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