Connor from Greyops blog and I have worked hard and used good judgment to bring the Milsim community a great article on the top Milsim markers as of 2011. Check back to 68caliber.com at noon for a new marker every day until the 1st as we count down our list of the 10 meanest markers to hit the woods scene!
thanks for reading!
-Stan
Top 10 Scenario/Woodsball markers link
Friday, December 24, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Sorry for the long wait on the update !!!
The Hitman Paintball review for the Goblin Deuce is currently in production. I should have my Goblin Deuce shortly. I have just received word from Scenario Dreams, and they believe the Goblin deuce and their new "Sniper rounds" will go hand and hand together so I will be getting the privilege to test these two products in unison!
As far as the review goes I hope to include:
Pictorial
Paintball Test
Airsoft test
Sniper Test
Live game footage
Comparison to "full size" .68 cal pistols
If the public has any ideas on what they would like know or see from the Goblin Deuce please do not hesitate to give me some feedback before the review is completed!
Also check back to my blog soon for updates on the mass barrel review, and a collaborative article for 2011 on the top 10 Milsim markers of all time published by Greyops and Hitman Paintball!
thanks for reading!
-Stan
youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/HitmanPaintball
Blog:http://hitmanpaintball.blogspot.com/
As far as the review goes I hope to include:
Pictorial
Paintball Test
Airsoft test
Sniper Test
Live game footage
Comparison to "full size" .68 cal pistols
If the public has any ideas on what they would like know or see from the Goblin Deuce please do not hesitate to give me some feedback before the review is completed!
Also check back to my blog soon for updates on the mass barrel review, and a collaborative article for 2011 on the top 10 Milsim markers of all time published by Greyops and Hitman Paintball!
thanks for reading!
-Stan
youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/HitmanPaintball
Blog:http://hitmanpaintball.blogspot.com/
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Hey all,
To keep everyone posted the mass barrel review is now in full swing!
Currently the interview period is underway. Each barrel will receive several user tests and interviews to see what the average player thinks about these barrels.
More coming, and check back soon for my next review on the Goblin Deuce and a full official list of barrels and sponsors!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Hitman Paintball Reviews the Exalt Feedgate in Dye Roto and Halo/Reloader B versions.
How Much Faster does the feedgate make reloading? Is it practical to use? These and more will be answered.
The video is a bit behind schedule because the mass barrel review has been taking up most of my free time (see here for mass barrel review details: [url]http://hitmanpaintball.blogspot.com/2010/06/hitman-paintball-mass-barrel-review.html[/url]) but here it is!
Hope you all enjoy
- Stan
How Much Faster does the feedgate make reloading? Is it practical to use? These and more will be answered.
The video is a bit behind schedule because the mass barrel review has been taking up most of my free time (see here for mass barrel review details: [url]http://hitmanpaintball.blogspot.com/2010/06/hitman-paintball-mass-barrel-review.html[/url]) but here it is!
Hope you all enjoy
- Stan
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Hitman Paintball MASS BARREL REVIEW public input wanted!
Hello Everyone,
I am an independent Paintball journalist and my largest project yet is underway (and has been in planning for years). I will be doing a Mass barrel review that will probably take the greater part of the summer to complete. Virtually every mainstream barrel producing company has taken interest and has either sent or is sending me barrels for review.
Now, before I go any further let me clarify the meaning of “Mass barrel review”
The barrels will NOT be reviewed competitively, the facts and data will be collected through various tests to give you a feel for each barrel and help you as a potential barrel consumer find the one that best fits your style of play and the type of paint you use.
The barrels will have SOME tests done in unison to ensure the humidity, barometric pressure, and other ambient factors are the same so the quality and validity of the data is as good as it can get.
The purpose of my post today is to see if you, the average paintball player, have any insights into my testing process, things to add or amend. I would gladly hear your thoughts on the matter. I am open minded to new methods/testing categories if they are applicable to this study. I have a testing template that will be uniform to all barrels I will be reviewing, and I want to hear what you have to say!
