PB Top Picks: Our Favourite Full Metal Hi-Capas
Our Top 5 Hi-capa Airsoft Pistols
RAVEN Hi-capa 4.3 Gas Blowback Pistol
The RAVEN Hi-capa 4.3 is as simple as they get, being the perfect sidearm for a skirmisher who wants Hi-capa compatibility in a simple and reliable format with the satisfying firing experience of a full metal GBB pistol.
The RAVEN 4.3 may look simple but it still has what it takes to compete, with a tightbore inner barrel as standard, 12mm CW female threads on the barrel and a 20mm Picatinny frame rail for your laser or tactical flashlight.
As with most Hi-capas, the slide lock is extended to make it easier to reach, and the beavertail safety at the rear of the grip is larger so you can get the first shot off from the draw cleanly.
The manual safety catch is ambidextrous, meaning it can be used from either side of the pistol which is a nice addition for left-handed shooters, and the magazine well has the usual Hi-capa flared entrance which allows for faster reloads by guiding your magazine into the magwell.
With a crackle textured frame and diamond texture on the front and rear straps of the grip, the simple, means business RAVEN Hi-capa 4.3 is easy to handle regardless of whether you use gloves when skirmishing or if you are a sadist who likes having their fingers shot!
Patterned after the Tokyo Marui Hi-capa 4.3, the RAVEN 4.3 has rear slide serrations to provide grip for wet weather use and both the hammer and trigger are skeletonised to add some subtle custom style to the pistol without going over the top.
Sights-wise, we have a set of light-enhancing iron sights at the top of the slide for rapid sight alignment in any ambient lighting conditions. Add a tactical flashlight mounted on the 20mm Picatinny frame rail and you have the perfect sidearm for exchanging fire at bad breath range in a dark CQB site!
VORSK Hi-Capa 5.1 GBB Pistol w/BDS Red Dot Sight
The first step towards the 'race pistol' style of Hi-capa, the VORSK Hi-capa series combines sleek modern Hi-capa looks with combat pistol simplicity, providing raised light enhancing sights combined with a pre-installed BDS red dot sight for rapid target acquisition, a full-length dust cover with an extra-long rail with an aggressively textured lower frame to ensure you don't throw the pistol whilst drawing it.
The VORSK Hi-capa series are all available in approximately 6 million different colour combinations, no matter your tastes VORSK has something that would suit your tastes!
The VORSK Hi-capa 5.1 has a full slide giving both strong recoil and a realistic firing experience. At the base of the grip, the pistol features a large mag well extension which is styled after IPSC race guns, assisting you in achieving smooth, fast reloads.
As we would expect for a modern Hi-capa platform, all of the controls are extended designs to make the pistol easy to manipulate without having to reposition your hands on the gun mid-firefight.
This Hi-capa features vents across the 3, 9 and 12 o'clock positions of the front of the slide, providing cool looks and additional contact surfaces for efficient manipulation of the slide, functioning as front serrations to aid in wet weather use.
The pistols also come with a thread adaptor and thread protector for the tip of your barrel, adding to the aggressive look of the Hi-capa and providing a 14mm CCW male thread, allowing you to mount muzzle devices such as suppressors and tracer units right out of the box. The pre-installed tight-bore barrel also means the VORSK Hi-capa series shoot as good as they look!
Army Armament R504 Hi-Capa GBB Pistol
If you are envious of how the shiny Hi-capas at your local site shoot but prefer a combat oriented pistol with less “race gun” styling, the R504 should suit your tastes!
The R504 marries Hi-capa internals with combat-ready features such as anti-glare suppressor height sights, a threaded outer barrel and a shortened frame to reduce weight. In the past, a pistol like this would have to be custom built at great expense, a big thanks goes to Army Armament for giving us an affordable combat Hi-capa.
This pistol foregoes the ports in the slide which can often allow dirt and debris to enter the action and does away with the enlarged controls and other sporty features in favour of an aggressively stippled pistol grip with trigger guard undercuts, snag-free low profile controls, and suppressor height sights.
The flared magazine well remains but is smaller and more discrete than the racy Hi-capas, keeping the weight manageable while making reloads that much easier when you are pumped full of adrenaline.
