Upgrades & Repairs: DIY or Pay Someone Else?

If you have been playing Airsoft for any amount of time, you have probably had one or two guns stop working or you just want your gun to shoot farther, faster, harder or more accurately.
The question is, should you take on the task of achieving your goals, or leave it to someone else to fulfill your dreams?

Well in life, definitely the former - but this is Airsoft.

Generally speaking there are two camps: The "git 'er done" DIY crew and the "let someone else handle it" group. Sometimes people start out in one camp and migrate to the other, the general factors in either case being time, cost and results.

Lets get into some more detail.

TIME:

Teching takes time, especially when you are trying to crank out every last drop of efficiency. Minor repairs can most likely be done pretty quickly and you won't have to wait on a shop; However, some repairs - and most upgrades - will take a significant chuck of time. Some people get a lot of enjoyment from "tinkering" and figuring out how things work and how to make it better. For them, time is a worthwhile expenditure. Others would rather be doing something else.

COST:

On paper, handling your own repairs and upgrades is cheaper because all you have to do is supply the parts. Right? Well, yes and no.

Firstly, let's not overlook that we are dealing with miniature engines here. There is a real risk of injury. That can be mitigated by doing your research before attempting a repair or upgrade, but it remains none the less. An urgent care bill can quickly erase any money you would have saved going the DIY route.

Secondly, while most airsoft guns work off the same basic model, most manufacturers like to engineer their parts slightly differently. The result is a jungle of parts with varying designs and tolerances which may or may not work together. This is why those with the experience recommend sticking to one manufacturer when buying parts; especially when dealing with gears and air-seal components.

Phrases like "high speed" and "high torque" opens up a whole other can of worms which I won't get in to right now. Probably another post by itself.

Keep in mind that at the very least you will need access to basic tools, and in some cases more expensive or specialty tools are required.

The point here is not to discourage you from teching, but to help you realize the reality of it. You may find that you actually spend more money fixing mistakes and figuring out what works than if you had paid someone who already had the know how.


RESULTS:

As I have already tried to convey, the DIY route can be frustrating, especially when you spend a lot of time and money and still don't end up with the results you'd hoped for. As the same time, it is incredibly rewarding when you achieve success. Even a relatively simple repair like replacing a piston can bring a great feeling of accomplishment.

If you don't like to "tinker" or just have other things you'd rather do, you will avoid a lot of frustration and save a lot of time (and maybe money) trusting your repairs and upgrades to an experienced tech. Your results are likely to be better too assuming you have not spent the time honing your own skills.


SUMMARY:

If you want to avoid stress and save time, just take your project to your local shop. You may spend more money up front, but in the end its probably worth it for you.

If you are mechanically inclined and love messing about with stuff, DIY is right up your alley. You may save some money, but I wouldn't make that your primary reason. I also suggest though that your project gun be something other than your primary, just in case. Ebay or retailer "boneyards" are great places to find a project gun.


Hopefully you found this post to be interesting and maybe even helpful :)

Until next time, thanks for reading and always airsoft responsibly!

- The Airsoft Mechanic

Play Responsibly

We've all heard the stories on the news of some idiot brandishing an Airsoft gun in public, or taking one to school, or even worse, pointing one at cops. Unfortunately there are those in this world that lack common sense, and that paired with a growing public fear and misunderstanding of firearms causes some major problems. In this article I will not only discuss proper safety precautions, but also how to have the correct mindset to play responsibly.

SAFETY FIRST, SAFETY ALWAYS 

I can preach all day long about weapon safety and how to properly handle a firearm, but if it never goes farther than your ears, it's pointless. Safety is a mindset. Actions are simply the outward signs of what is inside your mind, and believe it or not, how you treat Airsoft says a lot about your personal character. If you think of Airsoft as "just a game" that is going to come out in your actions. You are much more likely to carelessly handle your weapon, disregard rules and treat others badly. On the other hand, if you see Airsoft as a serious activity and an opportunity to learn, you are much more likely to observe correct safety procedures, listen to - and follow - rules carefully, and treat others with dignity.