Companies that are participating (Some have sent their barrels in, some are pending to, some may not, new ones may sign up, this list is not yet in stone)
In alphabetical order;
A+ Machine Paintball
Ben Tippmann Paintball
Custom Products Paintball
Deadly winds Paintball
Exalt Paintball
Extreme Rage Paintball
FLASC Paintball
Hammer Head Paintball
Invert Paintball
Milsig Paintball
Palmers Pursuit Shop
Planet Eclipse
Rap4 Real Action Paintball
Redz Comfort Paintball
SITE Manufacturing
Trinity Paintball
[COLOR="Red"]If you represent a barrel company or know someone who does and do not see that company on this list and would like it to be included, please express your interest to the appropriate sales rep and get them to contact [email]stan_the_hit_man@hotmail.com[/email]
[/COLOR]
Current template (all tests are subject to preliminary testing that may edit, add, or remove from them as needed to make the data more valid/understandable):
1: Range test – Depending on how many balls our paint sponsors are willing to give us per barrel. Likely 3-5 ranges. One range will be taken as “standard range” as the base performing range for other tests. Ideally 40 balls will be used per range. Every shot will be chronoed and the results will be put against the standard deviation of the stock barrel.
2: Element test – Heating a barrel to what would be considered a warm day of paintball, and Cooling the barrel to what would be considered winter ball. Misting the barrel with an ultrasonic humidifier to simulate a humid/rainy day. Fired at standard range.
3: Barrel break test – Forced break in barrel to measure how well a barrel will self clean. Fired at standard range.
4: Volume test- Measure the decibels produced by the report of a barrel
5: Weight test- Weigh barrel via Digital Scale
6: Manufacture consistency test - Barrels will have their bores measured and length measured and put against what the companies actual advertise them as being.
7: Accuracy test with first strike, Golf balls, and Reballs – Same as regular range test, budget / sponsor depending for how intricate it will be.
8: Spin Algorithm Test (depends if I can still rent a high speed cam when it comes time to do it) – Measuring how much a unique barrels (Ie straight, spiral, backspin) effect the balls, and then possibly using physics equations to find out how to best achieve the ideal conditions and rate of spin (or lack thereof of straight rifled barrels). Will also measure Stability exit test; measuring the stability of a paintball as it leaves the barrel to map the amount of turbulence imparted on the ball by the barrel itself.
9: Player test (giving players from a selected teams a chance to use the barrels in a paintball game to be filmed when playing) Barrels will be covered with a sock so players don't know which barrel they are using.
10: Player Interview –players who sampled the barrels for their thoughts / preferences.
Each barrel will have its own video displaying the tests, results, barrel/paint used info, and so on.
Paint sponsors will be contacted after all barrel sponsors are confirmed and have their barrels to me.
Tests will be performed with 2 markers. One for autococker threads, one for tippmann a5 threads ( some barrels only come in A5 threads) both markers will have the standard deviation of their regulators and stock barrels mapped out prior to tests. Unless a company donated a marker to do the testing on as a sponsor, the markers used will be covered and never known.
As I said before, I am open to general input and thoughts. Either post here or email them directly to:
[email]Stan_the_hit_man@hotmail.com[/email]
Thanks!
Stan Boudreau
Hitman Paintball Reviews
Youtube Channel - [url]http://www.youtube.com/user/HitmanPaintball[/url]
Blog - [url]http://hitmanpaintball.blogspot.com/[/url]
I am an independent Paintball journalist and my largest project yet is underway (and has been in planning for years). I will be doing a Mass barrel review that will probably take the greater part of the summer to complete. Virtually every mainstream barrel producing company has taken interest and has either sent or is sending me barrels for review.
Now, before I go any further let me clarify the meaning of “Mass barrel review”
The barrels will NOT be reviewed competitively, the facts and data will be collected through various tests to give you a feel for each barrel and help you as a potential barrel consumer find the one that best fits your style of play and the type of paint you use.
The barrels will have SOME tests done in unison to ensure the humidity, barometric pressure, and other ambient factors are the same so the quality and validity of the data is as good as it can get.
The purpose of my post today is to see if you, the average paintball player, have any insights into my testing process, things to add or amend. I would gladly hear your thoughts on the matter. I am open minded to new methods/testing categories if they are applicable to this study. I have a testing template that will be uniform to all barrels I will be reviewing, and I want to hear what you have to say!
