| AEG airsoft guns are one of the easiest types of | | | | to find one that can stand the pressure, but not |
| gun to find available upgrades due to a huge | | | | be too dense to strip the other gears. The front |
| aftermarket following. In this article we want to | | | | of the piston is called the piston head and seals |
| examine different parts of the airsoft gun and the | | | | the air into the cylinder. Compression and stealth |
| available ways to upgrade them. We will examine | | | | are the benefits of an upgrade here. A high quality |
| why to upgrade a barrel, the spring system, the | | | | piston head will help ensure you are getting all of |
| hop up system, and the compression system... | | | | the pressure you should and usually is able to |
| well pretty much everything. | | | | reduce noise as well. |
| When it comes to upgrading the barrel, the | | | | When it comes to upgrading gears it will most |
| objective is simple. Improving accuracy. The | | | | always be the sector, bevel and spur gears that |
| typical upgrades are going to be longer and a | | | | are being discussed as they are the main gears |
| smaller bore size, aka tighter. Tighter equals more | | | | across the board. The anti-reversal latch can also |
| compression, more compression equals better use | | | | be discussed as it keeps the gears from rotating |
| of your guns power. Upgrading a barrel should be | | | | backwards and destroying themselves, however |
| done before any spring upgrades or you will not | | | | it isn't usually sold in most gear sets and is not |
| be able to utilize the extra power that you are | | | | nearly as important to upgrade. The gears are |
| getting. Most AEGs come stock with 6.08mm | | | | one of the most crucial and expensive parts of |
| diameter barrels. A precision barrel usually runs | | | | an AEG airsoft gun. Don't be tempted to buy |
| 6.00mm to 6.04mm. With an upgraded barrel size | | | | cheap gears, as more often than not, you are |
| being smaller it is even more essential that you | | | | going to end up destroying your whole gearbox. If |
| are using quality bbs. See our article on selecting | | | | you are upgrading to higher powered springs and |
| quality bbs for more information. Along with the | | | | high torque motors upgrading your gears is an |
| barrel most airsoft guns will allow for the | | | | absolute must. Steel gears are your best choice |
| replacement of the stock, generally a more | | | | and you can usually get them in either high speed |
| tactical look and feel will be the only benefits. | | | | or high torque. |
| The next topic is going to be the spring, and | | | | The bushings keep the gears in places and are |
| again, it is a simple one. The stronger the spring, | | | | what the gears rotate on. If they break there is |
| the faster it pushes your piston, and the higher | | | | a good chance that your gears will strip. When |
| velocity your bb leaves the barrel. When choosing | | | | you are looking to upgrade your bushings, think |
| a spring the velocity is rated in MPS (meters per | | | | big. Most guns come stock with plastic 6mm |
| second). To get feet per second from an MSP | | | | bushings and upgrading you can get up to 8mm |
| rating simply multiply by 3.28. One important thing | | | | metal bushings that will produce more longevity as |
| to remember is when upgrading your spring is | | | | well as a higher rate of fire and resistance to the |
| you are also going to need to upgrade your gears | | | | effects of torque. Keep in mind when upgrading |
| or they will be under too much pressure and give | | | | your bushings to think of the size of your casing, |
| out, it is also recommended to upgrade your | | | | you may have to get a larger casing to |
| spring guide as well. The spring guide stops the | | | | accommodate the size of your new bushings. |
| spring from expanding into your gears. A more | | | | Along with the bushings shims are used to keep |
| powerful spring usually will need a higher quality | | | | the gears aligned and correctly meshing. Incorrect |
| guide to stop it. The spring guides also come in | | | | shimming will lead to increased gear wear or |
| different spacings allowing for different | | | | failure. Be sure that if you are upgrading your gun |
| compressions and that in turn gives the potential | | | | yourself that you are taking this into account. |
