WE Hi-Cappa product review
 

Most of you know my opinion on the WE line of pistols. For those that don't I have been quoted as saying the only way to improve their accuracy is to throw it. So I was a little reluctant to make a review of the WE line-up. Well after fielding a newly revised and re-engineered We Hi-Cappa supplied by Warcraftgames I now take those words back.

This the WE Hi-Cappa 5.1 K1 Lightened edition.

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/z...l/IMG_1124.jpg
http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/z...l/IMG_1129.jpg

The first thing I noticed right out of the box is how light this pistol is. Even with the magazine inserted it is very well balanced and comfortable. Slide moves back with very little effort and is very smooth through the complete cycle. Mag release catch is discreet so it has less chance of self ejecting the mag while holstered.

Field Test

Extremely impressed how this pistol operates in the field,hop up adjustment is a little tough to get at but once it's set it does not move and trust me I checked! Shoots hard and cycles faster than I expected with zero misfeeds or any other hic-cups. Punches through some low underbrush better than any other pistol I have owned or tested. Chrono's at a range of 330-345 fps from 10 shots,I find that pretty consistent.

Final Conclusion

I give this WE Hi-Cappa a rating of 8 out of 10.

Pro's

-Comfort,
-Looks,ergonomics
-Reliability
-Consistant fps
-Smooth cycling
-Lightweight
-Short trigger pull
-Hard hitter

Con's

-Hop up hard to adjust infield/ingame
-Mags finicky in cooler weather at 14 degree's 78% humidity mags had to be kept warm at all times and even with all my tricks I only got 8 shots off before mag cool down effect.


Overall I highly recommend the newly revised WE line up and would encourage you check them out for yourself. On a last note these pistols are low cost to the end user. I did some checking and you can't even find them this cheap on craigslist! Paid $156.00 taxes included

Six4 out


( ps ) keep an eye out for the videos of this beast in action

I agree, the new WE Hi-Capas are performing quite well. However, they have a serious flaw in their engineering, which ultimately affects their durability. Because the clear receiver is made of plastic, the hammer will eventually destroy the impact point on the receiver.

On standard WE's and Marui's, the metal receiver takes the impact of the hammer. However, these CanSoft WE's, having a plastic receiver, are unable to take the punishment, and the impact point ultimately crushes. Once the impact point is crushed, the gun will no longer cycle properly. It may even cause the entire receiver to split down its entire length.

I purchased one of these to test as well, and the gun ended up self destructing in under 5 mags, which required a receiver swap to get it functional again. On the upside, the receiver is 100% compatible with Tokyo Marui receivers, which are metal. You would need to purchase:

• Tokyo Marui H51-36 - Hi-Capa 5.1 Receiver
• Tokyo Marui H51-58 - Hi-Capa 5.1 Receiver Grip Screws, x2

Doing this upgrade will make the gun infinitely better than original!

Though you already know this, its worth mentioning WE does make non-cansoft versions with metal receivers that are signicantly sturdier. I have both versions of WE baby hicapa and the plastic one is falling apart while the metal one feels like it will last forever.

Obviously the metal versions are harder to locate for non av'ers but for everyone else a new metal WE is often cheaper than a used TM.

Thanks for the input,I had no idea about the lower reciever issues. I will have to keep an eye on mine, I have usde it already for a full gameday with no issues yet,must have gone through about 15 mags of ammo so far lol

And there's a reason for that.

No offense, but the issue has been all over ASC ever since Toronto Airsoft and others started selling them.

Could it be from users using propane without proper lubrication causing the issue? Or is it the design itself? In either case I already put mine through the ringer in it's first game, 3 standard mags and one extended 50rd mag with no issues so far. I have a video posted in the media section with me using this pistol. after all whats a review without field evidence lol

No it's the plastic frame itself. The Hicapa wasn't meant to run with a plastic frame, that's why TM designed it with a metal one.

I can attest to that. Worst pistol I ever bought (an older version nonetheless).

Within 2 months, I went through 2 of the cansoft frames. I ended up just cutting the contact part off and letting the hammer hit the frame. In fact, I don't even use it anymore, it just sits in my corner while I turn to my KWA M93R.

It's the design itself. Mine was already cracking, right out of the box.

Take the slide off and dry fire it a couple of times, watching where the hammer strikes the receiver. You can literally watch it crack in front of your eyes.

Dry firing it WITH a magazine inserted will mitigate the issue. But if you're dry firing without a mag, expect the gun to fall apart in your hands.

What internals have been improved?

May consider it for a CQB sidearm.

How can you tell the old from new version?

What are you comparing? WE to WE? As far as I know, the CanSoft version is a 100% downgrade of the product available to the international market, simply because of the plastic receiver.

As for what else is new, there are no identifying features. They may have switched to stronger die casting compounds, as I'm hearing about less failures than in the past. However, the failure rate is still much higher than Tokyo Marui. Also, the performance is still not as good as Tokyo Marui. You get what you pay for.