Airsoft Gun Repairs

Airsoft Modified M16

2010-01-30T07:37:00.000-06:00

The entire Midwest USA has now entered the late January deep freeze stage of Winter. I have been staying busy writing some airsoft gun troubleshooting tips over at the airsoft gun repair website but this deep freeze for me seems like a perfect time to bench some of my own guns and get them ready for the upcoming 2010 airsoft season.
My backup loadout includes among others a TM M16-A2. This gun was upgraded with a 120% spring (380-400FPS), steel gears, metal 6mm bushings and a V2 metal spring guide in July 2009, in October the gun started double and triple firing bb's and I lost most range. The problem was not real hard to locate as seen in the photo. My options are to just replace the gearbox shell knowing that at the current 390 FPS I will have to replace the gearbox again in 3 to 4 months cost ($39.90). I could, downgrade the FPS to 350 or lower and not worry about cracking the gearbox again, or I could install one of the new V2 upgraded gearbox shells and see if it works as claimed. ($59-89)

Well since I like the Modify companies other airsoft upgrade products I have used in the past, I decided to go with the Modify Torus upgraded version two gearbox. I chose the 7mm gearbox model since the unit does not come with bearings or bushings and I already had the 7mm size metal bushings on hand. To save money I figured I would just transfer the rest of the old gearbox internals into this new shell. The unit does include a reinforced tappet plate, as standard tappets will not fit this gearbox.
All of my M16 TM components transferred into the modify torus design and fit nicely. I am impressed with the look and solid feel of this unit. I also like the idea of the open maintenance viewing ports machined into the face of this gearbox. This allows for lubrication and field inspection without opening up the gearbox.
Once assembled this gearbox unit fit perfectly into my TM M16-A2 replica body and the completed airsoft gun chronographed at 397 FPS. Perfect. Now to see if it can hold up all season, under my heavy trigger finger.

Armsdealer...OUT!!!

Airsoft Gun Breakdowns

2009-11-22T11:14:00.000-06:00

The second decision in owning an airsoft gun (right after which eye protection you will use) should be what style and or model are you going to purchase. A huge part of that decision should include doing some research on the availability of replacement airsoft gun parts. Yes you will need them sooner or later. Perhaps you will want to upgrade your airsoft guns external parts to an assault style that better suits you. If you make sure the airsoft gun you purchase uses standard internal and external parts it will make repairs and maintenance procedures less frustrating and quicker when airsoft gun breakdowns do occur.

For those of you who are searching for and even willing to pay big bucks for the airsoft gun that never breaks down, you will be disappointed. What you can do however is learn how to maintain and repair your airsoft guns yourself. I view it as an airsoft gun owners responsibility to maintain your guns in good working order just as you would with any other hobby or collection. Once you learn how to care for your guns the hobby is not nearly as expensive or frustrating and you can begin a quest to build your own airsoft gun that does not breakdown.

Be prepared to spend some money on high quality custom airsoft gun parts and components. I currently use modular style gears in all of my AEG's and some are on the second year without a failure and only general lubrication and maintenance needed. These gearsets will set you back about 84 bucks a set but well worth every penny. I typically will spend around 150 dollars to purchase a gun. I typically spend 150 to 200 dollars on the gearbox replacement parts I add to make it a durable gun.

Basically if I decide I want a certain model airsoft gun, I buy it based on the external build quality and style and it's ability to accept standard parts. The internals in most cases are gutted and replaced with custom airsoft components based on the build specifications of the particular gun. If I want to turn any gun into a high rate of fire support gun then its high speed modular gears with a 16:1 or even 13:1 gear ratio and a 110% spring capable of 350 FPS velocities or less. For a higher velocity gun I would change the internal parts to heavier duty torque style components.

If you take the time to learn some basic airsoft gun troubleshooting and repair techniques you will find you can take most any gun and turn it into a bb spewing threat that will be feared in any airsoft skirmish. The game will be way more fun with less airsoft gun breakdowns and loss of valuable trigger time.

Armsdealer...OUT!!!

Airsoft Gun Custom Parts

2009-10-08T08:41:00.005-05:00

I have been busy in the airsoft laboratory cooking up some custom airsoft gun parts and even some new airsoft gun designs. Hope to have most of these projects ready for upgrade customers by the spring 2010 airsoft season. I should have some pics soon of the new AK-14 Assault airsoft gun I have built.

Many gas airsoft pistol parts and AEG style parts are becoming very hard to find or obsolete. As a result we have decided to buy the machinery and begin manufacturing our own custom airsoft replacement parts right here in the USA. These parts will be listed in our Airsoft Gun Parts Catalog along with our standard airsoft gun parts as we bring the production process online.

We have currently brought a manual mill and manual lathe online to make "one off" custom parts and tooling and have started the shopping process for a CNC lathe and mill unit for airsoft production purposes. Once the setup and programming for this unit is completed we will begin updating our custom airsoft parts inventory.

Armsdealer...OUT!

Airsoft Gun User Tips

2009-08-19T08:26:00.004-05:00

So you bought an airsoft gun, and now your ready to use it.
If you did your homework before hand you will now have a brand new, well built, metal gearbox AEG or if it was a handgun model most likely one of the gas blow back pistol replicas. Regardless of why you bought it *Congratulations* on your purchase, and welcome to the world of airsoft. If you are like the majority of players I know, one airsoft gun will not be enough, you will crave more, you will seek more information and you will need some basic airsoft gun user tips, so for what its worth here ya go...

New Airsoft Gun Owner User Tips
1st. Safety = Treat your airsoft guns like you would any real firearm.
2nd. Always use anzi rated safety glasses or goggles when firing your airsoft gun.

1. Buy a gun case and use it.
2. Use high quality, seamless .20 gram or heavier airsoft bb's for AEG's and gas guns. .12 are only for low powered airsoft spring guns.
3. Do not use petroleum products to clean or lubricate your airsoft gun. Use only liquid silicone oil.
4. Thoroughly clean your airsoft gun barrel after each use with silicone oil, cleaning patches and barrel cleaning rod.
5. Fully charge your air soft gun battery the day before you intend to use it.
6. Do not excessively dry fire your gun.
7. Clean and oil after each use.
8. Stop firing and clear your barrel of jams immediately. Do not try to "fire out a bb jam" or damage to your gun can occur.
9. Only use your airsoft gun in approved location's and out of public view.
10. Never re-use your bb's. Airsoft bb's once fired will not be round anymore and these used bb's will jam and break your gun.
11. Find a local group of responsible players and attend large air soft events.
12. Do not leave bb's loaded in your airsoft gun magazines as it will weaken your magazine springs and cause bb feeding issues
13. Leave a small amount of gas in your gas airsoft gun magazines. This will keep the valve seat shut so dirt and debris cannot accumulate.
14. Oil GBB valves after each use to keep the o-ring seals from shrinking during storage periods.
15. After each use of your AEG put fire selector swith on semi auto and fire one shot. This will relax the spring and keep FPS from falling due to spring compression memory.
16.Turn hop unit counterclockwise or fully off after each use to maintain better accuracy.
17. Buy a good battery charger and battery for your gun, it is the power plant for your airsoft weapon and the ones provided with most guns are only basic starter packs. Many performance issues can be tracked to inadequate battery supply.
18. Keep a few tools with you when using your replica gun. Many issues can be fixed in the field with a few basic tools. I recommend a metric and standard set of hex key wrenches, small size slotted and blade style screwdrivers and unjamming rod for starter kit.
19. Check and tighten all pins and screws on your airsoft gun after each use. Vibrations that occur during firing will loosen these up quicker than you might expect.
20. Read all user manual cautions and warnings...if possible.

