Spring Airsoft Gun Upgrades

In this article we want to examine different parts of a bolt action spring airsoft gun and the reasons to upgrade them. Sound familiar? You may have read our post on upgrading an AEG airsoft gun. If you haven't you will want to as it covers many of the basic components of an airsoft gun such as the spring and barrel, whereas in this article we are going to cover the specifics related only to a bolt action spring airsoft rifle.

Starting with the cylinder. When you are getting a cylinder go with either a high polish or a Teflon finished cylinder. Both options will give you a smoother easier bolt pull, but with the Teflon on your cylinder you don't need to lube it which becomes an advantage. You can also upgrade the bolt handle. In many cases this comes down to preference, but in general the bigger the big bolt handle the easier it is to cock your gun. The spring guide stopper is what keeps the cylinder in place. You should also upgrade this when increasing the muzzle velocity (a stronger spring) along with the sears.

The trigger sear is what holds the spring back and keeps your airsoft rifle cocked. If you have or are planning to upgrade your spring you definitely need to upgrade the trigger sear. If you don't upgrade your trigger sear there is a healthy chance of it breaking and you will not be able to cock your gun. The piston sear catches the piston and is supported by the trigger sear. Has a lot less strain put on it than the trigger sear, but if you upgrade one it is always a good idea to do the other.

These are going to be the components that are set apart from an AEG airsoft gun. If you are looking for more information we definitely encourage you to check out our article on upgrading an AEG airsoft gun and check out our full line of spring airsoft rifles!

Upgrading an AEG Airsoft Gun

AEG airsoft guns are one of the easiest types of gun to find available upgrades due to a huge aftermarket following. In this article we want to examine different parts of the airsoft gun and the available ways to upgrade them. We will examine why to upgrade a barrel, the spring system, the hop up system, and the compression system... well pretty much everything.

When it comes to upgrading the barrel, the objective is simple. Improving accuracy. The typical upgrades are going to be longer and a smaller bore size, aka tighter. Tighter equals more compression, more compression equals better use of your guns power. Upgrading a barrel should be done before any spring upgrades or you will not be able to utilize the extra power that you are getting. Most AEGs come stock with 6.08mm diameter barrels. A precision barrel usually runs 6.00mm to 6.04mm. With an upgraded barrel size being smaller it is even more essential that you are using quality bbs. See our article on selecting quality bbs for more information. Along with the barrel most airsoft guns will allow for the replacement of the stock, generally a more tactical look and feel will be the only benefits.

The next topic is going to be the spring, and again, it is a simple one. The stronger the spring, the faster it pushes your piston, and the higher velocity your bb leaves the barrel. When choosing a spring the velocity is rated in MPS (meters per second). To get feet per second from an MSP rating simply multiply by 3.28. One important thing to remember is when upgrading your spring is you are also going to need to upgrade your gears or they will be under too much pressure and give out, it is also recommended to upgrade your spring guide as well. The spring guide stops the spring from expanding into your gears. A more powerful spring usually will need a higher quality guide to stop it. The spring guides also come in different spacings allowing for different compressions and that in turn gives the potential for increased velocity.

The hop up bucking is the part that creates backpin on the bb. Upgrading the bucking will give you better spin on the bb and creating more accuracy. One thing to look at is a bucking with 2-3 nubs when upgrading. The hop up chamber is the device that feeds bbs, so sensably upgrading the hop up will be more durable and accurate in feeding BBs, this is going to improve consistency with firing as well. The air nozzle is the part that forces the bb into the hop up chamber. It is also a critical aspect in sealing the airflow between the cylinder head to the BB, this is a part that isn't going to yield worthwhile performance increases and only needs to be upgraded when, and if, it needs replaced. The last factor to the feeding system is the tappet plate. The tappet plate pulls the air nozzle back to let the BB in and if it isn't working you gun will not feed. Usually this is another aspect that doesn't need upgraded, just eventually replaced. In general upgrading the hop up system should be your first priority. You will gain a lot in consistency and like a wise man once said: If your gun ain't shooting, you probably ain't hittin' nothin'.

