Airsoft Canada - View Single Post - FAQ for Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa, 2011, 1911, MEU & Detonics type variants

ILLusion · November 30th, 2009, 11:24

FAQ

Q1: Which should I get? A Hi-Capa 4.3? Or a Hi-Capa 5.1?
A1: That depends on what you want to use it for, and what you're willing to sacrifice for certain benefits of the chosen pistol.

4.3 Pros:

Shorter overall length allows easier handling
Fixed rear sight is more robust due to no moving parts for greater durability
Single sided safety lever and shorter beavertail tang provides a lower drag profile
Shorter (lighter) slide requires less time to cycle and requires less gas to cycle than the 5.1
Integrated lanyard loop so you won't lose your pistol on the field.

4.3 Cons:

Shorter barrel does not achieve as high velocity or accuracy as the 5.1
Fixed rear sight can not be adjusted to compensate for windage or elevation deviations for more precise shooting
Single sided safety lever is not "lefty friendly", or not ideal for competitive shooting where the shooter is required to shoot with left hand only. This is fixable, through the purchase of ambidextrous safety levers. It is not a difficult upgrade.

5.1 Pros:

Longer barrel provides higher velocity and accuracy than the 4.3
Longer overall length provides easier natural pointability
Adjustable rear sight can be adjusted to compensate for windage or elevation deviations for more precise shooting
Ambidextrous safety levers allow versatility to operate the pistol with either hand.

5.1 Cons:

Longer overall length may make the gun a bit more cumbersome to manipulate and handle than the 4.3
Adjustable rear sight has many small parts in it that can potentially break
Longer (heavier) slide takes a bit more time to cycle and requires a bit more gas to cycle (not really noticeable with the stock plastic slide.)

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Q2: How do I disassemble "such-and-such" part? How do I disassemble the Hi-Capa?
A2: Watch this video:

YouTube - Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa Disassembly

This is a complete disassembly of a Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa 5.1 down to almost every last piece. Single stack series TM based pistols (such as the 1911 / MEU / Detonics / etc) follows similar basic concepts.

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Q3: How do I assemble "such-and-such" part? How do I assemble the Hi-Capa?
A3: Watch this video:

YouTube - Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa Assembly

This is a complete disassembly of a Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa 5.1 down to almost every last piece. Single stack series TM based pistols (such as the 1911 / MEU / Detonics / etc) follows similar basic concepts.

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Q4: I want to use a silencer... I'd need a threaded barrel. What can you tell me about that?
A4: If you want a metal threaded outer barrel, all of the existing mass produced threaded barrel products:
- Are difficult to source
- Causes a mechanical hindrance which results in anything from cycling issues to excessive gas consumption to physical damage/excessive wear to your slide.

The latter is due to the way a traditional barrel functions and what happens when a weight (the suppressor/tracer) is attached to the muzzle. The result of a tilting barrel combined with a heavy object on the muzzle, will shift the balance of the barrel, and cause the top of the chamber to bear a lot of pressure against the underside of the slide. A hard friction against the moving slide doesn't bode well for reliability, function and gas efficiency.

Because of the lack of a "proper" product on the market, ILLusion Kinetics has developed an outer barrel that is fixed, does not tilt and you could attach silencers on your pistol and it would still fire fine.

The threaded portion is actually machined to the muzzle of the barrel, so it's rock solid and can be machined in any thread size you want. The generic size is 14mm-.

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Q5: What is "LDC"? What is a "Long Dust Cover" versus a "Short Dust Cover"? What is the "Dust Cover"? What's the difference between a 5.1 LDC and a 4.3?
A5: "LDC" = Long Dust Cover. It refers to the frame's dust cover (the front/muzzle portion of the frame... it acts as a cover to keep dust out of the internals.)

Here is an example photo of the differences:

The top version is standard Marui Hi-Capa 5.1, with a standard "short" dust cover type frame, with scalloping in the muzzle of the slide to mate with the end of the short dust cover.

With an "LDC" setup (like the 4.3 and the 5" on the bottom), you'll notice that besides the longer dust cover on the frame, there are also no scalloped cuts in the slide. It is what we call "block cut" to mate with an LDC frame.

