Airsoft 1911 GBB Repair

The 1911 45 caliber airsoft gun is probably one of the most widely produced models on the American airsoft market today. This gives players a diverse selection of models and makes to fit every gamers character. I have begun a series of articles as a supplement for repairing your 1911 airsoft gbb. We have been adding more and more information and pictures to our airsoft gun pictorial repair pages. I recently added some DIY pictures of a we baby 1911 compact gbb service in progress so novice players can get a basic idea how to perform some basic prevenative maintenance.

We are preparing once again to list spare air soft AEG parts and spare GBB parts back on the AGR website for sale. The amount of replacement airsoft parts we keep on hand continues to grow to keep pace with our repair centers operation and continued growth. This is allowing us to stock larger quantities of the harder to find airsoft parts. The WE series 1911 and hi-capa models are gaining popularity, so quite naturally request to get them repaired have increased as well. We also have a good supply of HFC and KWA parts for gas blow backs and our AEG parts supply features both internal and external upgrade and replacement parts. If you are looking for a special airsoft parts thats not listed, just fire me an email as I might just have the part you need right here in the U.S. of Wisconsin.

CA Airsoft M249 Fixing, Tuning and Repairing

The Ca 249P is my favorite airsoft support weapon. Classic makes other models of the 249 and so does Star and A&K and by the time I finish writing this some other mfg will release another. For now my attention will be directed to the ones I personally "am hands" on familiar with. Shown below is the stock mechbox from the Star 249. Notice it is made of plastic, as is most of the rest of this model. Not really a bad thing if you are planning on becoming your teams airsoft support gunner and you have to lug this baby around the airsoft field all day. The rate of fire is very impressive and can rain a 1000 bb down on your opponents in less than 45 seconds. I also like the fact that the airsoft motor and electric box magazine switch are wired to the trigger on the star versions. On CA versions the box mag has a switch at the bottom to turn the feed for the magazine on or off that must be continuously turned on and off whilst firing your air soft gun.
But then there is the argument the star is plastic and it will break. This is true, plastic does break easier however most metals used in airsoft gun mfg are of a porous variety and are subject to breaking as well. One important note before I move on to the classic army model, I do not reccomend upgrading the star without purchasing the metal upgrade mechbox. The stock plastic body mechbox does not hold up well to increased forces applied by upgrades. I still like the feel of my 6.6kg CA 249. Add in the 2400 rd minimi box mag and a large battery and your pushing 8 kg of steel airsoft support weapon. I guess the real factor comes down to performance and I believe the CA out performs and outlast all the competition that I am familiar with.
The CA 249 is not without issues as it needs a little fixing out of the box. Brand new the CA 249 fires at such a high rate that it will self destruct its internals in a short time depending on amount of usage. If you upgrade to a CA m120 spring it resolves the issue and this weapon will fire smoothly for a year or better. The mechbox is an inline version and takes standard internals. The full metal spring guide takes about a second to pop out of the mechbox and you can do spring upgrades in about a minute.
Add to that the compact look of the 249p and you have a sexy support gun that will fire about 380 FPS with above mentioned 120 spring upgrade installed.
Visit the airsoft gun repair website for more airsoft gun tips, tricks and photos.

Airsoft Gun Customs

Custom airsoft gun building is a second hobby of mine and something I do quite often. Despite the many airsoft gun retailers online today the basic models of the guns are all the same. Only recently have custom shops started popping up on the web but they are few and far between. However custom parts are readily available and in most cases the installation of these parts can be done by the airsoft owner. A custom airsoft gun build is typically upgraded both internally and externally. Lets begin with some of the internals I like to put in my customs.

First thing I always change is the bushings and or bearings to Hardened Steel Bushings. It has been my experience that steel gear bushings will out last all the others 10 to 1. Next up are the gears...If the gears in your AEG are steel then they should withstand up to a 120% spring. If you wish to have your custom airsoft gun shooting above 380 FPS then I would recommend hardened steel gears as well. If you will be upgrading your AEG to 350 to 380 fps and you expect moderate to heavy use then I would upgrade to hardened steel gears as well. I won't spend much time on the spring as much has already been printed and a simple Google search for airsoft spring charts should answer any questions. I typically use 120% springs but it will depend on the results I am trying to achieve.

I always add a metal or brass spring guide so I do not have to be concerned with it breaking. The piston and piston head are typically upgraded according to performance expectations and owner preference. Some players will add a silent piston head to quite a gun down while others prefer to increase the percussion effect. When it comes to external upgrades of your airsoft gun the possibilities are endless. A must have for this hobby is a good cordless dremel tool with a wide assortment of bits and the ability to take a cutting or grinding disk to the body, stock or barrel of your new 150-300 dollar airsoft gun. Once you have gotten over that hurdle the rest of the custom airsoft work is elementary.

Airsoft Gun Winter Service

One often asked question here in the Great Lakes Region of the United States is "will my airsoft gun work outdoors in the winter"? The answer is "Maybe" but this depends on certain factors. Is your airsoft gun highly upgraded is one huge factor. The version 2 G&P mechbox shown below is set to shoot at around 390 FPS. 15 minutes outside and this gearbox will cease to fire until it is warmed up and the cylinder and other parts contract back to normal dimensions.

In general it is best to use a stock mechbox in the winter months. They tend to out perform the upgraded gearboxes since the mechanical tolerances are not so tight to begin with and will allow for cold air expansion of critical parts. Preparing your airsoft gun for winter would include switching to a lighter viscosity silicone oil, Using a thinner grease inside the mechbox and keeping the barrel clean and coated with a lite film of oil.

The mechbox unit below has had the heavy grease removed and the thinner winter grease added. One thing to note is that Systema upgraded pistons do not work in cold weather and have a problem shattering when used in temps below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure and give your airsoft gun proper maintenance and cleaning once the gun has warmed to room temperature as condensation will develop on and inside of your airsoft gun from the snow and cold weather. Airsofting in the winter is a game of endurance for both player and equipment but if properly prepared for can add a whole new dimension to airsoft gaming in general.

Airsoft Gun 400 FPS Club

Check out these trophies from the airsoft gun 400 FPS club. Yep cracked mechboxes mostly version 2 but version 3 mechboxes crack about the same way and in the same place. Sometimes one will completely crack the nose off the gearbox. How can you Avoid this?

Keep your mechbox shooting below 350 FPS. If you must go to 400 then start with a reinforced type mechbox and put in a bore up or silent type piston head and cylinder upgrade. This will help absorb some of the shock created by the spring and piston. Also be prepared to have frequent maintenance and repairs for any airsoft gun upgraded beyond about 380 fps.

Building airsoft guns that shoot over 400 fps on full auto can be allot of fun. Just keep in mind that joining the 400 FPS club will quickly build you a trophy pile of worn out airsoft gun replacement parts.