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Post by saintfire on Dec 27, 2011 18:59:41 GMT -5
I'm new to airsoft and am looking into getting my first GBB pistol. But I have a few questions on magazines.
First, are double-stack and Hi-Capas the same? And secondly, do they add any extra width to the grip of the pistol when compared to a single stack. I'm looking specifically at M1911 models and for realism.
Thanks for your help
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Post by Crapshoot on Dec 27, 2011 19:38:36 GMT -5
Yes, Hi-Capas do use double stacked magazines. As far as your second question, I don't know.
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Post by Knief on Dec 27, 2011 21:25:04 GMT -5
I should be able to take some pictures tomorrow to show you the difference in the grips on single stack and double stack 1911s. And when I can get to a real computer tomorrow morning I'll give you a run down of the differences and the pros and cons of each.
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Post by Knief on Dec 28, 2011 8:47:16 GMT -5
Double post because suck it, I'm a mod and I do whatever I want. The terms "double stack" and "single stack" refer to how the bullets are held in a real magazine. In a single stack mags, the bullets are stacked in a single column, one directly on top of the other. In a double stack mag, the bullets are staggered so as to hold more bullets over the same height. That means that double stack mags are wider than single stack mags, and that the mag well must be wider to accommodate that. Here's a nice graphic that shows the difference:  In airsoft, most mags double stack bbs because they're so narrow compared to real bullets that you can double stack them and only utilize the same width as a single stacked 1911 mag. I know that the WE 1911 single stack mags single stack their bbs as well, but I believe they're something of an outlier. TM, KSC, and WA all double stack their bbs to increase capacity, and I would guess that the guns that clone them directly do as well. In any case, when you're talking about a single or double stack 1911, you're talking about what its real steel counter part does, not the airsoft version. Either method is realistic, as there are both single and double stacked 1911 variants on the market. Para Ordnance and Strayer Voigt, for instance, both make double stackers based on the 1911 design (the SV models use a completely differently looking grip and lower frame and call these guns 2011s, but they're 1911 based none the less). But the more common 1911s you see, made by Colt, Kimber, Wilson, Springfield Armory, etc. are all going to be single stackers. So as far as which is more realistic, it depends on what model the gun you're looking at is trying to replicate. If it's a Vietnam era M1911A1 with a double stack mag, that's not very accurate. If you can provide links, we can tell you with more certainty. I'll get you some pictures of single and double stack grips side by side when I get home. |
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Post by saintfire on Dec 28, 2011 14:14:12 GMT -5
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Post by Knief on Dec 28, 2011 14:31:59 GMT -5
Last things first, we have a nice guide that offers general suggestions about brands. I agree with the assessment of both WE and KJW (and really, 99% of what's in that thread. The bones I have to pick are posted below the main post): miairsoft.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=gas&action=display&thread=31331As for those, that second KJW, the "hicapa" is a bastardization so that KJW could fit a wide CO2 mag into a 1911-ish gun. It would be in no way realistic. The first two would be better options in terms of replicating real guns. I'd pick the second because I like KJW over WE and I like newer style 1911s over the older 'Nam and earlier issue pieces. That's obviously a personal preference and it's up to you, the buyer, to decide your own stance on that. |
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Post by Thor on Dec 28, 2011 14:32:33 GMT -5
If you're looking at the kind of 1911 that tends to be used by people in the military, that's almost exclusively going to be a single stack variety. As far as which specific brand, that's a little more up for grabs since it's not issued any more, outside of Marine Recon anyway. Most of the time if someone is using a 1911 it's because they are in some kind of SOF group and are given a bit more leeway on what firearms they can use.
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Post by saintfire on Dec 28, 2011 15:04:17 GMT -5
I am attempting to replicate my father's 1911 and after taking a quick peek, I remembered that it is a single stack and that is the kind I would prefer, as that is the one he took on his deployment and has been used by the Marines for what was once an extended period of time. Thanks for the link Kneif, I've already read through that whole thing and was hoping for a few more specifics on WE specifically.
