Best quality JG Aug compatible hop up (and barrel)?

[SinisterWeasel]

I am going to buy a new barrel and hop up setup asap but any advice would be great to make sure I don't spend a lot of money for either inferior or just incompatible parts. My current stock setup is too inconsistent (left and right curving) as well as the hop loosening itself after firing on full auto (I have mostly fixed this but I don't trust it).

 

So far I think my top choice for a barrel is Prometheus based on various things I have read but I am also curious about the Miracle barrel. The Prometheus suggests it has a narrow hop window though, is this really an issue?

 

For a hop up I am not sure as the opinions are so varied, from a firefly, maple leaf and so forth which has left me a little confused although generally people lean towards an R hop being the best but very awkward to get right. Due to my inexperience I would rather go for a flat hop or something less dependent on me not being incompetent.

 

Thanks for any and all suggestions.

 

(P.S. Can anyone clarify if the JG Aug is compatible with Prowin M4 hop ups? http://www.evike.com/products/40058/)

 

 

 

 

 

[SinisterWeasel]

Update already, I believe I would need a 450mm barrel and I can't actually see a prometheus in this size or anything else I have heard of.

[Samurai]

No, M4 hopup is not compatible with AUG.

I believe I saw an AUG hopup unit that came out not long ago, but I really don't remember what make was it.

CA M249 hopup unit is compatible - and also hard to find.

 

Oh, ok. First hit on google search: http://airlab.parts/products/lonex-hop-up-unit-ca-m14-marui-aug?variant=739259135

[Hudson]

Aug barrels are 509mm long, assuming it's the standard length; same as M16s.

[Iceni]

Before you go upgrade happy just have a check of the amount of play on the upper receiver.

If you can rotate the upper in the plastic shell by a few degrees then that could be what is causing the BB's to fly off.

I also think you may have got some lube onto the hop at some point. Generally my aug's hop is reasonably stiff to rotate, grips well, and doesn't move in usage. If yours is spinning then it could well have caught some silicone overspray. Strip it, wash it in soapy water and let it air dry. While you have it off you may as well add a new bucking. The bucking needs to go on either dry or with the smallest amount of lube possible. You then cut the bucking so the ring sits tight to the end of the bucking but doesn't cover the inner barrel cutout, You then use some PTFE pipe sealing tape and just put a tight few loops on the bucking to help the airseal.

http://s269.photobucket.com/user/manoyelcid/media/hop11.jpg.html

The inner barrel on the JG is pretty reasonable, It's not going to be causing the BB's to fly to the sides provided it is straight, The MB prometheus II 6.03 509mm is the standard length replacement for a regular a1 a2 a3 aug If you have a shorty then you will need a different length, I've got one on mine. Truth be told the difference in accuracy is negligible. And since your BB's are flying out to either side then I don't think the inner barrel is the problem. You might want to add an o-ring to the end of the inner barrel to remove any side to side play or you could wrap a few loops of PTFE tape on it just to make sure it's not wobbling about.

The play on the upper receiver can be sorted with some thin foam and double sided tape. Use decent double sided tape like the stuff Halfords sell for sticking on number plates. And cut a square of sponge cleaning cloth. Stick the sponge with the tape to the inside of the backplate where the top of the gearbox sits. It'll push the box forward and that give you a better airseal, and pushes the upper receiver forward slightly. This makes the body pin lock a lot tighter, and removes most of the wobble and twist from the main body. IT will only need 1 layer of foam 2-3mm's thick. Any more you will stress the back plate mounts.

 

Like this but less ghetto. And make sure you don't cover the plates contact points on the body or you will move the plate back rather than push the gearbox forward.

http://s269.photobucket.com/user/manoyelcid/media/02-1.jpg.html

http://www.halfords.com/motoring/paints-body-repair/adhesives/halfords--double-sided-tape--hst109
http://vileda-professional.com/en-GB/products/01-wiping/02-sponge-cloths/03-sponge-cloths/sponge_cloth_4colors_04198.jpg


Barrel link

http://www.patrolbase.co.uk/airsoft/madbull-509-barrel.htm#.VrukseaQhEA


Augs are notorious for the airseal nozzle and aftermarket hops. The people that upgrade tend to post the most about these 2 components and how badly they can sometimes match up. If you are getting a good airseal, and you can clean and get the hop to work and lock well then don't upgrade it. You may create more problems than you solve. It is also important that if you do upgrade the air nozzle you get the Aug one, and you get the aug one that is the correct length for your manufactured gun. It is not the same as other gun models. TM, JG, CA all have slightly different lengths then the aftermarket ones can vary as well.. The hop and airseal is a mine field.

