Well L96 Hopup rubber

[m102404]

This is a winter project rifle...and my first in-depth into airsoft bolt actions. It's used, with at least one previous owner.

Background (Skip this if you want to...questions are at the end):
When disassembling the barrel assembly and checking things out, I noticed that the hopup rubber seemed to protrude A LOT down into the inner barrel, even with the hopup turned all the way off. There was a little ball bearing under the hopup lever arm. No big deal that it's a ball bearing.

After disassembling the hopup unit, I noticed that the inside surface of the hopup rubber seems very rough (like it's been torn/worn), which is not surprising considering the soft rubber, ball bearing and amount of protrusion into the barrel.

I swapped the ball bearing with a regular hopup nub. It still protrudes a lot into the barrel (hopup off) but it at least has some give. Since the slot/molding of the barrel/hopup rubber is fairly minimal, I rotated the hopup rubber 180deg so there'd be a not-roughed-up section of rubber protruding into the barrel. It reinstalled smoothly and everything seems to sit right.

Reassembled, the rubber still protrudes a lot, hopup off. Shots fire reliably (they used to jam with the ball bearing installed), but way too much hopup is applied. Groupings are consistent...just way up in the sky and not on target.

Yes. I know I can get a PDI hopup and use regular AEG barrels and rubbers. I'll do that eventually when Jugglez finds one in stock.

FPS is 380fps with 0.30g BBs (spilled my BBbastard on the ground...so they're KSC perfects)...yes, I know...too hot for local games...that's not the point.

My questions are:
1. For those with bolt actions...when your hopup is off, do you get any protrusion of the rubber into the barrel? I.e. on most AEGs, when the hopup is off, the barrel is clear....is it different for bolt actions?

2. It's not really the most measurable question...but how much of the rubber is pushed down into your barrel (i.e. 1/10th, 1/5th, etc...) when your hopup is set normally. I realize that this depends on the rubber hardness, fps, etc...but just to get a general sense.

3. I'm not the best parts searcher kind of guy...I've looked, but haven't found stock hopup rubber parts listed on WGC, Redwolf, Unco...I'm "assuming" that the Well L96 parts are the same as Maruzen Type 96 parts...but no sign of stock replacement hopup rubbers...can someone point me to the right spot?

4. Are there any DIY/homebrew remedies to try to remedy this?
- I'm thinking of either grinding down the cup of the hopup arm so that the nub sits higher out of the barrel. Similar to PDI's "low" arm. But this will be a permanent mod, unless I fabricate another arm (and I'm not that bored yet).
- I'm also considering bodging something together to replace the hopup nub that will be "flatter" and not push down so much on the rubber...but with the amount that it pushes down, I'm not sure that it'll help.

Any help is appreciated. It's very nice that bolt actions are so simple with few parts vs. AEG/GBB's.

[m102404]

Quick Update:

I had a number of boxes arrived in the mail and have finally got this one up to an acceptable performance level.

From a stock Well L96, I've done the following:
- Installed PDI Hopup for Maruzen Type 96 (WTF! is up with installing that tiny little o-ring in the hopup!!!! The larger one on the barrel end isn't too bad but the little one that seals up the nozzle is crazy to install. Found that if you stuff the hopup with something stiff, I used the foam that plugs the tube that new barrels come in, it's easier to get it into postion)
- Installed Modify tapered cylinder nozzle
- Installed Laylax Zero trigger
- Installed Prometheus RED hard hopup rubber
- Installed Modify super lightweight aluminum piston
- Installed Laylax APS red piston head
- Installed PDI M170 spring
- Installed Modify 9mm spring guide
- Installed Madbull 6.03mm 509mm Black Python tightbore (I had to drill out the muzzle cap...the barrel is just about 1cm longer than the stock barrel...it now ends just at the muzzle, nice).
- mounted my Bushnell 4x12 scope on Leupold QR weaver rings

Trigger feel is much nicer now. It's got a distinctly louder signature vs. stock...most likely due to the fact that it's shooting 180fps faster now!

After settling everything down, it shoots 496fps with 0.30g bbs and about 580fps with 0.20g bbs. Way to hot for local field games...but that wasn't the point of this project.

I still have the stock spring/piston/guide-rod, a 7mm metal guide rod, a M130 spring and some other bits. I should be able to easily drop it down into local field game ranges...but I think that I'll leave it as is for now.

Onto the accuracy/consistency tests...

[Skladfin]

use laylax barrel... it was made to be used with that hop up unit. fuck madbull

[m102404]

Originally Posted by Skladfin

use laylax barrel... it was made to be used with that hop up unit. fuck madbull

Thanks...besides f*ing Madbull, any specific reasoning of how/why the laylax barrel works better/only with the PDI Hopup unit?

[Cushak]

Try it out. If you're happy with the performance of the barrel, let us know. From what I see in your list, that would be the first thing I would think of when thinking of limiting factors.

However, that's not to say I don't like madbull barrels. I use one in my Pro-Win M4 and am VERY happy with it. It's very accurate. It's just madbull is not what first comes to mind when I try to think of "sniper" grade accuracy. But who knows, maybe we'll see that those barrels can perform well in a bolt action snipe.

Also, where did you get your PDI hop-up? I've been considering one but couldn't find any at the places I usually search.

EDT: Also, don't you have to buy a new outer barrel and barrel spaces to use the pdi hop-up?

[m102404]

Oh yeah...forgot about those bits...

I did not have to buy a new outer barrel...but I did install Modify's "enhanced barrel spacers. Basically tubes of PTFE/UHMW plastic with o-rings on both the O.D. and I.D. to center and hold things in place. The spacers worked perfectly with both the stock and the MB barrel.

I bought the PDI Hopup from Airsoftparts.ca...Jugglez is tops in my book. I had also bought a Laylax Aero-Chamber Neo PSS2 hopup unit...but Jugglez came through first and so I installed the PDI hopup first. The Laylax chamber sits BNIB for now.

I've installed Mad Bull Black Python Barrels in a number of rifles (3 x M4, 2 x M16, 1 x AK, 1 x Dragunov, 1 x FAL Carbine, 2 x MP5) and aside from one rifle that suffered jams (which turned out to be sprue/mold lines on the BBs), I haven't heard anything but good things back from the guys. In my personal rifles, they've performed really nicely. Cost vs. performance...I like 'em.

Now, my experience with a bolt action airsoft rifle is limited...and I have not fielded this rifle yet. I will if I have time...this was a project rifle for interests sake. I am by no means an expert of any sort with bolt action airsoft rifles!

I don't mine stating that something does not work in a given setup/combo...but I'd rather know specifically why before I state it.

I'll update this thread as I come to more conclusions/observations.