Alimcd

I tried alcohol and elbow grease to get that effing logo off and all that started to move was the paint around it! I'm going to have to learn to live with it, can't do much about it. It's now the airsoft equivalent of my hairline!

I think I've finished the Novritsch now. Changed around a few extra parts and now it feels super nice in hand. Since last week, here's what I've been up to: Changed out the Novristch recoil spring and hammer spring for an AIP 140% Switched out the fluted barrel to a standard non-dropping Airsoft Surgeon barrel Changed the leaf spring for an Elite shooting version Adjusted the backstop of the guarder trigger Full disassembly and clean Mother's aluminum polish on frame and slide, half an hour of racking the slide 180% nozzle spring as the nozzle was very sticky Add that to: Changed out the rattly-ass slide Installed Elite shooting lightweight BBU and loading nozzle (dramatic reduction in weight!) Installed a working slide catch Installed non-missing grip safety pins I've learnt that: KJ Spec and TM Spec are totally different and not all parts are interchangeable - looking at you, trigger bows The supplied hop unit and rubber aren't half bad The supplied hammer assembly actually feel great with a slightly stronger spring and a non-mushy trigger Barrel-rub is a huge factor in gas efficiency Hi-capas are addictive and I'll have a second finished in a few weeks, subject to delays on the slide I feel like I've broken myself when it comes to GBB's, seeing the wealth of parts available and the qualitative differences between them has been an eye-opening experience. My beloved chest-mounted WE Makarov now feels like it is made of cheese Anyway, here's the pictures of the SSP1 in it's final guise. The red dot will will replaced with a Triji SRO when it arrives as I like the Holosun clone far more on my AK74u Edit - forgot to say, the cleandown found a few more FPS out of the platform and it's chronoing just shy of 300 with 0.28's which made me a very happy boy

Something about my WW2 load out just doesn’t feel right...

Received a couple of parts for the SSP1, namely a non-dropping fluted outer barrel as a nod to the original part and a new recoil rod and plug. Just waiting on a magwell and some Guarder gas to test the performance. Update - Cycling nicely and reading 275fps with 0.28’s

Received a couple of parts for the SSP1, namely a non-dropping fluted outer barrel as a nod to the original part and a new recoil rod and plug. Just waiting on a magwell and some Guarder gas to test the performance.

I’m loving all the recent adverts that end “FuLlY uPgRaDeD” Im going to start listing all my stuff as fully upgraded - Spare chest rig, FULLY UPGRADED. Makarov holster, FULLY UPGRADED. Easy money

Mad mole, your collection looks sweet! I’m particularly fond of your Plinking gun! Might seem like a daft question, any extra care needed when using black gas? I’ve used green gas since buying a GBB from hobby stores in Camden in c.2002 and always assumed that was just the only choice. I’ve got some Guarder black gas on the way and didn’t know if I would have to add lubricant or anything. Ali

Mike couldn’t have been more helpful again and has dispatched another bag’o’bits my way. Should be some big changes to both HiCapas next week. Some blingy bits should be arriving at work tomorrow but I’ve got a client visit halfway through the day. Knowing my luck they’ll try and deliver while I’m out!

Hilariously, moments after saying it’s behaving the Novristch Nozzle ate the O ring from the Elite BBU. Ive installed the Elite Nozzle instead and a fresh O ring and it’s doing 245 -250 with 0.28’s and the hop set. Have to get another O-ring and Nozzle from Mike on my next order...

A large jiffy bag of parts arrived from Elite earlier. The Novristch SSP1 is now back in working order, The new slide and lightweight BBU offset the extra weight of the RMR and the action is nice and snappy. In the end, the Novristch really didn't need much doing to it, stronger nozzle spring, thumb safety spring and pins etc. I've put a grub screw through the outer barrel to reduce the floppiness of it and overall I'm happy with how it is feeling in hand. The hilarious Trademark skirting of my HolosAn RMR made me smile when I noticed it. The scratch built HiCapa is now taking shape as well.

Oh bugger it all. I’ve just asked Mike for all the other bits I’ll need to turn the spares into another gun. I have zero restraint

He updated the website yesterday to show the range of colours of the Limcat Speedcat slides. I felt obliged to pre-order a grey one!... Now I need to decide if I'm doing two uppers or two whole guns! I wish mine had held together like yours! The pot metal parts like the slide catch have turned to mush after a year or so. When it was new, it shot great when the safety wasn't randomly clicking into place...

