Die-hard airsoft players might think of AEGs are blank slates that, while they might offer decent performance, only realize their true potential when modified (or “modded”) by an experienced player.

There is truth to this. Some of the best value AEGs we offer in our airsoft store, like the G&G Raider and the LT-15T-G2 M4 offer excellent balances of value and performance - but they could be made better.

So here are some of the top mods you can make to airsoft guns like these.

Get a Stainless Steel Tight-Bore Barrel
Some AEGs already come with tight bore barrels, but don’t be fooled. Not all tight-bore barrels are created equally.

Some tight-bore barrels are made of brass. This sounds good on paper but in practice, brass is subject to oxidation which will cause minor imperfections on the inside surface of the barrel. This will rob the airsoft gun of the accuracy that the tight-bore barrel is supposed to provide.

If your AEG has a so-called “tight-bore” brass barrel, replace it with a stainless steel model.

If it doesn’t have a tight-bore inner barrel, to begin with, upgrading to one can have a measurable impact on accuracy.

New Gearbox or High-Speed Gears

Many high-quality AEGs have upgradeable gearboxes. This is good news, since replacement high-speed gears, or gearboxes that contain them, have lower tooth ratios.

Lower tooth ratios equate to higher rates of fire or ROF. If your airsoft gun comes with gears that enable 10-12 RPS, upgrading to high-speed gears can give your ROF a substantial boost, perhaps even double. High-speed gears can potentially boost the rate of fire to nearly 20 RPS.

Match Your Piston Heads to Your Barrel
There are two main types of piston heads used in airsoft. There are ported piston heads, which contain holes along the piston cylinder and draw in the air through these, and unported piston heads, which draw in air from the end of the barrel.

These configurations can have an impact on the rate of fire, power, and muzzle velocity.

Ported piston heads are generally better for delivering a higher rate of fire as they are efficient at drawing air during the back and forth movement of the piston. However, if your goal is to increase muzzle velocity, unported piston heads might be a better choice. At the same time, it is also important to match the type of piston head to barrel length to prevent suction within the barrel before the BB has left it (contact our airsoft store for details).

Also, as a general rule, metal piston heads are more durable and longer-lasting than their plastic counterparts.

Choose a Better Bucking
Your airsoft gun’s bucking is the component within the hop-up system that actually imparts backspin to the BB, delivering greater accuracy and range through the Magnus effect.

The higher the FPS rating of your airsoft gun, the harder your hop-up’s bucking should be. Harder buckings will last longer and are more effective at imparting backspin on BBs than softer buckings.

A soft bucking might be alright for your gas blowback pistol, but for your AEG, if you’re pushing over 350 FPS (and who isn’t?) you should upgrade to a harder bucking.

Upgrade the Motor

Your electric powered airsoft gun’s motor has such a substantial impact on so many areas of performance, including but not limited to ROF, speed, power, and trigger response.

Some AEGs come with truly awesome stock motors; others, not so much.

Upgrading your motor to a powerful replacement motor with stronger, neodymium magnets will boost the performance of your AEG, especially if it came with a ferrite magnet motor.

To talk specifics, there are two main types of motors in electric guns, which are high-speed and high-torque motors.

High-speed motors offer exactly what it sounds like. They offer higher RPM rates that tend to correspond to higher rates of fire. However, this comes at the price of power.

Conversely, high-torque motors are designed to offer the best balance of speed and power. They’re not generally capable of the same rates of fire as high-speed motors, but can be substantially more powerful.

You have to choose which is more important to you - but either way, replacing a ferrite magnet motor with a more powerful, more reliable neodymium magnet motor should improve speed, power, and trigger response, regardless.

Sort of an Airsoft Gun Mod: New Grips, New Optics
Final thoughts: though some would consider this the addition of attachments and not a mod, we suggest adding a better grip and an updated optic to your airsoft gun.

Adding a new grip or even a collapsible vert grip can significantly improve your comfort and control while fighting off fatigue, and a new optic can, obviously, help you cut time to target acquisition and improve your accuracy.

Not Confident in Making the Mod to the Airsoft Gun Yourself? Visit Our Airsoft Store
MiR Tactical is not just a depot for classic Army replicas, full-metal, battery-powered electric airsoft guns, Elite Force, semi-automatic, green gas pistols, and spring-powered airsoft guns like sniper rifles. In addition to all the different types of airsoft guns and airsoft accessories we carry, we also offer expert service.

Come on down to our airsoft store in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, and let us service your airsoft gun for you - or you can just pick our brains on what sorts of mods you should make to your AEG and we’ll point you in the right direction.

Give us a call at 800-581-6620 if you’re not in our area but you need our help anyway. We’ll set you in the right direction.