internal system, we advise that you do some thorough research to ensure the parts you choose are compatible with your rifle.
So, let's have a look at how we can extend the range and increase the muzzle velocity of the already impressive VSR-10 Airsoft sniper rifle platform with some of our favourite aftermarket upgrade parts from the biggest names in the Airsoft industry!
Internal Upgrades for the VSR-10 Platform - Range and FPS
VSR Trigger, sear and piston upgrade: Laylax PSS10 VSR Zero Trigger w/ Piston Set - Strengthened parts, ESSENTIAL!
If you want more FPS from your Airsoft sniper rifle to extend your range advantage, you will first have to think about strengthening the internals to handle a stronger spring. With increased spring tension comes increased wear on the trigger and cylinder parts which will cause most Airsoft sniper rifles to fail, as they were only designed for the spring they leave the factory with.
The LayLax PSS10 Zero Trigger, piston and sear are all strengthened to handle phenomenally strong springs and also provide reduced action noise and a smooth and crisp trigger pull. The strengthened construction of these parts, together with the redesigned trigger system will ensure your VSR Sniper rifle can handle any spring you can legally put into it! We advise you to upgrade your trigger, sear and piston before upgrading the spring to avoid disappointment on the field.
Upgraded sniper rifle spring: Maple Leaf Upgrade Spring for VSR-10 - Extended range, higher velocity (FPS)
Once you have upgraded your trigger, sear and piston, you can now think about what spring you want to install. VSR-10 springs are available in many different power levels, and are usually given an M number, which denotes the velocity in meters per second that your rifle should achieve when shooting 0.2g BBs. The spring you choose is down to the FPS limit for sniper rifles at your local skirmish site, so simply choose the one that gets you closest to your limit, whilst staying beneath. It is worth noting that if you have or plan to install a tightbore inner barrel you may see a slight FPS rise from this (10FPS approx) so make sure you take this into account.
Bearing spring guide: Laylax PSS10 VSR Spring Guide w/ Bearing - Improved longevity, wear resistance
Running a more powerful spring for an FPS gain can cause premature wear on other parts, even with the trigger, sear and piston upgraded with enhanced parts. The spring guide is one of these, and will inevitably wear out from the rotational forces placed on it when the rifle is cocked and fired repeatedly with a high strength spring installed. The spring guide will almost definitely take more of a beating than the sear or piston before it fails, but for long term reliability, we recommend a bearing spring guide to ensure your upgraded setup lasts.
The Laylax PSS10 Spring Guide w/Bearing is designed to work with either stock VSR internals or other parts from the Laylax PSS10 range of VSR-10 upgrade parts. This spring guide is constructed from stainless steel and serves to eliminate the additional rotational forces placed on the spring guide for smoother operation, reduced wear and a longer lifespan.
Enhanced Cylinder: Laylax PSS10 VSR Teflon Cylinder - Higher velocity, smoother bolt pull
If you have already upgraded the spring, trigger, piston and sear of your VSR-10 and you still want more, the next step is the Laylax PSS10 Teflon coated cylinder. This cylinder is constructed from stainless steel, guaranteeing the strength necessary for use in an upgraded Airsoft sniper rifle, and is coated both inside and out with Teflon, reducing friction for a smoother and easier bolt pull, and preventing energy loss over the movement of the piston.
Enhanced Cylinder head: Laylax PSS10 Air Seal Damper Cylinder Head for VSR - Silver - Greater efficiency
With all these upgrade parts installed in your Airsoft sniper rifle, you may find the muzzle report is now significantly louder than it was before, due in part to the increased speed at which the piston head now impacts the cylinder head. A great solution to quieten things down again is the Laylax PSS10 Air Seal Damper Cylinder Head. This cylinder head features a reinforced and widened nozzle for improved air seal, greater air flow and thus efficiency, and aslo includes a Sorbothane pad on the rear to cushion the impact of the piston and reduce the noise from firing.
Adding this part in combination with the PSS10 Teflon Cylinder will get you practically to the pinnacle of VSR performance in the realms of FPS and velocity, and should provide a significant jump in the muzzle energy of your rifle thanks to the improved air seal qualities of these parts. This is another reason to carefully consider what spring you choose to install, as if you go for an M165 and also install these parts it will likely push you far beyond most Airsoft sites' FPS limits.
Sorbothane Dampening pads: Laylax PSS10 SORBO Silent Damper Pads - Reduced wear, quieter operation
If you want to quieten down your newly upgrade Airsoft VSR-10 sniper rifle, but aren't yet ready for a new cylinder and cylinder head, Laylax provides a set of Sorbothane pads which can be installed on the back of your cylinder head to reduce the impact force from the piston head, and reduce the noise from firing.
This set includes 6 pads of two different thicknesses which can be stacked in whatever configuration you want. This set is made for those who like to experiment by mixing and matching the pads to achieve the perfect combination of FPS and muzzle report. Installing these pads into a standard cylinder will cause a slight FPS drop due to the reduced air volume, as the Sorbo pad will take up space in the cylinder which would usually contain more air, but are still widely used as an alternative to an upgraded cylinder head, though may require a stronger spring to get the desired FPS.
The key to properly upgrading an Airsoft sniper rifle is getting the FPS you want with the weakest spring possible, which will ensure your setup remains unnervingly quiet and efficient, with reduced wear on the internals for longer lasting performance. Even if your VSR already shoots nice and hot, you may also want to consider and enhanced cylinder head and piston and a lower strength spring, which will result in less action noise, muzzle noise, and an easier bolt pull as well as reducing the overall wear on the piston, trigger and sear.
Upgrading your trigger, sear and piston, and adding a stronger spring is all that is necessary to get your Airsoft sniper rifle to the upper limits of what is permitted on Airsoft sites as far as FPS is concerned, but for a fully upgraded system, appropriate attention should be paid to the air seal qualities if you want your rifle to last as long as possible.
So, now you know what you need to upgrade your Airsoft VSR-10 sniper rifle to shoot spicy, but what about improving its accuracy? If there is one thing a custom, upgraded Airsoft sniper rifle needs it is the ability to make every single shot count. If you're interested, check out our blog on Upgrading your VSR-10 for improved accuracy!