TM P226 Full Metal Help + Some Other Stuff

[Benny-x]

Hey guys, been surfing around here for a little while and finally I guess it's time to put a few of my questions out there.

I've got a TM P226 and I'm looking at doing some upgrades to it. I've seen that Guarder and Prime both make full metal packages for it, so what's the real difference between them besides full CNC and die-cast?
I can also see that the Guarder one is $112 and the Prime one is $375.
I haven't seen anyone that has the Prime railed kit like I want to get, so if anyone does have it would they be able to show some pics?

Also for the other upgrades I was thinking of
1. a new recoil spring (150%) for the new slide weight
2. a Nine Ball high flow valve with those litle bearings
3. a hammer spring (130%), is this item really needed?
4. Guader enhanced loading nozzle
5. Nine Ball tight bore barrel (Tanio Koba makes a rifled one, does anyone has one of these or know if it makes any difference?)

I think that is all that I want to do, the metal frame being the biggest (most expensive) question at hand. If there is anything else that anyone thinks is also good to upgrade I'm all ears. So yeah, anything or anyway that anyone could help me is much appreciated.

[blueblaster]

hehe, i got a TM P226 waiting to upgrade as well....
but most people said to me......
"Just get a KSC one....."

[Benny-x]

yeah, the KSC one seems alright but I like the mag better on the TM one, sticks out a little more on the bottom and the grip area seems thinner on the KSC. Plus the TM P226 has tons of upgrades and mods for it, which puts me where I stand now!

I love KSC though, I've got a USP .45 OD, a Glock 23F HW, and a Beretta Elite IA from them, all 3 work great. And in the near future I will be making a similar thread about them too, pending cash.

[ClassicBAC]

I am using Aluminium CNC for other not TM P226.

The CNC is normally a higher quality material and the shaping is sharper than the Aluminium Die-Cast. You may need to file slide, frame or some components here and there to fit the CNC set in. The Die-Cast is easier to install less filing. However, the Die-Cast normally is a bit lossing in term of fitness.

1. a new recoil spring (150%) for the new slide weight: You need this with Green or Top gas to absorb the Blowback force. I have used CNC with standard spring on standard gas. It works fine since my Aluminnium CNC is not too heavy.

2. a Nine Ball high flow valve with those litle bearings. This give you more gas flow (FPS) but consume more gas.

3. a hammer spring (130%), is this item really needed? You may need this if the standard hammer spring is not strong enough to press the magazine valve when you are using Green or Top gas. But it also give you more wear and tear.

4. Guader enhanced loading nozzle. I have not tried this.

5. Nine Ball tight bore barrel (Tanio Koba makes a rifled one, does anyone has one of these or know if it makes any difference?) I have not tried this but from web information, it give a better performance when using in the range of 3xx fps.

[ILLusion]

The difference between the Guarder and Prime kits are in the build quality.

The Prime kits are built to a much higher tolerance, with better markings on it and a beautiful finish. The tighter fit results in less rattling between the slide and frame.

See this thread for images of my Prime Navy frame:

http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=17872

Also, I never recommend the Guarder kit because it requires a destructive modification to be performed to it. Once the blowback chamber is modified, you will never be able to use the internal components in any other slide except for Guarder ones. I don't like that restriction.

The Prime one is the most beautiful of all the kits, but like ClassicBAC said, some fitment is required to get it to fit right. Due to the extremely tight tolerances that it was manufactured on, it does need custom fitment to get everything to fit together like a glove. If you get the work done by someone who knows what they're doing, the performance you get out of it will be unparalleled.

Comments about your other upgrades,

1. 150% recoil spring is a recommended upgrade for metal slide upgrades to speed up blowback performance/speed

2. DON'T get the Nine Ball high flow valves... I've tried several of them in P226 mags and NONE of them work properly. Most of the time, they can't even be struck open. There are a couple of threads on this issue throughout the forums.

3. An enhanced hammer spring will help with cracking open your valve, especially if you're using propane on a hot summer day. It increases shot consistency and reliability.

5. I use the rifled ones exclusively and it makes an AMAZING difference, especially in most GBBs. They don't work so well in extremely powerful GBBs (ie 360+fps.) The link I provided above, that gun used a PDI 6.01mm inner barrel at the time, but I've since swapped it for a Hi-Capa 5.1 length Tanio Koba Twist inner barrel and haven't looked back...

[Benny-x]

Thanks a lot for your help ClassicBac and Illusion. I guess I'll be picking up the Prime kit and woeing over the at least $375 that it costs!
then I'll grab
1. a 150% enhanced recoil spring
2. Firefly hig flow valve
3. 130% hammer spring
4. enhanced loading nozzle
5. and I think the Tanio Koba rifled barrelsince it can't make things any worse and could make things lots better

And a final question, is ther eanything that anyone can recommend upgrading that hasn't already been meantioned?

[ILLusion]

I hope you're importing the metal frame through a retailer. Pistol frames are considered restricted/prohibited items for import. You may get lucky and it'll pass through customs, but do you really want to risk $375usd to find out?

Other parts that you can upgrade which aren't as necessary but does have some use:
- RCC Power Bulb
- Nine Ball piston head
- Nine Ball hop up rubber

[Raysaaark]

Personally, I can't justify spending the cash on a prime kit seeing as to it being more then the P226 was with 4 mags. And I have 2 226's which means that it suddenly becomes more expensive then half the aeg's I own. I have been very happy with the preformance that the TM's give with there stock plastic frames. About the only reason I can see right now for getting a metal kit for it is so that people will stop telling me that I should make mine Metal like a KJ is.

As for the actual parts that you have selected, I would say to avoid the nineball valves. I have a couple that I just can't get to work at all. I got them because I have worn out the origional valves on the mags and the hi-flows were cheaper then getting a new mag. Well, I am out the cash, and I still don't have a working mag.
The Hammer spring is a good idea for the metal kit as nobody uses duster or green gas in there upgraded pistols from my experence. The recoil spring is kind of a must, the enhanced loading nozzle? I cant say, as I haven't used or seen anyone that has one in there gun.

What else would I reccommend on getting? Defently a new piston head. And an upgraded hopup rubber would defently go well with a high quality barrel like the Tanio Koba's.

Didn't G&P put out a dirt cheap frame kit for the 226? I wonder how bad those were seeing as to how they have discontinued making them now.

[Benny-x]

I've got several guns so yeah financially it wouldn't make a whole lot of sense to do this to all of them but I'm going with this P226 as my splurge gun, so I want to get really good stuff for it and make it really top-notch.

I also like that prime makes a silencer and outer barrel set, so I'm sure it would go really well with the Slide and Frame set that they make too.

I was wondering about a new piston head, so I guess I'll grab one of those too since you guys have advised me on it. The hop-up rubber will help with accuracey I'm guessing and I suppose you can never be too accurate. And the new Power Blub would help for durability I'm sure.

I've seen that on the uncompany.com custom versions of the P226 they put the enhanced loading nozzle on, so I'll follow suit and do it too.

Thanks for the tips guys, I really think that this is going to turn out to be a raelly great gun when it's fully upgraded. But I also think it's going to take some time, gah!

[ILLusion]

That depends on the hop up rubber you get.

The Firefly hop up rubbers I find have the best accuracy, but the Nine Ball hop up rubber I've noticed gives the highest velocities due to a better seal. The accuracy of the Nine Ball rubber is equivalent to or slightly better than stock Marui.

The RCC Power Bulb: besides increasing durability, it also boosts the power by about 5fps.