Sun Tzu had it right when he penned “Sweat more during peace; bleed less during war” in The Art of War, first published around 500 BC. In many cases, antiquated worldviews lose power quickly in an evolving world. Other worldviews, especially related to military strategies, haven’t changed. Through my eight years of military service our strategy remained true to Tzu’s 2,500-year-old words. The more we sweat in peace, the less we bleed in war. Training was constant and a critical component of maintain a force in readiness.

Of course, as a child long before training in military ranks, playing war with friends was second nature. Little did I know back in those days, how Japanese Photographer, Ichiro Nagata, would change how we played war for the better. In the early 1970s, Nagata, an avid shooter, was busy hunting for ways to develop model firearms capable of shooting non-lethal pellets. He was successful – enter Airsoft.

Airsoft grew legs throughout the 80s, 90s and now the 2000s and has become one of the fastest growing segments of shooting sports on Earth, partly because of more laxed regulations related to Airsoft as compared to regulated firearms capable of shooting lethal munitions. By 2020, millions of shooting enthusiasts around the globe, especially in the United States, United Kingdom and European Union, had become active in Airsoft and the industry is now estimated at $2 billion annually with an average of 7 percent compounded annual growth rate worldwide, according to Grand View Research.

What does this mean? Put simply, Airsoft is here to stay as one of the most popular military simulation games on Earth and interest in airsoft activities continues to trend upward. Even better, while playing “war” as a kid was fun, it was not remotely mature in realistic training or strategy – that came for me in military service and comes to millions more in airsoft competitions occurring regularly in every corner of the globe – ancillary regions and nations outlawing airsoft play and equipment as exceptions.

Throughout the European Union and United Kingdom, Airsoft is incredibly popular. Millions of people, from youth to retired adults play and while airsoft pistols have been the most popular in decades past, rifle-style airsoft gun sales have soared into the stratosphere as the activity has morphed into high-energy, all-out military/combat simulated sports. Sure, many rifle-platform airsoft players still carry an airsoft pistol on their side, the trend of using an airsoft rifle as a primary tool has become a standard. That said, the next logical question becomes optic options.

Just like regular firearm sights, optics used in airsoft are purpose-driven; in fact, most often, the optics found on airsoft guns actually are designed for use on legitimate firearms. A Firefield Impact XL Reflex Sight often found on an airsoft rifle in Europe, actually is a reflex sight designed to be used on rimfire and centerfire rifle systems, including bolt-action and semi-automatic AK and AR rifles, and more. The Impact XL Reflex Sight is recoil-rated up to .308 Winchester so not only is it suited for the toughest airsoft competitors and environments on Earth, it is perfectly suited for reliable use on many centerfire rifles.

As a second point of purpose-driven optic choices, reflex sights the Firefield XL are perfect for the vast majority of airsoft applications. Airsoft is predominantly a close-quarters game with most shots fired within a range of 10 to 15 meters. The effective range of airsoft rifles generally extends to a range of 35 to 50 meters, depending on BB velocity. So, a reflex sight like the Firefield Impact XL is still a great optic solution – one only needs to become familiar with vertical holdovers at longer distances. That said, for someone focused specifically on longer shots, a red dot sight or a low powered variable optic may be a great choice. Again, optics are purpose-driven and for the vast majority of airsoft shooters, a reflex sight like the Impact XL fits the bill nicely in a keep-it-simple military simulation world.

Focusing on Firefield, the brand’s popularity among European airsoft enthusiasts, from newcomers to seasoned professionals, is obvious considering social media attention. Brand trust by airsoft competitors also was evident during the 2022 IWA Outdoor Classics international trade fair in Nürnberg, Germany. The steady stream of top airsoft influencers spoke volumes for the brand’s fit, form and function for high-stakes airsoft competitions, especially reflex sights. To be sure, you could spend €700 on a premium reflex sight but why would you when a sight like the Firefield Impact XL offers great, reliable performance at a fraction of that cost – as low as €100 or less – with a warranty that also provides peace of mind?

A true reflex sight designed for rimfire and centerfire rifles, as well as shotguns, the Firefield Impact XL Reflex sight boasts rugged, shockproof, IP55 water-resistant, cast aluminum and polymer construction; 25-yard parallax setting; true 1x magnification; advanced lens system with anti-reflective red coating; four reticle options with five brightness settings and 120-MOA windage and elevation adjustments at 1-MOA per click. The Impact XL comes ready to mount on a Weaver or Picatinny rail, provides 25 to 150 hours of operation with an easy-to-find CR1632 battery and is designed for flawless operation between temperatures of -17 to 49C.

Learn more about the Firefield Impact XL Reflex Sight at www.FIrefield.com.

This is a guest posting from our partner, Firefield.