AEA AEA HP Max tips and tricks

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Flyingsherpa

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Nov 7, 2023
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23
Ca.
I just got my first PCP. Am AEA HP Max .457. So far I am loving it. I was advised by Bin at The Pellet Shop not to go below 3,200 psi, and as long as I do. I should not have any problems with the valve pin breaking. Which seems to be a common complaint. Also I hear a lot about how bad the magazines are, but after tightening the barrel. I have it cycling round better. Still working on it though. From what I have been reading. AEA put out a lot of crap in they're early days, but have gotten better. Also seem majority of semi autos are temperamental. Across the board I hear of the same problems with some of the more expensive brands. Losing air, ect.
What do you recommend for care, tips, and mods that have been successful for you?
 
I've purchased three in the last 2 years. They are hard to beat for the price. They have a simple robust firing system that results in a trigger pull around 5-6 lbs. You should slug your barrel to see what size projectile to try. My Terminator is a 30 cal but barrel is .303. I have had one poppet break in my oldest gun . At the time I had over 4k rounds through it. Poppets like orings are something you should have as a spare.

I would not recomend this as a first gun. They do require disassembled and cleaned on occasion. They seem to satisfy people who like to tinker and have the skill set to do so. As Firewalker stated they are not refined and rely on a break in process to smooth up. They are not poorly designed or dangerous. Overall I would say they are well built and made to last. I would not sell any of mine and I shoot mine daily. 8k rounds and counting out of my first purchase which is the HP Carbine. These guns are made for power and they deliver.

Mags in the HP series leave something to be desired. Their main issue is the spring comes out of the anchor hole and inwinds. I have correctied all of mine by bending the spring to extend further in the anchor holes. Having them snap shut and fly across the room is a fast way to have the spring break loose.
 
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I might ask how many AEAs have you handled @ Nobody1 ?
If it’s just the used one you bought then you don’t have much experience with them m, do you ?
Certainly not a new one.

I enjoy my 3 AEAs. Reliable , accurate, fun and …. Powerful
Didn’t break the bank either
And they are good looking guns in my opinion
 
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The only thick is to use it!! Yes, you have to know how to work on it, but for what i paid for the set-up, this thing is a beast. I use it mostly for iguana's and ever time i use it, the guide will always comment on how hard it hits(.25). Be ready to take the trigger apart for regular cleaning. That's about all i have to do. For some reason, a lot of pellet junk ends up there.
Have a quality tool kit and you are good. Bin has online help if you need it.
 
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Perle said:
I might ask how many AEAs have you handled @ Nobody1 ?
If it’s just the used one you bought then you don’t have much experience with them m, do you ?
Certainly not a new one.

I enjoy my 3 AEAs. Reliable , accurate, fun and …. Powerful
Didn’t break the bank either
And they are good looking guns in my opinion
Click to expand...
I have gone through three of these things none of them without a problem. Different people may have different luck, but I had more issues with each one of the three in a month than all of my other air guns combined over the last several years:

1. Valve seat failing every half tin of pellets. (357)
2. Leaking at gauge (357)
3. Leaking at fill port/ check valve (357)
4. Jamming pellets and broken valve pins on my .25.
5. Internal parts looked used/worn on both new .357. Screws that did not match repair videos: flat head screws with chewed up slots where repair videos show hex nuts
6. In spite of returning both of the first two for repairs, they never held air for more than a handful of shots. I was actually advised by the vendor to stop trying to make the 357 work and try a different caliber that was more reliable.
 
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MrP said:
I have gone through three of these things none of them without a problem. Different people may have different luck, but I had more issues with each one of the three in a month than all of my other air guns combined over the last several years:

1. Valve seat failing every half tin of pellets. (357)
2. Leaking at gauge (357)
3. Leaking at fill port/ check valve (357)
4. Jamming pellets and broken valve pins on my .25.
5. Internal parts looked used/worn on both new .357. Screws that did not match repair videos: flat head screws with chewed up slots where repair videos show hex nuts
6. In spite of returning both of the first two for repairs, they never held air for more than a handful of shots. I was actually advised by the vendor to stop trying to make the 357 work and try a different caliber that was more reliable.
Click to expand...
Which shop told you that ?
Certainly the damaged hardware on a new gun is troubling.

