Request - Which MEU? TM or WE?

[F!reStorm*]

Hey there!

First of all, I know there was a thread posted not long ago about the two pistols, quoting the pros and the cons of each of them. I've been looking for that thread for the past 45 mins and couldn't come up with anything valuable.

So I ask you this, those that own either the Marui version or the WE version, please write your thoughts here about the gun you own. Pros and cons. If you own both, I'd like very much if you could, on top of the pros and cons listing, give me your personal choice between both.

Also, I've seen pictures of the WE version with full markings and trades and some without. Anyone knows the reason?

My stance right now tends to lean toward the WE version for several reasons, which are simply aesthetics ones. In fact, that is why I need your help. You guys have fired and held both, maybe broken something in one these etc.

Let me, and the others wondering the same question, know.

Thank you!

[Shirley]

Well what do you think of the make, and the price?

TM bone stock is great, performs like a champ. Just plastic.. But they perform well, my friend has the MEU, and it's still surviving shots on the plastic slide.

The WE is just for the feel, but shitty metal, and bad finish. Just a cheap solution if you are tight on money.

But I think WE internals you can replace with upgrades, as so as the TM. But why not just stick to a TM.

The TM also looks a bit more realistic.

WE, you would need to change the the bushing. As always.

TM has better quality, and performance. I'd go with a TM.

[Amos]

Tm.

WE guns do not hold a candle to Tokyo Marui

[dpvu]

WE's are cheap and full metal so if you want a cheap metal gun with decent performance (by no means are they underpowered or anything) then it's not a bad choice. The internals are a bit questionable sometimes but for the price it's a trade-off you have to consider.

TMs are great, the plastic doesn't "feel" great but it's durable and most take many thousands of rounds (you'll find people still rocking stock TMs that are years old) so they're proven even on green gas/propane.

[T_A_N_K]

Don't get a WE.

I owned a WE 1911 and both a TM 1911. The TM is much nicer, even in its stock form. If anything I would grab a TM 1911 and slap metal slide on it. There a painted FMU TM 1911 on the classified right now, I would grab that and strip the paint on it.

[Styrak]

I owned (for a short time before I sold them) 2x WE Hicapa 5.1's and 1x WE 1911.

I sold them all because I hated them and they sucked. Slide usually not locking back after the last shot(ON EVERY GUN), blowback that seems not powerful and sluggish, etc.

I bought a TM Hicapa 5.1 (has a metal slide, they're cheap) and I love it. It will probably never be replaced, and won't break.

Get the TM.

[F!reStorm*]

I had several pistols from Marui, including a Hicapa. I like them all, performance wise but I thought they lacked in full metalness.

Money is not that much of a problem, however if I can have a full metal GBB that works well enough for less than what would cost a Marui + metal slide, I'd take that option.

My question was more specific. I'd like to know if the WE version is reliable enough to shoot bbs for a long time. I don't want all the fluffy hype-centered upgrades that won't give much. However, I'd like to know about the parts that are shit and that I would need to change. If the cost for the parts are less than what a metal slide would cost then the choice will be simple.

I recently bought a Berreta from KJW, a really cheap one, full metal too. I've been emptying back to back several magazines during games and it was up to par with the 226 and the Hicapa made from Marui that I owned a couple years earlier. I'm saying this to put my point in form of an example. I think the cost difference between a WE and a Marui doesn't reflect in a good ratio the performance. Both guns would obviously have after-market parts to be installed which means money come into play.

Anyway, with that said, WE could be total shit, I have no idea, honestly. Time for more specific answers, with part names that break or that would need to be changed or specific examples, from both brand, of past experiences that happened to you.

ps. Thank you for your quick answers by the way, it is appreciated.

[Styrak]

The 1911 I mentioned was brand new. So they're basically broken out of the box.
There's my answer

[F!reStorm*]

Thanks buddy, we basically posted in the same time.

Anyone else?

[Drake]

I have a couple of WE 1911s, they require work to get reliable. If you want guns that "work out of the box" get the Marui.

That being said, I'm looking for a WE MEU myself albeit hard to find since a handful of people keep bashing WE so retailers don't get them, and most refuse to do special orders. I considered going the TM route, but getting the base MEU, metal kit, and associated upgrade parts.. would have run me about $600+.

That's more than I want to spend on a pistol.

[F!reStorm*]

Not necessarily looking for a reliable out of the box gun. I just want to know which pieces should I buy to make it reliable. Like you pointed out, getting the TM base and adding the little stuff that it needs to last plus the metal slide would cost way more than a WE plus the little bits needed.

What did you do to your 1911s to make them work well?

[T_A_N_K]

I had a TM 1911 and I bought a WE 1911 Tactical. I was planning on using the WE 1911 as a poor mans FMU kit for a TM 1911. It didn't work. The parts were not compatible, and neither are the mags. I tried taking the full top slide and putting on the Lower TM frame and it would not fit. I know a lot of people that own KJW/WE GBB's that swear by them and a lot of others that say they are total shit. I guess they do make good stuff now and then, but their issue is that their products I find are not consistent.

