Airsoft Gun Maintenance: Getting Started with AEG & GBB
A well-maintained airsoft gun and it's accessories will operate smoothly and last much longer—but often, when unboxing the first gun and leafing through the manufacturer’s manual, you’ll find minimal or no information on maintenance. Moreover, many new users don’t even think about the essential upkeep of an airsoft gun. The result is early, negative changes in function (e.g. loss of power, reduced accuracy, etc.)
In this topic we will review the essential rules for airsoft gun maintenance. A properly maintained gun will perform reliably and won't cause issues during either skirmishes or casual target shooting.
About AEG (automatic electric gun) preparation for first use:
1.1 You hold the newly acquired AEG package in front of you - take it out and inspect it. First, check the battery.
Some manufacturers include a Ni‑Mh battery and a wall charger in the package. If you purchased a gun with such a configuration, it is recommended to replace both the charger and Ni‑Mh battery with a Li‑Po battery using an automatic Li‑Po “Smart” charger. Why?
1) Unlike Ni‑Mh, Li‑Po batteries have a much lower memory effect (capacity does not decline as much with charge cycles);
2) A Li‑Po battery of the same capacity (mAh) takes up far less space than a Ni‑Mh;
3) Li‑Po power output remains consistent throughout discharge, whereas Ni‑Mh gradually weakens;
4) A 7.4 V Li‑Po battery will operate just as smoothly—or even more so—than an 8.4 V Ni‑Mh.
A brief note on Ni‑Mh and Li‑Po battery care:
If you decide to continue using your Ni‑Mh battery instead of investing in a Li‑Po replacement, it is highly advisable to precisely monitor your charging time (not exceeding max charge limits) and store the battery discharged. You can calculate maximum charge time based on your battery’s capacity (mAh) and charger output (mA).
For example:
If your Ni‑Mh battery capacity is 1100 mAh and your charger output is 250 mA, then charging time is calculated as:
(1100/250) x 1.5 = 4.4 hours (4 h 24 min)
This formula is used if you don’t have an automatic Ni‑Mh charger.
If you choose to avoid (or not purchase) Ni‑Mh and go with a technically superior Li‑Po battery, then:
1) Protect the battery from mechanical damage (crushing, punctures, bending);
2) Store the battery at 3.8 V–3.85 V per cell charge. You can check this with a voltmeter or use a special
Li‑Po / Li‑Fe / Li‑Ion battery health meter device;
3) Use only automatic chargers designed specifically for Li‑Po batteries with cell balancing.
You may also consider Li‑Ion batteries, although they’re not mandatory for beginners. They’re popular among airsoft players when maximum capacity is needed (e.g. 5200 mAh) for very long usage during games.
! Due to relatively high cost, airsoft gun manufacturers do not include Li‑Po batteries and automatic chargers in factory kits. That’s why at Strikeball.lt we offer a discount on both a Li‑Po battery and charger with any gun purchase, reducing the financial burden and encouraging customers to choose batteries that make their guns perform much more smoothly and last longer.
1.2 We clean the inner barrel. Some manufacturers apply a light lubricant on the inner barrel during production to protect it during transport. For cleaning we use a barrel cleaning rod and a lint‑free cloth (e.g. microfiber or 100% cotton).
Moisten the cloth with isopropyl alcohol and gently clean the barrel. Do not use silicone oil here, as that can impair Hop‑Up function. Silicone lubrication is useful in other parts of the gun where lubrication is needed—but for the barrel cleaning, you want to remove oil, not apply it. If silicone contacts the Hop‑Up rubber, it can prevent the BB from spinning correctly, harming accuracy and trajectory. Also, a lubricated barrel will attract dirt faster. It’s best to clean the barrel outside of the gun, so it is advised to learn how to remove your barrel safely.
Important: when maintaining airsoft guns, avoid using any WD‑40 or similar penetrating oils. They are not designed to be used on airsoft guns.