Airsoft weapons can inflict substantial injury if used irresponsibly and thus should always be treated with the same caution as a real firearm. If you haven't yet, I would encourage you to take a firearms safety course and spend some time firing real weapons. This will help to instill a serious outlook on weapons handling and how a firearm is to be treated.

Here are some basic firearm safety rules which should ALWAYS be observed:
1. Mag out, safety on and finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
2. Do not point the weapon at anything you do not intend to shoot (including yourself). Always treat the weapon as a loaded firearm, whether it is or not.
3. When you are done firing the weapon, remove the magazine and point the weapon in a safe direction, then fire several shots on semi-auto to clear the chamber of any bbs. Return the selector switch to the safety position and leave the magazine out.

I constantly see these basic fundamentals ignored (unfortunately that includes myself sometimes) and this leads to potentially dangerous situations. Another big problem I've noticed is people shooting off their weapons randomly before game time or in between sessions. If you have to test your weapon or sight it in, use the test range. If there is no specified test range, check with the field owner/Marshall and ask them if there is a safe place where you can test your weapon.

A few additional rules are as follows:
1. NEVER display your Airsoft gun in public. In fact, don't even have it in public.
2. If you have to transport your weapon, place it in a gun bag of some sort. Make sure the magazine and battery is out of the gun so it can in no way fire accidentally.
3. If you are transporting the weapon in a vehicle, place it in the trunk. If for some reason you can't put it in the trunk, keep it on the back seat. Never hold it or place it right next to you while riding or driving in a vehicle.
4. If you are ever confronted by Law Enforcement, immediately put down the gun and follow their instructions. Remember, they treat anything that looks like a weapon as a real weapon until they know differently. Don't try to argue with them.
5. Depending on where you live, laws regarding replica firearms may vary, so familiarize yourself with the laws in your state. If you happen to be traveling to another state, look up their laws or talk to someone who already knows.

Always remember that rules are in place to keep you safe. Therefore it is to your advantage to follow them.

Play hard, have fun and be safe.

NOTE TO PARENTS:

If your child is into Airsoft, or interested in it, I strongly recommend that you take a weapons safety course with them. Not only is this a great opportunity for parent-child bonding, but it will also help to enforce the seriousness of handling a weapon. I would also strongly encourage you not to buy your child's gear for them. If they know it didn't cost them anything, they have little to no incentive to take care of it. If they had to work to earn the money for it, however, they've experienced first hand the effort that was put into earning the money for the item, and they are much more likely to take good care of it and use it responsibly.
Airsoft is a great sport and a great opportunity for your child to learn responsibility, but for both their safety and yours, please make sure that they never handle an Airsoft weapon without close adult supervision.

Review: JG G36K

It's time to talk about one of my favorite weapon platforms, the G36. Designed by Heckler & Koch in the 1990's, the real steel version was adopted by the German military in 1997 to replace the bulkier G3. The G36 shoots a 5.56 caliber round and has the capability to hold 30 rounds in it's box magazine. It's futuristic design makes it stand out from other popular battle rifles such as the M4 and AK-47.

The Airsoft version is available from multiple manufacturers including KWA, SRC, H&K, Classic Army, Jing Gong and more. Personally, I lean towards the JG version due to it's lower cost and sturdy design - and since the JG version is what I own, that's what I will be discussing. 

DISCLAIMER: Unlike most reviews, I am not reviewing a brand new weapon. I have owned a G36 for several years, so you are getting the "veteran" review. As such, I won't be going over things such as "first impressions" or how the box looks etc. After all, lasting impressions and long term performance are much more important topics to discuss.

My G36's:

The first is the "sniper" version of the G36K (a recent acquisition from ebay), while the second is the basic original G36K which I have owned for several years. (The custom PVC flash-hider and front side rails are my addition). There is also a shorter version, the G36C, which is a smaller platform geared towards CQB use.