I have had minor issues but once resolved they have been solid. YMMV
90DA53B6-20C1-4EB7-9F69-0A986DEAD78C.jpeg
 
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I have a SS Plus in 22, I like it for what it is. I did do a trigger job which really helped but still heavy.
I also broke a valve pin and ordered 2 from Bin, easy to replace.
I like the semi feature occasionally for plinking, but I think this design may be suited for 177 and 22.
Regarding repairs, I have had to fix something or reseal every AG I have ever owned, Mav, Dreamline, Uragan, Vulcan 3, Logan, Caiman, except my Brocock Bantam HR as it has been flawless and solid.
 
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Perle said:
I might ask how many AEAs have you handled @ Nobody1 ?
If it’s just the used one you bought then you don’t have much experience with them m, do you ?
Certainly not a new one.

I enjoy my 3 AEAs. Reliable , accurate, fun and …. Powerful
Didn’t break the bank either
And they are good looking guns in my opinion
Click to expand...
I have 2. I purchased a Terminator in .357 used at a great price and then an HP Max new in .357 because the Terminator is a brute. I shoot that off a Bog deathgrip and the HP Max is nice and compact and super light. Only issues I've had were me more than the gun, trying to figure out adjustment on the Terminator for semi auto. I got them to deal with coyotes but have yet to see a Coyote since I bought them. Apparently word got out 🤣
 
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Where is the adjustment for the semi-auto? I just got the max, and cannot figure out how to achieve it. It came with the "power kit" piece, which I can't find any info as to where it goes or how to install. Only instructional I've seen was one they sent where it's removing the 6mm plug and inserting a screw down into the hole after barrel gets pulled and (was it removing, or just expanding the port with it? I can't remember at this second) and contacting them I've yet to get a reply about it - so I"m pretty dead in the water right now. I filled to 4300psi but the other gauge (Is it regulator gauge? Because I saw something somewhere about it being unregulated??) or a valve pressure or what, it won't budge past about 1300, about 1/4 the way up from 0. Just irritating I can't find much info or user manuals on it. Any help?
 
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So I finally took the dive and used some of my experience upgrading my Notos and took this one apart, assuming that the "power kit" supplied was to replace something restrictive deep down in the gun, which was the case. There was what looked to be a regulator, just like the Notos' one, very hard to get to and required taking the main tank off. Once that was swapped out, and I did the procedure they sent me videos of which involved removing some type of restrictor for European laws requiring certain lower levels of power, this thing was a beast. That "restrictor" I'll call it, was located underneath the picatinny, near the front underneath a 6mm allen hex plug. After removing that, take a 2" or so wood screw and center it down in there and make a few turns until the threads grab the thing. Once the threads feel stable & solidly in there, use pliers to pull the screw along with the restrictor out of it. Prior to these mods, the "regulator" valve would max at around 12-1300 psi. After them, it's all the way up to nearly 4k psi. Just short of the yellow band. It shoots LOUD - I mean like a medium caliber rifle type loud. Not as neighbor friendly as my Karma SLS or Notos by far. My question now is, I"ve gotten the power figured out but have no references as to how I can tune things now. It's a bit too much for accuracy and would like to do some dialing of the hammer spring, or if I have to replace that regulator back in for tuning purposes and get some consistent shots, might be an option. I hit 1030 fps with a 68 grain slug. 975 with an 81 gr. pellet - which did seem to have much better groups...but then again, I only shot off about 24 pellets, 16 slugs so far. A lot more to go for getting used to it.
It is pretty comfortable though, and lighter than my SLS, despite the butt stock being an air tank with a thin adjustable butt pad on the end. Still not 100% about it yet, but will see as time goes on. Could have gone the FX M4 route for the same cost, but the semi-auto & power had me in love with this idea. Anyone have this model, and how if I can moderate? Threads are bigger than the typical 1/2X20...My thread checker got it at 14mm, but not sure about the thread count as my reference kit didn't include threads fine enough for it. Just seems to be a really hard one to find information on anywhere - the MAX SW45 model that is. Thanks

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