I could go on and on but I think you should have the basics here. Much information is available online by using simple google searches or visit some air soft forums online and just ask. For information on specific user tips on individual airsoft models please visit our airsoft gun repair library on the website.

Armsdealer.....OUT!

Airsoft Gun Upgrade Tips

2009-07-01T10:05:00.009-05:00

So now you have played airsoft war games with some friends or maybe played in a large MILSIM game at a field, decided you love it, own your own airsoft machine guns and are ready to take your game to the next level. Where to start? Well I would recommend you start with your current airsoft gun, it is the center piece of Kit you will depend on to perform every time you need to use it. So you are feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the options available, 100, 110, 120 springs, bore up kits, tight bore barrels, bushings, bearings, spring guides, gears and so much more, where to begin? The Metal Gear box of your gun is the starting point you want to focus on and you are looking for 3 primary performance points for upgrades; 1.Durability 2. Accuracy 3. Fire Volume

Airsoft Durability Upgrades -To upgrade for durability you must first decide what FPS, Foot Per Second and ROF, Rate Of Fire you would like your gun to shoot and then replace all stock airsoft gun parts that are not capable of operating in your desired range. Many airsoft gun manufacturing companies use a base grade of plastic airsoft gun internal parts in stock models to keep manufacturing and retail costs low. Plastic spring guides and plastic bushings are quite common in many models and should be upgraded to metal parts as soon as possible. Other considerations are the piston, cylinder head and cylinder as these are plastic composite in most stock airsoft guns. These items will not wear out as fast as the plastic bushings and spring guides but if you plan on a high speed or high FPS upgrade you should consider upgrading these parts to metal for durability purposes as well.

Your airsoft gun battery size, type and voltage must also be considered with durability. Some airsoft gun configurations will only allow for a certain size or style of battery. Your gun battery voltage can speed up or slow down your ROF. Be sure your chosen battery will fit in your gun and power it for at least 4 hours of moderate use.

Airsoft Gun Accuracy Upgrades - To upgrade your gun for accuracy you will look at the hop up unit parts and the inside diameter of the stock barrel your gun came with. Most stock barrels are 6.04 diameter size and work great with most upgrades but there are tighter bore airsoft barrels available. Keep in mind the tighter the bore of your barrel the higher the quality your bb's will need to be. If you have upgraded the gearbox beyond 350 FPS you will want to try out heavier bb's. The .23 or .25 gram seem to work nicely in most guns that are upgraded to higher velocities. For more information and pictures about hop up repairs and upgrades visit; http://www.airsoftgunrepair.com/airsofthopuprepair.html

Airsoft Gun Speed Upgrades: To upgrade your gun for speed or a higher ROF you can increase the battery voltage for a quick speed upgrade or you can install high speed gears for a more durable increased ROF. There are high speed airsoft gun motors available but I recommend a battery upgrade to 9.6 volts, as most stock airsoft guns use an 8.4 volt battery. This will increase your ROF significantly with minimum cost as most stock airsoft gun motors can run efficiently on up to a 12 volt battery, which brings me to my next point. The new High discharge Li-Po style 11.1 battery systems. These batteries bring a whole new level of fast bb fire into the airsoft game but most stock airsoft gun parts are not engineered to handle these extreme RPM's. I recommend high speed modular type gears be installed for this kind of high speed upgrade for durability. I use modular gears, metal tooth piston and metal cylinder head (See Photo) in all my guns using the Li-Po style batter. These guns feature a M100 spring and metal spring guide with bearing along with hard steel bushings. Despite my heavy trigger finger and extreme ROF My last yearly PM showed hardly any internal parts wear since last years PM. That equals allot of welts shared since 2008!

Armsdealer...OUT

Airsoft Gun Care and Maintenance 101

2009-06-11T22:54:00.004-05:00

As the responsible owner of a new airsoft gun you will have many new things to learn. Google airsoft safety procedures and you will find a million suggestions so I will assume you already know and follow the safety basics of airsoft. Just remember airsoft is only as safe as you make it. This article is not about internal gearbox care or upgrades of your guns gearbox. This article is about basic airsoft gun care and maintenance practices and procedures.

Get to know your airsoft gun and its anatomy. Be sure and check screws and pins after each use. Airsoft guns vibrate allot while in use and parts have a tendency to loosen. Tighten any loose part immediately.

Get to know the sounds of your airsoft gun as they are clues to performance or maintenance issues before they become major gearbox crashes. If a bb jams there will be a noticeable change in the sound of the gun, you should take out the magazine and attempt to fire once or twice to clear jam if it does not clear unjam with unjamming rod immediately DO NOT KEEP FIRING it will damage the gun internally. Always use good quality, seamless airsoft bb's as bad bb's can damage your gun. Check your airsoft guns manual for other adjustments your gun may periodically need.

Learn how to use and care for your hop up unit. Always adjust counterclockwise on M4 replicas to lessen hop effect, turning clockwise will add more hop. On other models it is different but again, read your guns owners manual. What does the hop up do? It adds a backspin to your bb's as they pass down the barrel, giving you more aerodynamic accuracy and farther bb travel. If you turn it to high the little rubber nub (see hop up photo below) pushes into the barrel to far and will jam the gun. You should take some time and adjust your hop up precisely to achieve maximum distance and a straight flat trajectory of your bb's.

Airsoft Gun General Maintenance is needed after each use. Begin by putting 2 drops of 100% silicone oil in the bb feed tube located in the magazine well of your airsoft gun, and dry fire the gun several times to lubricate the hop up bucking and the piston O-ring. Next clean and oil your barrel with the 6mm barrel cleaning-unjamming rod for your gun. Airsoft bb's leave a residue in the barrel that can build up and cause frequent jamming.

Basic airsoft care and fundamentals would include learning to care care for your battery and charger. Leaving a battery plugged into a charger can cause a fire or ruin the battery. Smart chargers are recommended. Your airsoft gun will need to be internally serviced every six months with heavy use, once a year for light to moderate use sooner if internal repairs are needed. This should only be done by experienced airsoft gun technicians. Till next time,

Armsdealer... Out

Airsoft Gun Improvements

2009-05-03T09:07:00.009-05:00

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!

Airsoft Cyber Thompson Machine Gun

2009-04-20T10:40:00.007-05:00

The way I see it the WWII airsoft players should be shaking in their trench coats right now.

