Optics?

[CoulReese]

I can see how optics could be useful for hunting. Or something like hunting. Or even simply to make a gun look cool. But can using optics be practical for paintball? Can a rifle scope only be mounted for show? And what kind of scope it should be? It's not like getting a high-end scope for a paintball gun is a very wise idea. But then there are cheaper ones.
I myself am considering getting a Hammers 3-9, one of the better scopes, although not very high-end, quite the opposite, in fact. Is it even worth fifty bucks? I don't need all that stuff real scopes come with but I want a good one. Would such a purchase be practical or, perhaps, I might as well get a dummy scope?
Any advice?

[captian pinky]

I have seen people run red dots that was somewhat practical. The guys that are actually running scopes are normally using firs strikes and a angled riser. practicality for a round ball isn't really there.

[rawbutter]

When I run pump, I use a basic red dot sight. It's not dead on, of course, but it gets me in the ballpark faster and easier than sighting down the barrel. It really helps with the side-to-side sighting, and the vertical aspect is something you pick up pretty quick.

For semi-auto markers, though, I don't find optics all that practical. I've instead gotten in the habit of double-tapping or triple-tapping. If I see a target, I send two or three shots in that direction, expecting that one of them will hit. And this happens fast. Much faster than taking the time to sight carefully with a scope. Even with a classic mag, I can put three shots in the air before the first one hits, usually. That way the target usually doesn't have time to react and duck behind the bunker.

This is assuming the target is looking in my direction, of course, and is running between bunkers or just showing an elbow or something like that. If I manage to sneak around behind someone, I hold them in my sight and keep moving closer until I'm 100% sure of the shot. Then it's a one-ball. (I don't ever ask for surrenders. Too risky, in my opinion, especially with the types of inexperienced folks I usually play with.)

[JKR]

I use an Armson red dot on all my 'guns...pump and semi. I like the extra measure of certainty it gives me in making the first shot count. If you use decent paint, have a consistent 'gun and air system, and a decent barrel, a sight can be utilized with some measure of success. Everyone is different so your experience may vary. I have tried a 2X scope in my younger days of pump play and never found it to be very useful. I think the FSR guys might be able to put a slightly higher measure of value on a scope, however.

[vintage]

back in the mid 90's i used a red dot pistol scope on my mag. it made it easier to adjust fire on real long shots when trying to snipe someone. now days i have not seen paint be accurate enough to even bother putting it back on the marker.

[Spider-TW]

I like the Armson on pistol/pumps, since you lose the shoulder reference and the barrel may be a little shorter. The cheap Daisy sights I use on odd builds that I have no muscle memory with and also for night time scenario play. If you use a red dot as an occluded (Armson) sight, you can put a single ball on any shadow you can follow.

[bowcycle]

Some friends and I are normally very aggressive on the field and run semi for that purpose. It's part of our scenario team.
However, we also have FSR-enabled, bolt-action phantoms and run risers and shotgun/pistol scopes on those.
It's fun for breaking up the monotony of the constant charge. But in those situations, we'll have a spotter with a range finder, etc.
Again, fun as something different, but not a way I'd play very regularly.

[AGDRetro]

I'd love to sport an optic and Mag Fed would be the ideal platform to do it... however. What holds me up from getting into Mag Fed paintball - it does NOT at it's core accept what it is... Paintball. If Mag Fed paintball guns were designed to increase performance in the game of paintball as opposed to playing dress up, it would make sense to run a reasonable optic. But Mag Fed paintball IS about playing dress up or we wouldn't be using things like AR-15 stocks that cannot practically be used with the single most important piece of our gear, the goggles.

I don't want or need it to look like a real gun, because I am not playing with a real gun. Unfortunately the paintball industry isn't currently producing much selection for the Mag Fed paintball player that still realizes that at the end of the day he/she is still playing paintball and wants to do that as effectively as possible.

Sorry for the rant, this is something that has bothered me over the past couple months as I have considered moving into the Mag Fed world.

[athomas]

I used a red dot sight back in the early 90's. I found that it increased my ability to quickly acquire my target quicker. There was no magnification, so I could shoot with both eyes open which increased my field of vision. I could adjust for distance based on my stereo vision and adjust my marker angle to accomplish distance accuracy. After while, I no longer need the sight because my muscle memory kicked in and allowed me to acquire a target by just looking and pointing.

I had used a magnified scope for a while. It did not work well for a paintball marker because you couldn't determine distance accurately. I did find it was great for sighting and finding long range targets that you normally couldn't see because of heavy camouflage or shadows.

Overall, I could still see using a red dot or occluded sight on a paintball marker, especially to enhance the milsim look.

[wetwrks]

I started with a cheap red dot and when it died I picked up a nice one....about $300. Used it for more than 10 years. Typically it was on a pump gun...started on my original WGP sniper then when it died on me the sight went to my automag then to my SL2.