Companies that are participating (Some have sent their barrels in, some are pending to, some may not, new ones may sign up, this list is not yet in stone)
In alphabetical order;
A+ Machine Paintball
Ben Tippmann Paintball
Custom Products Paintball
Deadly winds Paintball
Exalt Paintball
Extreme Rage Paintball
FLASC Paintball
Hammer Head Paintball
Invert Paintball
Milsig Paintball
Palmers Pursuit Shop
Planet Eclipse
Rap4 Real Action Paintball
Redz Comfort Paintball
SITE Manufacturing
Trinity Paintball
[COLOR="Red"]If you represent a barrel company or know someone who does and do not see that company on this list and would like it to be included, please express your interest to the appropriate sales rep and get them to contact [email]stan_the_hit_man@hotmail.com[/email]
[/COLOR]
Current template (all tests are subject to preliminary testing that may edit, add, or remove from them as needed to make the data more valid/understandable):
1: Range test – Depending on how many balls our paint sponsors are willing to give us per barrel. Likely 3-5 ranges. One range will be taken as “standard range” as the base performing range for other tests. Ideally 40 balls will be used per range. Every shot will be chronoed and the results will be put against the standard deviation of the stock barrel.
2: Element test – Heating a barrel to what would be considered a warm day of paintball, and Cooling the barrel to what would be considered winter ball. Misting the barrel with an ultrasonic humidifier to simulate a humid/rainy day. Fired at standard range.
3: Barrel break test – Forced break in barrel to measure how well a barrel will self clean. Fired at standard range.
4: Volume test- Measure the decibels produced by the report of a barrel
5: Weight test- Weigh barrel via Digital Scale
6: Manufacture consistency test - Barrels will have their bores measured and length measured and put against what the companies actual advertise them as being.
7: Accuracy test with first strike, Golf balls, and Reballs – Same as regular range test, budget / sponsor depending for how intricate it will be.
8: Spin Algorithm Test (depends if I can still rent a high speed cam when it comes time to do it) – Measuring how much a unique barrels (Ie straight, spiral, backspin) effect the balls, and then possibly using physics equations to find out how to best achieve the ideal conditions and rate of spin (or lack thereof of straight rifled barrels). Will also measure Stability exit test; measuring the stability of a paintball as it leaves the barrel to map the amount of turbulence imparted on the ball by the barrel itself.
9: Player test (giving players from a selected teams a chance to use the barrels in a paintball game to be filmed when playing) Barrels will be covered with a sock so players don't know which barrel they are using.
10: Player Interview –players who sampled the barrels for their thoughts / preferences.
Each barrel will have its own video displaying the tests, results, barrel/paint used info, and so on.
Paint sponsors will be contacted after all barrel sponsors are confirmed and have their barrels to me.
Tests will be performed with 2 markers. One for autococker threads, one for tippmann a5 threads ( some barrels only come in A5 threads) both markers will have the standard deviation of their regulators and stock barrels mapped out prior to tests. Unless a company donated a marker to do the testing on as a sponsor, the markers used will be covered and never known.
As I said before, I am open to general input and thoughts. Either post here or email them directly to:
[email]Stan_the_hit_man@hotmail.com[/email]
Thanks!
Stan Boudreau
Hitman Paintball Reviews
Youtube Channel - [url]http://www.youtube.com/user/HitmanPaintball[/url]
Blog - [url]http://hitmanpaintball.blogspot.com/[/url]
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Review: Goblin Solo & First Strike Test
Video Section:
LOOKS & COSMETICS
The Goblin is Small, Sweet, and Simple.
“Solo” Is stamped on the barrel, and “Goblin” on the trigger frame in white. The Goblin currently only comes in Olive Drab and special edition “Phantom” which is Transparent.
FEATURES / SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES
Quite simply put, the goblin has very few features, and likewise a simple operation.
It is unique in that it operates with a single barrel, break action. A safety is located on the trigger frame that you need to hold down when firing. The fact that the barrel can be broken open and visually inspected essentially makes it one of the safest paintball markers in the world.
The goblin has only a half grip to make it more compact, and a hole and slot where the rest of the grip would be. This leaves the possibility of a full grip aftermarket upgrade later.
The Goblin functions with small self contained cartridges that hold both the propellant and projectile, much like a real bullet. This leaves allot of potential for future markers form Goblin.