Just buttoned up the internals of one of the new Cyber Thompson airsoft AEG's and have to commend the makers of this airsoft machine gun for a job well done. Who makes it? Well, some people say Cyma is the manufacturer but I found no clear markings except the nicely done trademarks from Thompson/Center. What I do know for certain is that it is compatible with standard version 6 gear box parts that are available at most airsoft gun parts stores in the USA.
The stock build is a full metal body with a full metal magazine and an imitation plastic wood stock that can easily be replaced with the wooden set found at several retailers online. The stock gearbox is a metal V6 with plastic bushings and spring guide that were easily changed out with a standard V6 metal bushing set and a version 2 metal spring guide with thrust bearing for a little push up in FPS. The stock on the Cyber Thompson does feature a large foam filled compartment that easily accommodated my 9.6 1100 Mah battery upgrade once the foam was removed.
My end result was a Thompson airsoft sub machine gun shooting .20 gram bb's at a nice 350-360 FPS with an increased ROF of around 1000-1050 RPM....Perfect! On the range my slightly upgraded Cyber Thompson performed superbly at 50, 75 and 100 feet keeping tight 4' and under patterns. At around 125 feet the groupings had increased to 8" or more but good enough for airsoft trench warfare and not bad for 25.00 dollars worth of upgrade parts. The hop unit is quite responsive to minor adjustments and again another standard part, so buckings will be easy to find when replacement is needed. All in all this gun will surely be showing up en masse to airsoft games around the US.
By the way if you are a die hard Thompson fan rumor has it that a Cybergun Thompson (Chicago typewriter style) with drum magazine is due for release in mid 2009. I can just picture the airsoft games now with everyone in trench coats and fedora's and all you hear is "Eat .20 grams of plastic you dirty coppers, you will never take us alive". Now we just need some solid airsoft gas 38's and someone to write us a good 1930's style Eliot Ness airsoft game scenario so I can share some welts with my upgraded Cybergun Thompson M1911 machine gun. Visit our website for more airsoft Thompson repair pictures, tips and tricks.
Armsdealer…OUT

Airsoft Gun BB Mechanics

2009-04-06T06:46:00.007-05:00

Did you know that the weight and quality of your chosen 6mm airsoft ammunition can play a huge role in how long your new airsoft gun lasts?

Cheap airsoft bb's are a good thing, Cheaply made airsoft bb's are not. Let me explain...

Todays stock airsoft guns are shooting hotter than ever and many airsoft manufacturers now feature brand new Airsoft Electric Guns known as AEG's that are shooting 350 FPS plus out of the box. For instance the newest line of AGM full metal airsoft clones are shooting 380 FPS with .20 gram bb's out of the box with no upgrades installed. If I use lighter .12 gram bb's in one of these guns my FPS will jump to 450 plus which is to high for most official airsoft fields in the USA. Most fields designate any gun that chronographs over 400FPS as a sniper weapon and strict rules of engagement are levied on the player. 6MM .12 gram bb's are not as dense as the heavier .20, .23, .25 and higher weight bb's and do shatter often in the barrel causing dangerous shards of bb's to be propelled at your target. Besides the obvious safety issue this causes it will also create excessive jamming that will lead quickly to expensive repairs.

Airsoft BB Rule Of Thumb: If your gun shoots faster than 300FPS then only use .20 gram or heavier bb's.

The other big difference between cheap airsoft ammunition and precision grade airsoft ammunition will be the hardness of the material used to make the bb's. If you squeeze a bb with a pair of pliers it should flatten, deform and finally crack on the edges when enough pressure has been applied. If the bb shatters it is too hard of material and can shatter in the gun as explained above. Also of concern is the quality control parameters held for the Diameter of the bb's. Today's airsoft guns feature precision tight bore barrels that can only handle micro variations of size before big problems set in. Proper barrel cleaning procedures are a must and are shown in the picture to the right. Excessive jamming, broken air nozzles and broken tappet plates are almost always caused by jammed bb's. Jammed bb's can be attributed to a dirty barrel, a faulty hop up bucking or irregular airsoft ammunition. If you are having allot of mechanical and repair issues with your airsoft gun and you are properly cleaning the barrel after use and are not having hop up problems, then you may want to examine your current bb's or try using a new brand of bb to see if this helps alleviate problems. Airsoft gun repairs can be both frustrating and expensive even if you DIY so be sure you are using high grade precision bb's as this is the first step to good airsoft preventative maintenance. For more tips and tricks to keep your airsoft guns in the field sharing the welts or if you are looking for tried and tested precision 6mm .20 gram airsoft bb's visit us at http://www.airsoftgunrepair.com/.

Armsdealer....OUT!

Airsoft Gun Maintenance

2009-03-19T10:06:00.007-05:00

Today's airsoft guns can be tweaked and modded to perform to the likes of just about any shooting or shooter style. You can add stronger springs for higher FPS, high speed gears for a faster ROF, tight bore barrels for more range and accuracy, and countless internal upgrades for added durability. There are also many little things you can do to maintain and improve the overall durability of your metal gearbox style airsoft gun.

The following is a short list of do's and do not's to help extend the durability and maintainability of your airsoft gun between full repair service sessions. This is not a complete list, just a few suggestions:

DO NOT
Use .12 gram bb's they are to light and will shatter when used.
Use petroleum based lubricants
Use used bb's
Upgrade airsoft guns beyond 400 FPS
Continue shooting a jammed airsoft gun...Unjam immediately or damage can occur.
Fire prolonged full auto burst of 1 minute or more
Continuously dry fire your airsoft gun
Over tighten screws

DO
Oil your AEG with 100% airsoft gun silicone oil
Clean and oil barrel after each game
Check your bb's for defective ones
Tighten all screws after each game
Perform motor adjustment when gear noise (whine) increases
Learn how to repair your airsoft gun

Airsoft guns are much like any other mechanical appliance or vehicle you own and must be maintained and serviced regularly for safe, continuous and proper operation. Spend some time in the off season learning to diagnose, tear down and rebuild your airsoft gun and find a good airsoft gun parts supplier and you will ultimately save yourself a lot of cash. Many common issues arise from worn parts that need to be replaced on an annual basis like the hop up rubber bucking and nub. Failing to properly assess and maintain these in a timely fashion can lead to more severe and costly repairs like a cracked air nozzle or broken tappet plate. For more in depth repairs and upgrades it may be best to send your gun to an airsoft gun repair center. In most cases a few minutes after each game performing simple preventative maintenance on your airsoft guns can keep you in the game "sharing the welts" twice as long as your competition.

Armsdealer...Out!

AGM Full Metal Airsoft Gun Parts Review

2009-03-01T09:26:00.009-06:00

Have you seen the new AGM full metal airsoft gun series that are now trickling into retailers in the USA.? My airsoft gun wholesaler called me up the other day to inform me the new AGM Full Metal M-series guns had arrived, so I ordered a few specimens to review and test to see how these compare to other airsoft brands.

