by vulrath » Tue May 08, 2012 12:25 pm
FPS isn't everything. A sniper rifle isn't ready out of the box. Expect to dump a whole lot of money into an airsoft sniper rifle. Sniping in airsoft is nothing like you see in the movies.
Those are a few of the things you need to know before going any further.
I've built several (2 KJW M700Ps with a CO2 rig, a UTG L96, TM VSR-10 GSPEC), and with the exception of the GSPEC (because I'm not done - I just got it serviceable and left it alone until I can find the time and cash to drop on it) pretty much every one of them cost well over $400 after upgrades.
My UTG L96 in particular, though (since that's the one that's equivalent to what you're looking at), has had the most done to it and it's one of the most accurate (accuracy and consistency, not FPS, is key - what good is being able go out to 250+ feet if you can't hit anything (or can hit your intended target but not consistently)?) guns I've built. By my estimation, only the stock is, well, stock.
Don't bother with the "upgrade kits". They're cheap pot-metal junk. Get stuff you know will last, from brands that are widely trusted and recommended like Laylax/First Factory, KM HEAD, PDI, etc., but know that it ain't going to be cheap.
The hop up should be scrapped and replaced with a PDI. Don't bother with the nub that comes with it. Either fashion your own out of metal using a drill bit of the appropriate size, or use a piece of metal rod of the appropriate diameter and length. I'd provide photos, but right now that isn't in the cards. Expect a disassembly/reassembly guide for the UTG later on in the year.
Bottom line: if you don't have $500+ to spend on your rifle, then a sniper rifle may not be the best choice for the moment.