(Don't defend past actions; what is right today may be wrong tomorrow. Don't be consistent; consistency is the refuge of fools. - Adm. Rickover)

What is the Daytona Gun Airsoft System?

The Basics

Our proprietary system bridges the gap between AEG and GBB airsoft guns. Players choose AEGs for reliability, magazine capacity, and a general turnkey airsoft experience. Those looking for something more realistic gravitate to GBBs. 

Daytona Guns provide the reliability and consistency of AEGs with the fun and recoil of GBBs by replacing the internals of your donor gun with a recoil engine crafted from brass, aluminum, and steel.

You get the reciprocating bolts and recoil of a gas gun, but without magazine cooldown. You get high magazine capacity, but without the lifeless electric whine of motors and gears.

Daytona Guns are powered through HPA, and require no batteries, no CO2, and no Green Gas.

How does that differ from other HPA platforms?

The vast majority of other HPA platforms in airsoft are piston set and trigger replacements. They may use a solenoid to actuate an air valve (for example, the Wolverine Inferno Gen 2 and PolarStar F2) or they may be entirely mechanical (for example, the PolarStar Kythera). In either case, the reciprocation of the nozzle and the release of air are all that happens. They are replacements for geartrains, motors, and pistons, that is all.

While some may offer additional recoil-providing accessories (such as the Wolverine Quake) these are generally secondary and unsatisfying – an afterthought compromise to fulfill a market niche.  

Daytona Guns replace all the internals of the donor, whether gas or electric. Our engine is built from the ground up to provide consistent and satisfying recoil and shooting performance. 

When you pull the trigger on a Daytona Gun, you’re not just telling solenoids or valves to open and fire a BB down the barrel and then retract to load the next. Our bolt carrier slams back from air pressure and then shoots forward under recoil spring tension. The muzzle barks and rises. Daytona Guns aren’t just shooting implements, they’re an experience. 

Basic Theory of Operation

Unlike other HPA engines in airsoft, Daytona Guns don’t use a traditional solenoid. While there are some mechanical poppet-based engines available, none of them provide for a recoil impulse. 

Also, unlike more common engines, Daytona Guns don’t use a traditional nozzle.

Pulling the trigger on a Daytona Gun actuates either a sear or a pin. This then either depresses the valve knocker or the pin against the valve stem of the air valve.

Air passes through the valve into the rear of the airshaft. This air then travels into the bolt tank. This expanding air, sealed by the plunger (a type of poppet valve) pushes the bolt carrier backwards, uncovering the front portion of the airshaft.

Air passes into the front of the airshaft and down into the barrel group, shooting any loaded BB out the barrel. 

Air continues pushing against the plunger, propelling the bolt carrier backwards after the BB has been fired.

The bolt tank pushes the airshaft backwards through the air valve, disconnecting it from the air source. The recoil spring then pushes the bolt carrier forwards and loads the next round. It may also trip the semi auto sear, if the gun is in semi-automatic, stopping the system until the trigger gets released and pulled again.

Performance

The Daytona Gun system provides amazing and consistent recoil unmatched by any gas gun, and the loud muzzle report keeps opponents downrange of you behind cover.

Rate of fire can be adjusted both through regulator pressure changes as well as recoil spring adjustments. You can achieve realistic full-auto firing rates on most guns (such as ~800 RPM on popular platforms like the M4 and M249) or even faster or slower, depending on your preferences. 

Range and accuracy generally match upgraded airsoft guns of other platform types (AEGs, GBBRs, etc.). Daytona Guns generally work best with heavy ammunition – we recommend 0.30g as a starting point. 

Please keep in mind that recoil is a factor when firing a Daytona Gun, and must be compensated for.

Building Process

You have two choices when it comes to getting a new Daytona Gun:

-Buy a pre-built gun from Daytona Gun Airsoft

-Buy a kit from Daytona Gun Airsoft and assemble it yourself (or have a trusted gun tech do it for you)

Pre-built guns purchased from DGA come in two options. 

The first is a basic build. This gets no upgraded components (such as a better inner barrel) and is assembled and tested by to a functional state. You save some money with this option, but lose out on potentially increased performance as well as durability.

The second is a full build. This gets all the upgrades we currently have available, as well as more in-depth testing and tuning so that you receive a build that functions as well as we can make it.

Air Efficiency

Much like buying yourself a big, V8-engine classic car, you don’t buy or build a Daytona Gun with the aim of air efficiency in mind.

Because Daytona Guns must propel the bolt carrier back and forth, unlike a traditional HPA engine, they use considerably more air than other offerings on the market.

DGA recommends a minimum 48/3000 tank for non-machinegun conversions. This setup usually allows for ~1100 shots at 110 PSI. Machineguns will want a 68CI tank at minimum. Preferably, the largest carbon fiber HPA tank you can get/are willing to carry works best. Please also keep in mind that Daytona Guns (and most airsoft HPA guns) require a standard paintball HPA tank, and NOT an SLP tank.

You can get a rough estimate of tank fill longevity using the following formula (please note this uses Imperial measurements):

(Max Tank Pressure x Tank Volume) ÷ Regulator Input Pressure

For example:

(4500 PSI x 68 Cubic Inches) ÷ 120 PSI regulator pressure = 2550 shots

Please remember that this is a ballpark figure at best, and may not be accurate to your setup. 