To make matters all the sweeter, the R504 comes with an optics-ready slide and a red dot mount plate included in the box and is fully compatible with prolific upgrades for the Tokyo Marui Hi-capa platform so you can push it even further if you choose to!
Bringing the iconic Hi-capa race pistol to war, the R504 is well equipped to mount suppressors, tactical flashlights, a red dot sight, and any other accessories you can think of to give you the edge when the BBs hit the fan!
VORSK Hi-Capa 5.1 Split Slide GBB Pistol w/ BDS Red Dot Sight
Here's where things accelerate! The super-fast split side Hi-capas feature enhanced gas efficiency and higher cyclic rate, due to the lighter slide. If you are building a speed soft Hi-capa for use with HPA and you feel the need for speed, this is the one to choose!
While the extra-grippy lower remains, as does the enlarged mag well and extended controls, the slide changes significantly in the VORSK Hi-capa 5.1 Split Slide, as does the optic mounting position.
With the slide effectively cut in half, split slide Hi-capas cycle faster than standard full slide designs, and being ported like a piece of swiss cheese, this is one of the fastest Hi-capas available.
The front of the slide remains stationary whilst firing, improving accuracy and facilitating a fixed position optic, mounted to the Picatinny 20mm rail positioned on the top of the forward fixed section of the slide.
This slide design also reduces felt recoil, which can be good or bad, depending on your requirements as a skirmisher. The reduction in recoil means faster follow-up shots and better gas efficiency but a slightly less realistic firing experience, but if you are into speed soft we can safely assume realism isn't high on your priority list!
An additional advantage comes with the optic mounting solution. With a standard slide-mounted BDS the optic is thrown around as the slide cycles, reducing its lifespan and making it harder to acquire.
Mounting the optic in a fixed position allows a more reliable zero and, together with the forward mounting position makes the sight easier to find when raising the handgun, allowing for rapid follow-up shots by allowing the user (if you are fast enough!) to acquire the next target before the slide completes its cycle. The balancing factors are potential issues with using a holster, although there are several optic-friendly options out there that suit even forward-mounted optics.
Being Tokyo Marui compatible, if you want to further extend the VORSK 5.1 Split Slide's lead over conventional designs you are free to do so with the appropriate knowledge and expertise!
WE Europe Hi-Capa 7.0 Dragon Type-A GBB Pistol
The WE Dragon 7.0 Hi-capa is strictly for those with an indiscrete and unapologetically aggressive playstyle, combining a longer 7-inch barrel with a split slide for a frighteningly quick cyclic rate along with a lengthened 20mm Picatinny rail and spikey potato masher compensator up front.
The Dragon 7.0 was one of the first split slide Hi-capas to grace the Airsoft market, and has been improved steadily over the years with higher quality parts and more steel components in its build, and it still holds its own decades later against more recently designed Hi-capas.
The Dragon 7.0 has a conventional Hi-capa lower frame and grip setup with a built-in flared magazine well to aid with speedy reloads when the pressure is on, and an ambidextrous safety lever which can be used as a thumb rest to help control the recoil for faster and more accurate follow up shots.
The trigger and hammer are both skeletonised, blending well with the almost sci-fi looks of the Dragon 7.0, and the barrel has 11mm CW female threading so you can mount a tracer or suppressor with the help of a thread adapter if the mission requires it!
The speedy cyclic rate and longer barrel of the Dragon 7.0 coupled with its light-enhancing front sight and Picatinny rail make it a fine choice for those seeking a primary pistol to deal with fast-moving targets in the cramped confines of a CQB site.
The bonus with the Dragon 7.0 is that it is compatible with Hi-capa 5.1 style rear sights, allowing for a red dot sight to be added using a Hi-capa 5.1 red dot mounting plate for faster target acquisition and easier use in low light. Upgrades are also easily added to the Dragon 7.0 thanks to its full compatibility with TM Hi-capa 5.1 GBB parts!
There you have it, our top 5 Full metal Hi-capas. If you are ready to check out our Hi-capa selection, hit the button below to see the plethora of Hi-capa GBBs we have. If you need a bit more intel on the Hi-capa as a platform, the different types of Hi-capa and what each does best, give our What is a Hi-capa article a quick read!