Several days later the UPS guy dropped off my new airsoft guns and I excitedly ripped open the packing material. I was impressed with the solid packing and nice looking boxes these new guns are packaged in. The kit contained 1 poly cleaning rod, 1 8.4 volt battery and charger, 1-1 1/2 inch sling, 1 VN style metal hi-capacity magazine (180 rnds) and 1 metal m16 vented flashider and 1 almost user friendly operators manual.

The full metal body and RIS system are very nicely made and well balanced, NO WOBBLES!!The M16 CQB version features a mini full stock and comes with a large size battery that uses a small tamiya connector. The custom contoured handgrip and full metal adjustable rear site are very nice extras and add to the sleek design of these AEG's.

I charged up the battery and commenced test firing...These AGM models chronographed at 380 FPS out of the box, with a smooth 850-900 round a minute ROF. Slipped in a 9.6 volt battery and the rate of fire increased to around 1100-1150 RPM....SWeeeeeeeeeet! Tried out my JG 300 Round Hi capacity M4 Magazine and it fed BB's flawlessly through this AEG.

At 15 yards I was holding 2 inch groupings without any effort. The hop up adjustment is easy to dial in and features a wide degree of adjustment allowing for easy dial in accuracy.

As is customary, my first thought when a new AEG arrives is lets tear it apart and see what makes it tick. The tear down was very easy and standard as far as airsoft repairs go. The hop up unit on the AGM guns is standard in size but they have used a clear poly for the hop body allowing you to see how the internals of the unit work. The V2 gearbox internals are standard and pre-upgraded with 8MM metal bushings and a metal spring guide...Very Nice! The tappet plate , selector plate, piston, cylinder head and other internals were easily interchanged with JG, and marui parts...Another huge plus! The mechanical safety lever is made of metal and gives the trigger a solid lock when the selector switch is in safety mode. The hi speed steel gears are smooth and quiet running.

All in all I think the AGM M-series full metal airsoft guns are a great bang for your buck and will share many welts in 2009 on airsoft fields across the USA. If you are shopping for a new full metal airsoft gun then I would not pass these by. See all the M-series full metal agm airsoft guns here.

Airsoft Gun Diagnostics

2009-02-07T10:45:00.010-06:00

If you use your airsoft guns on a regular basis sooner or later you will experience a broken airsoft gun. Properly diagnosing these issues can save you money and time. Preventative maintenance can help keep your airsoft guns firing under most conditions but the time will come when a bench repair is needed. If you need more airsoft gun repair tips visit us at:

http://www.airsoftgunrepair.com/

Here are some simple steps you can use the next time your airsoft gun needs troubleshooting:

Airsoft Gun Performance Diagnostics:

Symptoms = Airsoft Gun jams allot, Gun is not accurate and has a noticeable decline in distance. BB's may roll out of the barrel.

Diagnostics and Solutions:

1. Check, Clean and Oil Barrel

2. Remove inner barrel and hop up unit. Check bucking and re-align or replace as needed. Check hop up nub for wear.

Symptoms = Airsoft Gun Cycles (fires) but no bb's come out

Diagnostics and Solutions:

1. Check for Jammed BB's in barrel

2. Check magazine and magwell for problem.

3. Turn gun upside down and shine flashlight in bb entrance in magwell (where you insert your magazine) with hop up dialed off dry fire gun once or twice and see if the air nozzle is moving back and forth. If not tappet plate is most likely broken...bench repair needed.

Symptoms = Airsoft Gun Does Nothing

Diagnostics and Solutions:

1.Check battery

2.Check Fuse

3.Check all connections

4.Check motor leads

5. Bench repair needed

The Illustrations to the right show you where to make your airsoft motor adjustments I address in the next paragraph.

Symptoms = Airsoft Gun Makes a loud squealing noise when trigger is actuated.

Diagnostics and Solutions:

1. Make sure hand grip and all parts are tight and have no wobbles.

2. Perform airsoft gun motor adjustment by turning motor adjustment screw clockwise until resistance is felt. Now turn counter clockwise 2 or 2 1/2 turns. Try to fire gun. If you feel the motor trying to work continue adjusting 1/4 turn at a time until gun sounds smooth when firing.

3. Bench repair needed

Just a few more tips to keep in mind for the proper preventative maintenance of your airsoft gun:

1. Never Use Used BB's

2. Do not use .12 gram bb's in any gun that shoots 300 FPS

3. Only use seamless BB's

4. Stock guns will typically work best with .20 gram bb's

4. Oil your airsoft gun after each use

5. Clean your airsoft gun barrel after each use

Well thats all for now...Hope it Helps

Armsdealer...Out

MP7 Airsoft Gun Repairs

2009-01-16T08:57:00.010-06:00

The MP7 series is a compaq little mini airsoft sub machine gun. These are now being manufactured by at least 4 airsoft gun companies including Well, TM, Galaxy and Tactical Force airsoft. The stock FPS averages about 250 FPS with a ROF of around 600 bb's a minute. This is perfect for indoor CQB style airsofting.

I have had the opportunity to perform repairs on this mini machine gun and I have to say they are fairly difficult to work on. The internals consist of a 4 gear transfer unit instead of the more common 3 gearset found in other AEG's. Airsoft Gun Parts for the MP7 can be hard to find as well. I do not recommend upgrading these above 300 FPS as the gear shafts and pinion gear are maxed out at this velocity.

There is nothing standard on this gun compared to other gearbox versions. Even the hop up units are unique to this gun. I have added more MP7 airsoft gun repair pictures here for you to use should you decide to attempt upgrades or repairs on your own. The mini size gearbox is easiest to remove from the rear of the gun once you have removed the sliding stock. Gear shimming is crucial to the proper operation of this gearbox and should be performed very carefully.

The MP7 is an extremely fun airsoft gun and great to carry as a secondary back up weapon. You can expect if using .12 gram seamless bb's to accurately shoot 60 to 70 feet. As I said above these are great close quarters weapons for indoor airsoft games. I would suggest getting one or two extra 7.2 volt batteries as these small packs seem to die after a few hours of sharing the welts with friends.

Till next time....

Armsdealer Out!

Cracked Airsoft Gearbox Repair Facts

2008-11-28T12:54:00.005-06:00

Airsoft Gun Fact: Standard and re-inforced airsoft gun gearboxes are not engineered or designed to handle the stresses created by airsoft gun upgrade velocities over 400 FPS.

Actually I find most metal gearbox airsoft guns, If properly upgraded to 350 FPS and with proper hop up maintenance to be the longest shooting and most durable working upgrades for most airsoft OEM gearboxes. The Re-inforced gearboxes do absorb vibrations and the increased weight helps with noise dampening, but the spot that breaks on most V2 boxes was not really re-inforced by this upgrade leaving them just as susceptible to nose cracking as the non re-inforced versions.

