There are lots of ways to upgrade your airsoft gun to improve its performance. MOSFETs can improve trigger response and protect the trigger contacts. High-speed motors can improve rate of fire. Attachments can improve handling and accuracy.

But what about downright power and speed? While there are limits to how powerful your airsoft gun can be (as designated by the organizers of airsoft events), what if you have a mid-range AEG or spring-powered, bolt-action sniper rifle and you want to improve the FPS rating to get it as close to the limit as possible?

Here are some of the things you can do.

Adjusting/Upgrading Springs

Adjusting the springs, especially for spring-powered airsoft guns, is one of the easiest ways to upgrade your airsoft rifle’s FPS capabilities.

The stiffer the spring, the more force it exerts on the airsoft gun’s internals, and the faster it can propel an airsoft BB.

However, you can’t just blindly upgrade your airsoft gun’s springs. Be sure to check your owner’s manual for specifics on the limits on the types and sizes of springs you can use.

Also, for some airsoft guns, you’ll also need to change the spring guide and piston head to ensure these are properly matched to the spring.

For electric airsoft guns, you may also need a more powerful (or more efficient) battery or motor with a more powerful spring. Again, consult the model’s manufacturer recommendation in the owner’s guide or consult us.

Change the Barrel

In some instances, changing the barrel to a tight-bore barrel may be able to give your airsoft gun a slight boost in FPS.

Many airsoft guns come with a 6.10mm barrel. This standard size is just good enough - but if you want to give a slight boost to muzzle velocity, opt for a tight bore 6.01mm, 6.03mm, or 6.04mm barrel.

Side note: if you have a GBB airsoft pistol and want to increase accuracy but not necessarily FPS rating, opt for a Maple Leaf Crazy Jet inner barrel, which will create a cushion of air around the BB as it leaves the barrel, which will boost short-range accuracy.

Upgrade to a Non-Ported Cylinder

Even though upgrading to a non-ported cylinder is one of the most effective ways to boost your airsoft gun’s FPS rating, take this word of caution.

Do not upgrade to a non-ported cylinder without also upgrading to a compatible barrel. Many airsoft guns use ported cylinders because they protect the platform’s internals with an extra safeguard against over-compressed air, which can damage them.

Still, changing to a non-ported barrel will deliver more highly compressed air before the BB passes through the barrel. The higher pressures will effectively improve the airsoft BB’s FPS as it leaves the barrel.

By the way, use a metal one if you do make this upgrade. Metal parts are more durable than synthetic polymers and will last longer. They’re also less likely to fail.

Create a Better Seal

There are a few places to check inside the airsoft gun to make sure that you have a good seal, which will in turn affect speed at the muzzle.

First, check around the cylinder head. There are ways to actually check if there’s a good seal, but a good practice is just to seal the cylinder head with thread tape to prevent leaks.

The cylinder head-air nozzle connection is a weak point for many models, even high-quality airsoft guns. This is something you can’t easily fix with thread tape. Instead, replace the O-ring.

The hop-up housing around the barrel is another weak point on many airsoft guns, especially gas blowback airsoft guns. If the connection is weak, air will leak out between the two parts. This problem, however, is easy to fix. Simply make a few passes around the connection with thread tape to create a more effective seal that will substantially boost FPS.

Upgrade the Hop-up

Alright, so increasing the hop-up might not directly improve the FPS rating, but it can stabilize the flight of the airsoft BB and can potentially diminish the loss of airsoft BB power downrange.

Specifically, opt for a flat hop bucking that has a greater contact surface area with the BB and can substantially decrease wobble. Diminishing wobble and creating a more consistent backspin will stabilize the BB flight, resulting in less loss of velocity and greater accuracy.

For Automatic Electric Guns (AEGs): Switch to a High-Torque Motor

One more thing you can do to boost the FPS of an electrically powered airsoft gun is to upgrade the motor.

First thing, upgrade to a motor with rare earth magnets or neodymium magnets if your stock motor is made with ferrite magnets. Neodymium magnets are stronger and longer lasting.

Second, if your motor is a high-speed motor, switch to a high-torque motor. This might not sound like it makes sense, but high-speed motors deliver higher RPM (not higher FPS), which enables them to deliver a higher rate of fire. They don’t actually improve the power of the airsoft gun.

Switching to a high-torque motor delivers higher power, which can actually improve the FPS rating of your AEG, especially with some of the other upgrades mentioned here.

Just be aware that if you juice your airsoft gun too much, you might push it to the point that it fails the chrono test - which means you won’t be able to use it for competition.

Questions? Call Us!

Interested in making some of these upgrades to boost your airsoft gun’s FPS but not sure where to start? Get in touch with us at 800-581-6620 and we’ll help you figure out where to start.

We also sell a lot of different types of airsoft guns including beginner airsoft guns and cheap airsoft guns that are perfect blank slates for upgrades and customizations.

We also sell rechargeable batteries, green gas, and CO2 for gas-powered airsoft guns, airsoft ammo, and parts, too - everything you need to upgrade your favorite platform whether it’s a Tokyo Marui GBB airsoft pistol or a G&G Raider AEG. 

If you have any questions about how to make any of these upgrades, get in touch with us via the number above.