SHOOTING AND AIR
You can Use your Goblin with Both Compressed air and CO2. Goblin Paintball recommends you use Co2, as when the Co2 Rapidly expands out of the reservoir it will yield better velocities.
With Reballs I only managed to chrono for a max of 133 FPS using 700 psi regulated Co2. With Regular paintballs I managed to Get 282 (not in footage) and I unfortunately did not get a reading for first strike.
However, First Strike did yield the visibly fastest , most accurate, and longest range shots. One first strike round that missed my target was found in the snow 74 feet away. It also penetrated deep enough into the snow to reasonably say it could have broken on a player and eliminated them.
However, as seen in my video, The first strike had a tendency to “Disintegrate” with normal charges. I managed to reduce the problem to 0 disintegrations after I began Wadding the shells with a small piece of paper.
The Goblin features rudimentary iron sights that are a bit difficult to use. The trigger is also unconventional in that when you pull it you are not feeling for a sear, you are manually pushing open a valve. I actually developed a successful way to shoot the Goblin quasi accurately, for this method see my video.
Accuracy for the Goblin Really deteriorated at 50 feet with normal .68 caliber balls, however at this range the first strike could easily hit the target.
DURABILITY AND MAINTENANCE
The Goblin comes with quite an extensive Oring Kit for its air housing valve, which is more or less the ONLY part of the gun you will ever need to service under normal circumstances. A drop of oil into the valve with air once a day of play should do the trick for keeping the orings moist.
Cleaning a broken ball from gun Is as easy as removing the shell housing, and using paper towel on the shell and barrel assembly.
As far as Durability goes, even though the Goblin is made Mostly of plastic it is a visibly high quality weatherproof plastic that will not break easily. I dropped the Goblin several times while filming in cold conditions and it has not so much as a scratch on it. For the construction materials used I will say It is as sturdy as it can be, and I don’t mean that in a bad way.
Conclusion:
Because the goblin solo is a one-of-a-kind marker I cant really compare or rate it. The Closest marker to the Goblin would be the rap4 grenade launchers that use a similar in shell air charge, however these launchers are essentially paintball shotguns in that they shoot either 4x .68 caliber ball or 25x .43 caliber balls.
Because The Goblin is so unique, I will leave it up to you as to if you should buy it or not. Chances are you know if you want a marker like the goblin because it has such a specific set of uses.
Does the Goblin get my approval?
It most certainly does, It impressed me and surpassed my standards. It can fire at least twice as accurately as the 20 feet advertised.
As a scenario gun and a novelty, the Goblin Solo is a hell of a time to shoot. More or less the Derringer of the paintball world. As an airsoft gun, It is great for close quarter combat, room clearing, and a backup.
I foresee many other designed evolving from this style of marker. I’m still keeping my fingers crossed for a Mad Max / Evil dead Style Double barrel. Hopefully we will soon see some of this potential being used by the good folks at Goblin paintball
If you have any questions / Comments / Concerns about my review, or if you are a dealer / manufacturer of a paintball related good and like to see it get a fair, unbiased independent review like the one you have seen here, please email me at:
Stan_the_hit_man@hotmail.com
Thanks for reading
- Stan
LOOKS & COSMETICS
The Goblin is Small, Sweet, and Simple.
“Solo” Is stamped on the barrel, and “Goblin” on the trigger frame in white. The Goblin currently only comes in Olive Drab and special edition “Phantom” which is Transparent.
FEATURES / SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES
Quite simply put, the goblin has very few features, and likewise a simple operation.
It is unique in that it operates with a single barrel, break action. A safety is located on the trigger frame that you need to hold down when firing. The fact that the barrel can be broken open and visually inspected essentially makes it one of the safest paintball markers in the world.
The goblin has only a half grip to make it more compact, and a hole and slot where the rest of the grip would be. This leaves the possibility of a full grip aftermarket upgrade later.
The Goblin functions with small self contained cartridges that hold both the propellant and projectile, much like a real bullet. This leaves allot of potential for future markers form Goblin.
SHOOTING AND AIR
You can Use your Goblin with Both Compressed air and CO2. Goblin Paintball recommends you use Co2, as when the Co2 Rapidly expands out of the reservoir it will yield better velocities.
With Reballs I only managed to chrono for a max of 133 FPS using 700 psi regulated Co2. With Regular paintballs I managed to Get 282 (not in footage) and I unfortunately did not get a reading for first strike.
