inner Barrels Action Army

The outer visible barrel serves as a hiding place for the smaller, hidden inner barrel.
The inner barrel itself is connected to a hop-up mechanism that feeds individual pellets from the magazine. The ball then passes through the inner barrel when fired; the inner barrel thus contributes to accuracy and range. It's really that simple.

Is the correct choice of barrel length important ?

To this question we can answer: yes. Length is very important for range and accuracy. It's a widely held theory that the longer the barrel, the farther it will go. This is not always true. An example would be the Delta Armory AR15 KeyMod 10" ALPHA. This replica has a 270mm barrel, which is the optimum length for an AEG. Anything over 400mm will not make a huge difference in range and accuracy. Additionally, getting a longer barrel involves upgrading the air system ( most often the cylinder) where barrel length is important for proper operation.

Longer barrels are important for airsoft guns that have higher power and thus longer range, such as DMR/Marksman rifles or sniper rifles.

The hopup is still the most important tool that affects accuracy and range!

Recommended barrel lengths depending on the intended use of the weapon:

        Full auto: 280-400 mm
        DMR: 430-455 mm
        Sniper rifles: 430-500 mm

It is important to note, however, that there are two types of airsoft internal barrels - one made for AEG and the other, designated as VSR, for sniper rifles and gas guns.

Therefore, whenever buying a new barrel or hop-up, make sure they are compatible with each other.

A company whose products are globally recognized is PDI, Maple leaf ( used extensively in GBB)

Inner diameter of the barrel

Players often switch to a 6.03mm inner barrel, but there are narrower versions that go down to 6.00mm. Tighter means better, right? Not always. Other players, on the other hand, upgrade to wide bore barrels, which create a larger air cushion around the bullet to improve accuracy but significantly reduce FPS.

One thing all players have in common, however: quality is far more important than diameter or length combined. The quality of the finish of the inner barrel is extremely important to achieving consistent results every shot.

For example, tight barrel bores can potentially cause jams if not made with precision or if quality ammunition is not used.

What barrel material is most common ?

Stainless steel is the most commonly used because of its corrosion resistance, no risk of surface finish damage and therefore no risk of accuracy and even availability.

Generally, the internal barrels for airsoft are made of aluminium, brass and stainless steel, although some companies also provide a Teflon coating which is more durable and resistant to damage; for example, scratches that can subsequently affect accuracy or jam the ball in the barrel. The downside of the coatings is that as they become damaged, the barrel will no longer function reliably. We therefore recommend the use of stainless steel barrels.

What types of barrels we have

• AEG:

These are barrels designed for electric replicas where the AEG hop up rubber is used. They are not compatible with VSR rubber bands.

• VSR:

This type is used in gas guns and manual sniper rifles. Their hop up rubber has a different shape and cannot be used on AEG barrels.

AEG Barrel vs. VSR Barrel

• Wide bore:

However, due to the larger diameter, installing this product will cause a drop of approximately 26-33 FPS compared to most stock barrels. To compensate for this difference, we recommend installing a higher capacity main spring. This type of bore is SIGNIFICANTLY less prevalent and popular than a tight bore barrel.

• Tight bore

High quality 6.01 to 6.03 mm internal barrels are your best choice in most scenarios. When using such small diameters, especially if you are experimenting with something smaller, you should make sure to clean the barrel frequently! This type of barrel gets dirty faster than wide bores.

Cleaning the barrel

Cleaning the inside of the barrel is important simply to ensure that the ball flying out of the barrel is not obstructed by any debris that could distort its accuracy and possibly cause damage if it becomes lodged in the barrel.

If you are a regular player, we recommend cleaning the inner barrel at the end of each action

To clean the inner barrel you will need the following tools:       

•         Cleaning kit - may be included with the replica.
•         A cleaning cloth - for example, a microfiber glasses cloth
•         Cleaning fluid - alcohol ingestion is recommended

Important - Before you begin, be sure to set the hop-up to 0 or remove the inner barrel from the hop-up unit if you are using a modified hop-up such as a Flat Hop; this will ensure that the barrel does not accidentally touch the rubber of the hop-up and damage it.

Once you have done so, simply insert the rod into the barrel and gently ride up and down until you feel that there is no more debris in the barrel.

Use common sense and don't push too far in when you feel resistance. At the end, you can simply use another clean cloth to test to see if there is any dirt left in it; if not, you're done!