These are all aug nozzles by different companies!

http://s1189.photobucket.com/user/Tackett1980/media/8f7a1230.jpg.html

Pretty much the rest of the gearbox bar the contacts is standard v3.

[SinisterWeasel]

Before you go upgrade happy just have a check of the amount of play on the upper receiver.

 

If you can rotate the upper in the plastic shell by a few degrees then that could be what is causing the BB's to fly off.

 

I also think you may have got some lube onto the hop at some point. Generally my aug's hop is reasonably stiff to rotate, grips well, and doesn't move in usage. If yours is spinning then it could well have caught some silicone overspray. Strip it, wash it in soapy water and let it air dry. While you have it off you may as well add a new bucking. The bucking needs to go on either dry or with the smallest amount of lube possible. You then cut the bucking so the ring sits tight to the end of the bucking but doesn't cover the inner barrel cutout, You then use some PTFE pipe sealing tape and just put a tight few loops on the bucking to help the airseal.

 

http://s269.photobucket.com/user/manoyelcid/media/hop11.jpg.html

 

The inner barrel on the JG is pretty reasonable, It's not going to be causing the BB's to fly to the sides provided it is straight, The MB prometheus II 6.03 509mm is the standard length replacement for a regular a1 a2 a3 aug If you have a shorty then you will need a different length, I've got one on mine. Truth be told the difference in accuracy is negligible. And since your BB's are flying out to either side then I don't think the inner barrel is the problem. You might want to add an o-ring to the end of the inner barrel to remove any side to side play or you could wrap a few loops of PTFE tape on it just to make sure it's not wobbling about.

 

The play on the upper receiver can be sorted with some thin foam and double sided tape. Use decent double sided tape like the stuff Halfords sell for sticking on number plates. And cut a square of sponge cleaning cloth. Stick the sponge with the tape to the inside of the backplate where the top of the gearbox sits. It'll push the box forward and that give you a better airseal, and pushes the upper receiver forward slightly. This makes the body pin lock a lot tighter, and removes most of the wobble and twist from the main body. IT will only need 1 layer of foam 2-3mm's thick. Any more you will stress the back plate mounts.

 

Like this but less ghetto. And make sure you don't cover the plates contact points on the body or you will move the plate back rather than push the gearbox forward.

 

http://s269.photobucket.com/user/manoyelcid/media/02-1.jpg.html

http://www.halfords.com/motoring/paints-body-repair/adhesives/halfords--double-sided-tape--hst109

http://vileda-professional.com/en-GB/products/01-wiping/02-sponge-cloths/03-sponge-cloths/sponge_cloth_4colors_04198.jpg

 

 

Barrel link

 

http://www.patrolbase.co.uk/airsoft/madbull-509-barrel.htm#.VrukseaQhEA

 

 

Augs are notorious for the airseal nozzle and aftermarket hops. The people that upgrade tend to post the most about these 2 components and how badly they can sometimes match up. If you are getting a good airseal, and you can clean and get the hop to work and lock well then don't upgrade it. You may create more problems than you solve. It is also important that if you do upgrade the air nozzle you get the Aug one, and you get the aug one that is the correct length for your manufactured gun. It is not the same as other gun models. TM, JG, CA all have slightly different lengths then the aftermarket ones can vary as well.. The hop and airseal is a mine field.

 

These are all aug nozzles by different companies!

 

http://s1189.photobucket.com/user/Tackett1980/media/8f7a1230.jpg.html

 

Pretty much the rest of the gearbox bar the contacts is standard v3.

