WE G17 High-Speed Question.

[Punisher3990]

Good Evening all!

I recently purchased a pre-owned WE G17 High speed (The split slide one) 

I notice after receiving that the slide does not lock. I have seen this pistol in videos and its definitely meant too. 

After doing some investigating I noticed the slide doesn't go back far enough to reach the grove where the catch springs up. 

View attachment 152781

(This image is me holding the slide fully back) 

A few things I have noted: 

This receiver is not the original, it has no WE markings and says it Gen4 (stock is Gen3) 

This gun has had modifications: Maple leaf hop chamber and barrel, out barrel is different (its threaded, stock isn't) 

The magazines also get stuck a bit, when I press the mag release they don't drop, I have to pull them out or slightly pull the slide back. 

Now my questions are:

Does the slide not lock because of the different receiver?

Did the previous owner who upgraded also change the recoil spring? Could that make the slide not reach? (The slide is very hard to pull back, I have other GBB and they are very light compared to this) 

Is losing the locking slide worth the upgrades?  

Should I try and get a Gen.3 receiver? 

If I carry on using it without slide lock, will it damage the gun? should I take out the slide catch? 

I am a new air softer so I am sorry if these are obvious questions, I bought this assuming it was stock, I was going to get these upgrades anyway so its a pleasant surprise for sure. 

Thanks for any advice

Phill

 

[Lyndication]

Sounds like your typical second hand "upgraded" pistol where they installed a 150% recoil spring because it makes it 50% more recoiler tbh. Stacking parts from different manufacturers can also be a tolerance nightmare.

Only way to see if it's the recoil spring limiting the travel is to take the slide off and push the hop chamber assembly forward against the recoil spring, and note how much travel it allows.

If you can push it say 8cm, but when assembled the slide only goes 5cm back, then it's something else at fault.

 

[Punisher3990]

Sounds like your typical second hand "upgraded" pistol where they installed a 150% recoil spring because it makes it 50% more recoiler tbh. Stacking parts from different manufacturers can also be a tolerance nightmare.

Only way to see if it's the recoil spring limiting the travel is to take the slide off and push the hop chamber assembly forward against the recoil spring, and note how much travel it allows.

If you can push it say 8cm, but when assembled the slide only goes 5cm back, then it's something else at fault.

Hmm doing this I found that the spring is fully compressed before the slide reaches the groove for the catch. I have ordered a stock recoil spring as it was like £4.00 and seems a quick swap to confirm. 

Are there any benefits to having a stronger recoil spring. I know it makes the slide return quicker so you can fire again but is that worth the slide not catching? 

 

[Lyndication]

Eh, ups the rate of fire a bit, and can be useful on CO2 or in really hot weather on propane. 

Absolute arse in winter though, because there's less pressure to cycle it. It's why you see folk with tuned 50 gorillion RPM Hicapas just gassing out in winter because they copied a build for competitive indoor play in tropical Taiwan.

 

[Punisher3990]

Update: wanted to update in case anyone in the future has the same issue and finds this thread. 

I swapped out the recoil spring with a stock g17 one and now the slide locks back, when its locked back the mag releases easily. 

If the slide is forward the mag still gets caught but I am going to put that down to the the lower receiver gripping it slightly. 

Wont be an issue when I get some long mags as I can just pull them out. I guess i could get different mag bases or mag pulls too