Airsoft is an exciting hobby that allows you to simulate military and tactical scenarios. When playing airsoft, having a fast shooting gun can give you a competitive edge. A high rate of fire (ROF) allows you to quickly rain down BBs on your opponents. While airsoft guns come with a factory-set ROF, there are several modifications you can make to increase the shots per second. With some simple upgrades, you can boost your airsoft rifle or pistol’s cycling speed for lightning-fast trigger response.
Understand How ROF Works
The rate of fire of an airsoft gun is measured in rounds per minute (RPM) or cycles per second. It refers to how many BBs the airsoft gun can fire within a minute. The ROF is primarily dependent on the gun’s firing mechanism and power source.
Electrical airsoft guns use batteries and gears to cycle BBs loaded in the magazine. When you pull the trigger, a switch engages the motor which turns gears that pull back and release the spring-loaded piston assembly. This pushes air into the hop-up chamber, firing the BB out of the barrel. The ROF depends on how fast the piston and gears can compress the spring and cycle the mechanism.
Gas blowback airsoft guns utilize the expanding gas pressure to directly reset the hammer, eject shells, and chamber the next BB. The ROF is limited by the bleed rate of the gas and the cycling speed of the slide.
With spring airsoft guns, the ROF relies on how quickly you can manually cock the spring-piston assembly. These single-shot weapons have a low ROF by design.
Upgrade the Motor
For AEGs or electric airsoft rifles, the motor is key for a high ROF. A high-torque motor with strong magnets will increase the gear spinning speed. This causes the spring piston assembly to compress faster, allowing more BBs to be loaded and fired. Look for a motor with high TPA (turns per armature) as this equates to more torque.
Drop-in high-speed motors from brands like SHS High Torque, ASG Infinity Torque-Up, and ZCI High Torque are great upgrades over stock motors. Make sure to get one that properly fits your airsoft gun’s gearbox. You’ll need to install a basic MOSFET too to handle the increased electrical load.
Use High-Speed Gears
The cut of the gears also affects how fast they cycle. Stock gears are usually between 16:1 and 18:1 ratio, which provides decent torque but limits RPM. Upgrading to 12:1 or 13:1 high-speed gears will directly increase the ROF as it allows the spring piston to compress much quicker per motor rotation.
Look for lightweight precision-cut gears like SHS 12:1 or Rocket Airsoft 13:1 gears. Make sure your motor can pull these faster gears especially if you are also using a stronger spring. Proper shimming and AOE correction allow the gears to rotate smoothly for the best ROF.
Increase Spring Tension
While a heavier spring increases FPS (feet per second), using the optimal spring can improve cycling speed. If your current spring is too weak, the piston will reach the end of the cylinder before full compression. This causes inefficiency as the gears keep spinning without resistance.
Installing a slightly stronger spring like an M120 can maximize compression and let the gears work against resistance through the entire stroke. This builds up more kinetic energy to propel the BB faster. Use the ideal spring for your target FPS but not one that overstresses your gearbox.
Use a Lipo Battery
The battery is the power source for your AEG gearbox. Using a high-voltage Lipo (lithium polymer) battery allows the motor to spin faster. The increased current flow means the gears cycle at higher RPM for maximum ROF. An 11.1v Lipo paired with a MOSFET delivers optimal voltage for high ROF builds.
Compare this to a standard 9.6v NiMH battery which may not supply enough sustained current for fast motor speeds. Stick to reputable Lipo brands like Turnigy and Titan. Make sure to use a smart charger and store your Lipos properly to prevent fire hazards.
Short Stroke Piston Teeth
Most airsoft piston assemblies have 14 to 16 teeth that catch the sector gear. For increased ROF, you can short-stroke the piston by removing 2 or more teeth. This decreases the piston travel distance allowing it to compress the spring faster.
Short stroking also lowers the air volume per shot. You’ll need to use a stronger spring to compensate for the loss in FPS. Cutting piston teeth is an advanced mod so make sure your gearbox internals are reinforced first.
