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Volante-airsoft Merlin Blow Back Unit (BBU) review.


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I've just received mine. Doing fitment on it at the moment. Got the black colored one and ended up having to shave all of it off so far because of the guarder kit being so tight. Packaging was excellent. Very pleasing to the eye and though I received no shipping confirmation, it came in in under two weeks, even during lunar New Years. I must say, I'm impressed. I'll update again soon as I fit the BBU in and run some test. Too cold outside at the moment.

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This is my review and thoughts of the Merlin BBU that Volante airsoft released http://www.volanteairsoft.com/?product=merlin-blow-back-unit   To be honest I’ve read a few things about that engine,

I recommend you to take out BBU and lub its side rails and front cap.   All Merlin BBU is shipped after lubrication and working test but as you mentions 'friction' of nozzle, it can be problem of lu

Good review, just bought one to see for my self. Been using aip bbu on all my builds found it to have a tighter air seal with guarder loading nozzles then any other brand of bbu in combination with an

After fitting, everything seems perfect until firing. I had to shave the router down nearly flush with the feed lip to allow the nozzle to pass through without getting jammed. After that every moves freely, but when I go to shoot, the gun doesn't cycle all the way most of the time. Granted this was at 30F so it was pretty cold. However, my hicapa with an aluminum slide, just like my 1911, functioned perfectly in this whether with a stock TM BBU. I'm boggled as far as a solution right now. Thoughts anyone? I was thinking since the nozzle is larger that it would be able to use more gas to push the slide back, but my results don't match that. What I don't understand is how the stock unit with the stock router works fine in cold weather but the Merlin and its router doesn't. The slide is smooth to rack and the nozzle mates with the router just right. I'm using a cut 150% recoil spring as well, but I think it's not an issue as Wolf is using one as well in his steel frame. Any ideas would be hot guys.

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After fitting, everything seems perfect until firing. I had to shave the router down nearly flush with the feed lip to allow the nozzle to pass through without getting jammed. After that every moves freely, but when I go to shoot, the gun doesn't cycle all the way most of the time. Granted this was at 30F so it was pretty cold. However, my hicapa with an aluminum slide, just like my 1911, functioned perfectly in this whether with a stock TM BBU. I'm boggled as far as a solution right now. Thoughts anyone? I was thinking since the nozzle is larger that it would be able to use more gas to push the slide back, but my results don't match that. What I don't understand is how the stock unit with the stock router works fine in cold weather but the Merlin and its router doesn't. The slide is smooth to rack and the nozzle mates with the router just right. I'm using a cut 150% recoil spring as well, but I think it's not an issue as Wolf is using one as well in his steel frame. Any ideas would be hot guys.

 

I think it can be problem of break-in.

 

Merlin's nozzle and its rail meets under 0.2mm tolerance. So please try heating your magazine with a hair dryer and shoot about 100 rounds for break in.

 

If you shaved its router too much, performance can be decrease A LOT.

Merlin has fluid acceleration piston in it and this need very tight seal between mag and BBU to work properly. 

This piston converts gas pressure into high speed gas stream toward cylinder.

 

If your router seems not tight enough, please try other router.

Edited by volante
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Alright. It finally warmed up a bit today. About 50F outside. after a hundred or so shots, everything is functioning better. Still not as great of recoil as I feel my gun should be giving but then again, it's cool outside. Once it heats back up to normal, I'm sure everything will work itself out. I do get the occasional light striking though. Not sure what's causing it though. Overall, as long as you get a TM spec slide that's drop in like prog4 or guns modify, etc. it's perfect.

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Alright. It finally warmed up a bit today. About 50F outside. after a hundred or so shots, everything is functioning better. Still not as great of recoil as I feel my gun should be giving but then again, it's cool outside. Once it heats back up to normal, I'm sure everything will work itself out. I do get the occasional light striking though. Not sure what's causing it though. Overall, as long as you get a TM spec slide that's drop in like prog4 or guns modify, etc. it's perfect.

 

I recommend you to take out BBU and lub its side rails and front cap.

