AIRSOFT GUIDE: Airsoft Maintenance
Take care of and maintain your Airsoft gun. Clean the exterior surface after field or CQB activities. Spray (sparingly) silicone lubricant or other non-petroleum-based lubricants on surface areas and thoroughly wipe the surface with a cloth until the surface is clean and dry.
Lightly Lubricate moving parts, Hop-Up and the barrel bore (use cleaning rod and cleaning patch). The frequency of lubrication depends on the amount and type of Airsoft use. When lubricating your Airsoft only use silicone lubricants and avoid petroleum-based lubricants as it will destroy seals. Only lubricate the magazine feed nozzle and BB canal if you had to remove dust/debris that may have entered the magazine. If lubricant is required to restore proper magazine functioning, use silicone lubricant sparingly and remove any excess lubricant with a Q-tip until the lubricated surface is dry. Otherwise, lubricating the magazine is not recommended.
Gas Blow Back Airsoft Maintenance
If you own a gas blow back airsoft pistol, you should be lubricating it at least every 3000 shots you fire to maintain the guns accuracy and prolong the life of your gun, this instructable will show you how to properly field strip your gun, as well as show you how to lubricate your gun, bear in mind that this is only a basic guide and does not cover cleaning, repairs etc, i may include that in a future instructable if i get enough interest. The gun that i will be using for this instructable will the an LS M9 gas blow back pistol that fires at about 300 FPS, this will be the second time that i have lubricated this gun, so it should last me a fair while to come.
The field stripping and lubrication of your gun may vary to this guide so you may have to familiarize yourself with the way your gun strips (levers, buttons, slide release etc) but if you own an M9 then this should be practically the same for you as most strip in the same way, so enough chat and lets get on with the instructable!
NOTE: This gun used to be clear, so if you get the same one as me it wont look like this...you should only alter the appearance of an airsoft gun if you are a registered airsofter depending on your countries airsoft policies.
Very simply, all you need is your gun, and a small tube of silicone oil. DO NOT use anything other than silicone oil as this is what keeps your O rings in good condition, any other oil would degrade your O rings and make your gun function badly, so if you don't have any silicone oil, it would be worth going into any hardware store and getting some. NOTE: It does not need to be airsoft specific, you can get silicone oil for household or automotive use for much cheaper than airsoft silicone oil, so i recommend getting hold of some of that type of silicone oil rather than the airsoft specific stuff, does the same job, much cheaper.
Magazines
With some magazines and fixed loading ports, BBs are loaded by inserting them against the resistance of a spring until the magazine or loading port is full, which means that the spring is fully compressed. Do not store magazines loaded with BBs. Over time, a fatigued magazine spring may not have enough tension to properly feed the BBs.
Magazine does not feed consistently - ensure that the BB canal of the magazine is clean and free of debris (dust). Test that the magazine BB tension spring is functioning properly. Check your owner's manual for further instructions.
Velocity drop - If you're using a gas-powered Airsoft, you may be losing pressure and need to replace/recharge the power source. An AEG's battery may require recharging. A spring gun can develop spring fatigue (weakening) if the gun is left cocked for extended periods of time. If this happens the mainspring will require replacement in order to restore optimal performance. In Airsoft guns equipped with a Hop-Up System, increasing Hop-Up will decrease FPS (this is normal). If you are using paint filled marker BBs or powder coated marker BBs, check for possible build up in the Hop-Up System and/or the barrel. Clean these areas in accordance with the maintenance instructions that came with your Airsoft.
Battery (Electric Airsoft Guns)
Battery no longer holds a charge/charge drains quickly - This is a clear sign of battery failure. Replace the battery. Remember, it is better for battery health that you deplete most of the charge prior to recharging, rather than subjecting the battery to unnecessarily frequent charge. Another tip is not to charge the battery beyond the duration specified in the charging instruction provided with your Airsoft/battery, doing so will reduce the life of your battery. Overcharging is the lead cause of short battery life.
Spring Airsoft Gun Maintenance
1.Read your specific Airsoft gun's manual. It will provide basic understanding of how to care for your airsoft gun. It will also point out differences that are specific to your gun.
2.Before you start to clean your Airsoft gun make sure that the gun is not cocked and the magazine has been removed.
3.Start by lightly spraying a clean cloth with 100% silicone oil and wipe down the gun removing any dirt. Follow with a dry cloth to remove any excess oil.
4.Then begin by cleaning the barrel. Spray a piece of cloth with the 100% silicone oil and thread it into your cleaning tool. Insert the end of the cleaning tool into the barrel and swab it through the barrel several times. Remove the tool and replace the old cloth with a dry piece of cloth to remove the excess silicone spray.
5.Lastly, spray the 100% silicone oil onto any moving parts, like the slide, trigger, and also where the clip enters the gun. Then spray any remaining metal parts. Use a clean cloth to wipe away any excess oil and youre good to go.
Clearing a Jam
Never look down the end of barrel to see if a jam has been cleared.1.Make sure the airsoft gun is ON SAFE and pointed in a SAFE DIRECTION.
2.Remove magazine.
3.Insert the tapered end of the cleaning rod into the barrel, with the angle toward the breech (where the magazine connects).
4.CAREFULLY and slowly apply more pressure until you push the BB out of the breech.
5.Reinstall the magazine and test gun.