Ultimately, it is up to you to decide how you want to configure it... some people like the look of a block cut slide on a short dust cover frame, or the look of a scalloped slide on a long dust cover frame, but purists will scream bloody murder if you do such a thing. There ARE real steel manufacturers that mix it up on occasion, but it's generally rare to find an not preferred since snag points are created at the muzzle end of the slide (due to the overhanging corners.) Mixing a block cut slide on to a short dust cover frame can cause damage to the bottom corners of the slide at the muzzle and/or can damage your holster as well as create difficulty in holstering the pistol. This is why scalloping exists on slides.

Reversing the parts, putting a scalloped slide on a long dust cover frame can build up dust/dirt/grit around the scalloping where it meets the frame. This would tend to be counterproductive to the purpose of a dust cover.

For clarification:
Despite the 4.3 having a shorter barrel (4.3") than the 5.1 (5.1"), the Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa 4.3 actually has a LONGER dust cover than the Hi-Capa 5.1. Look again at the photos. The Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa 5.1 would have what's called a "Short Dust Cover", whereas the Hi-Capa 4.3 would have what's called a "Medium Dust Cover." A full block cut 5.1 would have a LONG dust cover - typically, these can only be found through aftermarket manufacturers, or by clone manufacturers (such as WE.)

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Q6: What parts can you swap?
A6: Pretty much EVERYTHING! Here is a basic list of items currently manufactured under the ILLusion Kinetics brand:

Frame (steel or aluminum, different lengths/shapes/colours)
Slide (steel or aluminum, custom designs/shapes/styles/colours/lengths)
Barrel (stainless steel, one piece, fixed for infinite durability of slide or tilting for realistic action, custom chamber engravings)
Sights (fibre optic, steel, fixed, adjustable)
Trigger (Aluminum, different shapes, different colours, adjustable pull length)
Trigger Stirrup (Stainless steel, adjustable pull length - combined with adjustable trigger can provide a 1mm trigger pull for competitive use)
Mag Catch (Stainless steel polished silver or black oxide steel, pre-centred for attachment of enlarged paddle)
Slide Catch (Stainless steel, different finishes, matte or polished)
Hammer (Steel, different shapes, lighter weight for faster lockup times, hardened surface and re-shaped hooks for smoother/lighter trigger pulls)
Hammer Strut (rigid hardened steel for faster lock up times and greater hammer response)
Sear (hardened surface and re-shaped hooks for smoother/lighter trigger pulls)
Sear Disconnect Lever (polished stainless steel for greater durability and smoother movement)
Valve Knocker (hardened steel for greater durability and more solid valve strikes)
Valve Knocker Disconnect Lever (polished stainless steel for greater durability and smoother movement)
Blowback Unit (light weight aircraft aluminum for faster slide cycling, integrated piston head for better air seal and shot to shot consistency)
Leaf Spring (stainless steel, provides lighter trigger pull)

And some other parts that are available from other manufacturers (I carry many of these as well):

Grip (different shapes, colours, sizes)
Beavertail (Grip) Safety (different shapes and styles, polished stainless steel or black oxide steel)
Safety Levers (different shapes and styles, single side or ambidextrous, polished or matte finish stainless steel or black oxide steel)
Slide Catch (different shapes and styles, single side or ambidextrous, polished stainless steel or black oxide steel)
Inner Barrel (different lengths, different bores, for greater accuracy and/or velocity)
Hop Up Rubber (improves seal/velocity/consistency/accuracy)
Loading Nozzle (greater durability)
Piston Head (better seal, improves gas consumption and cycling speed)
Titanium Screws (lighter weight)
Main Spring Housing (different sizes/shapes/finishes/colours)
Shock Buffers (increases durability of slide to frame contact, can short-stroke for faster cycling speed)
Floating Valve (increases velocity, shot consistency and improved gas consumption)
Floating Valve Blocker (greater durability)
Recoil Spring (increased cycling speed)
Main Spring (improved gas reliability)
Loading Nozzle Spring (replacement)
Floating Valve Spring (increased velocity)
Plunger Spring (replacement)
Valve Knocker Spring (replacement)
Valve Knocker Disconnect Spring (replacement)
Mag Catch Spring (replacement)

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Q7: What should I upgrade? What parts do you recommend I upgrade?
A7: Aesthetics are a personal preference, so for the sake of this guide, I will exclude aesthetic decision. I'm not going to pick what you wear for the day, so I won't tell you how your pistol should look.
However, the choice of performance parts is dependent on what performance characteristics you're after. This is, one of the most common questions asked, and the answer is as broad as the question itself. It comes down to "what performance characteristics would you like to improve?" And this will now segue in to the next section... Performance Characteristics...

