Hey everyone,
If you’ve been keeping an eye on my Instagram and Facebook pages you will have noticed that Valken has sent me a full HPA set-up to test drive. As I’m a complete newb to HPA systems, the first post in our December HPA series will be a post on the set-up itself – from the Ultra regulator to their Optima BLOCK-I V12 rifle so those of you thinking of making the transition know what to expect! It goes without saying that HPA systems are a lot more complicated than your average AEG and GBB system, requiring 2 sources of power instead of one. In this post, we’ll be looking at my set-up which includes: the Valken V12 Optima BLOCK-I rifle, Valken Ultra Rig, Valken 48/3000 Tank, Valken SLP QD Air Rig 42” Hose and the teeny tiny 7.4v 250 mAh PEQ Battery.
First, let's look at the main power source of a HPA set-up, which is, of course, the air which is contained in a HPA tank. The tank I have is the 48cu black 3000psi (EU) w/regulator air tank. It is made of aluminium and has a 3000 psi fill pressure with an 800 psi output pressure. It features a nickel-plated brass bonnet that provides a durable and long-lasting gas interface and high/low-pressure burst disks for the highest level of safety. Tanks of compressed air make me a little bit nervous, especially when they're so close to my spine (we've all heard horror stories!) but the fact they exceed ASTM standards is a piece of mind.
Next up, is the Valken Ultra Rig, which fits on top of the tank and regulates the air that goes into the rifle, and it is also where you can adjust the FPS via an Allen key. It is easy to operate as it has a quick rotating on/off design which releases/cuts off the air flow into the rest of the system.
In regards to the battery and air rig hose, there’s not really much to say – the battery goes in the stock and is required to power the FCU and mosfet. The air hose, which should go without saying allows the air to get from the reg/tank to the gun itself, both are essential to the system.
Lastly, let’s look at the V12 Optima BLOCK-I! Now this will just be a short rundown of the key features of the rifle as this will be getting its own review in a couple of weeks. It has a Valken V12 engine pre-installed in a fibre reinforced light-weight polymer upper and lower receiver based rifle that has a 9.5” modular polymer free float rail system with built-in accessory rails, meaning it’s ready to be accessorised with lights/lasers and PEQ boxes and because of the polymer it’s a light-weight rifle. Let’s have a quick look at internals - it has an FCU that can easily be programmed via the LED trigger face which is a pretty cool feature, it features an enhanced nylon rotary hop-up and a 6.03mm copper inner barrel. I like how the Optima BLOCK-I looks and I really like how light-weight it is.
I am really looking forward to running a HPA set-up in-game!
You can see my unboxing of the full set-up here:
Post sponsored by Valken Tactical
Photography thanks to Pewpewpatriot
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