Whether or not you’re new to Airsoft, chances are your gun has broken down at least once within the past few months. What causes this issue, and why do airsoft guns always break?
Airsoft guns always break because their plastic outer shells cannot withstand repeated impacts or extreme temperatures. Besides, these guns can break down due to insufficient lubrication of moving parts, dirt and dust in internal parts, and poor maintenance overall.
Read on for further information on why Airsoft guns always break and ways to prevent that from happening.
Reasons Airsoft Guns Always Break
Believe it or not, shooting metal BBs from your gun is possible but will break your gun fast. But luckily most players are smart enough, so this is not one of the main causes for your gun to break :). Airsoft guns can break for several reasons, including exposure to extreme temperatures, dirt, and dust accumulation, keeping your battery always plugged in, skimping on lubrication, and dropping the gun repeatedly.
The following discusses these factors in greater detail.
Extreme Temperatures Can Damage Airsoft Components
The main reason Airsoft guns tend to break very frequently is due to exposure to extreme temperatures. Whether it’s leaving your gun in a hot car or leaving it outside all day, high temperatures can cause damage very quickly.
In particular, the gearbox and motor of an AEG are the most vulnerable components because they both contain oils that can degrade when exposed to high temperatures.
When your gun is in extreme heat, the gearbox’s oil will evaporate and wear away at the gears and bushings of the AEG. This will cause more friction between parts, therefore making it more difficult for the spring to push BBs through the barrel of your Airsoft gun.
How To Protect Airsoft Guns Against Extreme Temperatures
You can prevent your Airsoft gun from getting damaged by extreme temperatures by following these basic guidelines:
- Don’t leave your gun in a hot car.
- Avoid storing your gun in a hot room or garage.
- Don’t leave your Airsoft battery plugged into the AEG when in storage because this will overcharge and cause permanent damage to the battery cells.
Dirt and Dust Can Cause Excess Friction in Airsoft Guns
In addition to high temperatures, dust and dirt can break your Airsoft gun. Over time, dust will accumulate in the gearbox just like it accumulates on household electronics. This causes excess friction when you pull the trigger of your Airsoft gun, resulting in decreased performance.
How To Prevent Dirt and Dust From Accumulating in Airsoft Guns
Below are tips on how to prevent dirt and dust from damaging the internals of your Airsoft gun:
- Clean your Airsoft gun regularly by removing the gearbox and blowing compressed air into the barrel.
- Ensure you let your gun dry completely before reassembling to prevent rust from forming inside of moving parts.
- Use a lubricant on your Airsoft gun to ensure that parts are sliding smoothly.
Continuous Charging Can Damage the Airsoft Battery’s Internal Cells
Although having a fully charged battery in your Airsoft gun is important for ensuring you can take down your foes in battle, constantly keeping your battery plugged in will deteriorate its internal cells.
Allowing your battery to lose its charge naturally is optimal if you plan on keeping it plugged in for an extended period.
Although discharging and charging one’s battery too many times results in shorter battery life, it’s still better to use your battery this way than to keep it plugged in all the time.
How To Prevent Unnecessary Charging of Airsoft Guns
To prevent your Airsoft gun from breaking due to keeping the battery plugged in all the time, you should:
- Keep your Airsoft battery unplugged when not using it to allow the internal cells to lose power naturally.
Skimping on Lubrication Can Escalate Airsoft Gun Deterioration
Unfortunately, many Airsoft gun users make the mistake of not lubricating their guns enough. Lubrication is crucial for all parts of your AEG and should be used every time you open up your gearbox to adjust or clean it.
Lubricating certain parts such as gears and piston heads will keep them from wearing away at other components within your gearbox that could potentially break over time.
If you’re one of those who tend to skimp on lubrication, now is your chance to make things right!
How To Use Lubrication To Maintain Airsoft Guns:
To prevent your Airsoft gun from breaking due to lack of lubrication, you should:
- Clean and dry all components inside your gearbox. Do this before applying new lubricant.
- Apply a thin coat of silicon oil (like this element-resistant Extreme Force Weapon’s Lube from Amazon.com) to gears and other moving parts such as the trigger mechanism for multiple protection against friction and rust.
- Store your Airsoft gun with a thin lubricant layer to prevent any rust from forming on the metal components.
Additionally, here’s a video that explains the basic maintenance procedure to ensure your Airsoft gun lasts as long as possible:
Constantly Dropping Airsoft Guns Can Lead to Cracks and Loose Screws
If you’re the type of person who tends to be a little rough on their gun during gameplay, then it’s very likely that your Airsoft gun experiences more wear and tear as a result.
Generally, dropping your Airsoft gun can lead to loose screws as well as cracks in plastic components such as your upper receiver.
Although these types of fractures may not seem like a big deal initially, they open up doors for dirt and other debris to enter the gearbox area of your AEG, therefore causing more damage to key components.
How To Prevent Airsoft Guns From Breaking Due to Falls
To prevent your Airsoft gun from breaking due to dropping it repeatedly, you should:
- Ensure the magazine is unloaded before transporting your AEG in a bag or other carrying case.
- Use rail covers to protect rails on handguards and receivers.
- Carry your Airsoft gun properly by using both hands with either the front or rear sling mount to prevent any unnecessary strain or weight on the body of your gun.
Wear and Tear Cause Loose Screws and Cracks in Airsoft Guns
Even if you’re careful with how you transport your Airsoft gun, there’s no guarantee that screws won’t come loose over time.
Loose screws can not only affect the stability of your gun, but they can also lead to breaks such as cracks in plastic components.
How To Prevent Loose Screws and Cracks in Airsoft Guns:
To prevent your Airsoft gun from breaking due to loose screws and cracks, you should:
- Check your Airsoft gun regularly for any loose screws and tighten them up before they become a problem.
- Check for cracks in your Airsoft gun’s plastic components because if left unchecked, these fissures will continue to grow until it becomes difficult to repair.
To fix cracks in your Airsoft gun, follow these steps:
- Apply super glue to the cracked area.
- Sand down the surface of your Airsoft gun’s plastic component.
- Use body filler to fill in any gaps or holes left behind by sanding and repeat until you’re happy with the results.
Bottom Line
Although each component within an Airsoft gun is important, certain parts tend to break more often than others due to constant exposure to harsh elements. To prevent damage, keep your Airsoft gun free of dirt and dust and maintain it by lubricating parts frequently.
If you use your Airsoft gun roughly, there’s a chance that you may drop the gun repeatedly and thus, putting extra stress on the internal components.
Nonetheless, knowing how to care for your Airsoft gun properly will prolong its lifespan and ensure it stays in prime condition for as long as possible.