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HPA Set Up?


bankz5152

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Afternoon,

 

So I am strongly considering converting my WE P90 to HPA because the mags are just horrific and I really cannot be assed to keep fixing them only for them to leak again a couple days later. 

 

Watched a couple videos and it does seem pretty simple to convert. Drill & tap the internal tank from the bottom, add a 45 degree adaptor, male QD hose connector and remove the valves from the mags and done! What has me a little confused is what I actually need to buy in order to run the HPA system itself and where to get it from. 

 

So some advice on where I can buy from, ideally in the UK would be excellent!

 

What I need -

 

Field tank - Large enough to hold 300 shots at the minimum would be great, I don't want anything too big, more slimline the better! How many shots would say this tank give me?

Hose/Line - Any suggestions here? They look very expensive for what they are, some 8mm tube and some connectors for £30+ please. The tubing is dirt cheap and the connectors arnt much more

Regulator - I'm guessing this is to adjust the FPS/ROF etc... Though what do I need?

Refill bottle - Some kind of dive bottle, will any do? What fittings do I need to refill the smaller bottle? 

I'm guessing I can get the big bottle refilled anywhere that does diving or PCP air rifles?

 

Cheers :)

 

Edit -

 

So I found some bits, could someone tell me if they are suitable/compatible?

 

HPA Low Pressure Regulator & Line  - Looks very reasonable, plus the line can be extended very cheaply

Air Tank - From what I understand so far is 26ci should give around 400 shots before needing to be refilled

I think I have some QD connectors at home left over from my air compressor. Though if not what do I need? All I know is its 1/8 NPT Male, though how do I know what will fit the line above?

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True but still I am not overly concerned about any of it. The Police have FAR more to worry about than airsofters, even if HPA was outright banned I bet people would still show up to sites with HPA and no one would bat an eye. 

 

My view is the law is more toward the folk that misuse and mistreat the system. Even if the cops showed up to a site and someone was using HPA, I doubt they would even care or even know what they where looking at. 

 

Im not saying flounder the law etc.. just saying don't be too concerned about it all and wait for the final outcome. 

 

Does anyone really believe that the police will be conducting door to door searches for airsoft guns, showing up to sites to chrono everyones equipment, spending the money on accurate chronos? No they arnt. They can barely afford to keep up their current police work let alone adding this into the mix.

 

What it will mean is if some little scrote has an airsoft gun, shooting over the limit and said scrote shoots a member of public, or brandishes it in public or anything in between they could be punished under the firearms act. 

 

To put things into perspective, when I got my SGC I was told to expect yearly visits from my Firearms Officer or random drop ins, 5 years nothing. When I got my FAC I was told to expect 6 monthly check ups and again random drop ins, 3 years and nothing. Not even an email or a phone call.

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I see where you're coming from and agree to a certain extent.  It's just, if they wanted to, they could come down and snag people for easy wins to bump numbers e.t.c.

 

'Machine guns taken off the streets' bla bla bla for the simpletons who believe that *suitcase*.

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Something to consider, iirc there was a lot of noise last month about HPA rigs now being illegal due to the new act that received royal assent.

Not sure about illegal but potentially in hot water, to me what it seems they need is some kind of fixed pressure blow off valve within the system like air compressors all have which would require a mechanical modification and would prevent the police labs just turning up the pressure at the regulator to increase the power output.

 

If it was me running a HPA conversion I'd definately be looking at fitting a manifold block with a 120psi blow off valve directly after the regulator on any system I'd own.

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I completely agree that police for the most part will ignore these laws, and that they will decide that they have better things to worry about.

However, there will still be some ignorants here and there feel the need to spend time ruining airsoft, and these laws helps these people.

 

Another path as well:

Let's say that i want to host an event that allows 400fps full auto, or 500fps full auto with MED. I'm cool with it. My participants are cool with it (otherwise they wouldn't participate..).

But it would be entirely impossible to actually announce and run such an event. There would be too much moaning about it. Now that wouldn't be a problem normally, but since there's enough material leaning towards "Illegal", it would open me up for penalties, police investigation and *suitcase*. Competitors would abuse the opportunity straight away. Not to mention, who's gonna issue me a site insurance if the general perception is "it's illegal", regardless of wether or not it is.

 

 

Not sure about illegal but potentially in hot water, to me what it seems they need is some kind of fixed pressure blow off valve within the system like air compressors all have which would require a mechanical modification and would prevent the police labs just turning up the pressure at the regulator to increase the power output.

 

If it was me running a HPA conversion I'd definately be looking at fitting a manifold block with a 120psi blow off valve directly after the regulator on any system I'd own.

Guarantee you i can break the law with 120psi. And then you have guns like tippmann that need 800psi. Anything written in law based on input pressure would just ruin more things in airsoft.

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Guarantee you i can break the law with 120psi. And then you have guns like tippmann that need 800psi. Anything written in law based on input pressure would just ruin more things in airsoft.

