Short stroking is described as removing teeth from the piston and sector gear resulting in faster cycles on your AEG. It can also decrease your AEGs velocity.
What is the benefit to this? Short stroking will improve your rate of fire and will result in faster cycle rates. It’s also an easy modification that will cost you little or no money. It will also prevent any pre-engagement *(this is when the sector gear engages the piston’s teeth while it is still in motion).
What’s the downside? In short answer, short stroking will result in a drop in velocity in most AEGs. The velocity drop depends on how many teeth you decide to remove. This should only be done with AEGs that have shorter lenght barrels.
*Keep in mind the BB stops accelerating as soon as it leaves the barrel of the gun and you must be using a full cylinder.
The teeth removed from the sector gear and the piston has to be equal, you can play with your AEG’s gearbox by manually playing the gearbox cycle with your hands, notice how the piston contacts the sector gear.
Lightening your piston A.K.A. Swiss Cheesing is highly recommended.
Though this method is considered a rather a crude method to increase rate of fire amongst a lot of airsoft technicians, it is still an easy free alternative to purchasing high speed gears and/or motor.
No matter what, the last tooth of the piston has to be metal. You have two options.
Option 1: Buy a Piston with a full metal teeth rack. Cut off the desired amount of teeth
Option 2: Cut the piston in half or wherever depending upon how many teeth you decide to keep, and you use the front portion of the piston only. This way you’ll have the last tooth metal and have your desired amount of teeth on the piston. Keep in mind now that you’ve cut the piston you’ll have to apply necessary space in between the cylinder head and the piston head; so that your AoE (Angle of Engagement) will be set to where it needs to be.
You can use Sorbo Pads, Piston AoE spacers, or even cut spare plastic cylinder heads in half so you end up with a large washer with a seal on it.
Ok I am sold! What do I need to get started?
First you’ll need to be familiar with AEG gearboxes. As well as some airsoft tech experience.
