Q: Why can’t I put in any spring I want to without replacing parts?
A: Many parts will either break or wear out more quickly due to the higher pressure of the spring. Consult the guide to figure out what suits your needs.

Q: How do I maximize accuracy without breaking the bank?
A: Tightbores, barrel spacers, and hopup rubbers are all relatively cheap, but great parts. These are the first things that should be changed in a sniper rifle.

Q: I’m trying to replace parts in my cylinder, but I can’t open it like its jammed shut. What’s wrong?
A: Your cylinder pin is still in tact. Refer to Von Luck’s guide:
http://www.airsoftforum.com/board/VSR-Cylinder-Pin-Removal-t39751.html

Q: I want to upgrade my rifle to a higher FPS but I don’t understand why a Zero Trigger is better than new sears. Why is that?
A: A Zero Trigger provides a number of advantages over upgraded sears. First of all, it lasts much longer than sears would. It has been proven that a well maintained ZT can still perform perfectly, with no signs of wear, after over a year or use and abuse. On top of that, the zero trigger provides the lightest trigger pull of any trigger system on the market. Lastly, it is said to increase accuracy by a small margin. The ninety-degree sear system in the zero trigger provides a cleaner release of the piston, which results in less vibrations, and more accuracy.

Q: What is “Bore-up?”
A: Bore-up is a series of parts that have a larger cylinder. The larger cylinder contains more air, so the piston can “push more out,” if you will. This results in more FPS for a lighter trigger pull. It also allows you to use a longer inner barrel because the cylinder: barrel is in check.

Q: I’ve upgraded my VSR with a zero trigger (along with other parts). It is not firing at the correct FPS for the spring. It is firing very slowly, and only shoots about 50-100 feet. Why is this?
A: The O-ring that comes with the zero trigger’s piston is garbage. Use the O-ring from the stock piston for the best results.

Q: I’ve worked inside my trigger box/ put in a new trigger system and the sears are not catching the piston. What’s wrong?
A: Odds are that the trigger box is not screwed onto the receiver all the way. Make sure that you have the correct piston to match the trigger system you are using (Red goes to a 45 degree while orange goes to a zero trigger, aka a 90 degree).

Q: I’ve installed a two piece spring guide and now the piston doesn’t catch from time to time. What’s up with it?
A: The spring guide is unscrewing. Use lock-tight to secure the two halves of the guide

Q: My outer barrel is making a grinding sound when I try to unscrew it. What’s wrong?
A: make sure the screws on the bottom of the receiver and the foremost one on the scope mount are removed. If that doesn’t work, the threads might be misaligned.

Q: What is the advantage of the VSR’s hop up unit over its competitors?
A: The VSR’s hop up unit uses a “V” type cut in it, so it grips the BB better, which results in more range.

First Off, I figure it is appropriate for me to discuss my history with airsoft “sniper” rifles so that people can see my point of view for this review. I personally have owned a Tanaka M40, a Maruzen APS 2 EX, a Classic Army M24, a SR 15 (Hurricane body, Systema gearbox etc...) and a Maruzen Type 96. All of which have been upgraded. I have also done work on other peoples rifles mainly Maruzens, and TM VSRs. Then of course I have shot other people’s personal rifles. So hopefully that may hope to establish some credibility for my knowledge on the subject at hand.

Another thing I would like to do is dispel a few myths. First is that airsoft sniper rifles cannot shoot at distances much further than an AEG. This is false and for example here is a video I made for someone interested in buying a replica from me. The video is me hitting a teammate at 100 yards.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77L25jF1TFo

Also the idea that spring rifles are impossible to cycle when upgraded. Yes, they are not as easy as gas rifles. However with proper technique you can quickly cycle the bolt of even a heavily upgraded spring sniper rifle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khrFKAkMMH0

So with all of these other rifles why would you keep buying more of them, and the answer is of course the look of the rifle, and more importantly to find the best performance possible. This quest took me to finally the Tokyo Marui VSR series. The VSRs feature its legendary two prong hop up system which allows a more even and better grip on the bb. This equates to a more stable flight path and more accuracy.

As a side note I also wanted a VSR for its light weight. I understand many people complain about it being more toyish, but from my point of view I am looking for a skirmish rifle not a wall hanger so the lack of weight is a blessing.

Now why the bore up? This is of course because of the quest for the best performance. I knew that if I did not get the bore up kit then I would just spend time thinking about how it could be with a bore up kit as opposed to the regular cylinder dimensions.

