AEG/GBB Off Season up keep - Best practice

[jakster]

Ok Here’s a quick question concerning AEG/GBB upkeep during the off season. I normally play during the summer months and pack everything up for the winter. I was wondering if there is anything I should be doing to AEG/GBB’s during the off season that could prevent any damage such as rings drying out, rust etc… Or is it best to just leave things till the new season and give them a good oiling before the first game. Should I put silca bags in the case to ward off rust? Should I cover all the O-Rings in oil before putting them away? How about batteries? Etc…
If you have any ideas or tips please let me know and we’ll see about getting these things going for years and years.
What have you done to keep your AEG/GBB going for years and years?
Thanks

[Boyso]

For GBBs, I grease mine real good, with oil in the mag and a full charge of gas.

For my AEG, I just cleaned the exterior with a damp cloth, fully charged the battery with like 10 min of trickle charge and stored everything with the mags and batteries seperatly from the gun.

Maybe Im overdoing it though :P

[m102404]

In general I switch to indoor stuff and keep using things...but throughout the year backup AEG/GBB's sit packed away for long periods, so it might be more in line with what you're asking about.

In general...
AEGs
- wipe 'em down after each game and dry them out if they got wet
- cleaning the barrel post game is far easier than cleaning out the dried up post game crud 2 months later...cleaning the barrel will usually put a slight amount of silicone oil onto the hopup rubber with the jag/whatever.
- several dry fires to ensure the piston as far forward as possible (without taking it apart)....usually done at game before it's packed up
- that's about it.....but I will say that steel parts will rust...so a wipe with oil is a preventative step at any time

Batteries
- I tend to leave them however they end up after a game....more so because I know I'll use them again within the next couple of weeks.
- LiPOs I don't do anything with...just top them up before the next game
- NiMh I don't do anything with...just top them up before the next game
- NiCD I discharge and recharge
- radios...I don't do anything...just top up pregame
- don't leave batteries in stuff for long periods...if they're going to leak, better off they aren't in your flashlight, AEG, radio, etc...

GBB/GBBRs
- I keep the mags full with "oily" gas...propane pre-oiled with silicone oil...keeps the seals tight and offers a quick "is there pressure on the knocker valve" check when I got to use them again, ID's potentially leaky mags.
- I use grease on GBBR parts/nozzle orings....tends to not dry out. First "oily" gas mag through it loosens things up, so I usually run a mag through it before I pack for a game
- I don't do anything to GBBs...although if I were to knowingly pack one away for a long time I would strip it, clean it and as part of reassembly I would oil/lube it appropriately. Function test prior to packing up for a game would confirm that it's working. I must confess to almost never cleaning the inner barrel/hopup assembly for my GBBs...only when I strip it down.

BB's
- I keep 'em in a rubbermaid bin...I suppose you'd want to keep them in a dark dry container...or in airtight zip lock bags....if you're storing them for a long time.

If I'm using a particular battery a lot...and notice that it's loosing its pep...I'll toss it and buy a new one. Same if a bag of BBs got soaked in the rain. Consumables aren't worth sweating.

The best way to keep an AEG going for years is to run it at lower FPS and good shim job...and don't store the battery in it.

[Boyso]

May I ask what kind of oil you use on your metal parts? Would it be suitable for monkey metal as well?

[Dynamo]

Originally Posted by Boyso

May I ask what kind of oil you use on your metal parts? Would it be suitable for monkey metal as well?

pot metal will oxidize no matter what you do to it. hell you could leave it soaking in silicone oil and it'll still oxidize. dont ever try stripping a pot metal part and polishing it, you can watch it oxidized within minutes.

if the area i want to lube doesnt have any silicone rubber near it, i use light weight machine oil. you dont want anything petroleum based to come in contact with any o-rings, seals or hop-up sleeves.