Have you heard of HPA guns and considered to try them out one day? Yeah, they are expensive before you set them up but the performance is outstanding. We could even agree that the performance is a bit too outstanding and when we take all factors into a consideration, is there really room for HPA in airsoft at all? I mean they are not common and you will not see many people carrying them in fields, so why is that so if they perform so good?
If you are a beginner and this is the first time you hear about HPA I will first explain how they work and what is their purpose, after that I will list all advantages and disadvantages that come with HPA, answer a few requested questions about them and give out a conclusion.
What is HPA and how does it work?
HPA stands for High Pressure Air systems that are primary used on AEGs and GBBs ( you can use them on Snipers, Shotguns, pistols and other guns). HPA works simply be utilizing the power of tanks that get connected to a gun and cause the high air pressure as a source of energy.
Lets say that you own a gun that operates on electricity or gas, they might perform great but the energy that comes from these sources can not be compared with the power and its efficiency that comes from a HPA tank.
(In case that you use AEG and move to HPA, batteries are still required to power up the electronics)
When you move to HPA setup, you create an access to some awesome stuff that you could not previously run on your previous set ups.
Therefore, people use HPA when they want a powerful blowback effect on their guns or an improved fire rate that otherwise is not achievable with any other system, for easy adjustments, for better accuracy because the shoots are more constant or because it saves money. In short, the HPA system allows you to do so many things that you can imagine on your gun and could not do otherwise without it.
Next, We will mention advantages that come with HPA system and immediately follow it up with some disadvantages.
Consistency
Gas guns are less reliable and have more differences in FPS between shots. HPA system also has less components that can leak and it is easier to seal it. The environmental temperature may vary ( playing on cold winter days) and it can affect gas powered airsoft replicas and greatly reduce their efficiency and performance.
HPA system deals with all these problems quite nicely and provides a player with better accuracy that is consistent and it is easy to get used to it.
However, it does not mean that is superior to, let’s say high quality AEGs and Gas guns that have upgraded or high-quality inner barrel, hop up unit and well compressed inner parts. It is a great choice for accuracy for sure but great accuracy can be achieved in many ways, not only by moving to HPA.
Maintenance
It may be expensive to set it up before you get all parts and connect them, but once you do it, the pure maintenance is quite cheap. So, the calculation goes by the following, even if you spend like $300 on set up, once you install it you do not have to put in more money for maintenance because you only need to refill the tank which is pretty cheap and check the condition of the tank every once in a 3-5 years.
The cost of a HPA tank refill is 3-5 $, and gas easily exceeds these numbers after some time and becomes more expensive.
You can also take way more shots (500-1000) with a HPA tank than with other systems in terms of how much energy is stored and accessible, however it won’t last forever and after a day of playing you will have to check it and see whether you must refill it for the next game or will it last long enough in case that you were not a maniac shooting on a full auto whole day long.
You will also have to charge batteries but the expenses are pretty much irrelevant here because the voltage is low.
There are many places where you can refill your tank, so accessibility should not worry you.
Adjustability
It is a simple task for everyone to toggle between different modes like 3-round burst or full auto. It is easy to control the rate of fire with HPA systems and the trigger response is quick, you can also change the velocity on demand meaning that it is easier to adjust to BBs and site rules if they demand not to exceed given FPS rules.
This comes handy for some players who want these options because they can not get the access to them without HPA system, however there are also disadvantages that follow this benefits and you should hear about them.
Unrealism
There is a problem with HPA system that bothers many people including me. Having an unrealistic rate of fire and extra responsive trigger system allows you to shoot with the airsoft replica way faster than any real gun, while also making it accurate.
Also tapping the magazines make it look weird and unpractical, although the function is there it just breaks the immersion.
I believe that people choose to join airsoft because they like realism and how good airsoft manufacturers are at making replicas of real guns, also there is so much tactical and military style gear and devices that can be used in airsoft and actually serve the purpose in real life.
Playing airsoft is also followed by the same logic and it is the reason why skirmishes and LARP are so popular among players.
When you have a gun that first does not look realistic and then also shoots unrealistic, you break the immersion way too much, paintball is already doing a great job at it, airsoft does not have to.
Reloading
Reloading is not smooth because of tapping and this does not only break the realism but also affects the functionality. When you want to replace a magazine it means that you first must disconnect the spent magazine, get the new one and then connect it to the tapp again.
This consumes time but you can get used to it and then is becomes a routine, however do you like the idea or not?
Restrictions
Not all fields will accept you and your HPA tank, it is also easy to abuse it because if your gun gets chronoed at given FPS, you can still change it later by modifying the tank options.
Full auto is quite annoying too, combine it with high FPS and find a person that likes to inflict pain on others ( read a sadist) and you will have many unsatisfied players and issues. HPA comes with responsibility and while you may be the one with responsibility inside, bad people put a bad image on HPA because of this and it is difficult to control it.
Carry Difficulties
Have you assumed that the tank must be carried on your back, right? Indeed it must and this is another problem that I would not want to bear on my back.
The tanks weigh under 3 pounds and it is not that heavy but it is still annoying to it on a back, especially when you consider that this makes it difficult to carry the rest of your gear that you would otherwise put in a back bag.
If you combine it with some chest rig you will have enough room for everything but you still must think for yourself and consider that you will have to move a lot with it attached to you. This may not be the issue to me but we are all different and have different expectations, so you may find it uncomfortable.
Is HPA better pick than AEG?
HPA is not a better pick but rather a solid pick. HPA comes with some great advantages and a player can benefit from it, however if you do not like the disadvantages that come with it you can stick to other gun types.
Can you convert an AEG to HPA?
This question is often asked by beginners who like what HPA brings to the table. Yes, you can convert your favorite AEG gun to HPA, you will unlock some new awesome traits with it but bear in mind that the batteries will be still needed to power up the electronics.
Things you will need for HPA setup
I will mention in short what you need to set it up and start using it.
- HPA Engine
- Air Tank
- Regulator and Line
- Batteries and Lubricants
- Tournament Lock (optional)
It is easy to find all these parts in stores and you can connect them yourself. However, doing this yourself will require knowledge and skill, which can be acquired by some further research. It is also possible to buy the already built set up.
Conclusion on HPA system
The conclusion is that if you find it cool and want to try out something new, HPA is a cool pick. Before you get one make sure that you can use one on the fields where you often play and think in advance.
I personally do not like HPA, except in some cases where it is necessary to make some cool stuff work.
I look at it as something that brings lots of fun and that has it’s place in airsoft but should not become a norm and predictions are that majority of players will still rather use traditional and more popular gun types, while you will be able to spot a few players with HPA set up every once in a while if you play on bigger fields.
Do what you enjoy and do not let the others stop you from doing that, unless, of course you violate the rules, do not violate the rules!