1.3 We inspect the magazine(s) that came with the gun. Most manufacturers include a Hi‑Cap (Hi‑Capacity) magazine with an AEG. These typically hold 350–600 BBs (or more). Such magazines are suitable for private backyard shooting but are often banned in official airsoft games for realism reasons (except for machine guns). Hi‑Cap magazines need no special maintenance. Real‑Cap / Low‑Cap / Mid‑Cap magazines, holding ~30–190 BBs, do require occasional disassembly and cleaning. We will cover this process separately. (When that topic is available, a link will be added here.)
Important: Real/Low/Mid - Cap magazines require a BB loading tool - BB loader. Hi-Cap magazines don't.
1.4 To prolong lifespan, avoid dry-firing your electric airsoft gun (firing without BBs in the magazine). Also, if you haven't upgraded your gearbox, you should not use 11.1V Li‑Po batteries—unless the manufacturer explicitly approves them. These higher voltage batteries increase gearbox stress, gear wear, and can void the warranty if failure occurs. If you must use such voltage, assess your gearbox capacity and, if necessary, get it tuned by a qualified technician beforehand.
1.5 We set the Hop‑Up—adjusting projectile trajectory. This procedure will be covered in another topic. (When available, a link will be added here.)
About AEG storage preparation:
We covered key points before first use. Now let's review the main storage rules for an AEG gun:
2.1 If you received a red dot sight or optical scope with illumination, ensure they are turned off;
2.2 Check for vibration effects—e.g. loose screws;
2.3 Clean the barrel as described in 1.2;
2.4 Ensure the main spring isn't left compressed—set the gun to semi‑auto mode and fire 1–2 shots;
2.5 Make sure there is no BB in the barrel before storage. This is one of the most critical points, and its consequences are well known;
2.6 Set the Hop‑Up position to “ZERO”, i.e. fully relaxed. This extends its proper lifespan.
About green-gas or CO GNB – Gas Non Blowback; GBB – Gas Blowback; GBBR – Gas Blowback Rifle) maintenance:
One of the most important maintenance aspects for Green Gas or CO2 airsoft guns is proper and regular cleaning and lubrication. This also applies to 4.5 mm pneumatic CO2 pistols.
3.1 When you acquire a new Green Gas or CO2 gun, first clean the barrel using step 1.2;
3.2 Remove the magazine, locate the gas inlet valve pin on top of the magazine (at the rear). Press the pin and squirt silicone oil into the gas inlet hole; this applies only to guns with the gas valve built into the magazine;
3.3 For Gas Blowback pistols, you can remove the slide and inspect that all moving parts are properly lubricated with clean gun oil. Most new GBB guns come fully lubricated and ready to use (we ensure this before shipping all gas guns);
3.4 After extended use, partially field-strip the gun and clean out old oil using lint-free cloths. Where metal slides on metal, apply silicone grease; for gaskets (air nozzle or valve seals), use a liquid or spray silicone lubricant. If you’re unsure of how to partially disassemble your model or where lubrication is required, contact shop@strikeball.lt for personalized recommendations;
3.5 We recommend storing Green Gas guns with magazines that still contain some gas (not empty);
3.6 Store CO2 guns empty, without refilled cartridges. Do not leave a CO2 cartridge inserted longer than 48 hours—CO2 gas dries out the seals and can damage them if left inserted too long;
3.7 For CO2 guns, after every 10 standard gas cartridges use at least one silicone oil‑infused CO2 cartridge;
3.8 In GBB guns, regularly lubricate the piston o-ring ("stūmoklio galvutės tarpinė" - picture below). Remove the slide, pull the nozzle forward until the o-ring is visible, then apply silicone oil there. Without regular lubrication, the gun may malfunction instead of firing properly, blowback may fail, and gas consumption will increase.
Often new GBB buyers ask about stories they’ve heard of gas leaks or other issues. While not being rare, such problems are often exaggerated. CO2 or Green Gas leaks are typically easy and quick to fix. In almost all cases, a few minutes and a drop of silicone oil does the job. Some cases (factory defects, or maintenance neglect) require replacement of o-rings, which is not a difficult thing to do.
Have additional observations about airsoft gun care? Contact us. :)