Misc. TM Hi-Capa questions

[jerryliang2k]

I just got a FMU TM Hi-Capa with a Strike kit installed from a trade. There are some strange quirks with the gun, but having never owned a stock hi-capa I can't tell if these problems are caused by an improper/incomplete upgrade or they are inherient to all Hi-Capas.

1. First, the blowback action is REALLY sluggish. I've previously owned a TM Desert Eagle, KJW M9 elite, KJW G23, KSC USPC, and the blowback on the Hi-Capa is slower than all of those. It kinda feels like the last few shots a gun shoots before it runs out of gas where you can still feel the kick from the gun and the BB still shoots off but the action just seems delayed for lack of a better word. However, if I rack the slide, the slide snaps to battery very solidly but not when it's fired.

2. Sometimes when I'm out of ammo, the slide doesn't lock back. Other times when I do have ammo, the slide may lock back. It seems like the slide stop lever is independent of some other mechanism that actually does the slide stopping. A few times, the slide was locked back and I released the lever but the slide won't budge. I had to release it and press it down again a few times for the slide to get un-stopped.

3. If I slowly move the slide from a locked position back to its normal position, the slide does not return all the way. It get stuck about 1-2 cm from being fully in position. I have to really push to get it back into battery position.

4. If I slowly release the hammer from a cocked position, it also gets stuck and I can't pull the trigger. I have to cock the hammer again and then pull the trigger. This one's no biggie but it just seems strange.

5. The grip safety seems REALLY sensitive. Like I can put the slightest pressure on the grip safety and the gun would fire. I thought you were supposed to really grip the gun before it would actually fire.

Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.

Zi-Xiao

[Identity]

Grip safety is like that. I have a FMU Hi-Capa 4.3 now. The grip safety is like that.
You might need your recoil spring changed if the blowback seems sluggish. What kinda gas are you running? The 4.3 should shoot like the Desert Eagle in blowback. On propane that is.
The slide doesnt lock back, I can fix. Same reason happened to me. You need a washer that slides on the slidelock, which I sell I sell 4 washers for $1.00. Those washers allow your gun to lockback properly.

It seems like your recoil spring is having problems. You might wanna check your loading nozzle. But if anything, I can help you take alook at it.

[ILLusion]

1-3: Sounds like the blowback chamber is not seated properly, or the slide is not properly fitted to the frame (or vice versa). You may need to get to work at it with a file if reseating the chamber doesn't do anything.
4: This is 100% normal
5: This is 90% normal on hi-capas. Bone stock hi-capas sometimes even have a completely dysfunctional grip safety, but with some tinkering of the leaf spring, you can get it to work properly.


Most of your issues are difficult to identify via text over a forum. Bring it to someone who is familiar with Hi-Capas for a full diagnoses if your own doesn't work.

[Identity]

I've completely dissasembled my 4.3 Hi-capa with no problems and fixed most of it myself. So I could lend him a hand but hes all the way up at missauga!
Alot of Hicapas have a bit of problems. It just needs a bit of tweaking.
Had a few troubles beefore with my FMU kit on my 4.3, but disassembling and assembling it was fine.

[jerryliang2k]

I've owned a few GBBs in the past and know their general mechanics so I was about to take my Hi-Capa apart. However, I ran into another problem now. The Nine-ball strike kit has two little hex screws that needs to be taken out before the unit comes off and unless I take the strike kit off, the slide won't slip off. It doesn't seem like the kit comes with an allen key and the local hardware stores don't seem to carry anything that small either...

Zi-Xiao

*edit*
I also noticed that the gun, when fired, makes a very hollow poping (similar to that of a GBB running low on gas) sound instead of the sharp snap you'd expect.

[MadMax]

It sounds like you have a case of tolerance salad.

Stock TM Hicapas are very consistently well performing, but once you start fitting a heap of aftermarket parts, you can get an awkward dance between TM and another manufacturers interpretation of TM engineering.

1-3: I agree with Illusions diagnosis of a dysfunctional blowback chamber, but if your slide lock is actually sticking up and locking the slide (issue 2) then I suspect that you are missing the detent spring, or other detent related parts, in the safety/slide lock on the left side of the gun.

Last issue: It sounds like you're either getting a light strike (hammer spring not stiff enough) or your firing pin lock is not locking the mag fire valve open and properly cycling your gun.

[jerryliang2k]

The gun cycles properly in the sense that it loads the next BB and shoots it; it simply doesn't lock back. I think the slide isn't flying all the way back to the slide stop.

I'll try some more hardware stores to see if they have any allen keys small enough to remove the strike kit so I can take the gun apart and have a look at the internals.

On the note of taking the gun apart, I didn't get a manual with the gun and I can't seem to find a download. I'll keep looking but if anyone has a link handy, please post it here.

Zi-Xiao

[tsuru]

Since all the rest of the points seem to be covered I'll take on the remaining one. For number 3 I know from the Dragon 5.1 and TM 5.1's I've worked on if the slide doesn't want to return fully it's normally due to a slide fitting/lubrication problem or an o-ring problem. (Although in your case it could be recoil spring related as you seem to be having problems with it anyways.)
Fitting/lubrication is pretty self-explanatory but the o-ring can cause the slide to stick just out of battery. When you manage to get the slide off the gun check to see if the o-ring has dislodged itself (I once found my o-ring at the complete rear of the piston shaft, the cylinder/nozzle had pushed it out of the chamber) This might also explain your popping sound you're getting.
As far as a diagram goes I thought there was one in the tech diagram section of these forums but apparently it's missing. I'll get my scanner up and working this weekend and I'll submit them then.

[YourPusher]

Hey jerry. About the gun feeling a little sluggish, illusion is right. You need to file down the bottom of the rear sight ( where there is a bulge) so that the blowback chamber can be screwed in flush with the railing. That is fairly straightforward.

[jerryliang2k]

Ah... Well I'll check that out as soon as I find a darn allen key small enough to take off the strike set. Damn those tiny screws :smack:

Zi-Xiao

[Kuraitenshi]

had similar problem with the slide not returning to a position where the gun could fire again. Fix was simple it needed a little lube.

[jerryliang2k]

Ok so I finally got an allen key small enough to take off the strike kit. The internals seems to be alighed perfectly and nothing seems to be obviously out of place.
Looks like I'll have to get an expert to look at it or get ahold of a stock Hi-Capa.

Zi-Xiao

[ILLusion]

look at the BLOWBACK assembly. Not the Strike kit. The problems you're expereriencing are due to a blowback assembly pressing down too low. It either needs to be adjusted to sit higher via readjustment of its screw or by modifying the rear sight.

[hattrick]

i've always wondered about #4 i believe it is to prevent the metal on the right side of the lower frame where the hammer strikes from warping and being smashed in (dry fire speeds this up)
Also wondered if that peice i refered to being smashed in, is replaceable? i never took the hammer assembly apart and it looked like twas part of the frame...

If you need to de-cock the gun, put your finger in the way of the hammer and pull the trigger. Then let it forward the last 2mm or so.


edit* i know its too late, but i think the key included with your usp compact would'a fit >.<

[tsuru]

Not to continue the off-topic but feature #3 is replicated from real-steel 1911 unless I'm off my rocker.