I'm enjoying the process of making the mistakes and seeing what fits and what doesn't. I find it helps for when things fail if you know how it all works. I wouldn't have sold the SSP as it was. The dodgy safety and rattly build would have just disappointed someone else, I think mine was just a friday afternoon British Leyland jobbie. I must admit that I've hovered over a couple of his guns that are available for sale but at the end of the day I know I will find it far more satisfying to have something that I've pieced together myself. The Elite BBU and Nozzle arrived today, the weight difference is suprising! Thread lock is currently setting before it can be installed.

Guy’s a pleasure to deal with, mind. I picked up a Clone D-Evo off him last week and he kept me updated, dispatched quickly and chased to check id received the item. Playing Devil’s advocate: Maybe just wanted to get it listed before people have pissed disposable income up the wall? I always eBay stuff on Payday weekend for this very reason and have been known to use stock photography for items just to get the ad live if the actual item is mint

Some tinkering later and I’m starting to realise how different the KJW design is to the TM. It’s subtle stuff, like how one side of the blow back unit is longer, the cutout of the lower frame is a totally different size or that the rear sight mount is a different shape. Its looking more like this is going to end up being a totally new HiCapa with a Novristch grip. On a side note. Elite Shooting Centre are a pleasure to deal with

Well, it turns out that the SSP1 BBU is proprietary to the KJW slide... this may end up essentially being just a totally new Hicapa at this rate! I’ve been filing away at it this afternoon but it isn’t quite perfect. Some chin scratching must be done. Anyway, here’s the state of play.

Ha, yup. It’s going to end up being the hammer and sear set, BBU+piston (maybe), hop chamber+barrel and little else. The grip is staying the same, mostly

This just arrived...

First set of parcels grabbed. Elite shooting centre package with a new thumb safety and springs and a silver spring guide plug fitted and she’s behaving much better. The safety clicks in and out, I’m sure it won’t set itself anytime soon. Putting it all back together, that tensioner in the pistol grip is a shit, isn’t it!? Got some more stuff arriving tomorrow or Monday

FFS, Sorry we missed you card on the floor by the front door. Stealth postman today Maybe I can begin tomorrow?

Unfortunately, no matter how intensely I stared at the postman, there were no Hicapa parts in his sack. The SSP1 is now arguably as well put together now as it was when it arrived

Mr Magnon, I hope you win the day!

Right, here we go. Hopefully some knowledgeable souls will keep an eye on this build and let me know when I'm being a tit. Long story short, When I was getting back into airsoft I dusted off a 12-13 year old Unicorn Aks74u and ran about my local site for a bit, Novritsch was gaining a bit of a following online and was about to release the SSP1, I got my UKARA and jumped aboard the hype train. A little while and a fair few games later, the slide has a lot of play laterally, the slide stop has worn to the point of moving and fouling on the slide, stopping all movement and the thumb safety is so loose that it almost always ends up being set when I draw the gun. Taking it all apart to have a look, there were bits missing (the springs the put tension on the thumb safety for example), and the tolerances on parts like the frame are pretty poor. It is after all a cheap KJW frame with some key Nineball parts. I've taken this as an opportunity to turn the SSP1 into something that (hopefully) other players don't think "Well, he's a cnut" when they see it and doesn't look or feel like a toy. The funny thing is it only the externals that I have an issue with, the BBU, piston, Hop unit and barrel all seem pretty good. I dare say it' was actually my best performing GBB pistol. I've ordered a TM lower frame so that noone can see the dreaded Novritsch logo and will be building from there but let it be known that this is essentially going to be a well dressed SSP1. If anyone with experience of a mid-tier Hicapa build (looking to keep it under £400) wants to step in and point me toward critical internal changes, I'm all ears. My thoughts are that when skirmishing the SSP, I always wished it was better made but have never wished that it performed better, it has always been pretty faultless. The first lot of bits should be here in the next couple days so I'm looking forwards to getting stuck in and any advice will be greatly appreciated

Some HiCapa parts to disguise the Novristch SSP1 I bought when I got back into Airsoft

Thanks for the feedback, The space requirement/capacity trade off for the drum put me off those originally and I suspect that they’re unlikely to feed any better than a fully wound hicap. Same issue with a different mechanism. I hadn’t banked on how hard to wind the hicaps were, reminded me of borrowing a mate’s MP5. I spent half the game winding the effing thing as the wheel is so small and stiff. Wishing I hadn’t bought three of the bloody things!... Splicing a Thompson head onto a battle axe or similar electric drum could work. Would be a fun weekend project too. Before anyone chimes in to say that it’s not “accurate” or “realistic” the gun has an RMR instead of a rear sight which sets the bar for realism...