Visors

Sights are among those components that seem simple on paper, but in practice have a huge impact on how cleanly you play with your airsoft gun. It's not about show, not about having as many functions as possible, but about reproducible target acquisition, stable mounting, and a setup that suits your playing style. That's exactly why it's worth taking a closer look at airsoft sights—technically, soberly, and without marketing hype.

We deliberately go into depth here and show where the real differences lie.

Basics: Why an airsoft sight has to do more than just “show a dot”

An airsoft sight has to cope with vibrations, recoil simulation, rapid firing, and changing light conditions. Added to this are typical stresses such as:

• Hits on the housing
• Lateral pressure from slings or firing
• Frequent removal and replacement
• Temperature differences between indoor and outdoor

A cheap sight with unstable adjustment or poor mounting may show you a dot – but not where the bullet will land.

Open sights (reflex/micro dot)

Open sights are lightweight, compact, and popular for quick setups. The illuminated dot is projected onto an open disc, which allows for a very clear field of view.

Typical features:

• Low weight
• Quick target change
• Good overview in CQB
• Often low height

Technical points that are important:

• Clean dot display (no star, no fraying)
• Stable height and side adjustment
• Sufficiently bright adjustable dot
• Low parallax errors at short distances

Honestly speaking:

Open sights are more sensitive to hits, dust, and rain. The open lens is not very forgiving, which is why sight protectors are almost mandatory here.

Closed sights (tube style/red dot scope)

Closed sights work with a closed tube. The illuminated dot is protected inside and is significantly more robust against environmental influences.

Strengths:

• Better protection against hits
• Less stray light
• More stable hit pattern
• Often finer adjustment

Weaknesses:

• Heavier
• Narrower field of view
• Larger design

For outdoor players, DMR setups, or HPA systems, closed sights are often the more sensible choice—especially when protection and durability are more important than maximum compactness.

Red dot vs. green dot – not a war of beliefs, but physics

Many sights offer red and green as the color of the illuminated dot. Both have their place.

Red dot:

• very good in low light
• energy-saving
• clear dot against a dark background

Green dot:

• better visibility in daylight
• less contrast loss in bright environments
• more comfortable for some eyes

Technically, green diodes often consume slightly more power. Anyone planning long days of play without changing batteries should take this into account.

Dot shapes and reticles

Not every sight displays only a dot. Depending on the model, there are:

• Dot
• Circle
• Dot in a circle
• Cross combinations

For airsoft, less is usually more. Complex reticles rarely offer any advantages at 20–40 meters, but can obscure the target. A clean dot with defined edges is often the better choice in practice.

Sight protectors – underestimated, but useful

A direct hit on the lens can immediately render a sight unusable. Sight protectors protect against this.

Variants:

• Foldable protective screens
• Rigid polycarbonate plates
• Integrated protective lenses

It is important that the protector:

• Is made of genuine polycarbonate
• Is mounted without tension
• Does not protrude into the field of vision

Cheap acrylic screens splinter – they offer no protection.

Risers & elevators – ergonomics instead of optics

Risers raise the visor. That sounds simple, but there are clear technical reasons for this:

• more upright head posture
• better use with a mask or helmet
• faster acquisition when aiming

Typical heights:

• Low (directly on rail)
• Absolute co-witness
• Lower 1/3 co-witness
• High rise for mask setups

However, sights mounted too high impair the shot. Here, too, the rule is: match the setup, not the optics.

Mounts, ring mounts & rail systems

The best optics are useless if the mount gives way.

Important points:

• 11 mm vs. 20–22 mm rail
• Quick-release mount or screw clamp
• Clean clamping surfaces
• Even contact pressure

Ring mounts are mostly used with closed optics or telescopic sights. Here, the correct diameter is crucial, otherwise stability will suffer or the tube will be damaged.

Parallax, adjustment & zero point

Airsoft sights are usually optimized for short distances. Nevertheless, the adjustment should be:

• clearly detented
• reproducible
• backlash-free

Cheap sights lose their zero point after just a few hits or temperature changes.

Typical weaknesses – openly stated

• Cheap sights lose their settings
• Cheap lenses distort
• Weak battery contacts flicker
• Poor mounts loosen
• Points that are too bright outshine the target

These are not exceptions, but known problems.

An airsoft sight must suit your playing style. CQB benefits from open, lightweight systems with protectors. Outdoor and DMR require more closed, robust sights with stable mounts. Risers and mounts are not accessories, but part of the ergonomics. If you choose carefully here, you will hit more consistently – not because the sight is “better,” but because it works reliably.