G96 HPA Conversion

[gunny94X]

I've got the same issue as KBarlow had a couple of months ago. I bought a G96, and I want to game with it. Unfortunately, many fields won't allow it because the muzzle velocity is too high (I have no idea what it's firing at yet, it was shooting funny last time I was near a chronometer). I looked into my issue a little bit, and it seems as though everybody is converting their G96s to work with HPA or CO2. I like the sounds of doing that because it means I can turn the pressure up or down depending on the rules by which I must abide at any given time. I have a few concerns with all this, though.

First concern is cost. I already dropped a few hundred dollars and, being a University student, I don't really want to spend another few hundred on my gun right now. Does anybody have any idea about how much the conversion will cost?

Second concern is ease of installation. Is the HPA/CO2 upgrade something I'm going to have to get someone else to do for me? Or is it something I can do on my own?

Third concern is acquisition of the parts needed for the upgrade. Am I going to have to go buy a whole bunch of parts from a few different places and put them all together myself? Or is there somewhere that sells it all as a kit?

Fourth concern is aesthetics of the gun after it's complete. I know the magazine will have a valve coming out of it, but I really don't like the look of having a big HPA or CO2 tank sticking out of my gun. I like how the gun looks right now. Is there a way to do this so that I can keep my gun looking nice?


** EDIT **
I found two different Air systems after some more research:
Amped Airsoft SLP Air Rig
Firebase Air System from Redline

Both would require me to tap my mag and get an air tank, and the SLP one requires SLP air tanks at 300PSI or less. The SLP one is also cheaper. Is this what I'm looking for?

[CodeName Sempi]

Following this thread. I to have these questions.

[Reaver_RRTS]

http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=151172

This is the thread I started about the same thing. Please do a quick search before asking questions that have been asked before. Read through this, and you'll find plenty of information.

[ThunderCactus]

1) switch to a polarstar kit if you want HPA
2) why don't you just get an NPAS to lower your fps? O_o
3) if you hook up a tank to ONE mag, then you'll be playing with a single lowcap mag the whole day

[Reaver_RRTS]

Uh, if you just have a quick disconnect unit on the end of the remote line then during magazine swap you just disconnect the remote line and connect it to the new magazine...

[ThunderCactus]

I considered that, but I figured it was so ridiculous nobody would ever consider purposely doing that to their gun lol

If we're talking scratch build mods, it would be easier to scratch build an NPAS.
For HPA, it would be much easier to run it right through the bolt as opposed to the mag. Or just run CO2 cartridges in the stock. You'd need to rebuild the gas delivery system to go through the bolt, but it would essentially be the same setup for CO2 and HPA.

[Reaver_RRTS]

Alot of snipers who use gas powered bolt action rifles use HPA mods. It makes it very consistant, and easier to manage the fps. But it's much easier to mod the magazines instead of fuckin with the bolt. The magazines just need to be drilled and tapped, then screw in the fill nozzle, and hook up the remote line. Very easy if you have access to a machine shop, or even just a tap set... as opposed to redesigning the bolt itself.

[ThunderCactus]

A lot of snipers who want to run air, who want the most consistency and accuracy out of their rifle, use a springer rifle lol

[coach]

Originally Posted by Reaver_RRTS

Uh, if you just have a quick disconnect unit on the end of the remote line then during magazine swap you just disconnect the remote line and connect it to the new magazine...

That makes for slow mag changes and assuming your replacing the fill valve with the quick disconnect, it leaves you with the risk of damaging that valve sticking out the end of the mag. I've contemplated this with my 50 round TM G18c mags so far as to have already purchased the parts. (But ended up throwing them on my m500 )

[Reaver_RRTS]

Originally Posted by ThunderCactus

A lot of snipers who want to run air, who want the most consistency and accuracy out of their rifle, use a springer rifle lol

I agree, but some buy the gas powered ones out of preference or availability. I personally regret buying the G96 because my inner barrel was bent right from the manufacturer and I don't have the funds to replace it with all the stuff required to get it working with a new VSR-10 barrel, new hop up, new nozzle etc etc. Spend the same amount if not less for a semi auto DMR and I'm happier. :/