The Crucial Role of Springs in Gel Blasters
Springs are super important in gel blasters. Take the JingMing J8 gel blaster spring, for example. The spring directly determines the blaster's initial velocity. Originally, the JingMing J8 shoots at about 65 fps with a 1.1mm wire diameter spring. Swap that out for a 1.2mm one, and you could hit 70 fps, boosting the speed by at least 5 fps. But why do some folks hit 75 or even 80 fps with the same 1.2mm spring, while you're stuck at 70? Assuming all other conditions are equal, it turns out there's quite a bit of difference between springs!
Five Key Considerations for Gel Blaster Springs
I've broken it down into five aspects: wire diameter, coil count, outer diameter, material, and length.
1.Wire Diameter: The thicker the wire, the greater the spring's elasticity. For example, the J8's original spring is 1.1mm. Upgrade to a 1.2mm, and your blaster's power increases.
2.Coil Count: Fewer coils mean more elasticity but also quicker wear and tear. A common count is 20 coils, offering a good balance.
Let's break this down with another image for those of you paying close attention. The spring on top has 20 coils, and the one below has 22. So, if you swap in a 1.2 diameter spring into two blasters, the one with the lower coil count will actually shoot slower.
I once came across an airgun spring, an M90 specifically designed for certain environments, with a 1.2 wire diameter but about 25 coils, and quite springy at that. However, I wouldn't recommend using it in a gel blaster—there's really no need!
3.Outer Diameter: The thinner the spring's outer diameter, the greater its elasticity. This often-overlooked factor, especially by newcomers, means that not all 1.2mm springs will boost your fps. But a thicker spring might provide more consistent shot speeds.
The next image shows springs with the same 1.2 diameter, but for a clearer comparison, I pressed a ruler against them. The reality is the spring on the left has greater elasticity than the one on the right.
4.Material: The market's awash with different spring materials, from imported steel to carbon steel and piano steel. In my experience, the material difference isn't huge. Imported steel shines but performs moderately and resists corrosion. Carbon steel looks dark and is cheaper but wears out quicker. Piano steel, my favorite, offers the best elasticity and looks sleek, but you don't need to break the bank for it; cheaper options work just fine.
The standard steel used in the original J8 springs is produced in China:
springs we bought from other countries:
5.Length: The longer the spring, the more elasticity it has. The J8 originally comes with a 150mm spring, and it's generally best to stick to this length when replacing springs. Too long, and the spring might deform when compressed, adding extra stress to the gearbox and shortening its lifespan. If you've added bearing end caps or ladder bearings, which shorten the spring's travel, a slightly shorter spring might be better.
The comparison image shows the original spring (above) and the one I plan to replace it with (below), which is just about 5mm longer, not making a huge difference.
Sometimes, we might need a shorter spring. The next image is of a 135mm, 1.3 diameter spring I had custom-made, but I miscalculated. It should have been 140mm or 145mm. Here's why:
To stabilize the initial speed and improve the trajectory, you might add bearing end caps or ladder bearings, as shown in the following image. Adding these bearings shortens the spring's travel by about 8mm. So, if I were to continue using a 150mm spring, wouldn't that lead to even more compression and deformation, without actually improving the initial speed? The issue might not be severe with a 1.1 diameter spring, but with 1.2 and 1.3, it's a different story. The greater deformation could significantly impact the force when the spring releases, so in these cases, a slightly shorter spring might be the better choice.
In Short
Upgrading to a more elastic spring doesn't necessarily make your blaster stronger. The current stable fps limit for gel blasters is around 80, but a 75 fps trajectory performs better. Unless you have a specific need, like a shorter barrel, I don't recommend going above a 1.2mm wire diameter. I've pushed a 1.2mm to 84 fps myself but ended up switching back to a less elastic 1.2mm. After all, I don't want my blaster breaking down quickly or becoming too powerful and losing friends over it. So, staying within a reasonable range for stable performance is, in my opinion, the best approach for the best gel blaster spring modification.