To mod or not to mod.

There is a damn good question! In airsoft, lots of guys like to modify (or “mod”) their replicas and other equipment. When you check out an airsoft store, there are a ton of replacement and upgrade parts to choose from, and it can be overwhelming to a newer player trying to choose what will and won't help them in their quest for airsoft dominance. Just as many guys run totally stock guns, exactly as they got them new in the box.

First let's look at types of mods, then look at mods in more depth. After that we will discuss the pros and cons of modding vs stock replicas.

There are really three basic types of mods to your AEG or other replica; cosmetic (paint for example), bolt on and in depth mods. More or less, these same categories apply to other gear as well, though with some variation depending on the gear in question. Granted, bolt on options for pants are uncommon at best, right?

Cosmetic mods are things like changing the basic color of your replica or parts of it, or adding a camo pattern to make it blend in with surroundings better. Depending on what the parts you are painting are made from, you may have to use special paints for plastics, or strip wooden parts and use stains or paints to achieve the effect you are going for. We may cover painting and other cosmetic mods in future articles if there is enough interest in our readership.

Bolt on mods are the most common and are probably the easiest. If your replica has tactical rails (like a RIS rail for example), you will be able to simply slide many attachments onto the rail, tighten a few machine bolts down a few turns, and be ready to run your replica within a few minutes. The are just as easy to remove as well, so if you decide to upgrade later but want to use the accessories you already have, it will not be hard to do. This type of mod is also a great place to start, as serious, irreversible mistakes are hard to make with most things that bolt on. Some might put battery upgrades in this category as well.

Some common bolt on accessories include flashlights for playing in dark areas, optical systems like scopes, red dot sights and laser sights and practical options to make the replica easier to handle, such as a vertical fore-grip.

More in depth mods include upgrading internal components in the gear box, hop up and barrel upgrades, battery upgrades, and pretty much anything that requires you to disassemble your replica. Study up on these before you begin, so you know exactly what you are getting into before you begin! Other in depth mods include conversion kits, such as adapting an AK stock to a tactical system, or upgrading from plastic to wood parts for the grips. Some guys will even do full custom mods, such as moving where the battery is located inside the AEG, altering the stock configuration or even going further and doing total conversions to make a different type of replica.

Amongst many mid level airsoft players who choose to upgrade their replicas, the most common in depth mods are battery improvements, upgrading the spring and other gear box components and adding a tighter bore barrel.

That is it for now, more to come soon! We will be updating this article in the near future with more information, so stay tuned!