So without further ado this is the parts list I will be using for my VSR

TM VSR 10 G-Spec
PDI EZY Bore Up Receiver
PDI 690-mm Light Outer Barrel
PDI Barrel End Cap
6 Sets of PDI Barrel Spacers
PDI 6.01mm 554-mm Tight-bore Barrel for TM VSR 10
PDI Premier Bore Up Cylinder Set VC
FF PSS2 170 spring (APS 11/13-mm spring will explain in the article why)
Firefly Hard Type Hop Up bucking for VSR 10
FF PSS10 Bolt Handle for VSR10
PDI Bore Up V trigger


A Rough Installation Guide

If you are going to be installing your own parts their are plenty of helpful guides on forums, just read those and you should be fine they explain everything. Also the fact that spring rifles are so simple also makes it very easy to do your own work even if you are new to it.

First step separate the stock and receiver/outer barrel assembly. Very easy remove the screws on the bottom of the replica


Secondly remove the outer barrel, and then pull out the stock barrel and stock hop assembly.After disassembling the hop up you can drop in the new barrel and hop up.

Here you can see images of the VSR hop up system, and the v cut in the Firefly Hop Up rubber. Also there is an image of teflon taping the hop up to remove any possible air leaks.

(sorry for pic quality, could not get camera to focus)

Firefly Bucking


Teflon tape


Bore Up Cylinder

Now a more interesting part. There is a lack of information on the PDI Bore Up parts so I hope I can explain and answer some peoples questions.

First up is an image of a stock Maruzen Cylinder (left), a stock VSR Cylinder, and then the Bore Up cylinder (right)



As you can see the diameter of the Maruzen is smallest, the stock VSR is in the middle, and the Bore Up is the largest diameter by 1-mm over the stock VSR.

Next are the lengths of the cylinders, the VSR is shorter than the Maruzen


Now that we are passed the cylinder we can look at the Vacuum Piston and cylinder. The general theory behind the system is that it removes negative pressure(* not positive on exact term,if someone can verify with me I would appreciate it.) Thus keeping the airflow disturbance free.

To see how the system works go here http://www.x-fire.org/vsr_bup/e.bup_cylinder_vc.html

here we can see the front of the piston


and here is the back of the piston showing why it needs its special shorter VC spring guide.


So now you have the cylinder parts put them in the cylinder with the spring and your good to go. (After installing the V trigger piston end will explain later)

Image of the PDI Bore Up Piston end for 90 degree sear


Also one thing to note is the difference between the stock cylinder head design versus the PDI cylinder head. The cylinder head is similar to the APS series as opposed to the VSR style. This gives a better seal as opposed and removes the need to teflon tape the stock style cylinder head. This is due to an o-ring that now does that same thing.



The PDI Bore Up V trigger is the next item of note. First off, the new piston end allows the use of the V trigger so that the piston sear of the V trigger catches the piston. The piston sear on the V trigger is at a 90 degree angle similar to the Maruzen trigger systems. The stock trigger sear uses a 45 degree angle.

The trigger installs like any other trigger.

So once you then put everything back in the stock, add a dab of paint and some optics you arrive here.



Now the fun.

First off how is the bolt pull? Honestly, it is about the same as my Maruzen the only difference being that the action is shorter because of the shorter cylinder. However it does not feel quite as smooth, maybe its because its new but either way its worth mentioning. Also the first factory bolt handle is amazing very smooth action there no problems with it moving around, stays up or down perfectly.

Next is the trigger pull. Even after adjusting the trigger pull on the V trigger (this is done by loosening a set screw and turning a screw inside the trigger unit clockwise) it is still firm. However, if you do not adjust the pull it is almost unbearable. The best part is though, now that you have acquired the new 90 degree piston end you should, and I emphasize should be able to use the FF PSS10 Zero Trigger with the PDI Bore up set up. I am not 100% sure on that, but I will find out soon enough.

However, the trigger pull after adjustment is ok, but really it is my only complaint with the whole replica and upgrades.

So how powerful is it? Well with a brand new FF170 APS 2 spring (Important to note because the spring is not able to expand to its full length) I was chronoing at 444-446 with the occasional 440.

However here is the beauty of it all...... its worth it. It is by far the most accurate airsoft replica I have ever fired. After a day of fine tuning I was hitting a tree at 100 yards away with consistency fired 10 rounds, 5 hit the tree, 3 were within a foot or less on either side of the tree, and 2 were blown of by wind but still pretty accurate. Also the tree was my point of aim, and I was not holding over to account for windage. These shots were done with .29g Maruzen Super Grand Masters.

In all she is a beautiful replica, and I am very satisfied with the results so far. I will have more info as time goes. All this was done between Friday and Sunday night, including the writing of this article/post.

I hope this was informative, and if you have any other comments or questions feel free to p.m. me.