One of the most important parts of your airsoft kit is your gun. There are so many different types of airsoft guns to choose from – even custom options! Here’s what you need to know about customised airsoft guns before spending your cash.
Getting To Grips With Airsoft Gun Customisation
With so many types of airsoft guns and specifications to choose from, it can feel impossible to find something that perfectly fits your style and tactics. If you’re struggling to find a firearm that suits you, you might benefit from creating your own custom airsoft gun to help you become a more effective airsoft player.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about custom airsoft guns including what's customisable on a gun, where to source parts, and how to build an airsoft gun from scratch.
So, let's get into it!
What Makes An Airsoft Gun ’Custom’?
If you're looking to get into airsoft, you might have come across the term custom airsoft guns when researching airsoft kit and wondered what it meant.
Custom airsoft guns are basic airsoft guns that have been modified or customised to meet certain specifications desired by the player.
The beauty of airsoft guns is they can be completely dismantled and rebuilt from scratch. This allows you to add and remove parts to create a gun that best suits your tactics and style of play.
With a huge range of airsoft guns on the market today, it can be difficult to find something that meets all the requirements you're looking for in airsoft weapons. This is why a custom airsoft gun is often favourable over a new gun built to factory specs.
What Can You Customise?
Now that you know what a custom airsoft gun is, you probably want to know what you can customise on your weapon.
On most standard AEGs the majority of parts can be customised. The most important thing to remember when customising your own airsoft gun is that not all parts will be compatible with your guns. Make sure you do your research on what will fit and what's safe to use. Online gun builders can be a great resource for this.
Below are some of the most common parts airsofters choose to customise on their AEG. We have included links to our top selling parts and brands to help you quickly choose the best pieces for your set-up.
Hop Up Bucking
This is the part that adds backspin to the BB. While Marui guns come with decent bucking, other companies make better options.
Some of the best ones include G&G green, ZCI, Prometheus, Cow Cow, and Firefly. Firefly even has a special bucking with 2 nubs on the top, resulting in a more centred spin by having two contact points on the BB instead of just one.
Hop Up Chamber
This can be easily changed to improve consistency of firing. While the stock plastic chambers in a TM AEG are known for their quality and consistent accuracy, there are also upgrade units available.
The Cow Cow 3L Hop Up Chamber is great for pistol AEGs while the Rocket ProWin-style Chamber is great for M4s. Rotary style hop ups are great for an AR-type AEG.
Barrel
Many airsofters opt to swap their stock barrel for a tighter or longer model. The common misconception is that a tighter barrel is better. But this can restrict airflow which can lead to jamming.
Most AEGs come with a stock barrel of 6.06 mm or 6.08 mm. Your best bet for an upgraded barrel is to choose stainless steel over aluminium. Stainless steel barrels have been shown to perform better than other materials. ZCI are renowned for their high-quality stainless steel barrels.
Spring & Guide
The spring plays a crucial part in the functionality of your airsoft gun. The stronger the spring, the higher the velocity at which the piston will be forced forward. Many airsofters opt for a quick change spring system to make this an easier change.
The spring guide prevents the spring jumping up into the gears. A standard AEG comes with a plastic guide. Whether you're upgrading your spring or not, a stainless steel spring guide is a great upgrade. The ZCI Stainless Spring Guide is a great choice.
Piston Head
The piston head is another popular part to customise on your airsoft gun. You can get piston heads that make your gun quieter to give you a tactical boost on location. Classic Army has a great piston head. The Prometheus Piston Head for M4 is also a great choice.
Gears, Bushings, & Bearings
Gears are one of the most important and expensive parts of an AEG. It's important to avoid buying cheap gears for your AEG as they will break and can cause damage to the gearbox. Prometheus EG Hard Gears are a good choice.
Anti-Reversal Latch
An important upgrade which can help protect your guns' internals from damage. The anti-reversal latch prevents the gears from spinning backwards and causing damage.
Cut-Off Lever & Trigger Mechanism
The cut off lever is a common part to upgrade. The lever allows you to have semi-automatic fire on your AEG. If this part breaks, you're left with only automatic firing capabilities which can affect your play.
The trigger mechanism is another popular upgrade. This is a part that can easily burn out if you use automatic firing too much. Investing in a strong mechanism can help.
Sector Chip
A sector chip is a part that doesn't come on stock guns, it's entirely an upgrade. Sector chips keep the tappet plate back longer so that the BBs can feed more smoothly for an increased ROF. These are a great investment as they don't break easily.
Motor & Battery
Upgrading the motor can improve the firing rate and power of your AEG. Don't fit a powerful motor to a standard gun as it will strip the internals. Make sure your motor is appropriate for the other custom parts you have chosen.
