Installation and Close Look at the C&C Tac Piston for Tokyo Marui Saiga 12 Airsoft Shotgun

In this post, we’ll walk you through the installation and review of the C&C Tac piston for the Tokyo Marui Saiga 12 airsoft shotgun. We’ll cover the takedown process, the differences between the original and upgraded pistons, and our performance observations.

Takedown of the Tokyo Marui Saiga 12

The takedown of the Saiga 12 replica is incredibly lifelike, almost identical to the real firearm. We start by removing the return spring before sliding out the bolt. The lifelike bolt contains a piston and nozzle that direct gas down the barrels.

While the original piston and nozzle from Tokyo Marui are high quality, their fit leaves something to be desired. This makes us curious to see if the C&C Tac upgrade will enhance performance.

Removing the Original Gas Piston

To remove what would be the gas piston on a real Saiga, we simply remove one screw.

Once the screw is out, the gas piston comes out easily. With the gas piston removed, the nozzle return spring and guide rod slip out along with the nozzle.

Inside, we see Marui’s plastic piston, which features a ported design.

Installing the C&C Tac Piston

The C&C Tac piston is a single-piece CNC metal part with an O-ring.

Removing the Marui piston requires removing a single screw. It’s a bit tricky to pop out, and when I did, a small nub fell out, so be mindful of this as it can easily go unnoticed.

I applied a little grease on the piston and O-ring using the Jaeger Precision grease pen, though any high-quality silicone grease will work.

With the O-ring in place and greased, the installation process is straightforward. We use the original screw to secure the new piston in place.

After re-oiling the inside of the original nozzle, we slip it over the piston.

The return spring and guide rod are then reinstalled, followed by the piston rod, which holds everything together. The fit of the new piston seems more precise than the original and it moves smoothly — lovely!

Reassembly and Testing

With everything reassembled, it’s time to test the shotgun. Accurate chronograph results are challenging to obtain with a tri-shot, but we found the FPS to be consistent, and the performance was impressive. The new piston appears to be working great.

In conclusion, the C&C Tac piston upgrade for the Tokyo Marui Saiga 12 airsoft shotgun offers a more precise fit and smoother operation compared to the original. This simple upgrade process can potentially enhance the performance and reliability of your airsoft gbb shotgun.