Hop-up

The HOP-UP inside your AEG ensures the backspin for BBs as they enter the inner barrel, allowing the bullet to travel further and with greater accuracy.

There are two main types of hop-ups available, either the AEG type or the VSR type.

How does the Hop-up work?

When the ball is loaded, it comes into contact with a pressure element that causes friction on one side of the ball. This ensures that the BB is backspined, allowing it to travel beyond the point where the gun would not reach without the HOP. This allows the weapon to achieve greater range while maintaining non-lethal performance. In this article you will find how to correctly set hop up, 

Hop up rubber

This is the rubber or silicone part that is in direct contact with the bullet when fired.

It provides recoil and thus extends the range. They usually take the form of a small tube of varying hardness that passes over the chambered end of the inner barrel and engages the grooves cut in the chambered end of the outer barrel surface.

The hardness of the rubber band you choose will largely depend on how many FPS your replica shoots. The harder the rubber band, the more effective the hop up effect will be on higher FPS replicas. The reverse is also true, as harder material will reduce the hop-up effect on lower FPS sets.

Pressure element

The pressure plate is the component that pushes on the rubber band when pressure is applied to the pressure plate by the Hop Up unit's arm.  It usually takes the form of a small plastic or rubber roller, but can also be offered with a flat surface on one side or with a groove in the middle.

Variants of HOP UP pressure pads:

H Nub

The H-Nub is one of the most common enhancements available. This type is not cylindrical, but has an "H" shape and is designed to provide a more stable even application of pressure on both sides of the ball. They are suitable for any AEG.

Flat hop

The Flat Hop is a pressure plate with a rounded side for interfacing with the regulator and a flat side for applying pressure to the ball. The theory, is that its larger contact area will provide more pressure and allow more pressure to be applied. Flat hops are designed for high FPS and DMR setups that use heavier BBs by default, but may require a lot of fine tuning to get a good setup.

R-Hop

R Hop refers to a small rubber patch that can be installed through the inner barrel window before installing the rubber, effectively increasing the downforce by adding additional pressure to the ball. These patches usually require attachment with glue and are prone to failure, but when done properly provide a significant increase in range and accuracy.

Pressure arm

The arm is the part that transfers pressure from the regulating wheel to the pressure element. Variations are available for specific thrust pressures, such as the R hop.

Hop Up Chamber

The Hop Up chamber refers to the part where the balls enter after the magazine is inserted and where the HOP parts that act on the ball are located. This designation is used for both complete units and bare units for which you will need to use small parts from the original unit.

They are available in polymer, alloy and CNC machined aluminum for various AEG platforms. The material you choose doesn't really matter, as the most important thing a hop unit can provide is a solid fit to the barrel and a perfect seal. There are advantages to using a metal hop up unit, for example it is less prone to breaking, especially if you are using a metal nozzle or a high velocity firing setup, and CNC units provide a perfect fit that can only be achieved with precision manufactured parts.
Hop up chamber stamping systems

A governor is a part that you physically turn or move to increase or decrease downforce. It can take several forms. The most common types we see at AEG are the caster set, the rotary regulator and the sliding regulator. They are usually located either in the ejection window area. The most common types are:

Gear regulator

The most common type of regulator for the AEG M4/AR15 platform. Adjustment is quick and easy, but not so easy to adjust in fine increments. This type of adjustment is one of Tokyo Marui's earliest designs.

Rotary regulator

This type of adjustment was first used in the AEG Tokyo Marui AUG and has since made its way into most AEG AR15, P90, AUG and G3. The rotary regulator provides a great middle ground between quick adjustment and precise fine adjustment, applying pressure directly from the top. This minimizes the possibility of uneven pressure, a common cause of inaccuracy at long range. The rotary adjuster is generally considered the best design for these reasons and the more recently designed AEG M4/AR15 are now equipped with a rotary type adjuster.

Sliding adjuster

The most common type of regulator found on AK47/74 replicas. The slide adjuster provides greater ability to adjust the unit in small increments compared to the previous type.