In an AEG airsoft gun compression is king. It is what forces out the projectile, so it has to be important... right? Right. The cylinder is the area in which the air is compressed before being forced down the barrel. Bigger cylinders let you use a longer barrel. Cylinders tend to be overbuilt and do not usually need to be upgraded on higher quality guns. If you have a cheaper gun you may find that you loose power when you upgrade your barrel. If this is the case you may want to look into upgrading your cylinder. The piston compresses the air in the cylinder by forcing the air in front of it into the cylinder when forced forward by the release of the spring. It is essentially a flat-toothed gear. It is wound back by the motor and then forced forward at by the spring. The piston is subject to incredible amounts of pressure. When selecting a piston you will want to find one that can stand the pressure, but not be too dense to strip the other gears. The front of the piston is called the piston head and seals the air into the cylinder. Compression and stealth are the benefits of an upgrade here. A high quality piston head will help ensure you are getting all of the pressure you should and usually is able to reduce noise as well.

When it comes to upgrading gears it will most always be the sector, bevel and spur gears that are being discussed as they are the main gears across the board. The anti-reversal latch can also be discussed as it keeps the gears from rotating backwards and destroying themselves, however it isn't usually sold in most gear sets and is not nearly as important to upgrade. The gears are one of the most crucial and expensive parts of an AEG airsoft gun. Don't be tempted to buy cheap gears, as more often than not, you are going to end up destroying your whole gearbox. If you are upgrading to higher powered springs and high torque motors upgrading your gears is an absolute must. Steel gears are your best choice and you can usually get them in either high speed or high torque. The bushings keep the gears in places and are what the gears rotate on. If they break there is a good chance that your gears will strip. When you are looking to upgrade your bushings, think big. Most guns come stock with plastic 6mm bushings and upgrading you can get up to 8mm metal bushings that will produce more longevity as well as a higher rate of fire and resistance to the effects of torque. Keep in mind when upgrading your bushings to think of the size of your casing, you may have to get a larger casing to accommodate the size of your new bushings. Along with the bushings shims are used to keep the gears aligned and correctly meshing. Incorrect shimming will lead to increased gear wear or failure. Be sure that if you are upgrading your gun yourself that you are taking this into account.

The motor will be an option that will yield drastic results when upgraded. The two main benefits are a higher rate of fire and more torque, most motors emphasize one more than the other. A new motor in a standard gun will strip the gears or piston, make sure that you have upgraded the gearbox before adding a new more powerful motor. The motor is powered by the real powerhouse of any AEG, the battery. When upgrading a battery you are going to be able to shoot faster and for longer. The higher the voltage, the higher your rate of fire will be. The higher the Milliampere-Hour rating (mAH), the more BBs you can fire per charge. Jumping straight to a 12 volt battery is not a good thing however, you can totally destroy components of your gun or decrease effectiveness. With a battery that is shooting at a higher rate of fire than the gun can handle the bbs can catch one another in the barrel. Be sure to consult an expert for the best battery for your gun.

Some other parts you may hear about that aren't going to be a staple to any airsoft upgrade are the cut off lever, trigger, and sector chip. The cut off lever stops the gears so you can fire in semi-automatic mode if you have the option of going back and forth on your gun. If it breaks or wears out you will only have fully automatic fire and will need to replace it if you want to go back to having the semi-automatic mode. After many moons of good use the trigger mechanism may also need replaced. There are upgrades available, but generally aren't worth the time until you need to have it replaced. Finally the sector chip. The sector chip isn't something that you will usually find on a stock gun, nor is it a common upgrade. The sector is used to hold back the tappet plate and allow the bbs more time to feed, but is a last priority in upgrading the loading system.

We hope that some of your questions where answered by this article and you've been inspired to create a dominating airsoft gun. Remember for your airsoft needs OvertAirsoft.Com has the expertise and the quality products you need to be at the top of your game!