Is It Proprietary?

In a word, yes.

Our entire engine is custom engineered to be retrofitted into a variety of different AEG and GBBR donor bodies.

Due to this design, you cannot use your favourite standard hop up chamber, hop up bucking, or trigger (for AEG-based builds).

That said, you can use standard airsoft parts for the following:

• Inner barrels – we recommend a high quality, NON-tightbore stainless steel barrel such as the PDI 6.05 line
• GBBR triggers – have a favourite trigger for your VFC or WE M4? You can use it
• Pistol grips – you need to modify them to accommodate the air line, but that is all
• GBBR selectors
• AEG magazines

Tuning, Upgrades, & Adjustment

While the Daytona kits are proprietary, that doesn’t mean that there is no room for changing and tuning your build to your preferences.

Muzzle velocity and (to an extent) rate of fire can be controlled by adjusting the air pressure on your regulator. Higher pressure means an increase in velocity and rate of fire. The exact numbers can vary from build to build, especially when different inner barrels come into play.

That said, as a general number, a 6.05 bore 370mm inner barrel often achieves 1.4J to 1.6J of muzzle energy at 110 PSI.

Most builds generally need a minimum of 100 PSI to run properly, but some can go as low as 90 PSI. The engines themselves are rated to 130 PSI, but in practice can exceed that (whether your donor can take the beating is another question). 

Constant Improvement

Daytona Gun Airsoft actively looks at improvements and upgrades. We do this for both design and production.

Many of our kits have multiple generations behind (and ahead!) of them while we push the system forwards. Because airsoft manufacturers also make (arguable) improvements and changes to their designs, we also do our best to adapt our kits to these alterations.

FAQ

What guns can the Daytona kit be installed into?

The best way to check is to navigate to the Conversions Kits section of our website

Can you make me a custom kit for X gun?

Short answer, no. Long answer, maybe. Designing, producing, and testing our kits takes a great deal of time, and we usually have at least one new project on the go. That said, our design team may be able to work something out. Reach out to us to check.

I want to buy a discontinued kit, is there any way to do that?

Unfortunately, no. Manufacturing capacity is limited, and we want to make sure that our productions cycles for current kits go uninterrupted.

What pressure should I run my kit at?

Generally, at least 100 PSI. This will depend on factors like: idiosyncrasies of your build, desired muzzle energy, desired rate of fire, recoil spring strength, etc.

How do I adjust the hop up on my build?

Many guns have a pre-drilled hop up adjustment hole created as part of the build process. Insert any 2.5mm hex driver or wrench into the hole. Clockwise increases hop effect up while counterclockwise decreases it. Some guns, such as the M249, may require you to remove the barrel group to access the adjustment screw.

What maintenance do I need to do on my build?

Guns require regular cleaning and lubing. You also want to ensure that all hardware has been properly tightened down with blue (non-permanent) thread lock such as Loctite 243.

You will also want to check and replace common ware components, such as O-rings and the airshaft crush ring and spring.

Please check our Maintenance Guide for a more in-depth answer

What inner barrel should I use?

We recommend a high-quality, non-tightbore stainless steel inner barrel. All full builds purchased from us use PDI SUS304 6.05 inner barrels. Brass and aluminum barrels can be used, but aren’t recommend due to their ability to get damaged much more easily.

Why shouldn’t I use a tightbore inner barrel?

Tightbore inner barrels get dirty much faster. They are also much more prone to jamming and feeding issues.

Why can’t I use a standard AEG or GBB/VSR hop up bucking?

The airshaft and hop up chamber in our system is incompatible with standard buckings. Feed pressure is also much higher in Daytona Guns than in just about any other airsoft gun.

Do you ship to my country?

Is airsoft legal there? Then yes. If you have any special requirements (orange tip, UKARA, NABV, etc.) please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you.

What tools do I need to build my own Daytona Gun?

This varies somewhat by gun. We recommend taking a look at the installation guide for your desired build and checking the What You Need section.

Generally, a rotary tool with various bits, punches, a hammer, a bench vise, hex wrenches or drivers, screwdrivers. Additional tools like angle grinders, an endmill, and a lathe are also often helpful.

How difficult is it to build a Daytona Gun?

Gun techs experienced on multiple platforms can build the guns with relatively little difficulty. If you are new to tech work, or are otherwise not particularly handy with tools, it can be quite difficult.

How long does it take to build a Daytona Gun?

Assembly time varies based on the kit, but usually anywhere from 1-4 hours for general assembly. Tuning may take anywhere from a few minutes to several weeks depending on any issues that crop up in testing.

Do I need to break in my Daytona Gun?

Many builds are fully functional right after assembly. Some bedding-in can probably be expected, but there is no hard and fast rule (so nothing like “You must fire 5000+ shots through your gun before bringing it to a game”).

The retrofit nature of our kit and the experience of the installer make this highly variable. Your build may function flawlessly as soon as you finish. It may take a few weeks of tuning to get it to work well.

Can I run my Daytona Gun on Green Gas or CO2?

Yes, if you can figure out a remote line and regulator system for them. That said, you will introduce the cooldown effect into your system, and who wants that?

Can I lock my Daytona Gun to semi-auto only?

All of our guns that are not dedicated machineguns can be locked to semi only. Please see our Semi-Locking Guides.