It’s a beautiful day, the sun is shining and you’re all ready to break your new airsoft AEG in on the field.
Only problem is, your friends have decided they are up for a CQB game and the local field limits FPS to a max of 350, considerably under your M4’s 420 FPS.
You’re reasonably certain changing the spring should do the trick, but your friends seem like they’re getting impatient as you lay your tools out and get ready to pop your gun open.
Letting out a sigh, you put away your new gun and reach for your trusty but aging 300 FPS airsoft carbine…again.
These types of situations have happened to all of us at one time or another, and are the main reason why many airsoft manufacturers have started adding quick change spring systems to their new AEG models.
For airsofters who enjoy indoor and outdoor games, a gun with a quick change spring can be something of a time-saver and mean they can be taken to many different types of airsoft games.
If this sounds like music to your ears, then read on as we discuss quick change systems in airsoft guns, their uses and what to look out for.
We’ll also discuss some airsoft guns with quick change springs that might be worth a look.
What is a Quick Change Spring System
A quick change spring system (or QBS if you like to keep things abbreviated) is a feature offered on some newer AEG airsoft gun lines.
A user-friendly design, quick change springs allow airsoft users to access and remove the main AEG spring of their gun without having to remove (and open) the gearbox itself.
This feature allows users to more easily replace the stock spring of their airsoft gun with a stronger or weaker one, increasing or decreasing their FPS accordingly.
Why would I want that on my AEG?
One problem that many airsoft players have is that they end up spending a good deal of money on a high quality aEG airsoft gun, one that balances good looks, accuracy, speed and reliability with a good amount of power.
Unfortunately, that “good amount of power” can be too much for CQB and indoor airsoft fields, where FPS can be limited to sub-350 FPS.
If they want to use their preferred airsoft AEG on these fields, users will have to try to adjust its power output for that game- typically by replacing their stock spring with a slightly weaker one.
Afterwards, of course, they’ll probably want to put everything the way it was in order to regain their lost FPS (or upgrade to a more powerful spring).
With traditional airsoft gearboxes, doing all this can be a bit of a challenge.
Since swapping spring usually means popping out and opening up the gearbox to access and replace the spring.
With these AEGs, therefore, going from outdoor to indoor games requires a bit of planning as some tools and a clean workspace are generally required to make sure nothing gets lost or damaged.
If an AEG airsoft gun has a quick change spring system, however, changing a spring can be done in a few minutes (or a few seconds even) without having to open the gun and often with nothing but a screwdriver and a hex key (sometimes not even requiring any tools whatsoever).
As a result, users can more easily bring along their favorite AEGs to whatever impromptu games they’d like, without the need to plan, strategize or budget their time quite as much or having to buy separate guns for different games.
How do Quick Change Spring Systems Work?
Quick change systems are actually usually fairly simple.
The overall idea is that the manufacturer of an airsoft gun makes sure that the back of the spring guide, the part of the gun that holds the internal spring, is accessible to the user without having to open the main body of the gun and potentially losing or breaking something.
Once they can access the spring guide, users just have to rotate and pull it out, swap the mounted spring for their preferred one, and push it back in.
The majority of quick change spring systems allow users to access the spring guide from the back of their gun.
These systems tend to require users to pop off the stock and remove any protective plate that might be there.
Users can then rotate and slide out the spring guide, letting them pull off and replace the spring for one that is higher or lower tension, depending on what they want.
It is important to note that quick change spring systems can differ a little bit in their location or even function.
Some, such as found on the KWA Ronin T6 and similar 2.5 gearbox models, allow users to adjust the tension on a given spring with the turn of a hex key (as well as removing it should they so choose), so that users can dial FPS up or down more easily without buying a new spring.
Others can place their springs in more unusual places. With the Krytac Kriss Vector, for example, it is located on the underside of the gun, near the mag well.
How Quick is Quick Really?
Like a lot of other things in airsoft, “quick change spring” is more of a marketing term than a standardized feature, and as such how quick or easy they really are can vary quite a bit.
It is important, therefore, that those looking to buy an airsoft gun with a quick change system do their homework first.
Some manufacturers, for example, offer “quick change spring systems” that require users to open their gun up and access the gearbox, which has some kind of opening to draw out and remove the spring.
While technically this is quicker than disassembling the gearbox itself, we don’t really think it’s something you might do on the fly and without some planning and, depending on an individual’s level of skill and experience, can take quite a bit of time.
That said, there are plenty of quick change spring AEGs out there that allow users to access and replace the gearbox’s spring without opening the gun up – what is usually referred to as a “true” or easy quick change spring system.
Usually these require a screwdriver to remove a part (a buffer tube or a protective plate) and then it’s just a matter of using a hex key to undo the spring guide and draw out the spring.
Although they require the use of a couple tools, such systems can allow users to pop out a spring in under 5 minutes or so with a little practice.
A video doing so in real time can be seen below.
