Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa 5.1 - Kimber Tactical

[ILLusion]

So... after building way too many race pistols, I realized I no longer had a gun I could take on the field as a more tactical carry piece. I needed one, so this project was born.

The requirements were as follows:

• Large gas capacity
• Large ammunition capacity
• Robust design
• Hard, accurate shooting with tight groupings
• Adjustable trigger
• Light and smooth trigger pull
• Comfortable yet tactical feel
• Low profile, low drag design
• Ambidextrous safety
• Lanyard hole
• Straight Barrel with Barrel Bushing system
• Government length frame with short dust cover and scalloped slide
• Mid-frame requires integrated rail
• Slide requires front serrations

The first two requirements made selection of the gun platform simple: It had to be based on a Marui Hi-Capa series gun. The 2011 design not only allowed a wide variety of components to be chosen, but the double-stack magazines provided higher gas capacity as well as greater ammunition capacity. Where a fully upgraded 1911 can't even go through one magazine of ammunition before gas runs out, the Hi-Capa design (even a fully upgraded one like this with high flow valves) can very easily dump 1.5 magazines of BBs before gas runs out - that's with an aggressive shooter. A more conservative shooter may even be able to go through 2 full rounds of ammunition before the gas reserves empty out.

The original build was based around a metal Springfield 1911 slide on the Freedom Arts midframe, but when I found out the Shooters Design Springfield slides had no barrel bushing cut out, I had to find another alternative. The only other "tactical" slide made by Shooters Design that had the barrel bushing cut was the Kimber type that is now used. This worked out much better, as the front and rear sights it came with were unique from all other Hi-Capas and provided a much more tactical feel to the piece than the standard Bomar sights did. The change turned out for the better.


The integrated rail was a requirement, due to the nature of the Streamlight TLR-2 specified to be mounted to the frame. As a light amplification module with a laser sighting system, accuracy and rigidity of the base was paramount to maintain a consistently zero'ed sight. The stock Tokyo Marui mid-frame and add-on rail did not suffice for this requirement as the rail did have minor bits of movement on the screw holes. On longer ranges, the slight movements would translate to greater inaccuracies in shooting.
Besides that, the integration of the rail in to the mid-frame proves to be lower profile and more aesthetically pleasing rather than Marui's add-on rail which tends to sit a bit lower and which it also stuck out a bit. This turned out to be a solution that met one of the other specified requirements: for a low profile, low drag pistol.


I have to admit, I love the look of limited / ldc (long dust cover) slides and frames. The look goes together so well, as it makes the the frame and slide appear to be one piece, but the design does not go well with an approach to a more tactical design such as this one. The limited frames are very square at the muzzle and by having the larger profile, it makes holstering the weapon a bit more of a challenge. I've tried it many times... it just doesn't seem to go as well as I'd like it to and so I completely nixed that idea for the purposes of this project.




The requirement for a barrel bushing system was put in place due to the added robustness it provided to such a setup. The lack of movement of the entire barrel setup translates in to less wear of components due to latching and rocking of the barrel, plus accuracy would be maintained as the barrel stays straight throughout the entire movement of the slide. The contact points of movement between the slide and the bushing also provides overall smoother movement of the slide.




The choices of grip and main spring housing turned out to integrate well with each other and fulfilled specified requirements for low profile, comfortable grip and a lanyard loop to secure the pistol to a Gemtech Tactical Retention Lanyard.
The grips are super comfortable and are similar in style, shape and profile as the current MEU-SOC offering. The feel of the gun is much more natural and instinctive with this grip and drawing the pistol with this grip provides consistent registration with the hand each and every time. Checked side panels, back strap and front strap all provides secure grip through all stages of blowback and allows the shooter to maintain control of the pistol at all times. The checkering is neither too abrasive nor too soft. Two words can only describe this grip: "just right." That is the only explanation as to why these grips are always out of stock everywhere.







The choice of internal components fulfilled the rest of the specified requirements:

The Airsoft Surgeon Steel Hammer Set provided for a super buttery smooth light weight trigger pull with an almost imperceptible break. All the shooter needs to do is pull the trigger back and the hammer set takes care of the rest. The hammer will drop before the shooter realizes the sear is about to break, which helps to avoid jerking and other bad habits that shooters may pick up.

The Tanio Koba Adjustable Custom trigger allows the user to tune the length of the pull by reducing any backslop. The combination of the metal trigger with a steel sear and steel hammer strut provide for a very tactile yet responsive feel to the gun. Every single movement of the trigger translates quickly and easily with feedback provided directly to the shooter.

Increased shot velocity is taken care of via higher gas volume output with the KM / Head 1950 high flow valves and the RCC Power Up Cylinder Bulb.