How to Create a Successful Airsoft Team

If you want to start an airsoft team, you need to players, after you have players you need to decide on their roles. The traditional roles are Team Leader, Tactical Officer, Rifleman, Support Gunner, Designated Marksman, Recon, and Sniper. This article is here to help you decide on your teams player roles.

The Team Leader is the captain on the field. He will not only play as another role during the game, but will need to be the uncontested leader. There is only ONE Team leader, however the Tactical Officer is the Team Leader's go to guy. He will also play a standard role during the game, but will be there to assist the Team Leader in making decisions and if need be fill in for an eliminated Team Leader.

Most players on the team will be good old fashioned infantry. The Rifleman is your standard infantry unit. A semi automatic airsoft rifle with good accuracy at a mid distance is a standard in the field. It is also recommended that a Rifleman carry an airsoft pistol for a sidearm. The Support Gunner is the heavy infantry unit on the team. Fully automatic weapon with a high rate of fire and large magazine will be a defining characteristic of this player. The Support Gunner will roam the field or be strategically used to lay down suppressive fire to aid his comrades. The Designated Marksman is the teams most effective non sniper combat threat. This specialized infantry unit shoots from long range, but unlike the sniper the DM is engaged in main combat instead of staying covert. Generally an accurate shooter combined with an effective long range semi auto rifle will create a good DM. Depending on your team's style of play and size you will want 1 to 2.

Recon units main role is to assist the other team members, generally one or two will do. Recon is all about setting traps and gathering enemy intell. Generally you want a fast and agile player in this role. Generally a Recon Role can be supplemented by carrying a pistol and/or a shotgun for close quarters combat and fast action.

The Sniper. One of the most feared tools in an airsoft game. The Sniper should have a high powered and highly accurate airsoft rifle as well as a dependable side arm for close quarters engagements. Camo becomes more essential for this position. The Sniper's key role is to tactfully take out opposing targets based on the recon and instruction of the team leader. As a covert unit, depending on field size, one is all you will need. See our article information on Airsoft Sniper Tactics.

We hope that this will help your team function well. Feel free to comment or email us with questions!

Maintaining an airsoft gun, the right way!

You want to get the most from your gun and you demand the highest performance. Preventative maintenance can ensure that you are getting top performance as well as make sure that your gun lasts the long haul. Mistreatment of your airsoft gun will surely lead it to premature retirement.

The barrel of your airsoft gun is crucial to keep clean at all times. After a day of using your airsoft gun, clean the barrel thoroughly as any sand or dirt can cause severe damage. Spray silicone spray into the barrel and hop-up chamber clean the inside of the barrel using your cleaning tool and the outside with a rag. Make sure to respray the barrel after cleaning. Taking care of your barrel is more than just making sure that it is clean, making sure that you are using quality BB's is just as crucial. Low quality BBs break apart easily and that leads to jams, stripped pistons, and chipped gears. High quality BBs are sold at airsoft specialty retailers and will minimize jamming, improve FPS, and improve firing accuracy. For more information read our article on selecting a quality airsoft BB.

After each game you will want to decompress the spring or gearbox, releasing the pressure from it; this will keep your spring strong. If you have an electric airsoft gun, decompress the gearbox by firing the empty gun several times in semi-automatic mode. Be familiar with your gun as some guns even have a button to decompress the spring. If it is a spring airsoft gun, all you need to do is not re-cock your gun after your last shot. If your gun is already cocked at the end of the game just shoot it once and do not cock it again. For gas or co2 airsoft guns, remove the fuel source and be sure there is no pressure in the airsoft gun by safely discharging it to ensure the pressure has been entirely released.

Make sure to clean your clip or magazine regularly as well. Electric and spring guns utilize a spring to push up the airsoft bb's in their magazines. Keeping the magazine empty when not in use to keep the spring inside the magazine strong and ensure proper functionality for a long time. Gas magazines should be left with pressure in them as to keep the seals intact and prevent them from dry rot (never use the release valve to release gas as it could freeze the o-ring and damage it).

