It’s more than a rubber sleeve. It’s the range, consistency and a huge amount of your compression in your AEG. When most people do an upgrade on their AEG, 9 times out of 10 they completely overlook this critical component. The bucking is one of the only things that you get what you pay for in Airsoft. More money = better bucking. However, some brands only have a few that they are comparable and compatible with.
I would say 90% of OEM buckings are trash. They leak, they have incorrect pitch, and they sit inside the hop-up loosely. The exceptions are Real Sword, TM, VFC, and CYMA.
The worst being ICS, KWA (G2X), A&K, and G&P. Here is a little help on quality replacement buckings just off the top of my head:
- Guarder clear (50 degree)
- Lonex (50 degree)
- Prometheus Purple
- G&G Green
- Madbull Blue
- TruSight TruHop
- Modify
- … there are more out there, of course.
Don’t underestimate the performance of a good bucking. It can turn your AEG into a whole new animal. It does three jobs in your AEG and can deliver solid performance or be a massive headache.