Relationship between range and fps

[ThunderCactus]

I find FPS mainly only gets your BB to the target faster, and in some applications, higher fps will actually REDUCE your accuracy and range.
I've seen well built 310fps AK's outrange 470fps stock sniper rifles.
And my VSR gets better accuracy at 328fps on .3s than it does at 380fps on .3s
You can increase the range on a stock gun significantly buy just buying a 6$ hopup rubber. Raising the fps on a stock gun usually doesn't do anything other than raise your fps, and often reduces the life of your stock parts.

[CDN_Stalker]

Originally Posted by Amos

Actually;

(Heavy weight, high quality BB's + CONSISTENT Fps + FPS Matched hop-up rubber + Tight, consistent air seal) x actual measured cock size = good range

Sorry, had to fix your equation. Hehe

One way to look at what higher fps does to your BB in flight is to picture the rpm of the backspin. Heavier BBs require more hop up, higher fps means the backspin will be faster. Faster backspin can actually make the BB unstable and a denser pocket of air between you and your target can actually make your BB veer off by a LOT in as little distance as 100ft. I saw this more often than I cared for in my M24 when I was running it at 500fps, my 0.29g, 0.30g or 0.36g (Straights) would end up having a flyer go severly off track maybe every 4-5 shots, within 100ft. Since I downgraded my M24 earlier this year to 400fps, I haven't seen the problem again.

[StrikeFreedom]

Originally Posted by CDN_Stalker

Sorry, had to fix your equation.

ah so if actual measured cock size = 0 then range = 0. makes sense

[KoolAidMan]

Originally Posted by ThunderCactus

I find FPS mainly only gets your BB to the target faster, and in some applications, higher fps will actually REDUCE your accuracy and range.

So true right out of the box my l85 accuracy on the the highest spring setting was as good as that ump using .2's so i droppedd it to the lowest setting at 330 aand the acurracy increased andd even more so when i got my hands on some .25's but im still waiting to get some bastard or Madbulls

[CDN_Stalker]

Originally Posted by KoolAidMan

So true right out of the box my l85 accuracy on the the highest spring setting was as good as that ump using .2's so i droppedd it to the lowest setting at 330 aand the acurracy increased andd even more so when i got my hands on some .25's but im still waiting to get some bastard or Madbulls

Hehe, just noticed your sig, glad to see someone caught onto our Olympic suggestions. Even if it was just you and me.

[KoolAidMan]

;p . i found it to hilarious .

[CDN_Stalker]

Originally Posted by KoolAidMan

;p . i found it to hilarious .

Fox_111's comment on making a long range ban hammer by adding a longer handle literally made me laugh after he typed it. I still smile when I think about it.

[KoolAidMan]

We should implement a test that you much pass in order to use this site..

[FOX_111]

It's a noob thing to think that a longer barel will give better range. Actually, it's a paintball myth.

Here is one fact, tested and proved by the Mythbusters.

At equal distance from the ground, if you drop a bullet, it will touch the ground at the same time as the one your fired in a horizontal way. That mean, fps does NOT influence the rate at witch a projectile drop.

Back to airsoft, what will influence range is the hopup and BB weight. Acuracy will depend on fps, hopup, BB, wind, barrel and whatnot.

For a sniper rifle, you only want high fps to either shoot a heavy BB at a nice velocity, or to reach your target quickly, making hitting moving target easyer.

Like Stalker said, shooting at "medium" fps, such as 360fps and using a sniper grade BB (.30g) will give you great result. Also proved by the ATP formulas (Airsoft Trajectory Project) that state that the best BB weight is .29g and best results are around 350 and 450fps. Best result being the longest effective range with a workable projectile trajectory (no double arc like on high fps rifles).

Doubles arcs are caused by high fps rifle with a hopup tuned for a max effective range. Your BB will start to drop slighly and then start to climb abruptly as his fps diminish in flight, then reach it's apex wich would be the desired point of impact at max effective range, and then start to drop again. If you can't acuratly estimate your target range, shooting such a rifle is a serious pain in the ass and you will think you are shooting all over the place.

Solution: heavyer BB, lower fps, or simply lower fps.

[Dekan Frost]

I just had a question about the Hop up it's self, I was wondering could the hop up rubber or component become loose? You know in mid fight from wear and tear at all, I mean I fear I might find myself adjusting my hop hop as I'm trying to make a hit on a target that is moving, cause my hop up adjustment tab dropped my hop up too high or too low.

Or is the only way that hop up will move is if I adjust it?

I've been trying to find the sweet spot with the iron sights, but being restriced to setting up a target in my spare bedroom in my apartent I can't really judge how straight i'm aiming since it's only going about 20 ft.

That being said is there a way I can.. I don't know how to ask this... lets just say if your looking down the iron sight and your black sight is pretty much covering your target and you have to aim your weapon a little up to shoot right where you want it just above the sight but still in the circle (using an mp5 ironsights). I understand that once additional distance is applied to me and my target, is thier a way I need to aim to calcuate inconsistency of the BB's straightness? or would getting a Red dot help the accuracy, as well as help determine where to aim according to hop up?

Should I:

B: account for large distance and set the hop up just a little higher then straight so that eventually the bb will level out across the plain to the target?

C: Calculate the hop up as straight as the BB fires from the barrel and hope it stays straight through out the duration of the flight. I'm shooting at what should be 320fps - 330fps with .2 out the box, I did purcahse some .28 for outdoors but it looks i may need to re adjust my hop up if i'm going to use those bbs.

[FOX_111]

When shooting at stuff that are 50fts and closer, you have to conciver your hight over bore. That mean that you have to aim higher by the amount of distance between your barrel and sight.

Let's use a P90 with an aimpoint for example, since this weapon has a high HoB. Let's imagine that between the red dot and my barrel, I have 10cm. That mean that up close, like in your bedroom, you would have to aim 10cm above your target to hit it.

When setting your hopup, you should have a long range with little to no wind. Long like 200+ feets.

Your hopup setting can change over time and it's good practice to check your setting before a game. Some tweeking to account for BB type, temperature and fps (if upgrades or maintenance was done) can be required.

You should then set your sight for the max effective range of your weapon. That is just before your BB start to fall.

Iron sights are fine. Red dot help for indoor shooting and sight picture aquisition time. It will affect your acuracy by allowing you to aim faster.

[Dekan Frost]

Originally Posted by FOX_111

Iron sights are fine. Red dot help for indoor shooting and sight picture aquisition time. It will affect your acuracy by allowing you to aim faster.

Thanks Fox that makes perfect sense, but i'm a little unclear as to what you mean by the Hob, is the height of bore the distance between the barrel and the sight?

Also what do you mean by little to no wind? In the clip or the whine in the motor?

[Azathoth]

Originally Posted by Skladfin

fps + good hop up = good range

thats the formula

I disagree,

Good hopup, GOOD quality BB, + controlled FPS. a BB travelling at high velocity will cause more resistance as it travels giving it a far less stable flight. I think the sweet spot for most guns is .28-.36 for 350-450fps. You need to the cost of ammo

[Dekan Frost]

See this where I was trying to gauge my sweet spot, but like Fox said it was only in a 50ft or less range..

How can you determine your hop up is going to be long range?

would adding the flash hider to this gun which sticks out another two inchs roughly effect the preformance, for the better? or would that not be considerd the barrel?

[Skladfin]

sorry guys, didn't care enough to put "BB" in the formula