Psionic - a new brand focused on the Hop-Up system
What is Psionic Upgrades?
This company was established a few years ago in Italy. They deal with the production of proprietary solutions to improve the operation of the hop-up system in airsoft guns. Their offer is quite rich. It includes not only elastics, but also elements such as spacer arms or dedicated r-hop patches. On their website you will also find good quality parts from other manufacturers, such as complete hop-up chambers or inner barrels already prepared for operation with r-hop.
There are really many manufacturers who have a similar offer. So, what distinguishes the products of the Italians from other solutions on the market? First of all, their production takes place on site. Within their company, they have a department responsible for the production of rubbers and other elements. This usually allows for better control over the production process and quality control of the finished product. Surely many of us have had to deal with a situation when our favorite hop-up bucking in one of the newer batches had undesirable properties. There is a chance that we can avoid such a problem here. In addition, the described manufacturer uses a proprietary mix of polyurethanes. This is to achieve the best performance with their products. So, let's see what their solutions are.
Psionic hop-up buckings
The described manufacturer has basically three main product lines when it comes to hop-up bucking. It's easy to recognize them by... colour. We will describe them in a moment. It is worth adding that within the specific groups described below, there are also variants for different types of airsoft gun power supply, which we will also talk about later in the article.
Matrix-X rubbers are probably the most standard of the products offered by the Italian company. They most resemble traditional hop-up bucking in that they have a rather strongly convex curling element. However, it was not without innovation. The patch in the shape that the manufacturer describes as a trident is responsible for turning up. It actually has three protruding elements. This is to ensure that the BB spins evenly. In addition, the rubber itself is semi-transparent and in green shades. It is slightly shorter than the standard one and has tabs to improve sealing. I would suggest using it for replicas that have not yet undergone power tuning. It is recommended for systems with a power of 0.5J to 1.5J.
Above: Eraser MATRIX-M Gen2 for AEG
Tho-R is probably my favourite bucking from this manufacturer. It is a very good alternative to the popular flat-hop makeover. It is red in colour and, as is the case with Psionic Upgrades bucking, it is a bit transparent, shorter than traditional bucking and seals well in the chamber due to the ribs used at the end of the bucking. The most important thing in this design is a large element that curls flat-shaped balls. Such a bucking is a good solution for people who tried their hand at preparing a flat-hop modification but had to fiddle a lot with the height of the spacer because even with a strong spin the patch barely touched the BB. Thanks to the Tho-R rubber solution offered by Psionic, this should not be a problem. There is a good chance that we will be able to spin even quite heavy BBs without any problems. This bucking is recommended for airsoft guns from 0.5J to 2J, so it will be used in many constructions.
Above: Eraser HU THO-R for AEG / HPA / GBLS replicas
Blue Flat rubber from Psionic Upgrades is a special purpose product. Their best use is in connection with the dedicated r-hop patch of this manufacturer. Thanks to the completely flat design in the middle, we do not need to modify our rubber at all for this type of conversion. Like other products of the Italian company described here, we are dealing with a slightly transparent material. The bucking is shorter than those from the competition and seals very well in the hop-up chamber.
Above: Hop-Up FLAT AEG eraser - R-hop ready
What airsoft guns should Psionic products be used for?
Looking through the offer of this manufacturer, we can say that we basically have no restrictions as to the type of airsoft guns to which we can use their products. We will find here both hop-up bucking for the most common electric powered replicas, but also for others. There is no problem with choosing a solution for spring-operated replicas. We will find here, for example, products dedicated to the popular VSR-10 system. There was also rubber dedicated to gas powered replicas in various systems. What aroused my sympathy the most is the fact that this manufacturer's offer even includes hop-up bucking for electric pistols, which are often overlooked when tuning.
If we look at the offer of this manufacturer as a whole, we can use their products in many places. In addition to the already described hop-up bucking and complete r-hop sets, you will also find parts there. Noteworthy are their original spacer arms dedicated to M4 airsoft guns and VSR-10. Thanks to the good quality of workmanship, they help to ensure even pressure of the spacer to the rubber. In addition, they eliminate shoulder slack that we can sometimes experience in some factory hop-up chambers. This is an inconspicuous, but very welcome accent, which is another component in the construction of a precise system.
I have already written about the r-hop sets of this manufacturer on the Gunfire Blog. Here I will only mention that currently they seem to be the easiest way to install this type of modification in an airsoft gun. Just make sure that you have one of the inner barrels for which Psionic Upgrades creates dedicated r-hop patches, and you basically get a ready-made package from them to install this system.
I had the opportunity to test Psionic Upgrades products in various replicas. From the weaker ones, dedicated to games in buildings, to quite strong sniper rifles. I achieved the best results in replicas that until now had only standard factory parts. After installing the r-hop system, there is no problem with overclocking quite heavy BBs. Even the simplest Matrix-X rubber made the whole system better sealed and I have less power loss. If you are looking for good quality products for the hop-up system, it is worth betting on Psionic Upgrades.
Author: Boreq
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