 

Thanks for all the good tips that's really helpful and I will definitely try the foam idea as I have currently bodged it with cloth-like tape just to stop it twisting but this doesn't tighten anything. As it happens I spent a few hours re-doing and adding to all the little bits and bobs with tape and o-rings to prevent barrel wobble and vibration. I did also take the hop up apart and cleaned the bucking as you were right it was indeed greasy and it wasn't quite level so I cleaned the whole area with alcohol as well, but I will try adding some tape for the seal too.

Initial tests show a big improvement although there are still quite a few inconsistent shots, I tend to see a pattern where I will put 2-3 bbs ontop of each other then the same again but 1-2" away at only 15 yards or so. At long range I can't see any left/right spin (I can fire over the fence into a closed industrial estate but not use a target). I will add some more bodges to increase air seal and see how that goes although I am still keen on trying a new barrel and different bucking to try and improve things further. This is partly because most of the games around me are quite open woodland so range is king as well as just enjoying the challenge and physics behind it all.

 

One other thing you might be able to help with is the bb feeding issue where bbs can get loose inside the casing. They are easy to get out again but it's a bit annoying, what's the best fix for this?

 

Bit geeky but I have been discussing the physics behind barrels and thought about the idea of adding rails inside to stabilise the cushion of air. It turns out this already exists in the falcon barrels so I am possibly going to test one out.

[SinisterWeasel]

Aug barrels are 509mm long, assuming it's the standard length; same as M16s.

 

Yes you are right and I mistakenly took the 450mm figure from here:

 

http://airsoftpro.cz/eshop/product_info.php?cPath=55_73&products_id=2462

 

I removed the barrel and measured it - 509mm

[Iceni]

 

One other thing you might be able to help with is the bb feeding issue where bbs can get loose inside the casing. They are easy to get out again but it's a bit annoying, what's the best fix for this?

 

Honest answer is there isn't a perfect solution. You can mitigate it with foam padding on the inside of the magwell. You just double sided tape it in place the same way you do the backplate. And it is possible to make a magwell skirt I have not tried this myself yet so I don't know how well it works.

 

http://www.filairsoft.com/forum/showthread.php?21160-Brotherhood-of-AUG-%28Steyr-AUG-facts-amp-tips%29&p=232525#post232525

 

The design of the trigger prevents any fixes been perfect. That skirt looks like the best overall option if you can get the shape correct.

 

If you are after range then the Aug is a reasonable base gun. Get the FPS right and constant then have a good look round the gun for what you really want and need to upgrade.

 

The parts I've done myself are mostly gearbox parts.

 

Bushings, Spring guide, Cylinder, Cylinder head and piston head. Mosfet. And a gearbox shim. These parts are need only parts. You shouldn't be upgrading without a need for the upgrade, If the FPS is right and the box is smooth then leave it alone for a bit.

 

I've added a 6.03 barrel but it doesn't increase accuracy or range with mine. Bucking and nub.

 

I've ground the safety bar to add in a single fire only option. This is a great upgrade. It gives a 3rd position on the safety bar that catches the trigger plate. You cut a small chunk out of the bar, then add a V notch.

 

You just need to grind the plastic safety bar to catch the trigger on a half pull, then make a V notch in the bar so it will lock on the metal shim in that location. Takes about 30 mins to make the modification with a small V file and a scalpel. You take off the upper receiver, pull the trigger to dry fire a single shot and mark it on the trigger plate then release. This gives you the measurement for the amount of material to remove from the safety bar. You cut a chunk out of the upper side left of the bar the same depth as the measurement, put the bar back in and move it while pulling the trigger to find where the bar needs to sit in the hole. Then you mark the point where the metal retainer clips dent is sitting and file the V at that point on the safety bar. When you put the bar back in you will have a new locking point on the safety that only allows single fire, and you still have single and full auto in the original position.

 

The other upgrade I plan to do is remove the ejection port baffles from the top of the gearbox, and add in another rubber cover. It'll help stop dirt going into the gun, and it'll close that hole to make it a bit quieter. You could even leave the baffles in place and just add the rubber gromet for weather sealing.

 

My body has been fully lined with foam to reduce noise, and once I remove the top baffles I'll pack out the top of the box as well. My aim is for a quiet gun, I play woodland but it's a site where been on a path is death. You have to be hidden, and stay hidden to survive.