Interestingly enough, there are quick change springs designed to be popped out without really any tools at all.
The parts surrounding the spring (the buffer tube, for example) are built to be unscrewed by hand and the spring guide can usually then be accessed and pressed/turned by hand before being drawn out, making the whole process super easy.
In such cases, a complete spring change can be accomplished in a matter of seconds, perfect for last minute FPS adjustments.
Airsoft AEGs with Quick Change Spring Systems That We Recommend
| Not really quick at all | ⭐⭐ |
| This will take a few minutes and some tools | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Do this with a few tools | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Can do it in the parking lot with a tool | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
CYMA Platinum M4 (QBS M4 system)
CYMA is probably best known for its line of AKs and shotguns rather than for its M4 replicas, but its platinum series is one of the better made mid-range models on the market and it sports one of the easiest and fastest quick change spring systems out there.
Both the stock and buffer tube come off as a complete unit by unscrewing a castle nut, exposing the spring guide and its oversized flat head socket, which can be turned and removed with a coin (or a flathead screwdriver if you have one handy).
Requires: Can do mostly by hand, may need a coin or flat head screwdriver
How easy: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Krytac Kriss Vector
The Krytac Kriss Vector is an SMG with an unusually placed but pretty easy quick change spring system.
Located directly between the grip and the mag well, users loosen and remove a couple receiver pins using a phillips head screwdriver.
Once removed, the spring guide assembly slides out and users can swap springs freely..
Requires: Phillips head screwdriver
How easy: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
ASG CZ Scorpion Evo 3 A1
As one of the premiere SMG airsoft guns out there, it is perhaps no surprise that the ASG CZ Scorpion Evo 3 A1 has an extremely simple quick change spring system so that it can be optimized for CQB play (or powered up to wreak havoc outdoors).
Users only have to fold the stock to access the spring guide, and with the turn of a coin or flathead the assembly slides right out.
Requires: flat head screwdriver, coin
How easy: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
KWA Ronin T6 Series
The KWA Ronin T6 PDW is a well-made and compact PDW M4 replica that is built well enough to be highly usable indoors and out.
To help users out when heading to CQB fields, the gun is equipped with a pretty unique and easy quick change spring system.
Like most other quick spring change systems, the spring guide is located under the buffer tube, and accessing it requires the removal of a protective plate with a screwdriver as well as the use of a hex key to rotate it.
Unlike other quick change spring systems, however, users can adjust the spring tension (although they can) by rotating it using an included hex key tool, adjusting FPS from 320 to 370 or so without removing anything, which is kind of cool.
Requires: Screwdriver + hex key
How easy: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lancer Tactical M4 Gen 2 Series
If you like M4s and are on a budget, Lancer Tactical Gen 2s are a relatively affordable AEG option you might want to consider.
Interestingly, many models also include a quick change spring system, something usually found on more expensive airsoft guns.
Like other M4 replicas, users access the spring guide by removing the buffer tube with a phillips head screwdriver and then turn the spring guide a quarter turn using a 6mm hex tool. The spring guide should then slide out pretty easily.
Requires: Screwdriver + hex key
How easy: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Umarex Tavor TAR-21
Although beloved by many, the tavor is still something of a niche gun in the airsoft world.
Being a niche airsoft rifle (as well as a bullpup), you might not expect that a lot of thought was put into making the TAR-21 user friendly and customizable, but Umarex has.
In fact, it is surprisingly easy to access and remove the spring on this gun.
Users simply pop the buttplate pins free at the back of the gun, and the spring guide should be directly visible a few inches down the integrated stock. A quick turn of a flathead removes a plate covering and a standard 6mm hex will have the guide slide right out.
Requires: Screwdriver + hex key
How easy: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Umarex G36c
The G36 was the battle rifle of choice for the German army up until about 2022 and, like any other battle-tested rifle, it comes as no surprise that the G36 has developed something of a loyal following in airsoft, as well.
Like the Tavor, the G36 is more of a niche product and, also like the Tavor, Umarex has done a pretty good job at making swapping springs as easy as can be.
Users simply have to pop the buttstock pins, press a button to fold the stock to access the spring guide.
A protective plate is removed using a flathead screwdriver, and the spring guide is rotated using a 6mm hex tool.
Requires: Screwdriver + hex tool
How easy: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Bottom Line on Quick Change Spring Systems
Although perhaps not strictly necessary for the enjoyment of airsoft, quick change spring systems can make it far easier for users to up/down power their AEGs without opening their gun, in order to suit different game needs and/or field FPS restrictions.
Although potential buyers need to be careful that the spring system they are buying is actually quick, a spring change feature can be quite handy for enthusiasts, potentially saving time and money in the long run.
Will Martin – Will has been into airsoft and paintball for well over 10 years, and has done it all – from upgrading and fixing gearboxes as a tech to building custom airsoft loadouts for his friends to supporting off those friends as a DM.