Systema has a nice airsoft unit engineered to shoot 565 FPS and it seems to work and last....However this does not mean that all you need to do is put systema parts in your standard AEG gearbox and you can achieve this as well. Most gearboxes on the market are engineered with 400 FPS being the Maximum and 350 FPS being the recommended. Most US based airsoft gun service centers will not upgrade above 400 foot per second without voiding any warranty programs.

I prefer to upgrade my airsoft guns to the 350 FPS point and raise the rate of fire to 20 to 25 bb's a second with steel high speed gears. The Modular airsoft gears are fantastic and last a very long time when installed this way. The spring I use is one that will land my guns in the 330FPS range and the addition of a metal spring guide with a thrust bearing rounds the upgraded gun out to 345-350 FPS when using .20 gram bb's. Plenty of firepower for any airsoft game!

One final note on the subject...The new KWA 8MM V2 gearbox units seem to have incorporated what might be a solid engineered solution to mechbox nose cracking issues by modifying the actual nose of the gear box and creating an interlocking set of staggered fingers that seem to absorb the shock and vibration created by the piston. Not sure what the actual limitations are on these but one can contact KWA USA and I am sure they would be happy to provide the new gearbox specifications. Better yet just buy one of the new KWA M4's as they will keep you in the game sharing welts...Long Time!

Armsdealer...OUT!

Airsoft Gun Custom Gearbox

2008-10-24T06:45:00.007-05:00

....Meet the Scirminator Mechbox!

While airsoft players all over the world are searching for the "perfect airsoft gun" we decided to build it one piece at a time from the inside out.

Built with all custom after market parts the Scirminator "Scrambler Series" Mechbox will send 25+ bb's a second downrange at 350 FPS. So much for needing a Squad Automatic Weapon.

For those of you looking to pack more .20 gram punch, the Scirminator "Plastic Pain Series" Gearbox features the same sizzling ROF of 25 bb's a second as the "Scrambler" but increases velocity to a blazing and painful 400 FPS.

AGR has been building, tweaking and testing, the Scirminator series gearbox designs in rental airsoft guns at the Airsoft Battle Zone field for most of 2008 and players have been impressed with each new build. All year we have been asked where do I get one?? Here is the answer:

The Scirminator gearbox rebuild kit will fit in any non reinforced Version 2 or Version 3 airsoft gearbox. Yes it will fit your Tokyo Mauri or a Classic Army Sportline, Crossman, Jing Gong, Echo1, Cyma and most other popular airsoft brands. The skirminator gearbox rebuild kit comes with all the parts and instructions needed for you to upgrade your existing gearbox to a Scirminator.

For those of you who are mechanically impaired Airsoft Gun Repair Technicians are available to install the kit in your existing gearbox if you ship it to the Wisconsin airsoft repair center.

Drop in gearbox models are available for V2 and V3 airsoft guns as well. These include a new gearbox with the Scirminator internals already installed...Just field strip your airsoft gun...remove the old mechbox and drop in your new scirminator gearbox.

For more details and specifications you will have to visit the guys over at Airsoft Gun Repair .Com, here you can purchase the scirmanator kits or mechboxes and find out all the finer details of this custom upgrade

One final note...The scirminator comes with AGR's exclusive 3 month or 30,000 bb airsoft gun guarantee on the drop in style gearboxes. This warranty also applies to airsoft guns sent in to be outfitted with the upgrade by our airsmiths. The DIY kit does not include this warranty although the individual parts are warranted from defects.

Modified Airsoft Machine Gun Gears

2008-09-03T14:46:00.003-05:00

Just got done testing out my newly modified SR16 airsoft machine gun at the ABZ airsoft gaming field and all I can say is WOW am I impressed with the new modify modular gear set. This "drop in" modification put my rate of fire in the 20+ BB per second range...For those of you who might be mathematically challenged that's 1200+ bb's a minute. I actually think its higher than that but the chronograph seemed to be giving conflicting readings and my magazines would skip now and then as well, so I will keep testing until I have a large average test group to base my findings on. *Note to Modify company....Please make full metal airsoft gun magazines that feed consistently!!

This had to be one of the easiest upgrades I have ever done and only took a total of about 10 minutes to completely install in my Echo1 Gearbox I now have dubbed the SCIRMINATOR. The hi speed modular gear set retails for 89.90 and comes with stainless bushings in 6 or 7mm sizes, that just drop into your Version 2 or 3 mechbox. The whole airsoft gear system is pre-shimmed and fits perfect. The bad news is these sets will not fit the re-inforced gearbox styles but fit well in the standard V2-V3 gearboxes.
At first run the gears were a tad noisy despite motor adjustments...but after using all day Saturday I noticed they "Burnt In" nicely and much of the original whirring noise was now completely gone. Sunday morning I sorted out my best Hi-capacity magazines and charged my largest FUBAR airsoft battery and headed out for a serious day of airsoft gaming. After getting chronoed in (387 FPS :) and an hour of extreme target practice, consisting of shooting magazine after magazine on full auto in short 1 second 20 round bursts O_O...... I was ready to deal a days worth of "airsoft funswelts". I have to say these drop in airsoft gun modular gear sets could be my favorite new airsoft product of the year and ruled this day.
The instructions provided are in English and very easy to follow with illustrations included. The Modify company has included a newly designed anti reverse lever that is included in the gear kit with some synthetic grease. The Kit features one simple, helpful innovation (a slotted anti reverse shaft) that airsmiths and airsoft home mechanics alike should appreciate. These new Modify parts have now grabbed my undivided attention and I am anxious to test more modify internal airsoft gun parts as they become available.

Till next time
Armsdealer

Airsoft Gun Gear Improvements

2008-08-16T18:03:00.002-05:00

JG 416 or 614 repairs Update after Field Test!

The new Echo1 Commando 614's that have begun showing up at airsoft fields and stores nationwide are pretty sexy looking airsoft machine guns. I recently had the opportunity to field one for the day and must say I was Pleased by the overall performance. When I first saw the odd size battery with a standard large connector (Ni-Ca 4/5sc 1500MaH 8.4V) I was a bit surprised....But a call to my local Wisconsin custom airsoft battery dealer and a new custom battery pack designed for the 614 is on its way. So this airsoft gun chronographed at 350-360 FPS and the accuracy pattern was pretty nice (70' to 100' = 12" inch average pattern) But the smooth firing and quiet operation is what was impressed on me the most as I plinked around the range.
Gotta have a look inside this baby....

SOooo about 20 minutes later, there I was with a brand new Echo1 614 in a complete state of disassembly and noticed a few unique airsoft gun design improvements in this version two mechbox. I like the smaller style automotive fuse...easy to replace.

Airsoft Gun Gear Improvements
Then there is the new gear design, featuring a thrust style bearing unit in the base of the bevel gear. Since this gear is responsible for the transfer of torque from the airsoft gun motor to the gearbox unit it will no doubt eliminate allot of stress and noise that normally exists in the motor to bevel gear transfer of energy in airsoft guns.

