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If there’s anything the airsoft playerbase can’t get enough of, it’s customizability. One of the first questions players will ask about a new airsoft gun upon its release is “Is it Tokyo Marui compatible?” As pioneers of most of the electric/gas systems we use in all airsoft guns today, Tokyo Marui set the standard for basic airsoft rifle component sizes. Many companies were quick to make their own iterations of the successful system, leading to the “Tokyo Marui Compatible” sales moniker we so commonly hear in the hobby today. Although Tokyo Marui has a wide assortment of pistols, one in particular stood out for its impressive out-of-the-box performance and reflected modularity in the real steel world: The Hi-Capa. This handgun, at its core, is essentially just a 1911 style pistol with a widened grip to allow for a thicker double-stack magazine. The real-steel world often refers to these as “2011s,” popularized for their prevalence as competition shooting pistols and race-guns. But how exactly has this pistol risen to its status as the king of all airsoft pistols?

It all started with a few aftermarket parts. A handgun having available customizability makes for a tempting project pistol, boosting its early popularity. That popularity then led to more companies producing aftermarket parts in response to more people picking up the handgun, which then led to even more people buying the handgun. Custom Hi-Capas began to flood airsoft fields across the country, which then brought more people to ask questions about them. Other airsoft companies then begun to market their own pre-upgraded Hi-Capa variants that kept relatively compatible with the base Tokyo Marui system to further capitalize on the hype, leading us to the huge market of Hi-Capas and related parts the hobby has today. Want to build a pistol capable of outranging most rifles? The Hi-Capa can do it. Want to build a pistol tricked out with anodized aluminum parts made up of every color on the rainbow? You should probably pick up a Hi-Capa. Want the perfect base for a GBB HPA powered primary that can be equipped to run M4 magazines? It’s Hi-Capa time. This pistol is a sandbox of imagination that can be setup in any which way that your creativity desires, all while remaining highly viable due to its high magazine capacity and generally good gas efficiency.

Looking to take part in this pistol craze by picking up a Hi-Capa? Here’s everything you need to know about the pistol from start to finish:


The 5.1 Hi-Capa is the most popular option, but the shorter 4.3 edition is cool as well!

Although customizability is the Hi-Capa’s claim to fame, there are plenty of players that simply choose to keep the handgun as is. Tokyo Marui’s quality control and impressive hopup unit design give this handgun above average range and accuracy when paired with 0.25g BBs, making the pistol incredibly effective at the distances a handgun would be ideal. The ABS plastic slide isn’t the most realism inspiring, but it does keep the gas efficiency far above that of its full metal competitors.


I recommend the Swiss Arms 110 PSI Light Gas if you plan on running the stock ABS slide. It’ll kick just as hard while reducing the amount of wear on the system!

One of the best aspects of the Hi-Capa system is its inter-brand compatibility with other magazines. Picking up a few spare magazines for your pistol is always a good idea since their natural mag capacity is fairly low. Relying on a single magazine too much can cause it to freeze over with repeated use due to the gas transfer! The base Tokyo Marui magazines are the most versatile if you want to modify them later down the line, but the WE ones work just as well and are a few bucks cheaper.





One of the first things to look into after picking up a handgun is a proper holster. My number one recommendation for any airsoft pistol user is the CYTAC Amomax Universal holster. I happened to pick one up at a small airsoft store back in 2018 and have been using it as my one-and-done handgun holster ever since. This holster fits with over 150 different pistol types thanks to the side mounted hex screws that allow you to adjust its width. Why buy a holster built specifically for your handgun style when you can pick one up that works for all?



As a gas operated handgun, your pistol has rubber seals and gaskets in place that ensure your pistol operates as efficiently as possible. If these seals aren’t regularly lubricated after heavy use, they will begin to dry out and shrink, reducing how many shots you can fire off of a single magazine gas fill. To combat this, you should disassemble your handgun’s slide and apply silicone oil to the main seal. You can access your handgun’s main seal by pushing the nozzle forward. A few drops of this Evike High Concentration Silicone Oil should do the trick just fine.



Looking to start getting into Hi-Capa upgrades? Check out my Ultimate Hi-Capa Upgrade Guide article for a deep dive on what every individual part of your pistol does and what to upgrade it with! (Just click here!)

Functionality, versatility, and availability are the major pillars that keep the Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa the supreme king of airsoft pistols. Using a viable piece of airsoft equipment streamlines gameplay, ensuring that you can spend less time in the dead zone and more time on the battlefield. Even if you don’t have current plans to modify your pistol, the Hi-Capa leaves plenty of room open if you ever change your mind in the future. A near endless supply of aftermarket parts ensure that no matter what odd break or malfunction might occur, your Hi-Capa can easily bounce right back into action with a quick stop to the tech shop. Invest in airsoft’s best pistol today by picking up a Hi-Capa from Evike.com!