Shot accuracy is taken care of by the Firefly hop up bucking and the Tanio Koba Twist barrels. The Twist barrels are still misunderstood by some and debates still ring out on the effectiveness of these barrels but suffice it to say, for me, they work. Shots that I get with it are consistent and accurate with a very flat trajectory along the entire flight path of the projectile. I fully endorse the use of these barrels with any gun shooting 1Joule of power or less.
The Firefly hop up bucking is made from a tough rubber that has a split-notch "V-Type" nub. This design applies two points of contact on the BB, with the theory that it keeps the BB flight more level. I haven't worked on the physics of that, but it seems to work. Groupings tighten up when using this hop up rubber compared to the stock rubber and shot-to-shot consistency is the tightest I've seen when compared to many other brands of hop up rubbers.

The Nine Ball recoil spring guide was chosen due to the teflon coating it had. The surface provides a smooth yet light slide movement. Matched with Guarder 150% recoil spring and hammer spring, the blowback and velocity is consistent, crisp and fast. An Airsoft Surgeon Light Weight Blowback Unit combined in to the mix provided reduced recoil to allow the shooter to maintain sight on target throughout shooting.

The Shooters Design POM Cylinder Set I would say is almost always a necessity in any Hi-Capa shooting with a metal slide, enhanced recoil springs and propane running through its veins. The stock Marui nozzle is prone to cracking from the added pressure of all of the above mentioned upgrades and the Shooters Design POM Cylinder Set has proven to be a fairly economical yet robust replacement as it also comes with the floating valve blocker (which is a part not available anywhere else on the aftermarket.)






Thanks to Canada Customs, the rear sight is missing the screws to secure it to the frame and it was also missing the front sight. The front sight does not even fit properly, but I suppose it works for now.

Externals:
Gun: Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa 5.1
Magazine: Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa 28 round magazine (comes with the 4.3)
Slide: Shooters Design Kimber with Rear Sight, Black
Mid-Frame: Freedom Art Government Length Mid-Frame with Integrated Rail, Black
Chamber: Shooters Design Steel Chamber, MEU SOC Kimber [Limited]
Outer Barrel: Shooters Design 5" Steel Outer Barrel, Straight, Silver
Bushing: Shooters Design Stainless Steel Bushing Set, Plain
Grip: Tanio Koba Tactical Grip
Main Spring Housing: Nine Ball Hammer Spring Housing, Lanyard Hook Type, Black
Magazine Catch: Nine Ball Magazine Catch, Short, Black (not shown in photos)
Hammer: Airsoft Surgeon Steel Hammer Set, Type 9
Trigger: Tanio Koba Adjustable Custom Trigger, Three Hole Type, Black

Internals:
Recoil Spring Guide: Nine Ball Recoil Spring Guide
Recoil Spring: Guarder Enhanced Recoil Spring (150%)
Hammer Spring: Guarder Enhanced Recoil Spring (150%)
Blow Back Unit: Airsoft Surgeon Light Weight Blow Back Unit
Loading Nozzle: Shooters Design POM Cylinder Set
Floating Valve Blocker: Shooters Design POM Cylinder Set
Floating Valve: RCC Power Up Cylinder Bulb
Hop Up Rubber: Firefly Hop Up Bucking, Hard Type
Inner Barrel: Tanio Koba Twist
Hammer Strut: Airsoft Surgeon Steel Hammer Set
Valve Knocker: Airsoft Surgeon Steel Hammer Set
Sear: Airsoft Surgeon Steel Hammer Set
Flow Valve: KM / Head 1950 High Flow Valve

Performance: 290fps with Airsoft Elite 0.25g BBs = 0.98J = 325fps with 0.20g BBs

[skalnok]

why do you have sooooo many sexy hi-capas


and why are they soooo sexy


i hate you ... not really, its more of an envy thing

[Renegade)]

Originally Posted by ILLusion

Okay, no time to write more about this piece for now, but here's some pictures for you guys to see for now:

He cant write anything because hes back in the bedroom spawning more of these damn things... Brian you are producing these damn things 1 a day All of them kick ass, as I said on msn pal, this one is all serious business, sleek black, just hardcore looking..

[Qlong]

Two questions:

How much and give it to me.

[RacingManiac]

maybe I do need 4.3 mag for my tactical Hi-capa...

[Thorazine]

Again with the DO WANTS. Seriously, if you ever want to let either one of your Kimbers go, PM me and I will GLADLY pay well.

[Shirley]

This is what happens when you get Brian to go to HK and come back to see Brian brain washed.

Hi-Capa whore!

[BoB]

Wow.

[ILLusion]

Write-up completed. Revisit the first post to see it.

[the_griffinator]

Man, thats like the fourth or fifth one this month isn't it? I really need to sell some stuff...I feel the need attempt to out do you, though that may be impossible. Good stuff yet again man.

[bscahefer10]

Your tactical hi capas look amazing! I'm thinking of building one myself and was wondering what the differences between the shooters design slide kimber slide your illusion kinetics kimber slide. The ad looks almost blue in the pictures. Is it that blue in real life?