As for upgrades, It really depends what you want to do to the GBB. If you want more power go for high flow valves but then you get less shots per mag(you get a lot less shots per mag and you roughly only see a 5-10fps increase, good if your going real cap). Whatever you do I would recommend purchasing a reinforced nozzle off the bat, if your getting a metal slide get a metal outer barrel and chamber as well (The plastic gets chewed up by the metal fast) and enhanced recoil spring. For improved accuracy you can get a tight bore. Other than that you don't anything else, heck I would use it until you have a problem with it really.

My Stock TM 1911 worked very much to my liking out of the box, the only thing If I had still kept it for upgrades were to get a tight bore, but then again I didn't really adjust the hop up.

The TM MEU is nice, but correct me if Im wrong its just cosmetic differences from your standard TM 1911 correct? Besides the trigger, grip and sights? Also the price difference between the TM MEU and TM 1911 is what $100? I would rather get the 1911 and put the extra $$ towards a Metal Slide/Chamber assembly. But really its what is best for you.

[aZn_triXta07]

I've seen people field WE's in sand and what not and have had them just break down like that after a few games.

I have a TM 1911 with a Creation Aluminum Slide/Frame and the entire game it functioned like a charm, shot hard and got me kills. When I got home I barely found any wear as if I were plinking at home, gave it a quick clean and everything still works like a charm.

I love the gun, but since I'm not playing for a long time I can't justify having it.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by F!reStorm*

Not necessarily looking for a reliable out of the box gun. I just want to know which pieces should I buy to make it reliable. Like you pointed out, getting the TM base and adding the little stuff that it needs to last plus the metal slide would cost way more than a WE plus the little bits needed.

What did you do to your 1911s to make them work well?

The biggest problem on the WE 1911s was the front end blowing out (destroyed ring on the recoil spring plug and subsequently the bushing); as I posted in another thread, this is due to a design flaw where the recoil spring guide's length exceeds the depth of the recoil spring plug, therefor during the recoil cycle guide rams into the front of the cap. It's only a matter of time before it breaks. The solution is removing 2-3mm of material from the end of the recoil spring guide and rounding it off so it doesn't catch in the recoil spring.

An upgraded recoil spring (TM's fits) also helps, and if you're using a lot of power upgrades you can add a piece of Sorbo pad to the to the rear face of the dust cover (basically an airsoft Shok-Buff). This is just to generally avoid damage from wear.

The WE valve ports are marginally (~0.5-1mm) smaller than those found on other GBBs, so either manually increasing their size, or replacing them with TM valves, or upgraded high flow valves, will help with power. WE 1911 mags don't hold a whole lot of gas though, so this is probably only a good idea if you're planning on doing realcap loads (but you can get decent power if you are). [Edit: A side note to MEU(SOC).45 real cap loads, FR and MEU use Wilson, Kimber and/or Chip McCormick 8 round mags (which are the same size as the classic 7 round mags). Some FR operators also use their own Chip McCormick 10 round extended mags.]

The stock piston head is crap. Highly recommend the Nineball Dyna Piston head as a replacement (the TM 1911 one fits). I also performed some manual sealing on the hopup unit, with PTFE Teflon tape, while I was in there.

Another common problem with WE 1911s is the slide not locking back on the last shot. This is again either caused by a design or manufacturing defect in the slide stop latch; there's a small bump on the rear face (the one in contact with the slide stop plunger) -- not sure if it was designed like that, or if its left over from the casting process -- which gets "stuck" under the plunger, preventing it from moving up freely. Filing that down a bit so that the plunger can move over it smoothly resolves the issue. Additionally, stretching the follower spring in the magazine a bit (1-2 CM) and/or inserting a few BBs at the BASE of the magazine (i.e., under the spring, to create padding) will also help. (note that inserting BBs at the base will prevent you from using the BB fill hole)

The ambi safety tends to be crappy; the starboard side lever tends to become quite loose. A bit of PTFE teflon tape inside the socket will help it stay seated properly and make it usably snug.

IMO the stock barrel bushing looks weak and feels like very thin, cheap metal; a Western Arms aftermarket bushing is a perfect drop-in replacement. A real steel bushing will also work, but requires modification (the inside diameter is a fraction of a millimeter smaller than the barrel; it's steel, you'll need at least a Dremel and grinding head, and you'll have to make sure it's a proper circular shape. Proper tooling with a press is recommended).

And the finish on the WE's sucks. It's a weird grey, like early parkerizing. And it wears off just from staring at it menacingly enough. I plan on blueing my 1911 Classic. The MEU would get the same flat Epoxy finish black I use on AEGs.

[Roughneck]

WE's rattle, dont lock back and they break in the front end after minimal use. I had a TM MEU for a short time, but prefered the 1911A1. The TM MEU shot great, Novak sights are a plus and the mags are compatable with the 1911A1's. I found the frame was a bit wider than the 1911's, and preferred narrow frame for myself. My understanding is that the newer TM GBB's will run on propane for a long long time before even damaging a plastic slide, if ever. So.. get a TM, you'll thank yourself later for it.