I see Echo1 is selling these as aftermarket airsoft gear sets and the standard size gears will fit most airsoft guns with version 2 or 3 standard gearboxes. Stay tuned for further reports on these these new Echo1 gear sets and how they hold up to my heavy trigger finger and add to the overall durability of my upgraded airsoft guns. I also have become a fan of the new black style gearboxes with the nickel plated cylinders.

This version 2 comes with a metal spring guide for added out of the box durability. The JG airsoft piston seems to be very durable and holds up to extreme full auto firing for sustained periods better than any airsoft piston we have tested to date. I also like the reinforced poly tappet plates they have been installing in the newest AEG releases.

JG 614 airsoft gun update
After extensive field testing and trials (shooting my friends) and a full bench assesment this gun ranks about a 6.5 on the BA scale. With a few mods it could easily become a 10. I did only a few simple internal durability upgrades like adding steel bushings and a NNA Power piston hub with a 110 spring and this gun was and "still is" shooting a solid 390 FPS.

Bottom line is the JG 416 614 or whatever you choose to call it is a very good airsoft gun for the money whether you are a noob, pro or just backyard airsofter looking for some trigger time. For the average 150 to 175 this airsoft gun costs it is well worth it. It has become a favorite backup weapon for airsoft games but will never replace my beloved SR-16 stoner rifle although I have been kinda google eyed over the new AGM full metal SR-16's and 416 style M4's that have just arrived....Mmmmm which one should I tear apart first! Guess I will save that for my next airsoft gun repair blog.

Till next time
Armsdealer
Airsoft Technician

Echo1 Airsoft Gun Gear Improvements

2008-07-02T06:33:00.004-05:00

The new Echo1 Commando 614's that have begun showing up at airsoft fields and stores nationwide are pretty sexy looking airsoft machine guns.

I recently had the opportunity to field one for the day and must say I was Pleased by the overall performance. When I first saw the odd size battery with a standard large connector (Ni-Ca 4/5sc 1500MaH 8.4V) I was a bit surprised....But a call to my local Wisconsin custom airsoft battery dealer and a new custom battery pack designed for the 614 is on its way.

So this airsoft gun chronographed at 350-360 FPS and the accuracy pattern was pretty nice (70' to 100' = 12" inch average pattern) But the smooth firing and quiet operation is what was impressed on me the most as I plinked around the ABZ range.
Gotta have a look inside this baby....
SOooo about 20 minutes later, there I was with a brand new Echo1 614 in a complete state of disassembly and noticed a few unique airsoft gun design improvements in this version two mechbox. I like the smaller style automotive fuse...easy to replace. Then there is the new gear design, featuring a thrust style bearing unit in the base of the bevel gear. Since this gear is responsible for the transfer of torque from the airsoft gun motor to the mechbox unit it will no doubt eliminate allot of stress and noise that normally exists in the motor to bevel gear transfer of energy in airsoft guns. Also notable is the new style spur gear with a recessed bottom. Not sure what this does for performance and durability but I am sure it contributes to the lack of noise of this improved airsoft gun gear set.

I see Echo1 is selling these as aftermarket gear sets and the standard gears will fit most airsoft guns with version 2 or 3 standard gearboxes.

Stay tuned for further reports on these these new Echo1 gear sets and how they hold up to my heavy trigger finger and add to the overall durability of my upgraded airsoft guns.

Airsoft Gun Parts

2008-04-24T21:21:00.007-05:00

Boy it sure has been hard lately to keep enough airsoft gun parts in stock, Can't seem to predict what repair or upgrade someone will need next. With all the new models available the parts needed by players just keeps expanding all the time. Just look for instance at the AK-47 and how many parts this airsoft gun and its version 3 Mechbox uses. Now times that by the other models and adaptations of just the AK and you begin to see the enormity of the situation.

M4 and M16 airsoft parts alone could fill up a small airsoft warehouse, now add to that the companies that make non standard guns (parts will not fit other airsoft guns) and you have many more options and parts to catalog.

Then there are the upgrade parts or "High Performance Airsoft Gun Parts" designed to increase your durability, FPS and accuracy. High torque gears, High speed gears, and hardened steel gears, don't forget the bore up cylinder sets and silent cylinder sets, spring guides with thrust bearings and tight bore barrels which brings up the importance of properly maintained hop up parts. Some guns feature a stock plastic style hop up and some have a full metal unit, but what is absolutely critical is that all parts are properly assembled and the bucking and nub are in good working order. Hop up unit rebuilding kits are available to purchase now as well.

Now if you look at both internal and External airsoft parts available the already large list turns into an encyclopedia size inventory sheet. That's why we tell our customers to call us if you are shopping for parts at our online airsoft gun parts store and do not find the part you need listed for sale. We probably have the airsoft part you are looking for...just not online yet. Many have asked about the ICS split mechbox parts and G&G L85 and other specialty parts. Yes we carry hard to find airsoft parts, and easy to find airsoft parts as well as upgrade and high performance parts. So the next time you need repair parts for your AEG swing by the Airsoft Battle Zone parts store or visit us at the airsoft gun repair website and see if "we have what you need" to get you back in the airsoft game quickly.

Airsoft AGM MP40 Repairs and Upgrades

2008-03-19T23:05:00.008-05:00

One of the hot Chinese custom clone airsoft guns seems to be the AGM MP40. World War Two airsoft reenactor's who wish to play German roles at airsoft games are reporting these clones to be fairly reliable and I would have to agree. The MP40 features a metal body and barrel and consists of about 70% metal parts. The easy field take down makes jams and other simple field repairs easy and quick. The off and on switch located at the bottom of the pistol style grip functions as a safety switch since the selector switch has semi and full auto positions only. The fully adjustable hop up is located behind the cartridge ejection port.

AGM MP40 Internal Airsoft Parts are tucked away inside a modified Version 3 Metal Mechbox that has a pretty decent build for the low price tag on this AEG. The motor is easily accessible and adjustable once the mp40 mechbox has been removed from the airsoft gun body. A modified trigger switch assembly features a push rod trigger control that you will notice when you disassemble this airsoft gun. Care must be taken to not bend this rod. I have pics of this airsoft trigger assembly and more Airsoft AGM MP40 Repair pictures here.

Once inside this mechbox experienced airsoft technicians will notice the plastic V3 spring guide and plastic bushings. I highly recommend you change these parts or have them upgraded the first time you service this airsoft gun. A simple metal spring guide and steel bushings will add the durability needed to stand your ground at those big airsoft games. There are many more upgrades that can be added to the MP40 such as a stronger spring, metal cylinder head and steel gears but these are more expensive performance upgrades and frankly I think the AGM MP40 performs awesome with just the durability upgrades I mentioned above. OH, I almost forgot to mention that the batteries that come with these clones are short lived in most cases and will need to be replaced in 2 to 3 months.

In closing let me say that I would recommend this MP40 AEG as an awesome starter airsoft game gun. Add the upgrades mentioned and you will be ready to hold off General Pattons finest when they come marching in on Airsoft game day.

