Most reliable Pistol...
 

hmm

Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa or Glock 17.

Seconding the age-old workhorse of the TM Hi-Capa, although the TM HK45 with it's new design is quite robust and sexy as well.

People really swear by TM...can you say from experience and recommend those two guns? if TM is that durable it may be worth the extra 200 to have one that i know lasted others a life time....do they have any pistols that take a universal mag...so they can have a one mag fits all?


in addition to airsoft i also DJ as a hobby...i own a pair of Technics1200 mk2 turntables...i bought them used knowing that they would last me a lifetime because thats just what they do...drop one down a flight of stairs and it may have a dent but still turns records like the day it came off the line.....Im looking for the tech12 of airsoft pistols...like a washer or dryer from the late 50s early 60s that runs better then the one built yesterday...

3rd for TM. G17 is great. The newer TM systems like the HK45 and USPc are the best. If you get AV'd you can get a good deal on TM guns every once in a while instead of having to buy new. No universal mags.

The 1911s are more durable than Hi-Capas, mainly thanks to a much better reinforced slide stop system. They "ported" that system over to the Hi-Capa gold match, but not the ohers yet. On the other hand the 1911s have small magazines and do not work very well in cold weather.

The plastic TM pistols are incredible. Since they are plastic they don't wear as fast as full potmetal pistols from other brands, which is why most experienced players swear by them. You can get them around 250-270$ if you know where to look.

Nothing last's a lifetime, only if you don't use it. Any airsoft toy is wear and tear, more you use it, the obvious. You're better off starting with the best "base" pistol, which is TM :)

That being said TM 1911/Hi-capa/Glocks have a ton of aftermarket support.

HK45 and USPC are nice pistols, but there's been no support for them in the past 1-2yrs + :|

Also the TM M&P9 is a great comfortable pistol aswell.

You could consider a WE Glock 17, if you're on a budget, they ain't that bad.

To be honest, I haven't encountered an airsoft pistol that will last a lifetime. This is just not feasible as parts are prone to wear and tear. I understand you want something relatively durable but the focus should be on spare parts availability. In this aspect, TM is one of the best out there as there is usually a ton of aftermarket parts available for them.

Part of the reason why TMs are so expensive is because it is manufactured in Japan where costs are higher. Manufacturing tolerances are very good so parts fit together better which results in generally better performance and reliability, as well as aftermarket parts compatibility.

The TM Glock 17 is awesome but IMO it's more of an upgrade platform. The frame was not designed for propane/green gas and will crack by the front screw post that holds in the front chassis (mine broke after about 500 rounds or so). I now have a metal slide and Guarder frame installed, this seems to be the most common upgrade path for most TM G17 users. There are also extended magazines that have a capacity of 50 rounds, but personally I find them to be cumbersome to carry for a secondary weapon.

I also have a TM 1911 that I've left basically stock (other than inner barrel and hop up rubber) for probably 6 or 7 years now. The ammo and gas capacity is a bit lacking since it's a single stack magazine but it's one of the best pistols I've owned.

If you get age verified, I think there's actually 2 or 3 upgraded TM Glock 17s posted up on the classifieds at the moment.

Best of luck.

Pretty much what Bio said here. And when it wears down, you just get a nice metal kit and drop all those quality internals into some very nice externals of your choice and it's good as new again :D

I disagree on the HK45 and USP-C having no aftermarket support though... I'm sure you've seen E's builds of both pistols Bio; those are some sexy beasts.

Second the M&P9 as well, a good buddy of mine put one in a Detonator kit and it shoots pretty sweet.

To OP, regardless of which one you end up getting, make sure it fits your hand and feels the way you like. I absolutely can't use Glocks, so see if you can figure out what works and doesn't work for you by going into a store and holding them.

ok ok, what I meant was "internally", I know there's slides :P - I have yet to see anything fail on the HK45, but in terms of spare OEM parts, they may be hard to source - for let's say the USP-C.

Whats AV'd?
And i've heard that TM guns are mostly plastic yet people still swear by them BECAUSE THE PLASTIC LASTS LONGER?? huh thats interesting cause some many other brands seem to boast there full metal products..
Any complaints or warnings about the tm g17? so far everyone likes it with high expectations for life span

Wow, really? You must be new here, maybe do a bit of research/reading, and please lose the attitude. There are lots of law enforcement on here who play, and I find your comment rather disrespectful.

/Start spoonfeed

"Full Metal" is not necessarily a good marketing point.
Full metal just really sums up the externals of the gun.

