2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Feb 3, 2015 17:26:00 GMT -5
I have heard about a simple way to upgrade the power in cheap springers like the shotguns and assorted rifles currently available. Apparently you put a spacer in the channel the spring fits in to create additional tension. Apparently there is a sweet spot with how much you are able to get away with so the washers don't interfere with the action and the gap doesn't make it so hard to cock that it looses useability or causes things to break too quickly. It would seem that washers would give you a chance to experiment a bit. I am especially interested in a means to tweak the little carbines up a bit. I'd like to see them up around 350 if possible. They range from 305 to 328 currently with .20 gram once their barrels are adequately swabbed.
If someone has done such a mod I 'd love to see a tutorial. I upgraded the spring in one of my cheap carbines and it worked well for about 400 rounds until it ate its young and broke. Once broken they are unfixable but of course they aren't expensive.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Feb 18, 2015 14:38:40 GMT -5
I have been fiddling with this on my own and a series of washers does create slightly great spring tension for greater power. The greatest return on performance is really the simplest. Clean your barrel and use quality BBs. After that adding plumbers teflon tape to the seal points and finally add a few small spacers to the springs (in that order). These tweaks all increase your FPS and while each is fairly minor, collectively they generate noticeable improvements in range and accuracy. Is it worth the hassle? it depends on your comfort level with such things and time availability.
I have seen between 20 And 30 FPS improvement in the little carbines without significantly greater cocking effort. We'll see what if any impact on reliability or durability occures. I tried a stronger spring in one about six months ago and wasn't pleased with those results. The gun was a bit too hard to cock and lasted about 500 rounds before it failed internally.
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Post by insterburger on Feb 18, 2015 17:56:02 GMT -5
2nd Bat, I think you've touched on the secret here-- incremental improvements, with multiple points of attack, while realizing that sometimes less is more. Keeping spring tension at least close to design parameters is the biggest thing for folks to keep in mind. Pushing the envelope will likely lead to catastrophic failure.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Feb 18, 2015 19:41:34 GMT -5
The cheap springers are definitely NOT designed with repairs or upgrades in mind. These inexpensive airsoft replicas are typically NOT designed with disassembly and reassembly in mind so taking them apart (and especially putting them back together) is not always a straight forward proposition. For that reason I really suggest cleaning the barrel, going with good, round, properly shaped BBs and if the piston and nozzle are accessible some plumbers tape in areas where some pressurized air is escaping.
A VSR clone like the BAR10 is a different story as a multitude of well made upgraded parts are available and highly effective. Stock they typically shoot .20 grams at 420 to 440 FPS. I have found that the Bar 10 can be readily ramped up to 500 + FPS while still remaining reasonable to cock and provide years of field use. Bolt action rifles should be tailored to fire heavier weight BBs to provide adequate stability, accuracy and inertia. With heavier weight BBs however ttheir hop up systems need to be upgraded along with trigger systems and other components. A BAR 10 based gun with about 150.00 in upgraded parts can be built into an extremely fieldworthy weapon.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Feb 19, 2015 15:42:44 GMT -5
Anyone considering upgrading the BAR 10 need only google VSR Bar 10 airsoft upgrades and the tutorials are endless. The "free" modifications are actually effective and do make a difference for little or no money. shortning the air brake as shown and adding some teflon tape where shown does improve your air pressure and volume with no additional stress to the internal parts or cocking effort. these mods are quite easy to do as shown. They will jump your power by about 30 FPS. With the CSR Clones (including the Bar 10) the upgraded trigger box is somewhat expensive but worthwhile as it is a weak point even if (and especially if) you upgrade your spring. A cheap (around $10.00) but worthwhile enhancement for your VSR is replacing your Hop up bucking which will greatly improve your accuracy and consistency of shot and allow you to manage Bbs heavier than .20 gram.
If you're competing with a "cock it everytime" airsoft gun you really need all the edge you can get.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Mar 11, 2015 0:42:42 GMT -5
Today I disassembled an old springer airsoft gun that I have probably owned for 13 or 14 years. I doubt it is even made anymore but if it was it would probably sell for $25.00. Because I was thinking I had little to lose I decided to try some things. It was a replica of a German Post War G3A3. It has a 20 round detachable magazine. I took it apart by removing screws that held together two halves. The internals were about as basic as it could be. A side bolt cocked it and it fired 12 gram BBs at 280 FPS. The trigger pushed a seer that would release the piston and a tiny spring forces the trigger back forward. Inspite of the long barrel it was inaccurate and had no hop up. It probably cost me $70.00 or $80.00 way back when.
There were a couple lead weights in it to provide what little weight it had. I added a bunch of the weights I had removed from my mag modifications and from the stocks of the three CYMA carbines I converted to M1A1s. I simply glued the weights nto the plastic shells in logical places insuring the halves would close and no moving parts would be effected. I had a Dees tightbore barrel for M14s which is brass, much longer than the stock one and something I had a dozen of that were unusable in the conversions as the outer circumfrance was too fat for the M14 outer barrel. I have used some of them in 30 Cal builds which use M14 base guns. These brass barrels are a definite step up for range and accuracy.
In place of the spring I put in a spring from an AEG. (No idea what strength, just something I had laying around.) I wrapped some plumbers tape where it made sense to do so. I reassemble everything and tried it out. The cocking effort seemed right in line with what it was before so I wasn't expecting much. the first three shots with .12 gram chrono'd at an average 398! I reloaded with .20 gram it chrono'd at 342 to 348.
The upgrade was no doubt more work than probably makes sense but I enjoyed it and have been having fun plinking with it. The seer, piston and bolt all seem to be quality materials so it should hold up decently. I wish there was a logical WW2 single shot rifle I could modify it into but my plan is to make it into a pseudo FN FAL which I believe I can do reasonably well. More prop than skirmish gun but an exercise in experimentation that I am thus far quite happy with.
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Post by hardslack on Mar 29, 2015 21:23:50 GMT -5
I noticed this thread the other day. He uses a drill, sandpaper and a dremel tool to smooth part of the air nozzle, and he got a 15FPS increase. Looks like an easy upgrade for bolties. www.airsoftretreat.com/forums/index.php/topic,86978.0.html
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