Oddly enough, batteries play a big part in the longevity of your gun. Make sure that if you ever need to replace the battery you select one with the correct voltage to your gun. Using a battery with higher voltage can over work your gearbox and possibly damage it. If you use a battery with a voltage lower than your gun is rated for you will loose performance or it may not even power it. The mAh of a battery dictates how long it will power your gun in one session. The higher the mAh, the longer the battery will last and the higher the rate of fire (rof) will be. When you first charge your battery charge it all the way up and then make sure to drain it completely. Then fully charge it again (make sure not to over charge a battery, a standard wall charger will not stop when the battery if full this leads to damaged battery cells). This will ensure a good battery memory. Another important aspect of having your battery charged correctly is when your rifle battery is low, it's easier for the gearbox to "lock up" which can lead to damaged internal components. To avoid these issues, keep your firearm appropriately charged and stop using the rifle when battery life is low. We carry a large supply of high quality batteries at overtairsoft.com/performance.

If you follow these simple tips your airsoft gun will last longer and will be more reliable. We also recommend that you have your airsoft gun's internal maintenance done every 4 to 6 months by an professional.

Giving the gift of Airsoft!

If you are considering giving airsoft gifts this holiday season, or anytime for that matter, you are in luck. During this holiday season we at Overt Airsoft have put some of our best products on sale! These are some of our best airsoft deals of the year. There is a sale product geared towards just about everyone from airsoft beginners to advanced players. Remember are here to help you decide which package is the right fit, if after reading this article you still don't know what gift is right for your airsoft lover email us at support@overtairsoft.com.

You will need to do a little recon on the gear your airsoft enthusiast already has to see what gift would be right for them. If you still feel a bit confused by all the options, there are always gift certificates available from our trustworthy airsoft website. Here are a few questions to ask yourself to find out what package is right for you:

• What is your budget? You can always go with a gift certificate for your designated amount or find the package that fits your budget. If the packages are outside of your budget, consider looking at our accessories and tactical gear.

• What's the skill level of the airsoft player you are buying for? Beginner or advanced? Generally a cheaper gun will do the job just as well for a beginner.

• What role do they play on the field? Do they consider themselves a sniper or field player? Or maybe they're a field player who is interested in trying out a sniper position? This will dictate the kind of the guns and gear they will use. Airsoft Snipers need a high degree of accuracy, while field players require durability, agility, and a high rate of fire.

• Where do they plan to do most of their playing? Indoors or out? Large or tight spaces? What will be more important... range or maneuverability? Choose an airsoft gift that will compliment that terrain.

• What kind of gear do they currently use if any? With this information you'll be able to identify holes in their selection, replace worn out gear, or find upgrade opportunities for their current airsoft gear.

• Lastly, is there anything they have been hinting at? Do you want to ask them what they want? The element of surprise is always part of the fun, but if your airsoft enthusiast has some gear on their wish list, it's always good to know.

Airsoft has a lot of variety, so it can be a bit overwhelming at first, but with our support team and holiday airsoft gift sale we will help you find what you are looking for at the right price!

Happy Holidays from Overt Airsoft!

Are airsoft guns safe?

Many people are concerned that the realism of airsoft guns makes them dangerous. Parents need to be aware that giving an airsoft gun to irresponsible children can put their child in danger. A question that we often receive here at Overt Airsoft is: "Are airsoft guns dangerous?" Just like any other firearm the real answer is no, but if misused they can be.

Airsoft guns shoot plastic bb's at moderately high speeds. Many AEG airsoft guns are fully automatic. The speed at which airsoft bb's come out of airsoft guns is much slower than the speed that bb's are shot out of a traditional bb gun. This speed allows people to shoot at each other with airsoft guns safely, under certain conditions.

Protective safety goggles are a must. Never shoot an airsoft gun at someone not wearing proper eye protection! The biggest danger of injury you can receive from airsoft guns is getting shot in the eye. Wearing safety goggles are considered by most to be sufficient eye protection, however some players will use a paintball face masks to ensure eye safety and add ear protection. You can see our line of airsoft eye protection here. Other than eye protection airsoft protective gear is more your preference. The average player is able to tolerate a direct hit to the skin from an airsoft gun, but it can still break the skin if the variables are all right. Most players would not recommend wearing anything other than a long sleeve shirt and jeans as much thicker clothing and you would not feel the hit.

