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| GUN CARE & RANGE WORK Airsoft guns may not be precision made instruments, but they do still require great care and some maintenance. Remember that Airsoft guns are not very durable and should therefore be protected at all times. Small knocks and drops can prove very costly to these delicate reproductions. When gaming, always remember the limitations of your gun and never put it under any stress. Keeping it in your hands is often the best way to avoid knocks. Should you fall, remember to take the fall on your back, to cushion the blow to your gun. In order to keep your AEG performing well, it is not necessary to strip it down (see picture). Indeed, this should only be done once performance has dropped considerably. The TM manuals state that some parts will be worn after 50,000 shots. Such a strip can actually cause muzzle velocity to drop, without replacement of worn parts. Indeed, after a skirmish, it is best to remove the magazine and fire a blank shot on semi auto into the floor. Then disconnect the battery and release all tension on the magazines. Once safely home, allow the gun to dry out (if it has got wet or been in the cold.) If required, clean the barrel, as instructed in the TM manual. A supply of kitchen wipes and silicon oil will prove useful. Try your best to wipe down any dirt on the gun's exterior and clean any optics with appropiate cleaner. If camping out overnight, then try to position your gun off the floor to avoid excessive condensation occurring. Putting the gun in it's bag or in extreme conditions, your bivie bag. Batteries can be discharged between events and then slow charged for maximum performance. Although it is also good to occassionally fast/pulse charge the packs from time to time. If possible, do not charge the battery unless it is fully discharged, otherwise capacity maybe reduced. On the range, expect to fire a few rounds to warm up the spring, if it has been sat idle for a while. Only then should you start to set up your gun. Position yourself in a sheltered area and lay prone. Choose a football sized target and set it up 30m away making sure it is on level ground with the firers. Selecting semi auto, carefully aim and shot single shots at the centre of the target. Adjust your HOP control very carefully, until the pellets fly flat onto the target. Trajectory differs dependant on model of gun and pellets used. Set it upto your own preference. Avoid pellets lifting up, unless using 0.20g and only allowing a slight "hop" at the end of the trajectory. In brief, heavier pellets produce an arcing lob trajectory, while the standard 0.20g can be set to a flatter flight. However, the 0.25g is more accurate and gives tighter groups, at the expense of a slower muzzle velocity. Bolt action guns seem best suited to 0.29g or 0.30g ammunition and can still get flat trajectory due to their higher power. Some players prefere to play with less HOP, as this increases accuracy, while other set up with high HOP UP to increase straight shooting distance. This can also depend on the player's role in the team. If playing as a support player, a higher HOP setting is not a problem, as range is important over accuracy. His role is to simply pin opponents and extra range can help achieve this. However, an assault player may consider lower HOP to increase hit close range accuracy and keep velocity near maximum. Take the time to set up your scope (or laser, etc...) and attempt to get the pellets to fly straight down the centre of the crosshair. Don't expect every shot to fly straight and true, as these are simply Airsoft guns and not precission firearms. Another common psycological problem on the range, is expecting too much from your gun and thinking other player's guns out perform your own. This is often called "the grass is greener effect" and can unsettle an Airsofter. Stick with it and start your set up again, this time not setting the HOP too high. Set the gun to it's optimal range, where the pellets are consistant and yet fly flat rather than lob. Try to make use of the chrono every event and get several velocities recorded. Familiarity with these readings will help you diagnose when your gun is worn. Expect an AEG to chronograph around 250-290fps with 0.20g, dependent on model |
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| 24 hr SKILLS |
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