| for increased velocity. | | | | The motor will be an option that will yield drastic |
| The hop up bucking is the part that creates | | | | results when upgraded. The two main benefits are |
| backpin on the bb. Upgrading the bucking will give | | | | a higher rate of fire and more torque, most |
| you better spin on the bb and creating more | | | | motors emphasize one more than the other. A |
| accuracy. One thing to look at is a bucking with | | | | new motor in a standard gun will strip the gears |
| 2-3 nubs when upgrading. The hop up chamber is | | | | or piston, make sure that you have upgraded the |
| the device that feeds bbs, so sensibly upgrading | | | | gearbox before adding a new more powerful |
| the hop up will be more durable and accurate in | | | | motor. The motor is powered by the real |
| feeding BBs, this is going to improve consistency | | | | powerhouse of any AEG, the battery. When |
| with firing as well. The air nozzle is the part that | | | | upgrading a battery you are going to be able to |
| forces the bb into the hop up chamber. It is also | | | | shoot faster and for longer. The higher the |
| a critical aspect in sealing the airflow between the | | | | voltage, the higher your rate of fire will be. The |
| cylinder head to the BB, this is a part that isn't | | | | higher the Milliampere-Hour rating (mAH), the |
| going to yield worthwhile performance increases | | | | more BBs you can fire per charge. Jumping |
| and only needs to be upgraded when, and if, it | | | | straight to a 12 volt battery is not a good thing |
| needs replaced. The last factor to the feeding | | | | however, you can totally destroy components of |
| system is the tappet plate. The tappet plate pulls | | | | your gun or decrease effectiveness. With a |
| the air nozzle back to let the BB in and if it isn't | | | | battery that is shooting at a higher rate of fire |
| working you gun will not feed. Usually this is | | | | than the gun can handle the bbs can catch one |
| another aspect that doesn't need upgraded, just | | | | another in the barrel. Be sure to consult an expert |
| eventually replaced. In general upgrading the hop | | | | for the best battery for your gun. |
| up system should be your first priority. You will | | | | Some other parts you may hear about that |
| gain a lot in consistency and like a wise man once | | | | aren't going to be a staple to any airsoft upgrade |
| said: If your gun ain't shooting, you probably ain't | | | | are the cut off lever, trigger, and sector chip. The |
| hittin' nothin'. | | | | cut off lever stops the gears so you can fire in |
| In an AEG airsoft gun compression is king. It is | | | | semi-automatic mode if you have the option of |
| what forces out the projectile, so it has to be | | | | going back and forth on your gun. If it breaks or |
| important... right? Right. The cylinder is the area in | | | | wears out you will only have fully automatic fire |
| which the air is compressed before being forced | | | | and will need to replace it if you want to go back |
| down the barrel. Bigger cylinders let you use a | | | | to having the semi-automatic mode. After many |
| longer barrel. Cylinders tend to be overbuilt and do | | | | moons of good use the trigger mechanism may |
| not usually need to be upgraded on higher quality | | | | also need replaced. There are upgrades available, |
| guns. If you have a cheaper gun you may find | | | | but generally aren't worth the time until you need |
| that you loose power when you upgrade your | | | | to have it replaced. Finally the sector chip. The |
| barrel. If this is the case you may want to look | | | | sector chip isn't something that you will usually find |
| into upgrading your cylinder. The piston | | | | on a stock gun, nor is it a common upgrade. The |
| compresses the air in the cylinder by forcing the | | | | sector is used to hold back the tappet plate and |
| air in front of it into the cylinder when forced | | | | allow the bbs more time to feed, but is a last |
| forward by the release of the spring. It is | | | | priority in upgrading the loading system. |
| essentially a flat-toothed gear. It is wound back | | | | We hope that some of your questions where |
| by the motor and then forced forward at by the | | | | answered by this article and you've been inspired |
| spring. The piston is subject to incredible amounts | | | | to create a dominating airsoft gun. |
| of pressure. When selecting a piston you will want | | | | |