Airsoft Guns

Most serious airsoft players understand hop up and have formed their opinions as to its usefulness, but not all players have quite grasped the concept. Today’s installment of our new "Airsoft FAQs" series focuses on just that topic – what is hop up?

A hop up system in an airsoft gun is designed to increase the traveled distance and vertical accuracy of a pellet fired from an airsoft gun by adjusting its trajectory. Many airsoft players enjoy the ability to hit a target from longer distances than would be possible without a hop up system.

Put simply, a hop up system places backspin on a BB as it travels down the barrel to adjust the path it will follow when it exits the barrel. A small protrusion in the top of the barrel touches the BB as it passes, creating a controlled backspin. Backspin gives the BB lift, allowing it to counteract the effects of gravity for a longer period of time. This allows the BB to move along a more level path, increasing the distance it can travel. Generally speaking, vertical but not horizontal accuracy should be improved with the use of accurately adjusted hop up. Of course, in reality, many factors come into play with regard to accuracy, including the wind and the skill of the player.

Adjustable hop up allows the user to control the amount of backspin that is placed on a BB, but it is important to note that only those experienced with hop up should attempt to work with it. Usually hop up is adjusted by turning a wheel, which moves the protruding nub up or down to put more or less backspin on the BB. Hop up is an incremental adjustment, and adjusting it all the way to one side or the other can cause jamming and inadvertent damage to the gun’s internals. This is because the protruded piece can alter the shape of the BBs exit path too much. If you are not experienced working with this type of system, you may not want to take the risk by experimenting with your guns.

About the Author: Mike Zhang is the VP of Operations of Airsoft Megastore, the #1 fastest growing Airsoft retailer in the nation. Airsoft Megastore offers the latest airsoft guns and gear as well as a 125% low price guarantee on all new Airsoft guns and gear.

Labels: airsoft gun hop up, airsoft hop up, airsoft hop-up, airsoft hopup, hop up airsoft

Many airsoft players like to participate in different types of airsoft games and scenarios for variety and to become well rounded in their airsoft skills. Periodically, we spotlight some of these different game types in this "Airsoft Game Types" series. Today we are highlighting Paratroopers - an airsoft game scenario in which a group of 'stranded' paratroopers is tasked with completing specific objectives and making it safely back to their pickup zone.

The paratrooper airsoft scenario begins with dividing participating players into four groups. The members of the group chosen to be the paratroopers are blindfolded and led to the designated ‘Drop Zone,’ where they are understood to have landed in this game scenario. The paratroopers are given a basic map of the area and must collaborate with one another to achieve the objectives, which have been determined at the beginning of the game. In a variation of this scenario that makes for a more challenging game, there may be multiple designated 'Drop Zones' with some of the paratroopers starting at each location. When there are four groups as described, one group is comprised of the paratroopers and the other three are assigned to defend three objects that the paratroopers will be trying to "take out."

Often the map provided to the paratroopers contains inconsistencies or tricks to make the challenge more difficult to accomplish. For instance, an objective may be marked in the wrong location, or an objective may be marked on the map that is not actually there.

Each of the other three groups is assigned an object to defend, for a total of three objects that represent the objectives for the paratroopers. The paratroopers are tasked with "taking out" each objective, represented by a flag at each location that must be returned to the "Pickup Zone." The paratroopers win if they are able to return the flags from all three objectives to the Pickup Zone successfully.

This is a basic description of how Paratroopers can be played, though like other game types, the game scenarios can be modified to fit the number of players or the area available for play.

About the Author: Mike Zhang is the VP of Operations of Airsoft Megastore, the #1 fastest growing Airsoft retailer in the nation. Airsoft Megastore offers the latest airsoft guns and gear as well as a 125% low price guarantee on all new Airsoft guns and gear.

Labels: airsoft game types, airsoft games, airsoft paratrooper game, airsoft paratroopers, airsoft scenarios