Airsoft G36 Repairs Echo 1 Quality

2008-02-22T13:50:00.004-06:00

WOW time flies when your repairing airsoft guns, playing airsoft games and enjoying lifes finer things like...well work. Here is one of my recent pictorials and mini reviews on the Echo 1 G36. I have about 30 more pictures of the internals posted on our Version 3 Airsoft Mechbox repair pictures pages. This nice little addition to any ones airsoft collection retails for an average of $150.00 or less and has some pretty sweet airsoft clone attributes and bonuses added in by this company. As I have repaired and fired Marui's, JG and double eagle versions of this AEG I would have to say these E1's are a bang for your buck and a worthy investment.The mechbox has upgraded steel bushings factory installed and the internal build is very nice. Not sure why they have left the plastic spring guide in place and added steel bushings but this is an easy upgrade I would recommend. I have seen these plastic spring guides fail at roughly 30 to 50 thousand rounds in most applications, sooner in some, so be ready to replace this part. This G36 came in chronographing around the 365 FPS average that E1 and other airsoft clone companies are getting famous for.

The sector gear cam is another nice addition that will improve performance and help preserve the life of your tappet plate. All the internals and even the hop up are all standard parts meaning they will be interchangeable with other airsoft brands and manufacturers parts, which is another huge plus for these E1 guys. All in all I am pretty impressed...Again, by these Echo 1's and would highly recommend this G36 to any player. Keep it up E1 your making my airsoft field in Wisconsin a dangerously fun place to be with all these nice well priced clones showing up!

Airsoft Expo 2008

2008-01-08T12:00:00.001-06:00

Good to Go! If you have not yet visited the Wisconsin airsoft expo website to vote on the location for this years airsoft festivities then do so now. The WI locations available this year are Milwaukee WI, Green Bay WI, Wausau WI and Madison WI. The voting ends on Jan 31st 08 and the promoters have scheduled the official location and date public release for February 4Th 2008. I attended last years 2007 WAE and met a ton of new players, got acquainted with several airsoft teams, watched everyone else win door prize after door prizes...None for armsdealer nope I gotta be one of those do gooder types who volunteers for stuff, so since I am on the committee that runs this event...I Can't Win...That's a dumb rule who made that up.

Anyway, back at the topic...
Last years airsoft expo was a great resource to pick up handy tips and DIY airsoft repair and tactical tricks from some of Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota local airsoft repair specialists. One day is hardly enough time to soak in all the information available at this event and did I mention Airsoft Shopping! We are talking about airsoft super center prices for 1 day a year only. Discounts on airsoft parts, aeg's game gear and more. Airsoft Freebies! Yes lots of door prizes and hourly prize drawings from the US Marines and US Army, Airsoft Extreme, Airsoft Guns USA, and more. Last years expo was also featured on page 14 of the U.S. Tactical Airsoft Milsim Magazine. Kudos to these guys for giving us a full page pictorial by Wisconsin Photographer Aaron Slusarek. I also renewed my Wisconsin Airsoft Association membership at their informational booth as well, and got to chat with some of the safety reps and officers of the organization, face to face instead of my usual member participation by online forum chat. So if you are a Air Soft geardo or enthusiast who will be in Wisconsin this July, Come on down and see why Wisconsin's Airsoft Expo is... Good to Go!

Airsoft AEG Upgrades Defined

2007-12-18T22:02:00.000-06:00

Building custom, upgraded airsoft AEG's is a favorite pastime of mine. Many of these custom builds originate on the repair bench as airsoft g*n emergencies. Normally an old team loaner or some players ancient passed down, hand me down, aeg that needs reviving. Just like some people like to restore old vehicle's, I like to restore and upgrade old airsoft G*ns. On the AGR website I have added pictures of many of these custom airsoft restoration's and upgrades like the one above as well as some World War Two styles right up to present day M4 models with M203. At first look this appears to be nice, but nothing real special, just some sweet add ons. But Lets Take A Closer Look at the internals of this beast. This is what defines the upgrade and makes it a complete custom AEG.

The after market parts installed will improve the rate of fire and overall durability of this aeg mechbox. The steel aftermarket gears assure reliability and the solid transfer of extra torque that will be produced by the newly upgraded spring. The steel spring guide will handle increased shock on one end of the mechbox while the full metal cylinder and metal air nozzle will help dampen the extra piston vibration created at the front end. The trigger switch and wiring have been replaced with a low resistance replacement harness for maximum power delivery. This version two custom mechbox, installed in the full metal m4 above, add a metal hop up chamber and tightbore barrel and you have one clear definition of an airsoft upgrade. The Cost: priceless or maybe we should just say pricey!

Airsoft Gas Pistol Repairing

2007-11-20T16:57:00.000-06:00

Yes we repair gas blow back airsoft pistols, I get calls from our airsoftgunrepair.com customers asking me this all the time. Well my son you see...well it broke and he thought maybe...well ya uh that he could fix it and well, can we just pack up all the pieces and send that to you and maybe you can put it back together and find out whats wrong? Sure no problem, Just secure all the tiny pieces in a ziplock or other secure envelope or bag, pack the frame and envelope of pieces in a box and ship it to us.

I guess my whole point of this is you should know your airsoft gun well before you ever attempt to repair it yourself. There are hundreds of springs and small levers and gears all just waiting to jump out of the little confined spaces they normally live in. Above is a M190 full metal gas blowback shown fully disassembled. Below is a numbered parts diagram that normally is included with airsoft handguns. Notice how they show the parts in great detail but this offers little guidance with assembly. I encourage airsoft owners to learn there weapons, clean them, Yes the barrels of airsoft guns need to be cleaned. Take off slides, clean and oil the rails and valves on both the gun and the magazine.

Just keep in mind the deeper you go into your airsoft guns internals the more technical the parts become. I have done mechanical work my whole life as well as holding a journeyman electrical license and I would rate airsoft gas gun repairing as a 8 on a hardness scale of 1 to 10. Repairing an airsoft gas blowback pistol is not a task a novice should try. Typically it will lead to much frustration, possibly more broken or lost parts, and usually ends with a phone call that will sound very much like the one I described at the beginning of this blog.

Should you try these repairs at home yourself I have begun posting pictures and tutorials for AEG repairs as well as Airsoft gas pistol repairs for customers to use as home guides. The tutorials are beginning to fill up but we still have many models of airsoft guns to add and the process is extremely time consuming. If you find yourself stuck with a airsoft pistol in parts and pieces check out the airsoft gun repair tutorials and pictures today.

Airsoft Gun Repair V7 M14

2007-10-10T10:32:00.000-05:00

The M14 presents us with the Version 7 Mechbox in two version's. The top photo is a G&G type V7 and the 2ND picture presents an AGM version M14 which is widely known as a TM clone. The mechbox parts are virtually Identical in size and shape however some clone parts are manufactured from cheaper materials. This can be both a good and bad thing for airsoft consumers as the clones are much cheaper but will need repair or part replacement sooner than the higher end AEG's.