Lighten Spring Guide
The spring guide rod provides stability and centering for the main spring inside the piston assembly. Using a lightweight delrin or POM plastic guide reduces moving mass allowing the spring to compress and decompress faster.
Also, polish the spring guide rod smoothly for less friction against the spring coils. Be sure to calculate the guide-to-spring ratio if shortening the guide. A lighter spring guide directly contributes to faster cycling piston movement.
Adjust Nozzle Dwell Time
Dwell time refers to how long the air nozzle stays seated, delivering air to launch the BB. Stock dwell times are typically around 25ms. This can be shortened by modifying the sector gear switch contacts and using a steel nozzle with an o-ring.
Lower dwell time reduces the delay between gear cycles, allowing tighter double taps. Be careful not to decrease too much as it can lead to inefficient air delivery causing FPS drops. The ideal dwell time for ROF boost is around 18-20ms.
Use a Quick Change Spring
A quick-change spring system allows you to swap springs without completely disassembling the gearbox. This lets you experiment with different tension springs to find the optimal combo of FPS and ROF. All you have to do is detach the buffer tube, swap the spring, and reattach.
Some airsoft M4 rifles like the ICS CXP-MARS series have integrated quick change springs. You can also add your own aftermarket quick change kit from brands like AirsoftPro and SHS. This flexible modification saves you hours of wrench time.
Add a MOSFET
A key supporting mod for boosting ROF is installing an electronic MOSFET or ETU. The MOSFET acts as a microcontroller that more efficiently channels high current from your battery to the motor. This prevents electrical bottle-necking or slow trigger response.
Gate, Jefferson, and Perun make programmable MOSFETs with precocking and other ROF tuning capabilities. Even a basic MOSFET like the G&P DUMOS allows higher voltage batteries to safely increase motor speed and cycling rate.
Use a Stronger Magazine Spring
Your magazine’s internal spring pushes BBs up into the chamber for loading. Weaker magazine springs can cause feed issues when cycling BBs rapidly. This results in intermittent jams and reduces effective ROF.
Test your magazine springs with full midcap or hicap magazines. If you notice inconsistent feeding, try swapping in a high-strength magazine spring from Guarder, SHS, or Angel Custom. This remedies any BB feeding issues under rapid fire.
Install an HPA Engine
For the ultimate increase in shots per second, look to HPA or High-Pressure Air systems. HPA setups use compressed air to directly fire the BBs based on an electronic trigger pull. This removes mechanical delays associated with AEG gearbox cycling.
HPA engines like the Polarstar Fusion Engine, Wolverine Inferno, and Redline N7 Milsim can achieve 30+ RPS. Just adjust the regulator pressure and you can tune your ROF higher or lower as needed. The consistency of HPA maximizes your trigger response for lightning-fast follow-up shots.
Don’t Over-Crank ROF
When modifying your airsoft gun for a higher rate of fire, be careful not to go overboard. Increasing ROF too drastically can cause premature wear, and part failures, and achieve diminishing returns. For most rifles, an ROF between 25 to 30 RPS delivers excellent performance.
Use quality components and smart internal tweaks for the best results. Priority should be on optimizing trigger response rather than chasing ultra-high RPM. Your upgraded ROF will give you a tool to dominate on the airsoft field. But be sure to use it responsibly and focus on well-aimed semi-auto fire.
Conclusion
A faster rate of fire gives airsoft players a critical edge in speedsoft matches and tactical simulations. With the right internal upgrades, you can boost your primary weapon’s shots per second to gain fire superiority over your opponents. Use a torquey motor, lighter gears, an enhanced power source, and quality parts to get your trigger finger performance firing on all cylinders. Just don’t neglect good accuracy fundamentals in your quest for sheer BB saturation capabilities. With your optimized ROF airsoft rifle or pistol, you’ll have the rapid response and suppression firepower to control the battlefield.
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