Here at the airsoft gun repair website one of the more FAQ's emailed to us is how can I improve my AEG's performance? My first question back is always performance improvement? or velocity increase? As many players seem to confuse the two and they are definitely not equal.
Please note* This article does not pertain to Airsoft Training type weapons by Systema or other custom manufactured components.
First I will address airsoft velocity upgrades. I have performed FPS upgrades on just about every brand and model of airsoft gun on the market today. I have compiled data that clearly indicates that airsoft guns with upgrades beyond 400 FPS fail prematurely. The leading cause of failures, regardless of internal improvements or upgrades performed is gearbox housing nose blowouts more commonly known as a cracked mechbox. This is not a case of maybe, this gun will Fail Quickly. You should expect a dozen games or less from 9o percent of any airsoft gun upgraded beyond the magic 400 FPS mark.
Now if you are looking for performance improvements from your airsoft gun here is what I would suggest: For starters have your gun chronographed with .20 competition grade airsoft BB's to see what your stock velocity or FPS truly is. Manufacturers tend to err on the high side of the FPS scale and many listed airsoft gun FPS ratings are made with .12 gram bb's that I strongly do not recommend using in Metal gear box AEG's.
Durability Upgrade: Includes proper size steel bushings for your airsoft gun and metal spring guide with thrust bearing for durability and FPS increase if needed. These parts will greatly improve the overall durability of your gun. Any spring upgrades should be made, based off your starting FPS chronograph reading with a goal of around 350-375 FPS. Next determine your starting ROF measurement and decide if it is OK or would you like to increase it? If you are currently running an 8.4 volt battery then simply try out a 9.6 volt for a nice little ROF increase of about 3-5 bb's per second. High speed gears are a great option as well but other factors and upgrade components must be considered once you make a gear ratio change in this area of the gearbox.
For the most part many players can see improved durability and performance simply by practicing better airsoft gun hygiene. Use of proper silicone oil combined with cleaning and lubricating after each use and keeping your barrel clean and oiled as well will prevent your piston O-ring from drying out. Lubricate your hop unit for long lasting, increased durability and performance. A clean barrel at the start of each game means less jamming and other mechanical issues that can be caused by major barrel jams. Remember to back the hop unit all the way off on your replica weapon at the end of each game and you will see instant accuracy improvements.
*Caution* following the advice above will lead to your opponents noticing great improvements in your ability to "share some welts" with friends or family...
Armsdealer...OUT!