Eye protection is not the only way to protect your self. The majority of injuries while playing airsoft come from the terrain. Rocks, trees, old metal or wire, sinkholes, or other natural hazards in the playing field. Before you begin playing clear out any potential safety hazards possible. Otherwise just make sure you are always aware of your surroundings. Walk the field if you are not familiar with it before your game, this will help not only with safety but strategy as well!

Those are just a few rules to keep your airsoft experience safe and enjoyable. Airsoft is not a dangerous sport as long as everyone playing understands safety. For any questions airsoft related feel free to email us at support@overtairsoft.com and we will do our best to assist you in a timely manner.

Check out our post Paintball and Airsoft Safety Tips for more valuable safety information and remember OvertAirsoft.com for all your airsoft needs!

What you need to know about airsoft sniper rifles!

Airsoft sniper rifles are used for precise fire on long range targets. Airsoft snipers take well aimed shots from carefully chosen positions for maximum effectiveness. Airsoft sniper can be hugely important in most airsoft games do to their ability to deliver precise fire on targets at great range. To be truly effective in this role an airsoft sniper rifle must be both powerful and accurate as necessary tool for distance and effectiveness. There are many important factors in deciding on the best airsoft sniper for you. Airsoft sniper rifles come in the standard airsoft styles of AEG, gas, or spring powered. Most airsoft snipers choose to use a spring rifle, but the choice ultimately comes down to user preference, funding, and the situations they use their rifle in.

Most players will use a spring sniper rifles due to their relatively low cost and high power without sacrificing power or accuracy. Spring rifles use manual strength to cock the rifle so they can have a heavier spring. A heavier spring will increase muzzle velocity meaning the sniper has much more power. Stealthiness and the ability to keep their position from being compromised is key to a snipers success and a spring airsoft rifle is also generally much quieter than its AEG or gas counterparts. Spring sniper rifles are however single shot weapon due to the fact that it is manually cocked. This puts a spring rifle at a disadvantage when it comes to the rate of fire. If you have read our article on airsoft sniper tactics we highly recommend that you carry a side arm no matter what type of rifle you use for firefight situations. Most airsoft snipers feel that rate of fire is not a big issue compared to the benefits in cost, power, accuracy, reliability, and stealth.

Electric airsoft rifles (AEG) offer a couple features that cannot be found in other types of airsoft sniper rifles. Electric powered sniper rifles offer an incredibly high rate of fire, an extremely high rate of fire is not often a need for a sniper, but it does allow for some flexibility. For this reason an AEG sniper rifle can sometimes double as an assault rifle if the situation so requires. High-end electric sniper rifles can also offer power and muzzle velocity that rivals their spring and gas powered counterparts, but you will definitely feel the cost.

Gas airsoft sniper rifles can provide an excellent combination of muzzle velocity and rate of fire while remaining within an affordable price range. While most only fire in semiautomatic do not offer a fully automatic fire mode, a gas sniper rifle can reach muzzle velocities exceeding 400 and even 500 feet per second. This gives you a chance to have the best of both worlds without spending excessive amounts. There are issues with noise and functionality with gas airsoft rifles that may not always make them the best choice for everyone.

Accessories can also be important factor in selecting an airsoft sniper. A hop-up system will give your rifle extended range thus improving its effectiveness. Optical accessories such as scopes can greatly increase long range accuracy. Rails and mounts underneath the gun barrel can be used to attach bipods for further stability and comfort while aiming.

Although choosing a quality rifle is important, it doesn't necessarily make or break a sniper. There are many factors that determine the success of an airsoft sniper, the rifle is just one of them. If you're going to purchase online, we always recommend going to a quality supplier. Overt Airsoft will always go to the extreme to make sure you are satisfied.