There's a youtube video of the stupid idiot from RedDragon Airsoft blowing off the metal slide off of his WE "Full MEtal" Biohazzard M9. Jared is his name. Spring melding FTW!!

The most important things are the quality of the internals. If the body is metal but your internals are crap quality pot metal then... well you know how that ends.

This is why some people choose Marui products, tho plastic, over products like Bell or Army, or WEs and KJWs. Marui Internals are superior, IMO, to the latter.

Again...

The only pistol that will last you a "lifetime" is the one you make with your fingers and go PEW PEW PEW.

In airsoft, you always get what you pay for. And in airsoft, something always goes wrong.

Believe it or not, Maruis do not appeal to everyone. The plastic just turns a lot of people off. That's why there are metal body kits and aluminum slides out there for most of their guns.

Think about it this way:

There's always a bar to raise for any consumer product out there. And there is always a manufacturer that is able achieve this feat. Marui is both the standard and the bar raiser. Just like how Tanio Kobayahsi fathered the model gun, Marui modernized it.

There is a reason why there are copies of Marui's product design being sold under different brands. The problem is when clones are made, they are not as great as the original.

A nice example of this was back in the day when WE cloned the Marui Hi-Capa. It was was disastrous. Mags leaked. In Canadian specific WE Hi-Capa's the mid frame would crack. There were trigger issues. Plain and simply, they just weren't too reliable (to speak in your terms).

To their credit, WE has stepped up their game but in my opinion, still lacks the certain...."finese" that Marui guns seem to exude.

The suggestions made here are valid and resonate within the community because of the proven track record of these Marui products. Particularly, the Hi-capa and 1911.

From your criteria, the tried and true hi-capa looks like its what you're looking for. Having a plethora of parts to choose from give you the flexibility to literally make a "reliable" gun from the ground up (i don't recommend doing that tho if you're new at this). You can possibly improve just about anything.

You can modify trigger functions like the take up, weight, etc just as an example. This is why they have a distinct advantage over most pistols in most competitive shooting arenas. In fact, they often have their own division.

If you want a full review and list of known issues with the Hi-Capa, read this long thread. It's filled with operators that have issues with their hi-capas: http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=94413

This is another point to make about the hi-capa (and perhaps guns that have been around for a while). Because it's been on the market for a while, there are more than likely enough operators that can offer troubleshooting tips, techniques and solutions to almost any failure you may encounter in the future. That's a big plus.

And I'm not talking about JUST Marui Hi-Capas here. I'm including the KJWs. They have proven themselves to be very good starting pistols for someone who aren't willing to go the Marui route. The good thing about KJWs are that they have strong parts inside already fitted. And if they break, KJW is pretty easy to get a hold of to get replacements.

The downside is, the pretty slides that you may want to put on there, does not 100% fit correctly as they are tailored to Marui specs.

A second viable option is to have someone put a gun together for you. This is a fairly expensive venture as labour and parts add up really fast. But the rewards are always worth it. Just look for a really good pistol smith in your area.

I do not recommend you buy guns that have just been released unless they have good market support, as Biorage explained. Externals, fine. But if the guts break, you SOL soonnn.

The Glock 17 is good but not as great as a Hi-capa/1911.
The Gat is lot more brittle. However, due to its ergonimics (grip angle, bore axis, etc), ease of parts maintenance (how easily you can tear everything down and put back together), how easy you can re-inforce the brittle parts (like the frame) make it an attractive option to many operators.

Here's another thread that may help you decide. This one is about the glock:
http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=140496

Ultimately, as Datawraith said:
/End Spoonfeed

Marui 226
Marui hicapa almost purely because at least 3 companies make every single part of the gun
Marui M&P so far so good, nice design, takes glock recoil springs fyi
Ksc usp compact theyre actually pretty darn good left stock

Try to leave the gun as stock as possible, and leave the plastic slide on it.

not sure if troll.

The process protects everyone from people like YOU (and vice-versa). Ya know, new, unknown, etc? It's a community, so it makes it safer to buy, sell, trade and deal with other online garbage that's common on other forums. Also we don't help youth get their hands on guns, so we verify everyone is an adult as well. Under-covers, as you say, are the least of your worries, unless of course you're planning something illegal. Many of our members are military and emergency people and we are supportive of them.

The AV process is to protect us from scammers, shady people, potentially selling to dangerous people, and to mark people who are good or bad to deal with.
It really has almost nothing to do with cops or legality of selling an airsoft gun.
Ive seen dozens of cases of people getting screwed over fb trade deals, but its very rare over asc...wonder why that is???

huh? what?!