[SinisterWeasel]

 

Honest answer is there isn't a perfect solution. You can mitigate it with foam padding on the inside of the magwell. You just double sided tape it in place the same way you do the backplate. And it is possible to make a magwell skirt I have not tried this myself yet so I don't know how well it works.

 

http://www.filairsoft.com/forum/showthread.php?21160-Brotherhood-of-AUG-%28Steyr-AUG-facts-amp-tips%29&p=232525#post232525

 

The design of the trigger prevents any fixes been perfect. That skirt looks like the best overall option if you can get the shape correct.

 

If you are after range then the Aug is a reasonable base gun. Get the FPS right and constant then have a good look round the gun for what you really want and need to upgrade.

 

The parts I've done myself are mostly gearbox parts.

 

Bushings, Spring guide, Cylinder, Cylinder head and piston head. Mosfet. And a gearbox shim. These parts are need only parts. You shouldn't be upgrading without a need for the upgrade, If the FPS is right and the box is smooth then leave it alone for a bit.

 

I've added a 6.03 barrel but it doesn't increase accuracy or range with mine. Bucking and nub.

 

I've ground the safety bar to add in a single fire only option. This is a great upgrade. It gives a 3rd position on the safety bar that catches the trigger plate. You cut a small chunk out of the bar, then add a V notch.

 

You just need to grind the plastic safety bar to catch the trigger on a half pull, then make a V notch in the bar so it will lock on the metal shim in that location. Takes about 30 mins to make the modification with a small V file and a scalpel. You take off the upper receiver, pull the trigger to dry fire a single shot and mark it on the trigger plate then release. This gives you the measurement for the amount of material to remove from the safety bar. You cut a chunk out of the upper side left of the bar the same depth as the measurement, put the bar back in and move it while pulling the trigger to find where the bar needs to sit in the hole. Then you mark the point where the metal retainer clips dent is sitting and file the V at that point on the safety bar. When you put the bar back in you will have a new locking point on the safety that only allows single fire, and you still have single and full auto in the original position.

 

The other upgrade I plan to do is remove the ejection port baffles from the top of the gearbox, and add in another rubber cover. It'll help stop dirt going into the gun, and it'll close that hole to make it a bit quieter. You could even leave the baffles in place and just add the rubber gromet for weather sealing.

 

My body has been fully lined with foam to reduce noise, and once I remove the top baffles I'll pack out the top of the box as well. My aim is for a quiet gun, I play woodland but it's a site where been on a path is death. You have to be hidden, and stay hidden to survive.

 

I will have a read through the thread you linked to this afternoon and then see what I can do about the loose bb issue.

 

Overall I don't have any desire to go for an increased rate of fire so will just leave everything in the gearbox alone for now until something breaks (the gearbox was re-shimmed and I needed a lower power spring but that's it), but did you see a notable increase in consistency after changing the piston and piston head? My initial impression of the stock ones were that they looked pretty cheap and breakable so I expect them to be the first things I would change.

 

I played a game yesterday and by midday my shots were swinging right again, this evening I will see if the bucking has managed to rotate and as I bought a new bucking will swap it over. Might need a bit of insulating tape to keep it steady and along with tightening the body/gearbox that should hopefully do the trick.

 

Modding the safety is something I have already planned to do this weekend although I probably got the idea from you from another thread, I will be borrowing a Dremel. I am not sure what a baffle is i'm afraid although I may buy some soundproofing material one day and go crazy with it as a bit of stealth wouldn't hurt.

[Iceni]

 

but did you see a notable increase in consistency after changing the piston and piston head?

I did it to stop piston slap. My gun was making me deaf when playing. I put the element silent set in minus the bearing.

 

However my gun had a ported cylinder. No idea why it's supposed to be a non ported one, hence the new cylinder as well. And that certainly did increase consistency.

 

 

 

You don't need a dremel to make the single fire mod. I'll take pictures of mine tomorrow. Files and something sharp like a scalpel, stanley knife or chisel is all you need. A dremel will overshoot then you'll just have an extra click that doesn't do anything. Too deep you'll go into auto, too shallow you won't fire single, and too wide you will remove the safe setting. It's literally a 3mm x 3mm square of plastic and a shallow V.

