AEGs, rain, and you....

[Chachi]

I am curious, and have done some searching, but is there anything special that you should do to your AEG for playing in the rain? With my first airsoft event coming up with Conflict Europe, and it being January in Oregon, there is a high potential for rain. Please let me know the various things you do either before or afterward to help protect your gun. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Cap n pickles]

Well, with my AKs busty GB, and nice metal body..
Ive dipped it in water, she pulled out just fine. SHoots like a champ. Water is ok to mine.

[110]

Make sure you dry it out, don't want the pot metal gearbox or other pet metal parts on the exterior to rust.

[Beran]

don't carry it barrel up in the rain. i usually keep my gun as close to my body and barrel down as often as possible when its raining. i try to keep it out of the rain as much as possible, but its gonna get wet to some extent. when you are done (like, in the car even) wipe it down with a dry towel or something to help prevent rust. doing a general cleaning when you get home is a good idea too, and make sure you dont store it in a foam filled gun case that got wet. i left an M4 in a foam sided gun case once that got left in the rain as well, and soaked up water like a sponge. needless to say, when i left the gun in it for a few weeks it rusted like crazy.

[Bad Karma]

AEGs typically fare very well with moisture. There are no AEG components that will be permenantly damaged by temporary exposure to water. That said, if you get water in your barrel or on your bucking you may notice inconsistent hop-up or increased inaccuracy.

Any time you expose your gun to high moisture environments I recommend that you do a full take-down to clean and dry all internal parts. Clean the barrel and bucking with a barrel cleaning rod and pad, and apply silicone oil to the cleaning pad during your final pass to protect the barrel.

Pay extra attention to any steel parts, as these will show signs of oxidation (rust) almost immediately after sitting wet for a prolonged period. Most guns do not have many, or any, steel parts, but some of the newer/higher end AEGs may. For example, a new 2009 CA blowback M4s will have a steel dust cover, forward assist, retention pins, and so forth.

[Jester316]

I sit here and recall Mary's Peak, 2 years ago.

As long as you clean it up afterwards, it'll be fine. Most of the electrical components are sealed against large amounts of water, and even if they get wet, they will be fine.

[Patrick750]

what i do with my m4 is take the lower and upper receiver apart and just sit them out to dry after i wipe it down. i have not one spec of rust.

[Nec]

When I use my AEGs in the rain I take a little insured out on myself by wraping the connectors with electrical tape and making sure water does not get to make battery and and in my barrel.

[Sleepy]

I'm pretty sure I answered this years ago. You can operate an AEG with it fully submerged. There was video. Grid 18 was another example. Just make sure to hit it with a hair dryer, wipe it down, clean the barrel, and you're good.

Oh, right.

[slipstream]

you may not want to use an open bolt GBB in the rain such as a KWA M11. It works, but some of your shots may go crazy.

[G36 FTW]

I left a JG bar ten out in the mildew in my backyard for a week. I could never bolt the thing again. (It like rusted the bolt shut)... And just be careful to keep wet crap out of your magwell..