I wasn't saying a 120psi pressure release valve would suit all, however if I was converting one of my green gas powered guns to HPA a 120psi valve would prevent anything higher pressure than green gas getting to the BBU, this would of course be coupled with a flow restrictor/power reduction valve in the gun so that it's running on the safe side of the new defined limits on green gas/propane etc anyway, pressure release valves are available with all sorts of different pre-set pressures and would need to be matched to the application if, and at the moment it's still an if, that would comply with the new law.

 

Now the idea of running a private airsoft event with a 400fps (on 0.2g) full auto limit is going to be simply insane once the new act comes into force, it won't be a case of leaning towards illegal, it will be illegal if you're actually running over the 1.3J defined limit, if caught you'd be prosecuted for being in possession of an unlicenced section 5 firearm and get a miniumum of a 5 year jail term. If you think 5 years in jail is worth the extra fps then that's fine, but remember every person who gets caught out ignoring the law is potentially fuel for a full airsoft ban.

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Yes but since you're subject to other peoples opinion on what's possible with your gear, and not your own knowledge, it doesn't matter that it suits you.  If they think your setup is dangerous, it's dangerous. If i someone else has a completely different setup that's dangerous, then yours is as well. There is no room for details. It's tyranny of the majority.

 

Comment was based on current law. I see the confusion.

And as you point out, the laws get worse. Hurray!

 

Maybe we can just do like paintball and get a "we won't use it wrong, scouts honor" industry wide defense.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I converted mine on the same day I purchased it. It shot 430-440 (0.2g) out of the box, and our field is limited to 1.13J.

 

I drilled the body of the chamber and just used a straight 1/8NPT fitting. A couple of friends have drilled theirs on a 45 degree angle up the back side of the chamber. That allows the fitting to be completely hidden when the hose is removed, and removes the need to drill a hole in the body. I was however skeptical about using a taper fitting (it seals on the taper), and the longevity of doing it that way, but it appears to be holding up fine for them.

 

I didn't alter the magazines, instead I just shortened the valve on the gun that pokes up into them. You can leave the valve, which would let the gun use the magazine as a low pressure buffer area, but on the flip side all that air is dumped when you change mags.

 

The trigger is pretty nasty on them, and there are two modifications you'll need to do. Pack the activation rod out at the trigger to remove the slop, that's a must. Also, there is a ramp on the metal bit that the trigger rod pushes aganist. This is I assume to create some feeling of trigger break, but IME it just makes it heavy and ######. You can just file that angle bit into a smoother more rounded bit, and that will significantly lighten the trigger pull.

 

Lastly 1.13J is only about 50 psi, which makes it sluggish and not fun to shoot, on either semi or auto. What you want to do is to restrict the output nozzle (the bit that floats around inside the loading nozzle) so that more pressure is required. To do that, block the ports in it. I did this by putting three AEG nozzle orings around it, effectively blocking the ports. This means it requires more like 110-120 psi to get to 1.13J, giving a much much snappier gun that is actually quite enjoyable to use. At some stage over winter I will strip it down again (easiest gun to work on ever!) and fill those ports with epoxy, and then file them larger and larger will I get to 1.13J @ 120 psi. Having said that, I will try it at some higher pressures to see if there are any more worthwhile gains in response.

 

For the regulator, generally I use a Redline Firebase. For the bottle, just whatever HPA bottle you have (the output regulator should be 850~950, to match the input pressure on the regulator). This is the same setup I use on all my Polarstars, Escorts, and other HPA GBBRs. To fill from my SCUBA tanks, I use your typical paintball fill station adaptor, specifically: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/ELOS-Scuba-Refill-Station-Paintball-HPA-Tank-Fill-Adapter/32703124260.html

 

Redline regulators come with a decent hose (you'll want 3 foot for most applications, run it over your shoulder and you'll never really notice it). 

 

Given it is such a doddle to work on, you could probably twist me arm in to taking some pictures if you get stuck or require further info.

 

1/8 NPT tap and fittings can be obtained from Amped Airsoft, as with the reg/bottle/hose.

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Cheers. I found the trigger fine once I adjusted the trigger bars a tad. Found the reg, line & bottle in the UK, I'd rather not order big heavy items from over seas!

 

Only question is how to connect the field tank to the scuba tank.

 

Cheers for the offer. 

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Put the fill adaptor on the SCUBA tank. Pull the collar back on the output fitting, stick the tanks fill spiot into it (it's the vaguely brake bleed nipple looking thing on the side), tighten the release valve. Open the SCUBA tank slowly, opening it further and further as it fills (don't force fill it as fast as you can by opening the valve quickly). Once you hear it stop transfering air, close the valve and then open the release valve to take the pressure off the fitting. Then simply remove the tank by pulling the collar back on the output fitting again. You'll be doing it in your sleep in no time :)

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