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Post by Connors on Jan 4, 2012 18:11:05 GMT -5
WE guns are "alright". They're not the best by any means, but they are not bad if you just plink, are not the die hard kind of player, or like tinkering and toying with the guts. I have owned a few over the years, adn they all worked as good as I needed them to and when I needed them too. I have only owned the standard 1911 models, so I don't have any input on any of their HI-Capa models.
There is one big downside to them, aftermarket compatability. The lower frame and it's internals are somewhat proprietary, and WE-specific, so upgrading them is not going to be easy, if able to be done at all. There is, however, one small exception to the lower frames incompatability, and that is the hamer spring, spring casing(back of the handle, I forget the name), the trigger itself, slide lock, and thumb safety parts are interchangable with aftermarket goodies.
The slide and it's internals, on the other hand, uses all the same parts as a Marui, so you could easily snatch up a sexy aftermarket slide with some trades, and throw it on and for a pretty sexy looking 1911 with a bit more perk than that plane-jane WE slide.
With the WE, expect to be gassing up A LOT. They are gas hogs, big ones! I have never gotten more than a mag and a half, if that out of a fully gassed mag. They also are horrible in winter, as with any other gas gun, but they are the worse yet in the cold that I've seen.
If you do go WE, you might consider getting an aftermarket hopup bucking, piston and piston head to get a better seal from the magazine to the chamber and that will help with the gas efficency and give a lil boost in power. WE in my experience, has a bit of a leaky issue in that area with stock parts. I've always done those simple fixes right off that bat and noticed improvments in performance. A bit more range, accuracy and FPS.
Hopefully this helps, and good luck in the decision making process. Knief already chimed in, and I'm sure Miles won't be too far behind. They're both somewhat of 1911 experts here on the boards. They carry a lot of knowledge, input and advice, far more than I will ever be capable of providing on the subject of 1911's.
Edit-One more thing, I wouldn't buy from Evike. I'd go with Airsoft GI, or Airsoft Extreme. ASGI has a fair selection of WE products if you do decide to go with a WE, and they offer free shipping on $100+ orders, so they help ya out a bit on cost.
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Post by saintfire on Jan 4, 2012 19:18:04 GMT -5
Thanks for the info, though I am new to airsoft and am quite uneasy about the thought of changing pistons and all the internals and what not. I've only ever partway disassembled my JG M4 and have yet to make any kind of upgrade to it. So I am going to try and stay away from guns that need internal work.
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Post by Mles on Jan 4, 2012 20:26:32 GMT -5
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Post by Connors on Jan 4, 2012 21:03:38 GMT -5
Pistols are nothign like AEG's. Most 1911 slides can be taken down to a pile of parts very, very easily, with nothign more than a standard screwdriver, phillips screwdriver, and an allen wrench. And they do not "explode" on you when you take them apart either.
WE's don't need parts to be changed. It's just something you can do to perk up performance a bit right off the bat. It will run just fine with it's stock parts though, so you really don't have to worry about changing parts. I apologize if I caused you to misunderstnad something.
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Post by saintfire on Jan 5, 2012 22:06:31 GMT -5
No no no, thanks for the advice. I'm all for improvements and as long as it is somewhat of a novice upgrade I should be able to handle it with the help of you guys and youtube  |
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Post by X on Jan 9, 2012 19:54:14 GMT -5
Hopefully I'm not too late on this. As a WE owner all I can say is that the magazines are HORRIBLE! I currently have 5 mags and 1 that works. The followers constantly break, one mag has a leaking seal, and two are swollen so that the will not fit into the gun. I have two of these www.airsoftgi.com/product_info.php?cPath=139_25_130&products_id=4698 minus the silencers. I love the guns but the mags are just pathetic. I think I've had at least 6 of the followers break on me. It got so bad that the last time I was at a retailer (pheonix tactical i think, somewhere near warren) I just bought all of their stock because I knew that I would need them. |
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Post by saintfire on Jan 9, 2012 22:53:31 GMT -5
Are the mags interchangeable with other brands (MAG TM or any others)?
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