Pistols are generally used as a sidearm, or back up for your primary, however that doesn't mean that's all they can be used for. If action movies have taught us anything, it's that with a pistol, you're unstoppable! Smaller, more compact, and easier to use, pistols are a lot of fun, whether you're gaming every weekend, shooting targets out your back garden, or just like adding another awesome piece to your collection.
Blowback can be a confusing term - in effect, it means simulated recoil. In other words, it is more realistic, and as a result more fun! Airsoft guns will never achieve the same level of recoil as the real steel counterparts, however it will still put a smile on your face every time you pull the trigger. Due to the nature of the blowback systems, there are more parts, requiring a higher degree of maintenance to keep everything in tip-top shape, but the benefit is a more realsitic experience, and greater satisfaction with every shot!
This replica is powered by green gas, although the name is something of a misnomer. It's stored in the bottle (and magazine/pistol) as a liquid, and needs heat to turn into a gas. As you can imagine, each shot uses up the ambient heat, and the gun cools down. The colder it gets, the less efficiently it operates (this is called cool down). Practically speaking, it means you will cycle through the different pressures of gas based on the temperature/climate i.e. in the colder months, you'll likely use 150 PSI gas, in the summer you'll use green gas (or 110/120 PSI), and for the indeterminate weather conditions, most likely you will rely on 130 PSI.
Unsure what gas to use? Using lower pressure gas will not damage your replica in any way, so it is safer to start lower, and only move up a pressure class (i.e. from green gas to 130 PSI, or 130 PSI to 150 PSI) when the replica is not performing as expected.
To refill with gas, remember that it is actually a liquid, so you will need to have the pistol/magazine and gas bottle upside down to fill. Line up the fill nozzle with the fill valve, press and hold it into position and keep in place until full. Generally it takes about 10 seconds for a full fill, however larger magazines may take longer. For best results, fill up with gas when the magazine/pistol and gas bottle are cold, and warm up the magazine before use. This allows the gun to have more gas available, and increases the pressure inside the magazine.
Raven are one of the most popular airsoft brands due to their great all-round performance, solid build quality, excellent design, and fantastic value. Part of the Nuprol family, Raven pistols blend modern materials to help keep the cost down, whilst retaining the durability and weight, ensuring every one of their replicas feels realistic. For the plastic components they use HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene), and aluminium alloys for the metal parts. In the box you get a spare nozzle and O-ring set, allowing you to keep your replica up and running for longer.
Their gas blowback series offer strong recoil, and excellent performance on gas; you will want to run them on 130 PSI for most of the year, and in the colder months you will likely switch over to 150 PSI. Raven offer excellent value, and their pistols are based on the Tokyo Marui designs, giving them great compatibility with after market parts, allowing you to customise and upgrade your gear with ease.
The Raven Hicapa 5.1 is a beast of a pistol - based off the Hicapa design, it encompasses all of the best parts of the 1911, but with a larger magazine which holds both more ammo, and more gas, keeping you in the fight for longer. Constructed out of metal, it is heavyweight, and feels fantastic in the hand. The 20mm rail on the base gives you excellent accessorising options, facilitating the mounting of lasers, flashlights etc. As a gas blowback gun, it delivers satisfying recoil with each shot, sure to put a smile on your face.
