M4 Hop Units

[Twice19]

Hi guys

I'm a total novice and anything technical when it comes to airsoft, so this may be a really dumb question (sorry it is).

I'm looking to upgrade the range & accuracy on my JG M4 (totally stock), so looking to invest in a new Hop Unit and barrel.

However, all the Hop Ups I've seen look like this:

But the Hop I've got in my M4 is this one:

Maybe I'm being really stupid; but the new hop is totally different to the old - so am I going to have to source a different type to get it to fit???

 

Thanks for the help

[Sitting Duck]

That is the old style 2 piece hop unit as fitted to old SRC and TM's

there should be a bit just below nozzle - that is the other bit held in by 2 small screws

now some have cut away the lower receiver to replace with a more modern 1 piece hop unit

 

or just replace bucking+nub is maybe what I'd do first with a quick barrel clean

[Lozart]

^^^^^^what he said.

 

 

The old two piece hop is ......okay. But you could do a lot worse than just trying it with a new rubber and nub. Maybe a new barrel. Maybe.

 

Thing is that you will need to either Dremel out the lower receiver to fit the one piece type hop or change the whole receiver to one made for a single piece hop. However that way lies great and untold woes related to incompatible parts and much expense to end up with a gun that works no better than what you started with. So unless you want to learn how it all works by tinkering endlessly, be happy with what you've got or buy a new gun.

[Twice19]

I'll look into fixing up the workings of the Hop that's in there. My old TM (in pieces now) and this JG both have the 2piece hop, so when I went online I was very confused as to why nothing matched them!

Definately don't want to start dremelling out parts of the gun to try and get something that might not fit.

 

Any recommendations for Bucking and Nubs etc? Everyone seems to advertise theirs as being the best. It's hard to find an actual *users* account of what to go for.

Trying to read up on this, but there's so much info about R-Hop this and Flat Nub that...I'm just getting more confused!

 

Thanks for all the advice, guys. :-)

 

Edit/Update:

Been looking online and it's possible to still get the "Upper" 2 piece hop upgraded, so i might treat myself to this ( http://www.evike.com/products/33354/ ) on payday, with a nice tighter barrel in there too.

Firstly I'll give it all a good clean up internally.

Got a game in 2 weeks where I can see how well/badly the gun performs.

The need for an upgrade is from test-fires and chrono's at my local site - as I've just rebuilt the gun after a 7yr break from Airsofting. But the shots didn't have a great deal or range and groupings were pretty poor.

[Lozart]

The issue is more that the little things won't quite fit the same. For example, I had the same thought process as you. My first gun was a second hand old tm M4A1 with a 2 piece hop.

 

I bought a dytac receiver as it not only came with all the bits (fire selector, may catch etc) but also the hop itself.

 

Then I started getting problems with fit. The tm fire selector for example looks better but doesn't work well with the dytac shell. The tm charging handle won't fit the return spring for the dust cover properly so then I had to get a dytac charging handle too. And so it goes on.

[Lozart]

That one from evike won't be any better than what you already have. Save your money and get a Prometheus purple rubber instead.

[Twice19]

Thanks for the help, Lozart.

I'm getting totally lost trying to get my head around this. So many variations on different parts...and so much bloody jargon too!!!

[jcheeseright]

99% of 'upgrades' aren't, they're just cheaply manufactured replacement bits that are often not even compatible.

 

For hop rubbers I'd stick to prometheus or firefly, both make excellent actual upgrade parts.

[Twice19]

Thanks Cheeseright. I think I fell into the "ooh, shiny! It must be better!" trap.

Are Prometheus considered a pretty reliable brand for most upgrades? Thinking of a barrel too.

[jcheeseright]

pretty much everything prometheus make is an upgrade for most guns, it's all made in Japan in relatively low numbers from good materials. The exact opposite of 99% of chinese 'upgrade' parts.

[Twice19]

Thanks Cheeseright, good to know.

I'll stick to Prometheus for the upgrade bits I'm looking into.

 

Thankyou for all the info, everyone.

You've likely saved me a load of wasted money and effort.

Looking into the Purple Nub and a 6.03 Prometheus Barrel, hopefully that will sort everything out for a bit before I grow a pair and start opening up the gearbox for tweaks too.