Keeping your GBBR up and running in the winter: Tips and Tricks

[Pigeon_Haris]

So....

Winter is here, and that only means one thing for GBBR users: Hell

This will be my first time trying to run a GBBR all year round, despite what people say (even in the summer) i'm fairly confident we can get our gbbr's running just as well as in the summer.

What tips do you guys recommend to help keep your GBBR running during the winter, if at all possible? here are a few I can think of:

• The main point I hear a lot is that keeping your mags warm with your body heat is the key to keeping yourself running,
  but everyone runs their mags differently, be it on Carriers or Chest Rigs. can anyone expand on this? (I'd call it a success if you can at least get one magazine out of it)
  
• Using Different types of Gases, but I'm not too sure what is best for what temperature or environment
  

One note: I'd like to exclude CO2 magazines from this conversation, as quite frankly, they are a pain in the backside to maintain, as soon as they leak they are a nightmare to fix, the second they develop a leak you lose a CO2 every time until its fixed in addition to all the fiddling around with Capsules and so on.

Let's hear your thoughts!

 

[Wo1f]

Gas depends entirely on the particular GBBR. Providing its well maintained propane will be adequate to about 5 degrees.  Me and a few mates played at the weekend. I was running the TM MWS, and my mates were running a WE mp5a2 and a WE scar H with an angry gun steel bolt. None of them missed a beat all day on propane.  

Any colder and you want MAPP gas. It absolutely stinks and you shouldn’t store the gas in your mags for ages (use it in games and then empty at the end of the day and store mags with a bit of green gas). But it will empty a mag like it’s july without giving you a massive spike in FPS. (But it may go up a little) 

keeping mags warm.. little trick I do is get one of those muscle heat patches and put it between my map pouches and PC. Stays warm for 12 hours and works as soon as you open the packet as it reacts with air. It’s not gonna keep them toasty through the webbing and all that, but it will give you that extra couple degrees. 

 

[Pigeon_Haris]

Thank you!

That's really useful information!

I'd have thought that propane would start completely failing around 10c.

you say the guns ran great, that's especially much less worrisome for me knowing the WE's could handle the cold.

obviously Full auto is out of the question, but was the cycle rate still working well enough in addition to other functions/bolt lock/fps?

How much of a difference does it make to put lightweight bolts/buffers and springs and the like?

In terms of gas...What gas other than MAPP would you recommend once it hits below 5c? obviously the point of propane is the cost saving measure, but I'm willing to buy Nuprol 2.0/3.0 for the short number of months it's needed as a necessity.

and awesome, every little bit of heat to the mags help, I'll get Heat Patches on bulk order ?

 

[Wo1f]

The mp5 would empty a mag on the 3RD burst but would struggle to mag dump on auto, the scar is set up as a DMR so semi only. Has a steel bolt but had no issues. The mws was full auto mag dumping and locking back. I was then refilling the mag and did it again. The last game was in a big dark room, with a smoke grenade thrown in for good measure and we were running tracers. If Mr Skunkworks posts the video up I’ll put it on here, but it should show the TM spraying .32 tracers everywhere. 

If it’s a m4 mag WE you’ll probably struggle. The g36c, scar H and mp5 are great bits of kit though. 

Lightweight buffers and springs will definitely  make a difference. But whether they’re needed is gun/ brand specific. Some guns deal with the cold better than others. You loose a bit of recoil, but you get a snappier response. 

I only really use propane or MAPP gas as they’re cheap and work very well. I’ve ran MAPP gas at sub zero temps. Nuprol red/Black or whatever the strongest Abbey gas is. Avoid ASG as it’s crap. Nuprol 2.0 is okay, but it’s more expensive than propane and no better. It’s more of a summer gas. 

 

[Pigeon_Haris]

ok thanks

Hand warmers, and more powerful gas, don't go too crazy on the trigger

thanks a lot. I'll let you know how the guns perform