 

Yeah I copied the mod from a post I made a few weeks ago, I picked it up from another local Aug guy. And it makes the gun so much more pleasant to use. It means when you have to have single shot you can stop having to over think the trigger. It certainly surprises the marshals when you do rapid single shots with an Aug at a new site. They watch me like a hawk in close engagement and normally come have a look at the gun at the end of the game to see what I've done to it to make it work like that.

 

 

 

by midday my shots were swinging right again

That could still be grease. If the piston has been over-greased it could be slapping it into the air nozzle and bucking. Drop a Q-tip in the air nozzle and see what colour it comes out as. You've already had a grease problem in the hop and bucking and now it's been shot it might have done the same thing again. If it has it might be prudent to strip the box and wipe down the cylinder and piston and put a smear of grease back in it doesn't need a lot.

[Iceni]

 

 

[SinisterWeasel]

Thanks again for all your help.

 

I spent some time looking at everything and I have finally cracked it I think. I managed to fix the feeding issue (surprisingly) by cutting up an aluminium can and using double sided tape to stick two rectangles in the magwell to block the gaps. Then I just put the mag in and pulled the trigger many times until the aluminium was bent in the right places for the trigger to still work smoothly and that's it, bit of a bodge perhaps but it does the job for now. I have a more permanent idea using cloth/leather so it has enough flex for the trigger.

I also added more padding to the outer barrel so it cannot wobble as I think my issue was there was still a little bit of movement possible which could rotate the hop up chamber and barrel. However there was still a slight spin to the right when I tested it and I then wondered if it was the hop up arm itself, so I added a loop of tape around the centre to make it more secure and perfectly aligned and bingo, shooting consistent now. I think the issue was that there was a tiny bit of movement on the arm which was pushed slightly off centre when replacing the pin.

I didn't actually bother adding any padding to the butt plate because everything was already rock solid and there was no movement at all, I physically couldn't make the gearbox go further forward. I don't know if this is just due to the many small differences between the various AUGs or I am missing something.

 

FYI I also added an o-ring to the back of the hop up thinking this would improve the seal. It certainly made everything a tighter fit but from what I could tell at short range it had a very negative effect, do not make my mistake.

 

Looking forward to seeing how things go this Sunday, thanks for the photos of the safety pin I will hopefully buy a file and get cracking on that shortly.

[Iceni]

To get the gearbox out.

Take out the backplate, Then slacken or remove the bolt nearest the motor. You can also slacken but NOT remove the one at the mag release.

Work with the gun upside down.

Then take 2 fingers and prize the shell apart near the motor while gently pulling the box back. It should just come out without any resistance.

To get it back in it's the same in reverse.

Work with the gun upside down, Slide the box in till it starts resisting then prize the shell and it should just fall into place.

Once it's back together do a few checks.

Look in the ejection port, The top of the gearbox has a slide on retainer that the baffles sit on, Make sure that retainer is in the correct position on the box, and that it is up tight to the plastic nub in the top of the shell.

Check the wires to make sure there free and not trapped in the motor area.

Drop in the back plate and put the screws in finger tight, Then tighten the bolts, Then finish tighten the screws.



Augs are funny guns, not at all like most systems. Unless you have a stock TM you tend to find people have modified at least 1 part of it. It's one of the best bits about the gun. Loads of space to allow you to really make the insides do what you want them to do.

For the hop pin, you need to have a good look at the unit, and work out if it's the arm, pin or mount that are allowing the movement.

If it's the arm you might be able to shim it, If it's the pin replace the pin, if it's the mount you can either try and fix it, Enlarge the holes and use a larger pin, or pick up a new hop.

The most promising hops look to be the metal CNC ones. I haven't fully researched them yet but there available and should be well toleranced.

http://begadishop.eu/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=307_523_74&products_id=8095

[SinisterWeasel]

To get the gearbox out.

 

Take out the backplate, Then slacken or remove the bolt nearest the motor. You can also slacken but NOT remove the one at the mag release.

 

Work with the gun upside down.

 

Then take 2 fingers and prize the shell apart near the motor while gently pulling the box back. It should just come out without any resistance.

 

To get it back in it's the same in reverse.

 

Work with the gun upside down, Slide the box in till it starts resisting then prize the shell and it should just fall into place.

