WE stanag magazine fill valve options

[Puttees445]

Hi guys! Tried searching as ever, but I couldn't really find a hard and fast answer for this so here we are.

Basically, I struggle to get a full magazine loads worth of gas into my WE magazines. I try the listening method but usually I'll get to the 28th/29th shot and then I get failure to feed even when I'm using deliberate fire (1 round every 6 seconds). Same when I hold the gas on for up to 30 seconds. I was wondering if it would be possible to fit a TM style dual valve to the WE magazines in order to aid with filling sufficiently, and if so, does anyone know what valves would be suitable?

I've done my googling and come across a suggestion that the aap01 valves are dual stage and should fit, but I don't know if this was for pistol mags only.

For reference, I'm using a mostly stock L85 with the older ra tech npas (non magnetic locking) and haven't modified magazines at all. I have added the washers at the back of the bolt as it is the older style with no reinforcement.

Thanks for looking!

 

[Nick G]

Daft question , but are you filling them correctly ? mag upside down . All of my WE stanags will happily do 2 loads of BBs with one gas fill, actually it's more like 2.5 loads but I rarely need to use that many. Mine are used in my L119's but also in my L85 which is the same spec as yours , RAtech NPAS and washers on the recoil rods. 

How free is your bolt ? if it's dragging that will use more gas , have you checked the O ring on the back of the nozzle ? again if it's shot it'll be using more gas .

Do you knpw anyone else with a WE that takes stanags so you can compare perfomance in another gun ?

 

[Puttees445]

Thanks for the reply! 

Yep, filling them correctly, the bolts seems to run OK, doesn't drag and takes little force to open, though the nozzle sticks in the hop chamber quite tightly so that could be a source of resistance.

Haven't checked the nozzle since I opened and regreased it, though it was at least second hand to me, so it could be a shot o ring like you said.

Sadly there's not a lot of WE gas gun users round my way it feels like. I've seen one other l85 in the wild but I don't know the guy.

I should mention as well that I would probably like to get a dual valve if possible anyway as I like them better. My hearing ain't the best and I'm better with feeling the mag go cold to determine fill level like with my mws mags :? 

Thanks again for the reply! I'll take a look at the o ring and get back to you. In the meantime if anyone else knows the answer to my dual valve question I'd be grateful as well

Cheers!

 

[Nick G]

The valves will probably fit, WE fill valves are very generic , I've used them in loads of other brands .

 

[sjhirst]

I'm probably asking the obvious, but are the mags leaking at all? Could be a slight leak at the output valve or the main o ring inside the mag?

I take it, when it fails, there is no gas left in the mag? That's all I can think of at the mo!

 

[ButcherBill]

A simple bubble test should find the source of any leak before you go buying the wrong part.

 

[Puttees445]

Sorry for the late response! I haven't checked for leaks yet but I can't hear any obvious ones. It's more like only so much gas will enter the mag and then stops (as expected), but there isn't sufficient gas to fully empty the mag, or if it does, it's then insufficient to lock back. 

I've since tried the aap01 valves (they didn't fit so oh well), and I've had it suggested to try pulsing the gas in (multiple 1-2 second fills rather than one long one). I haven't had time to test recently, but will be trying all the methods suggested.

Thanks again for responding!

Edit: also, if anyone knows of a dual valve that will fit the we mags I'd be grateful as I prefer that style of filling and would mean consistency of technique with my mws mags