STATISTICS:

FPS:

Most retailers advertise the weapon somewhere from 360-400 FPS. I'm not sure what mine was shooting new, as I did not have a chrono at the time, but I would estimate 370-380. Once the spring settles in it will most likely be around the 350-360 FPS mark, which is still plenty decent for woodland use. 

Range:

I would classify the G36 as a medium range weapon. 100 feet is an easy distance, 150 feet probably being about the maximum effective range. Anything over that and you are just lobbing.

Magazine Capacity:
470 rounds.

Externals:

With the exception of the sights, gearbox, trigger, selector switch, pins, lower rail and dust cover, everything is polymer, but very sturdy. The polymer build stays true to the real steel version, which is also constructed mainly of synthetic material. Even after several years, the gun still feels very solid and the only somewhat serious damage has been on vulnerable areas where a bb impacted just right:

Gearbox:

The G36 features the sturdy and superior design of the version 3 gearbox. JG is especially good at making tough internals that can handle heavier loads. I know several people who had to have their stock piston replaced, but mine still has the original piston and seems to be holding up fine. Granted, I have carefully tuned my gearbox, but it's still running stock parts except for the spring, spring guide and bushings, all of which were changed out of preference, not necessity. I did have to replace the selector plate, but only because I broke it being careless. 

BASIC FEATURES:

Iron Sights

The iron sights are pretty basic, and work something like this:

The rear sight has two posts, presumably one for close range and one for longer range. It can be adjusted for windage and elevation by turning the hex head adjustment screws. I accidentally broke the thinner post after the gun took a tumble (onto concrete if I recall correctly), but I never really noticed a difference between the two anyways.

 Windage Adjustment (And yes, I name my guns...)

Elevation Adjustment

Battery Compartment:

The battery compartment is very easy to get to, just pull out the pin and slide the hand-guard off the front of the weapon.

(The gun comes with a metal pin to hold the front hand-guard on, but over time it gets loose and likes to fall out, which is what happened here. I just use a wooden dowel now, but replacement pins are available.)

The battery space is not that large, but I can fit a mini-type 1600 mAh 9.6v battery in, though just barely. Many people complain about it and say it's a pain to put the battery in, but if you know what you're doing it really isn't complicated. 

As you can see, on my gun I have redone the wiring and attached a deans connector to increase the electrical efficiency.

Hop-Up Adjustment:

The hop-up is a typical "drum" type and is accessed by pulling back on the ambidextrous cocking handle.

Sling Mounts:

There are three sling mount options: one on either side at the bottom front of the forward hand-guard, one on the receiver above and to the right of the selector switch, and one one the stock.

Folding Stock:

The G36's handy folding stock allows for greater maneuverability in tight situations. Simply press the button and fold. 

The stock will latch onto a small post sticking out of the receiver. To unfold, apply gentle upward force to the stock and fold it back out.

Stack-able Magazines:

G36 mags are designed to be clipped together, like so.

   

This feature allows you to carry a ton of ammo without having to buy expensive drum magazines

Additional Available Features

Conversion Magwell:

This special magwell allows the G36 to take standard M4 magazines*

*Unfortunately, newer versions of the G36 have a redesigned hop-up unit which is not compatible with the conversion magwell. (Below is a photo of the compatible original hop-up design)

Side Rails:

The G36K comes stock with a large top rail and a sufficient bottom rail. However, if you find yourself needing more room for a flashlight, laser, etc, additional side rails are available for $10-$20.

PROBLEMS:

The list is very short here. 

1. The pins that hold the front hand guard and stock in place have a tendency to loosen and fall out over time.

2. The prongs on the plastic flash-hider that comes with the gun can be deformed, causing the bb to hit them and fly off at weird angles. This can be fixed by removing the flash-hider or cutting the prongs shorter.

3. Battery space is somewhat limited.

SUMMARY:

Overall the JG G36K is a fantastic weapons platform. It's sturdy build and reliability makes it a great choice, especially for new players, or those who tend to be hard on equipment. In addition, upgrade/replacement parts are easy to find. I would definitely recommend this gun (and in fact I have many times) to both new and experienced players.

All content Copyright 2014 by Andrew Derr. All rights reserved.