If you're making your gun more powerful and quicker, you'll need a decent battery. Unfortunately, most stock batteries are dismal. Thankfully, there are plenty of batteries to choose from that provide more power for longer.
The Stock
Finally, one of the most exciting parts to customise on your AEG is the stock. Almost any stock can be upgraded for a tactical stock. Find out more about the difference between tactical and standard guns.
Can You Build an Airsoft Gun From Scratch?
Yes, it's possible to build an airsoft gun entirely from scratch. However, this isn't likely to save you any money as the parts and accessories soon build up.
With that being said, there is plenty of advice and services online that can help give you an idea of whether you'll end up with a better gun if you build it from scratch rather than modifying a basic stock model.
How to Build a Custom Airsoft Gun
Building an airsoft gun is a very technical process that can get very fiddly, especially if you're building from scratch. Below is an outline of what to expect from the custom building process.
- Figure Out the Base
The first step in building your custom airsoft gun is to figure out the base. This means that before you start building, or even purchasing parts, you need to know what kind of gun you're going to build.
If you're customising a basic, as-sold model, you'll already have the base to work from. If you're going to be building from scratch, you need to work out the type of weapon you want to build. A rifle or pistol will have very different casing and internals.
- Gather Your Parts & Equipment
With your base decided, you need to gather your parts and equipment. You can purchase paint, parts, and tools online. There are services to sell secondhand parts or you can browse our website for spares, repairs, and upgrade parts.
- Learn the Process
If you have never built or customised an AEG before, it can feel a little overwhelming. However, there are plenty of resources you can use to familiarise yourself with the process.
YouTube is a great source of information and you can watch people construct their own guns, perfect for visual learners. Searching "custom airsoft guns uk" is a great place to start.
- Commit Time
Whenever you learn something new, you need to commit time to it. The first time you build an AEG you're going to run into a huge range of issues. It's best to set aside a specific day to build your custom guns.
- Practice
Once your custom build is complete, you'll need to test it. This ensures it's safe to use. A range such as the Socom range in Fleet is a great location for this. Once you have tested your guns, you'll need to disassemble and reassemble it to make alterations.
Where Can You Source Parts?
We have an extensive range of spares, repairs, upgrade parts, and post manufacturers upgrades on our website. View our complete range to find your perfect choice of parts.
Our Top 3 Favourite Custom Airsoft Guns
Our in-house gun tech spends his free time creating some very rock n roll custom airsoft guns. Below are three of our favourites that you can get for a great deal.
Cyma Mp5K Project gun (With Leviathan Mosfet) Fully Upgraded
This is a seriously impressive custom AEG. It has been fitted with a ZCI High-Speed Piston with Full reinforced metal Teeth. This means an increased ROF and a much more durable part.
The Prometheus 141mm 6.03mm barrel has also been fitted to increase straight line accuracy. This, combined with the ZCI High Torque replacement motor means that this is an incredibly powerful gun.
The Cyma MpK5 features the incredible Rocket 7mm CNC bearings and Rocket (SHS) 13:1 High Speed Gear Set to ensure you have the fire power you need whilst playing.
Arthurian Offspring Project Gun (with Leviathan) – Upgraded
Another incredible custom build from our Tech is the Arthurian Offspring Project Gun. This build features the powerful Zci piston and Zci high torque motor to create a ROF that will have you packing plenty of magazines.
This custom build also boasts a delayer chip which allows for a much smoother stream of BB pellets for improved ROF and accuracy. The 13:1 gears and Spring (s90) ensure that the build has a long range to help you get those all important shots on target.
Arthurian Mordred Sandstone Project gun with Perun Mosfet (upgraded)
If you're looking for the cream of the crop when it comes to airsoft kit that packs a punch, you can't go wrong with our custom Arthurian Mordred Sandstone gun. With a Zci delayer, 16:1 gears, a Maxx trigger, Epes piston head, Zci piston, and Zci high torque motor your opponents won't know what hit them.
This custom build also features a Zci steel barrel 285mm that boasts a ripping 345 FPS. No other Airsoft kit will feel relevant once you've fired this machine.
Get Started On Your Airsoft Gun Customisation Project
Customising an AEG isn't the most simple thing in the world, but Socom has you covered. Whether you're building from scratch or upgrading your pride and joy, we have a seriously impressive range of airsoft brands to get you started.
Whatever you need to improve your tool, we've got it! Our entire range is made up of some of the leading airsoft manufacturers – like Action Army, Double Eagle, Army Armament, Specna Arms, Ares, and Hi Capa – so you know you're getting top-quality stuff.