The G&G version 7 has some bugs that need to be worked out in my opinion. The design is awesome and simple when compared to the more common V7 mechbox shown below but the selector switch lever has to be modified to obtain a proper trigger pull. On the other hand you have the more common V7 that host a whole slew of levers, springs and switches on the outside of the mechbox that need to be removed before you can even get to the internals. The M14 variants on the market today are precise, finely tuned mechboxes that the novice should not attempt to repair.

Inside the V7 you will find an in line gear train that differs from other mechbox versions. The m14 family of airsoft guns feature specialty parts that are specific to the version 7 mechbox. The tappet plate, gears and trigger switch assembly are specific to each model. All in all the v7 marui style mechbox is a solid well built long lasting design.

To upgrade or repair a V7 m14 be sure you have the right parts. You will not be able to put your M4 internals in this mechbox. Shimming is extremely important to the life of your mechbox and should be done by a qualified Airsmith or someone knowledgeable in this area. Poor shimming can get expensive quick in the cost of other repair parts. Properly maintained the V7 is an awesome design delivering as high as 400 FPS BB's at a rate of fire exceeding 900 bb's a minute. See more detailed pictures of M14 V7 repairs at Airsoft Gun Repair.

Version 6 Mechbox Repair

2007-09-18T21:20:00.000-05:00

The version six airsoft gun mechbox has a few noticeable differences than the more common V2. The motor is encased allot like the V3 motor but mounted at a different angle in the mechbox. The internals are not the same as other gearboxes and several parts are specific for v6 models only. The tappet plate is one special part that should be kept on hand for your thompson airsoft machine gun. This mechbox is from a thompson airsoft machine gun repair that I completed for a WW II airsoft gamer who wanted his thompson shooting 375 fps. I also added a tight bore barrel and real wood grips. A reinforced tappet plate was added and a set of hardened steel gears along with a new shim job. If you need some help with your thompson repair visit our Version 6 airsoft gun repair pictures. Also if you are the proud owner of a P90 style airsoft gun you will find that this version 6 mechbox is installed in your airsoft gun as well.

Airsoft Gun Bearings VS Steel Bushings

2007-09-04T21:32:00.000-05:00

So whats the better choice for your airsoft gun? Well my humble opinion is that steel bushings will outlast steel bearings by a year or more. Actually I have never replaced a set of steel bushings but I replace bad steel bearings on a regular basis. True bearings will gain you an extra 6-10 FPS but that small gain in velocity can cost allot in damage control.

Take a look at these 3 pictures of a version 2 gearbox that was brought in for repairs. All of this damage was caused by a high speed bearing failure. The sector gear was damaged as was the cylinder head, luckily the piston seems to have survived this crash.

This airsoft gun is only 6 months old and came with the 7mm bearings installed. A quick check for play at the gear ends after each use would reveal the problem before it causes this kind of damage. If more than 1mm of play is detected the mechbox should be serviced and the bearings should be replaced with 6 or 7mm oily steel bushings.

Save yourself the headache and switch your mechbox to oily steel hardened bushings the next time you service or have your airsoft gun serviced. If you are extremely concerned about fps then lap your gears during the installation process to break in the surface area and reduce friction. Visit our website for more DIY airsoft gun repair tips and tricks.

Airsoft Gun Version 3 Mechbox Repairs

2007-08-30T21:59:00.000-05:00

This week I have had many AK 47 repairs come across my bench for repairs and upgrades. After doing several I decided to grab up the camera and snap some photos for you. I was amazed at how well some of these came out and I posted them in a airsoft gun repair pictorial on the AGR website . Her is a nice close up of a version three airsoft gun mechbox.

I also have been adding alot of airsoft gun repair pictures to my Google web album. You will find more than 100 mechbox and airsoft gun repair photos here

Just in New Boyi M4 airsoft gun "Lets Tear It Apart"

2007-08-23T19:48:00.000-05:00

Ok so the new Boyi M4 S-System arrives and I say "hey can I tear one apart" and the boss says yup. So I did I not only took this airsoft gun apart but I then proceeded to take all of its fine furnishings and try them out on all the other M4 series guns in the store. This gun has some amazing parts but it has some pitfalls as well. Let me introduce you to Boyi S-System...This gun features an all metal body that is compatable with most name brand airsoft gun models. The Rail system cage is also full metal of the steel variety. The performance well lets not talk about that here check it out at the airsoft gun repair store here. You can also see pics of my custom M733 airsoft gun I built with parts from this model.

Classic Army SAR M41 Offizier Airsoft Gun Repair

2007-08-20T21:32:00.000-05:00

Worked on several guns today but the Classic Army SAR M41 Offizier (shown above) Airsoft Gun Repair was the one that had most of my attention. Sounded like it stripped a piston, making that "playing card in the bike spoke" whirring noise. Once I got the mechbox cracked open I quickly found that the real problem was with the sector gear.

The Classic Army Sar M41 is one of my favorites to work on. The simple breakdown of this airsoft gun makes it very easy to work on. Just a reminder on airsoft guns with version two mechboxes you must remove the motor and then remove the two screws inside the handgrip to seperate the mechbox from the body of the gun.
Here is the problem, notice the clean break off of the tooth on this sector gear. Most of the time this is a good indication that the gear had a weak spot in it.
This gun got a simple upgrade to 345 FPS and out of the shop it went. For more pics of this repair visit our airsoft gun repair pics page at www.airsoftgunrepair.com
I still have to give this Classic Army airsoft gun high marks for the overall build and simple field breakdown that this model offers. The metal body and RIS system are very solidly constructed and give the M41 a nice hefty feel. Overall this gun is as much fun to work on as it is to shoot...Well almost.

Airsmith

Upgrading A Classic Army M249

2007-08-17T22:11:00.000-05:00

The C. A. MK249 is one solid piece of airsoft gun. For those of you that own one you know that this gun has a very high rate of fire out of the box. Put a Systema or other brand 120% spring in, do not worry about the stock gears they can take it. You will find your 249 will shoot around 380 fps. Only use 8.4 volt battery. With this one simple upgrade installed you will find your airsoft gun last longer and performs better on the field. For more tips and tricks visit my shop site located at www.airsoftgunrepair.com

Jing Gong M4 commando airsoft gun upgrades

2007-08-16T12:27:00.000-05:00

Jing Gong or better known as JG has released several new designs of AEG metal gearbox models. These airsoft guns come out of the box shooting airsoft bb's 360 to 370 FPS. The hop up unit on these new aeg models is extremely functional. One downfall I have noticed with these is the plastic bushings that come stock, need to be changed out after about 3 months of moderate to heavy use and metal bushings put in. Do to a slightly undersized bore in the mechbox the holes must be slightly enlarged with a dremel bit so they will accommodate standard 6mm oily metal bushings. As of this date I have worked on 9 of these and they all seem to have the same issue. If you put in the metal bushings without doing this the friction will be to great and the gun will not fire. By just adding the bushings, re-shimming and lapping the gears my JG M733 now chronographs at 385 FPS. Find out more airsoft gun upgrade info and view airsoft gun repair photographs at ABZ's Airsoft Gun Repair.Com