 

Once it's back together do a few checks.

 

Look in the ejection port, The top of the gearbox has a slide on retainer that the baffles sit on, Make sure that retainer is in the correct position on the box, and that it is up tight to the plastic nub in the top of the shell.

 

Check the wires to make sure there free and not trapped in the motor area.

 

Drop in the back plate and put the screws in finger tight, Then tighten the bolts, Then finish tighten the screws.

 

 

 

Augs are funny guns, not at all like most systems. Unless you have a stock TM you tend to find people have modified at least 1 part of it. It's one of the best bits about the gun. Loads of space to allow you to really make the insides do what you want them to do.

 

For the hop pin, you need to have a good look at the unit, and work out if it's the arm, pin or mount that are allowing the movement.

 

If it's the arm you might be able to shim it, If it's the pin replace the pin, if it's the mount you can either try and fix it, Enlarge the holes and use a larger pin, or pick up a new hop.

 

The most promising hops look to be the metal CNC ones. I haven't fully researched them yet but there available and should be well toleranced.

 

http://begadishop.eu/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=307_523_74&products_id=8095

 

 

 

Getting the gearbox out wasn't the issue, just that now it is back in I didn't notice any of the wobble or movement issue so I left it be. Maybe it is something that happens over time?

The tape has fixed the arm, it was the pushing in of the pin that took the arm with it so it was ever so slightly (maybe 1/2 mm) off centre as it had a tiny bit of wiggle room. It has taken a lot of tinkering to get the hop up to remain consistent so I probably will spend the little extra to replace it with the metal one to avoid the issues next time I have to swap the bucking. Whilst I do I may as well get the new cyclinder head and piston because they are quite cheap and if I am going to have to open the gearbox to swap springs I would like to make it worth while because I find putting it back together quite frustrating, mostly due to the trigger. Even if I just keep them on standby until the current ones break.

 

Can you recommend the best combo to maximise consistency and ideally reduce noise too? If it is lighter and improves ROF I am happy with that but I am not modding towards ROF.

 

This is what I would be getting if left to my own devices from the website you linked to:

 

http://begadishop.eu/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=9170

 

http://begadishop.eu/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=9672

 

http://begadishop.eu/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=307_523_444&products_id=9333

 

Spring guide etc I have no idea...there are so many different things to choose!

[Iceni]

That shop isn't the cheapest for pretty much any component. I only linked it because it had good pictures of the CNC hop. I can't tell yo if the cnc hop is better than the regular plastic one or the metal one. Like I say I've not looked into them and dug about to find user reviews. My standard plastic one has been fine so it's never been touched.

A new piston isn't needed, The polycarb/plastic one you have will be fine.

The head set, Element make a dirt cheap silent set, You should be able to get the piston and cylinder head for less than £10.

The problem is finding a site that has good prices and everything available! It gives me a headache upgrade shopping.


I ended up putting an order into China and Poland to get all the parts I wanted at the correct price. Small things like the piston/cylinder head set that should be cheap were appearing on some sites at £30+ There were a few UK bargains but by the time you have spent a week looking for them then calculated shipping across all components it just worked out cheaper to put in a slightly bigger order with Ehobbyaisia or similar. There isn't a lot in terms of difference in a £10 element set and a £30 systema set... In fact if you put them side by side you would swear they were the same thing.

Unfortunately Ehobby are showing 0 stock for a lot of the cheaper stuff. So it might be worth holding off and watching stock to see if things start to re-appear or new products appear.

http://shop.ehobbyasia.com/upgrade-part/parts-upgrade-aeg/cylinder-heads/element-silent-head-set-for-gearbox-ver-3-1.html#.Vscx8OaQjZI}}
http://shop.ehobbyasia.com/ufc-cnc-aluminum-hop-up-chamber-for-aug-aeg.html#.VsczEOaQjZI

Spring guides are easy, get a metal or polcarb one, It doesn't need to be fancy. The plastic stock ones have a nasty habit of snapping. One with a hole is nice as it makes rebuilding easier with the screwdriver method. You shouldn't be paying more than £10 for one. There is a lot of choice for the V3 box. I put a solid brass one in mine thinking it might add a little sound dampening to the gearbox.