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November 30th, 2009, 11:24	#2
ILLusion GBB Whisperer Trader rating Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Toronto	FAQ Q1: Which should I get? A Hi-Capa 4.3? Or a Hi-Capa 5.1? A1: That depends on what you want to use it for, and what you're willing to sacrifice for certain benefits of the chosen pistol. 4.3 Pros: Shorter overall length allows easier handling Fixed rear sight is more robust due to no moving parts for greater durability Single sided safety lever and shorter beavertail tang provides a lower drag profile Shorter (lighter) slide requires less time to cycle and requires less gas to cycle than the 5.1 Integrated lanyard loop so you won't lose your pistol on the field. 4.3 Cons: Shorter barrel does not achieve as high velocity or accuracy as the 5.1 Fixed rear sight can not be adjusted to compensate for windage or elevation deviations for more precise shooting Single sided safety lever is not "lefty friendly", or not ideal for competitive shooting where the shooter is required to shoot with left hand only. This is fixable, through the purchase of ambidextrous safety levers. It is not a difficult upgrade. 5.1 Pros: Longer barrel provides higher velocity and accuracy than the 4.3 Longer overall length provides easier natural pointability Adjustable rear sight can be adjusted to compensate for windage or elevation deviations for more precise shooting Ambidextrous safety levers allow versatility to operate the pistol with either hand. 5.1 Cons: Longer overall length may make the gun a bit more cumbersome to manipulate and handle than the 4.3 Adjustable rear sight has many small parts in it that can potentially break Longer (heavier) slide takes a bit more time to cycle and requires a bit more gas to cycle (not really noticeable with the stock plastic slide.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q2: How do I disassemble "such-and-such" part? How do I disassemble the Hi-Capa? A2: Watch this video: YouTube - Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa Disassembly This is a complete disassembly of a Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa 5.1 down to almost every last piece. Single stack series TM based pistols (such as the 1911 / MEU / Detonics / etc) follows similar basic concepts. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q3: How do I assemble "such-and-such" part? How do I assemble the Hi-Capa? A3: Watch this video: YouTube - Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa Assembly This is a complete disassembly of a Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa 5.1 down to almost every last piece. Single stack series TM based pistols (such as the 1911 / MEU / Detonics / etc) follows similar basic concepts. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q4: I want to use a silencer... I'd need a threaded barrel. What can you tell me about that? A4: If you want a metal threaded outer barrel, all of the existing mass produced threaded barrel products: - Are difficult to source - Causes a mechanical hindrance which results in anything from cycling issues to excessive gas consumption to physical damage/excessive wear to your slide. The latter is due to the way a traditional barrel functions and what happens when a weight (the suppressor/tracer) is attached to the muzzle. The result of a tilting barrel combined with a heavy object on the muzzle, will shift the balance of the barrel, and cause the top of the chamber to bear a lot of pressure against the underside of the slide. A hard friction against the moving slide doesn't bode well for reliability, function and gas efficiency. Because of the lack of a "proper" product on the market, ILLusion Kinetics has developed an outer barrel that is fixed, does not tilt and you could attach silencers on your pistol and it would still fire fine. The threaded portion is actually machined to the muzzle of the barrel, so it's rock solid and can be machined in any thread size you want. The generic size is 14mm-. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q5: What is "LDC"? What is a "Long Dust Cover" versus a "Short Dust Cover"? What is the "Dust Cover"? What's the difference between a 5.1 LDC and a 4.3? A5: "LDC" = Long Dust Cover. It refers to the frame's dust cover (the front/muzzle portion of the frame... it acts as a cover to keep dust out of the internals.) Here is an example photo of the differences: The top version is standard Marui Hi-Capa 5.1, with a standard "short" dust cover type frame, with scalloping in the muzzle of the slide to mate with the end of the short dust cover. With an "LDC" setup (like the 4.3 and the 5" on the bottom), you'll notice that besides the longer dust cover on the frame, there are also no scalloped cuts in the slide. It is what we call "block cut" to mate with an LDC frame. