If you’ve got a brand new airsoft gun and are wondering how to adjust the hop up, then you’ve come to the right place.
Recent studies showed that 90% of all airsoft players don’t know how to adjust their hop-up. It’s really simple though! In this article, I will try to explain it as much as possible.
How does the hop-up work?
It’s quite simple really. Airsoft guns shoot BBs by using a rubber that gets stretched when you pull the trigger. The harder you pull, the faster the BB goes. The hop-up (which is just a fancy word for a rubber band) controls how fast the BB comes out of your gun. As you pull the trigger harder and harder, air pressure builds up in the barrel behind the BB. Here’s the tricky part: The air pressure that’s built up pushes the BB to go faster, and it also works against the rubber band. So what do they do? They let out an equal amount of air pressure so that your BBs will always come out at the same speed no matter how hard you pull on the trigger.
The hop-up is adjustable, and the way it works is by having a small hole in the rubber band. By adjusting how big that hole is, it lets out more or less air pressure, and therefore either shoots the BB faster (because of less air pressure) or slower (because you let out more air pressure).
Why do I need to adjust my hop-up?
The reason why you should be adjusting your hop-up on a regular basis is because of dust. If you take your airsoft gun outside to the field, it will get dirty very quickly.
The hop-up hole is so small that all the dust and dirt will go through while still allowing BBs to come out so they don’t clog up the barrel. But if there’s a lot of dust in there, then your BBs will shoot slower and not go as far. So you should always try to keep your airsoft gun’s hop-up hole clean at all times.
How to adjust hop up on airsoft M4?
This is probably the easiest part. It’s really simple, and all you need are a set of Allen wrenches (which is found in almost any tool kit) and your airsoft gun’s hop-up adjustment tool.
The hop-up should be near the end of your barrel (where the BBs come out). You might have to take off some parts from the barrel so that it will be easier to access. The hop-up tool that you see attached to it (which makes adjusting the hop-up really easy) can be bought for $5 at most local airsoft shops.
Adjusting hop up on airsoft M4(or any airsoft rifle)
- Put back the barrel’s inner parts so that you can see the hop up.
- Use your Allen wrench to turn the hop-up tool clockwise (turn it right) to make it easier for BBs to come out of your gun, or counterclockwise (turn it left) to make it harder for BBs to come out and therefore make it shoot slower.
- Test fire your airsoft gun to see if you’ve adjusted it correctly and how far the BBs are shooting. Adjust some more as needed to make sure they’re always accurate.
- Remember to clean your hop up every time you’ve adjusted it!
Should I use hop up on every airsoft gun?
Yes, definitely! If you don’t have the money to get a good airsoft gun that can shoot straight without it, then I would strongly suggest getting an airsoft gun with hop-up. Even though these guns are usually cheaper, they’re still useful and should be in every airsoft player’s arsenal.
Should I adjust the hop up every time I’m in the field?
You might want to, but if you’re just going to be shooting straight then you don’t really need to. If you’re simply practicing your aim and not doing any type of airsoft combat, then there’s no need for it. But generally speaking, you should always have it adjusted. Here’s why:
During airsoft combat, you will experience a lot of bumping and sliding on the ground due to running around (which is why full-body protection and face masks should be worn). That causes your hop-up to get dirty very quickly. So if you don’t adjust it, then your BBs will start to fall short of their target when you need it most.
You should adjust your hop-up every single time before and after you play airsoft just so that you can be sure your BBs will always go further than the enemy’s. This way, there won’t be any disadvantages for your team due to dirty hop-ups.
What if my BBs are curving to the left/right?
If your BBs are curving to one side, then you might have an air leak in your barrel. If this is the case, go back and check if there isn’t any dirt or grime falling into where the BBs come out.
Alternatively, you might need a new barrel. Barrels are generally inexpensive, so you might want to invest in a new one if you’re already having some problems with your airsoft gun.
There are also other reasons that this might happen, and if you want to understand more about different types of pellets, be sure to read my article on different types of airsoft pellets.
How do I clean my airsoft hop-up?
First, take out the parts that are blocking the BB feeder hole and then spray it down with an airsoft cleaning or silicon oil. It’s always a good idea to use silicon oil since it won’t do any harm and will protect the hop-up from breaking down due to being exposed to dirt all day.
For a full guide on airsoft rifle maintenance, be sure to read an article called How to clean an airsoft M4.
Can I manually adjust my airsoft gun’s hop up?
No, you shouldn’t do it yourself especially if you’re not familiar with airsoft guns and their hop-ups. If you really think you can do it yourself, then you should at least make sure that your gun is working smoothly before doing anything to it. And if there are any problems (and you can’t solve them), just go see an airsoft technician near your area.
There’s no easy way to adjust the automatic hop-up on airsoft guns, so unless you’re a professional in airsoft repairs then it’s better to just leave it up to the pros.
How much does an airsoft gun with a good hop-up cost?
Hop-ups are generally affordable compared to the rest of your airsoft gun. An airsoft AEG can be anywhere from $80-$300, while a good hop-up is usually around $20. It might not seem like much, but when you’re in the field and your gun doesn’t shoot straight then it’s going to make all the difference.
Conclusion
The importance of adjusting your airsoft hop-up can’t be emphasized enough. It’s one of the most important aspects of airsoft shooting since you’ll need it for greater accuracy and performance. So if you don’t have a good airsoft gun yet, then make sure to invest in one!