AEG no nos

[-=ArchAngel=-]

Hey.
As this is the newbie tank, i thought i could be real noob here.
So, are there any no nos that i should be aware of with an AEG that will help prevent unneccesary wear on my gun?
Is dry firing bad?
If i pull a trigger half way, will it screw up the cycle and jam the gears?
Is playing in the rain bad?

thanks

[dpvu]

Dry firing is bad because without a BB, the piston head slams forward into the gearbox with almost no resistance. This can lead to your mechbox breaking faster (especially if it's a V2). Sometimes you have to do it (such as clearing your gun and testing) but keep it to a minimum. You should pull the trigger all the way to ensure your gun does cycle but if you don't and it locks up just put it into full auto and fire a few BBs and it should be fine. It's not going to kill your gun (may weaken the spring if you left it for a really long time) but there's no reason you shouldn't be pulling the trigger all the way. Rain is fine for AEGs for the most part. Just be sure to keep the battery compartment dry and also clean and dry your AEG well after the game to prevent rust.

There's lots of maintenance guides online.

[Boyso]

Also, try sorbo pads.

It's great.

[FACE]

Just to add to what dpvu said. At the end of a game before you remove your battery be sure to fire it a couple of times in semi to return the spring to it's resting position so as not to have the piston in the half cocked position. Like he said, it will put unnecessary strain on your spring and may weaken it.

Originally Posted by dpvu

Dry firing is bad because without a BB, the piston head slams forward into the gearbox with almost no resistance. This can lead to your mechbox breaking faster (especially if it's a V2). Sometimes you have to do it (such as clearing your gun and testing) but keep it to a minimum. You should pull the trigger all the way to ensure your gun does cycle but if you don't and it locks up just put it into full auto and fire a few BBs and it should be fine. It's not going to kill your gun (may weaken the spring if you left it for a really long time) but there's no reason you shouldn't be pulling the trigger all the way. Rain is fine for AEGs for the most part. Just be sure to keep the battery compartment dry and also clean and dry your AEG well after the game to prevent rust.

There's lots of maintenance guides online.

[Short Round]

Or buy a spring guide with ball bearings to return the spring to its original resting place

[m102404]

Dry fire - keep it to a minimum

Half pulls - not a good idea, can lead to where your mechbox is locked up. Typically it doesn't "break" anything...but rather sets the spring in a compressed state such that a weak/worn/old motor can't grunt it over (torque) to start the firing cycle. Might not be a problem with a new setup...but after time it's more probable.

Rain - typical game play...no. Submerging an electrical toy...not great. Aside from the battery/wiring/motor...you need to be aware of rusting (if you care about that). Iron/steel rusts...pot metal and aluminum doesn't...set screws will typically rust and can seize. Also...rain/water plays havok with BB's as they become very inconsistent (i.e. wet BB's pick up completely random amounts of hopup...and a wet inner barrel will toss shots way off). Use your head when playing in the rain. Swab out the barrel when you need to. DON'T leave a wet gun packed away in a hard case for days after a monsoon of a game.....any metal bits will rust, your case will smell funky, you'll have mineral deposits (like with a glass of water if you leave it out and all the water evaporates) in your barrel that you'll have to scrub out)....trust me on this one

Other general stuff....
- keep all the screws, nuts, pieces of your stuff snugged down....either check it regularly or use loctite
- metal bushings + reshimming can greatly prolong the life of your mechbox
- low voltage batteries + low power springs (i.e. 300-350fps) = long time fun
- if it ain't broke...it's worth a once over, but don't "fix" it
- use quality BBs (e.g. BBBastard)
- use quality batteries (e.g. Intellect, GP, Sanyo)...avoid the cheap crappy green/black no-name stuff.
- get a good smart charger...might seem expensive at first, but it pays for itself over and over and over
- no petroleum based lubricants...or lubricants with a petroleum carrier. Thicker silicone oil stays in place longer than really lightweight stuff....but attracts dust.
- DON'T spooge oil/grease into your mechbox...it doesn't need regular lubrication "top-ups". Just lightly grease it when assembling and that's enough until the next time you take it apart. What's in there will stay in there.

ALWAYS clear your AEG when you're done or BEFORE going into the safe zone...since it's battery powered and you can't see the chamber you MUST do the following in this order:
1. Remove magazine/source of BBs
2. Invert (typically) the rifle so the feed tube will "gravity feed" any BBs left in the feed tube/hopup
3. Point in a safe direction...you're not in game play...so pointing anywhere but a safe direction is just ass lazy and ignorant.
4. Fire on SEMI...keep firing until you get at least 3 blank shots
5. Put it on Safe
6. Cover the muzzle
7. Don't fiddle with it

All the above (and a lot more detail about everything) is buried somewhere in this forum...search/troll/read more.

Have fun.

[Jimski]

don't let it fall, it's fragile.
don't lend it to friends, they will destroy it.

[Boyso]

Originally Posted by m102404

ALWAYS clear your AEG when you're done or BEFORE going into the safe zone...since it's battery powered and you can't see the chamber you MUST do the following in this order:
1. Remove magazine/source of BBs
2. Invert (typically) the rifle so the feed tube will "gravity feed" any BBs left in the feed tube/hopup
3. Point in a safe direction...you're not in game play...so pointing anywhere but a safe direction is just ass lazy and ignorant.
4. Fire on SEMI...keep firing until you get at least 3 blank shots
5. Put it on Safe
6. Cover the muzzle
7. Don't fiddle with it

All the above (and a lot more detail about everything) is buried somewhere in this forum...search/troll/read more.

Have fun.

Just to add :

Even if it's cleared. Even if there is no battery, even if you're just holding an outer barrel with a flashhider on : Never muzzle sweep. Always keep your trigger finger above the trigger. Will make everyone happy.

[Styrak]

Originally Posted by Najohn

Or buy a spring guide with ball bearings to return the spring to its original resting place

That's not what a bearing spring guide is for. Yes, so it doesn't twist and have those forces on it, but it doesn't magically make the spring decock.

[Short Round]

I have ball bearings on both my piston head and spring guide, and atleast for me the spring will go back to its original decocked state whenever I fire it.

[Danke]

Originally Posted by Najohn

I have ball bearings on both my piston head and spring guide, and atleast for me the spring will go back to its original decocked state whenever I fire it.

What happens on some AEGs is the piston will half cock and lockup with the spring loaded.

All the bearings in the world won't continue to draw the piston back and cycle it to ease the spring in that situation.

If you leave the spring that way for weeks/months it will start to sag out, and loose it's shove.

The bearing guides make sure the spring doesn't clock around the piston as you fire.

[Styrak]

Originally Posted by Najohn

I have ball bearings on both my piston head and spring guide, and atleast for me the spring will go back to its original decocked state whenever I fire it.

That has nothing to do with your piston head, spring guide, or if they have bearings or not.

[Dirty Deeds]

Originally Posted by Najohn

I have ball bearings on both my piston head and spring guide, and atleast for me the spring will go back to its original decocked state whenever I fire it.

Wrong.

To decock and clear read m102404's last paragraph, he's bang on.

[m102404]

Originally Posted by Najohn

I have ball bearings on both my piston head and spring guide, and atleast for me the spring will go back to its original decocked state whenever I fire it.

It's a happy coincidence for your particular setup. Wallow in your rifle's awesomeness

[Dirty Deeds]

Originally Posted by m102404

It's a happy coincidence for your particular setup. Wallow in your rifle's awesomeness

Maybe his gun doc forgot to re-install the antireversal latch? I'm going to make all of my guns awsome like that, and no bearings needed.