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide how you want to configure it... some people like the look of a block cut slide on a short dust cover frame, or the look of a scalloped slide on a long dust cover frame, but purists will scream bloody murder if you do such a thing. There ARE real steel manufacturers that mix it up on occasion, but it's generally rare to find an not preferred since snag points are created at the muzzle end of the slide (due to the overhanging corners.) Mixing a block cut slide on to a short dust cover frame can cause damage to the bottom corners of the slide at the muzzle and/or can damage your holster as well as create difficulty in holstering the pistol. This is why scalloping exists on slides. Reversing the parts, putting a scalloped slide on a long dust cover frame can build up dust/dirt/grit around the scalloping where it meets the frame. This would tend to be counterproductive to the purpose of a dust cover. For clarification: Despite the 4.3 having a shorter barrel (4.3") than the 5.1 (5.1"), the Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa 4.3 actually has a LONGER dust cover than the Hi-Capa 5.1. Look again at the photos. The Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa 5.1 would have what's called a "Short Dust Cover", whereas the Hi-Capa 4.3 would have what's called a "Medium Dust Cover." A full block cut 5.1 would have a LONG dust cover - typically, these can only be found through aftermarket manufacturers, or by clone manufacturers (such as WE.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q6: What parts can you swap? A6: Pretty much EVERYTHING! Here is a basic list of items currently manufactured under the ILLusion Kinetics brand: Frame (steel or aluminum, different lengths/shapes/colours) Slide (steel or aluminum, custom designs/shapes/styles/colours/lengths) Barrel (stainless steel, one piece, fixed for infinite durability of slide or tilting for realistic action, custom chamber engravings) Sights (fibre optic, steel, fixed, adjustable) Trigger (Aluminum, different shapes, different colours, adjustable pull length) Trigger Stirrup (Stainless steel, adjustable pull length - combined with adjustable trigger can provide a 1mm trigger pull for competitive use) Mag Catch (Stainless steel polished silver or black oxide steel, pre-centred for attachment of enlarged paddle) Slide Catch (Stainless steel, different finishes, matte or polished) Hammer (Steel, different shapes, lighter weight for faster lockup times, hardened surface and re-shaped hooks for smoother/lighter trigger pulls) Hammer Strut (rigid hardened steel for faster lock up times and greater hammer response) Sear (hardened surface and re-shaped hooks for smoother/lighter trigger pulls) Sear Disconnect Lever (polished stainless steel for greater durability and smoother movement) Valve Knocker (hardened steel for greater durability and more solid valve strikes) Valve Knocker Disconnect Lever (polished stainless steel for greater durability and smoother movement) Blowback Unit (light weight aircraft aluminum for faster slide cycling, integrated piston head for better air seal and shot to shot consistency) Leaf Spring (stainless steel, provides lighter trigger pull) And some other parts that are available from other manufacturers (I carry many of these as well): Grip (different shapes, colours, sizes) Beavertail (Grip) Safety (different shapes and styles, polished stainless steel or black oxide steel) Safety Levers (different shapes and styles, single side or ambidextrous, polished or matte finish stainless steel or black oxide steel) Slide Catch (different shapes and styles, single side or ambidextrous, polished stainless steel or black oxide steel) Inner Barrel (different lengths, different bores, for greater accuracy and/or velocity) Hop Up Rubber (improves seal/velocity/consistency/accuracy) Loading Nozzle (greater durability) Piston Head (better seal, improves gas consumption and cycling speed) Titanium Screws (lighter weight) Main Spring Housing (different sizes/shapes/finishes/colours) Shock Buffers (increases durability of slide to frame contact, can short-stroke for faster cycling speed) Floating Valve (increases velocity, shot consistency and improved gas consumption) Floating Valve Blocker (greater durability) Recoil Spring (increased cycling speed) Main Spring (improved gas reliability) Loading Nozzle Spring (replacement) Floating Valve Spring (increased velocity) Plunger Spring (replacement) Valve Knocker Spring (replacement) Valve Knocker Disconnect Spring (replacement) Mag Catch Spring (replacement) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q7: What should I upgrade? What parts do you recommend I upgrade? A7: Aesthetics are a personal preference, so for the sake of this guide, I will exclude aesthetic decision. I'm not going to pick what you wear for the day, so I won't tell you how your pistol should look. However, the choice of performance parts is dependent on what performance characteristics you're after. This is, one of the most common questions asked, and the answer is as broad as the question itself. It comes down to "what performance characteristics would you like to improve?" And this will now segue in to the next section... Performance Characteristics... . __________________ *Advanced Airsoft Armaments and Enhancements* Quick to the gun, sure of your grip. Quick to the threat, sure of your shot. Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas Accuracy, Power, Speed Last edited by ILLusion; March 29th, 2011 at 17:44..