I think all these & all the OP's posts need to become one mega thread right where the OP's first post wound up.

sry..meant no offense
 

Im sorry Nardac, i didn't mean to seem hostile towards or to have any sort of attitude. I meant no disrespect to you or any police in particular....i have a cousin who is a Trooper in the state of Kansas....but if you had been beaten up as many times as i have by overly aggressive police you would be hesitant to spend your free time with them as well.

And i am new to this forum, and never heard of the importance of verifying a members age because everyone knows everyone where i live. However i understand why we do it here...cause we dont know each other really

I hope this simmers any boiling hostilities anyone was feeling after my previous remarks, again i dont want to offend/disrespect anyone, especially not law enforcement

Ok, see that makes more sense...protecting the community from scam artists so guys dont feel like they are buying a gun with an unknown history from a stranger....when i play out on the gulf islands there are games that are all ages....is that illegal? i am 28, and dont want to get in trouble just for playing with a 16yr old (who's in full protective gear, and his parents know, and are ok with it)...we only have one Cop on texada so he is REALLY nice about it...but has cautioned us about playing in Powell River cause there are more officers than just him who may not share his opinion...(sry, this is way off topic)

BACK ON TO THE TOPIC (my bad)
thx for your coment e-luder......that was very helpful, i think the biggest thing i have learned hear is that i have to make my purchase at a walk in store...so i can feel the g17 or 1911 cause everyone is different...and i can talk to the tech at the store about parts for whatever gun i choose...so yea i want to try out the TM quality but when i make the purchase it wont be online....any recommendations for a good store on the island or in N.van? (island is better, less ferries)

Mike, take the time to get AV'd. You will be getting a better deal than a store, and some guns for sale here already have upgrades. If anything, go to a store to hold one and get a feel for it at least. You'll get more for your money on these forums.

We had a big sort of "little league" airsoft group in manitoba that was all ages. It's fine as long as the parents are good with it and they have proper supervision.
Selling guns to minors on the other hand is dependent on provincial law.

The AV thing is a bit of a hot button topic for many people on ASC. We have had a LOT of people in the past criticize the AV system for being "archaic" or "useless". Mostly boils down to those people either not being eligible to be AV'd, having been previously banned under a different IP, or just plain can't be inconvenienced to go through the process.
Fact is, it works.

Thanks for your apology, I'm not law enforcement, but I do work closely with police in my profession. So I wasn't going to let something like that go. Nice that you addressed it though.

Plastic can bend and recovers nicely when it takes shocks. Also, those plastic pistol actually have metal rails in them. Usually some kind of steel in higher end guns (some parts of my Marui 1911a1 have some rust, like the inner frame). So you get metal that's ok quality taking the friction and plastic that can take shocks* and bend in other parts. Best of both worlds. In a full pot metal gun like a WE Hi-Capa, you have weak pot metal taking shocks and deforming, and rails eating each other because they are made of crapium or something. Add the normal "hazards" of Airsoft like sand and drops and you have the perfect recipe for a failing gun.

But if you want to learn to fix guns, cheap guns are amazing. They'll need fixing all the time, you'll get good at it in no time, but your wallet will hate you in the end, because that craptastic gun upgraded to be somewhat reliable will have cost you more than a glorious piece of Tokyo Marui plastic.

* Does not apply to TM G17 and G18 slides. They have a 90° square-ish front. Plastic squares are bad at taking repeated shocks. Those are better with a good quality aftermarket aluminum slide.

I hear ya, for me it is the inconvenience of leaving my little enclosed world, im 2 ferries and a long car drive from any stores on the island and 3 ferries and a stressfull drive to any stores in Van city..haha so getting AV'd cost more than most of my guns, i havent left the powell river/texada area for about three years

Why do I get the feeling this guy has a prohibition order for 10+ years...

Cause your judgemental and like to make assumptions...its ok, i know lots of people like that...(i dont mean that to be mean or antagonizing, however i LOVE making over-the-top comments, playing devils advocate, abrupt sarcasm & anything that will get a quick rise out of people, or leaving them assuming that i am an end-of-the-world theorist with a massive stock pile of real ammunition and explosives)...ever play with tannerite explosive!? that stuff is fun!!! (and now a bunch of people on this forum probably think 'im the reason guns get a bad rep' or maybe that i should have my kids taken away
lol, people are really politically-sensitive these days, and like to "

I have i no criminal record, just like my civil liberties is all

Look here friend, Airsoft is a relatively small community here in Canada, and posts like the above are not quickly forgotten. So how about you chill out and remove foot from mouth so that you can play the game without everyone knowing every minute detail that runs through your head.