 

All Merlin BBU is shipped after lubrication and working test but as you mentions 'friction' of nozzle, it can be problem of lubrication.

 

And i'm working on new router with much softer PU material.

After i check it into my NOVA 1911 and ship you via air mail.

 

If it doesn't work, i'll make new mold for CNC kit users and will notify you as it finished.

New router will be shipped for free to all Merlin BBU users who needs it.

 

Thanks

 

Kim.

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Has anyone tested the routers yet with Prowin IPSC mags?  I'll be home in 2 weeks so I'll be able to test a Prohandgun slide w/ Marui frame with the Merlin BBU, but I'm just a little worried as the Prowin mags already sit higher than stock Marui mags. 

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Has anyone tested the routers yet with Prowin IPSC mags?  I'll be home in 2 weeks so I'll be able to test a Prohandgun slide w/ Marui frame with the Merlin BBU, but I'm just a little worried as the Prowin mags already sit higher than stock Marui mags. 

 

I also have low routers.

 

I can send them for free if your gun cannot use current router.

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I've finally gotten mine through customs(the spring edition).

 

So far I split my TM 5.1 with AirsoftSurgeon LimCat WildCat Perfect Sight kit apart and found my stock TM hop house had snapped in the slide lock hole. So I tried an AIP hop from a KJW 1911 I had with no real luck. It's too high for the AS frame, but fits the KJW perfectly so didn't want to modify it.

 

For now the Volante unit was a drop fit for the AS slide. Only problem was getting the screw aligned so it would grip the thread. Needed a little extra push on the bottom of the BBU to perfectly snap into place, and allow me to screw it into place.

It's not perfectly flush with the rear of the slide like the original Marui BBU. An aesthetic thing but it's very minor.

 

Nozzle moves freely, but even with Volante gas routers, and a violent assembly with the AIP hop unit doesn't kick very hard compared to stock Marui BBU with KJW red nozzle. On regular Green Gas at living room temperature.

 

I will source a new Marui, AS or ProHandgun hop unit and make it fit properly later and post back the results. It didn't lock back either with the slightly oversized hop unit. Could be the cause of the problem.

Will try with KJW and WE Co2 mags as well and see how it fares.

 

Overall build quality of the BBU itself though is very impressive. It's heavy and feels very solid. The age of flimsey nozzle springs are over for my WildCat.

Edited by daloonie
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So if i attended this thread correctly, the BBU fits both, 5.1's and 1911's slides?

I imagine the stock slide wouldn't withstand the added recoil, does it? I really like the idea of plastic-slides for cooldown-resistence.

If i get one of these BBUs, will i definately need to upgrade the slide on a 1911?

 

Cheers

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  • 2 weeks later...

It seems my Merlin BBU actually works better with TM gas routes than with the provided ones.  I tested with 2 TM 5.1 magazines and 2 Prowin magazines.  Both kick harder than stock with the TM gas routes, while with the Merlin gas routes, one mag kicks almost as hard and one mag barely manages to lock back for each shot. 
For the standalone Prowin IPSC mags, the Merlin gas routes are not compatible, as Prowin gas routes have a different shape at the bottom, so using Merlin gas routes cause the gun to vent.  This can be fixed with some gasket sealant, but I didn't have to do this as the Prowin mags worked without changing gas routes.  Both kicked harder than with the stock TM BBU as well.  For the Prowin conversion kits though, the Merlin gas routes should work.

Otherwise, everything is great.  Cycling is much smoother thanks to the continuous surface for the hammer.

Edited by vilerk
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My floating valve just snapped, so now the gun just farts.  Time to turn one on the lathe. 

 

Oh. That's first time to have snapped floating valve.

 

Merlin uses KSC/KWA type floating valve.

 

Better to use metal one by KWA.

 

I can send you spare one for free

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I've been fooling around with this BBU for a month now with no success. It doesn't kick as hard as the stock BBU. I've heated my mags, lubricated the legs of the Volante BBU and tried about 25 different setups with different mags, mag catches, frames, slides and magazine flow valves to no avail. What's going on with this?

Edited by Slono
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