Two of the most recognized models of pistols in Airsoft, Glocks and HI-CAPAs have always been a staple in airsoft sidearms. Their popularity can also be traced to the astonishing accomplishments of their after market upgrade parts.

Let’s take a look at how they compare in terms of performance, style and durability to see if there is a clear winner between the two.

Performance

Both the Glock and the HI-CAPA are high performance machines favored by mil-simers, speedsofters and competition shooters alike. They are also very modifiable making it a bit trivial and difficult to compare the two.

Generally speaking, the longer inner barrel length, heavier weight and availability of fixed barrel mods makes the HI-CAPA the more accurate and stable platform, the short and crisp trigger pull also makes the HI-CAPA more responsive and easier to maintain follow up shots.

The downside is that the large size of the pistol can feel unwieldy to some and the controls are spaced just a touch too far out.

Moving on to the Glock, the lack of an external safety means there’s one less step to worry about when shooting. The size of the grip is also more manageable and the tighter placement of the controls also makes the Glock easier to manipulate.

The steeper angle of the grip however, may need so getting used to and might even be off putting to some. That being said, it is still very intuitive to shoot and easy to learn.

Style and Customization

When on the subject of airsoft guns, shooting well and looking good is of equal importance. Being able to be customized to match the users’ desired style and performance is one of the most sought after attributes of any airsoft gun. Both the Glock and the HI-CAPA are incredibly easy to modify even with simple tools so their customizability largely comes down to the amount of third party support available to them. Both pistols are excellent in this regard.

For HI-CAPAs, the vast majority of industry leaders such as Tokyo Marui and WE follow similar specifications to a point where many of the third party parts are cross compatible, hence the large selection of performance parts on the market. Visual customizations are also more expressive when compared to the Glock in terms of colorways and stylistic designs.

Third party support is also very strong for Glocks, but you do need to pay more attention to parts compatibility as specs differ between manufacturers and generations.

Visual customizations for glocks are usually more grounded, most of them being replicas of real steel offerings from manufacturers such as Agency Arms, ZEV technologies and TaranTactical.

Durability

Both the Glock and the HI-CAPA can be very durable as long as they are well maintained and are modified sensibly.

Cleaning them regularly, removing any grime and dirt and proper lubrication is crucial for minimizing wear. Being aware of the limitations of the various components and knowing when to stop pushing is also important to keeping your pistol in peak condition.

I mean, of course it's not gonna last when you mod your glock to shoot 60 rps.

Conclusion

All I can say to conclude is that the domination of Glocks and HI-CAPAs in the airsoft market comes with good reasons, their unmatched performance and support, coupled with the incredible fame of their third party upgrade parts means that you just can’t go wrong with either option.

For me, I have a modified Marui Glock 17 as my sidearm, taking advantage of its ability to mount an optic directly on the pistol. Yet I do prefer using a HI-CAPA in pistol games where it is the primary weapon, utilizing the crisp trigger pull for quicker consecutive shots while the larger magazine allows me to sustain longer fights.

What’s your favourite airsoft pistol? Which will you choose between the two? If it were up to me, I’d happily have them both ;)