However, First Strike did yield the visibly fastest , most accurate, and longest range shots. One first strike round that missed my target was found in the snow 74 feet away. It also penetrated deep enough into the snow to reasonably say it could have broken on a player and eliminated them.
However, as seen in my video, The first strike had a tendency to “Disintegrate” with normal charges. I managed to reduce the problem to 0 disintegrations after I began Wadding the shells with a small piece of paper.
The Goblin features rudimentary iron sights that are a bit difficult to use. The trigger is also unconventional in that when you pull it you are not feeling for a sear, you are manually pushing open a valve. I actually developed a successful way to shoot the Goblin quasi accurately, for this method see my video.
Accuracy for the Goblin Really deteriorated at 50 feet with normal .68 caliber balls, however at this range the first strike could easily hit the target.
DURABILITY AND MAINTENANCE
The Goblin comes with quite an extensive Oring Kit for its air housing valve, which is more or less the ONLY part of the gun you will ever need to service under normal circumstances. A drop of oil into the valve with air once a day of play should do the trick for keeping the orings moist.
Cleaning a broken ball from gun Is as easy as removing the shell housing, and using paper towel on the shell and barrel assembly.
As far as Durability goes, even though the Goblin is made Mostly of plastic it is a visibly high quality weatherproof plastic that will not break easily. I dropped the Goblin several times while filming in cold conditions and it has not so much as a scratch on it. For the construction materials used I will say It is as sturdy as it can be, and I don’t mean that in a bad way.
Conclusion:
Because the goblin solo is a one-of-a-kind marker I cant really compare or rate it. The Closest marker to the Goblin would be the rap4 grenade launchers that use a similar in shell air charge, however these launchers are essentially paintball shotguns in that they shoot either 4x .68 caliber ball or 25x .43 caliber balls.
Because The Goblin is so unique, I will leave it up to you as to if you should buy it or not. Chances are you know if you want a marker like the goblin because it has such a specific set of uses.
Does the Goblin get my approval?
It most certainly does, It impressed me and surpassed my standards. It can fire at least twice as accurately as the 20 feet advertised.
As a scenario gun and a novelty, the Goblin Solo is a hell of a time to shoot. More or less the Derringer of the paintball world. As an airsoft gun, It is great for close quarter combat, room clearing, and a backup.
I foresee many other designed evolving from this style of marker. I’m still keeping my fingers crossed for a Mad Max / Evil dead Style Double barrel. Hopefully we will soon see some of this potential being used by the good folks at Goblin paintball
If you have any questions / Comments / Concerns about my review, or if you are a dealer / manufacturer of a paintball related good and like to see it get a fair, unbiased independent review like the one you have seen here, please email me at:
Stan_the_hit_man@hotmail.com
Thanks for reading
- Stan
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Review: Tacamo/Rap4 Type 68 AK47
Period of Product Use: 1 week
Strengths: Out of the box It is a highly attractive and intimidating marker. Also made to work out of the box as a plug and play with no complicated tuning.
Weaknesses: Lack of Upgrades,
These Markers are known under many names and suppliers (FX, Tacamo, Rap4, and a few others I believe). However all are manufactured on the same line in china that is a registered weapons factory. This line also assembles Real Type 56 assault rifles (Ak47 knockoffs). For this reason they are able to use real production parts for the cosmetics of this marker. It even came with an authentic service sling.
Video:
Pictures:
LOOKS & COSMETICS
No one can argue that this marker is sweet sweet eye candy. On bringing it on an Xball field I was getting envious looks and complements from everyone who saw it. It simply cant be said that this marker does not look cherry out of the box boasting a real wood stock (if you got the version with a wooden stock) and real wood handgaurd. The magazine could also be removed and used for storage of small items like cleaning kits or squeegee’s.
+1
You can get a number of versions (Krinkov compact style, Full AK, And RPK are the most common). I got the Smallest in the line, the Krinkov. It came with a folding metal stock and shorter magazine. The magazine I assume is a real ak mag without the guts. The body is even crafted specifically to look like an ak, unlike tippmann variants that have been converted to AKs but still sport a tippmann shaped body.
+1
2/2
FEATURES / SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES
The internals of this marker is a Spyder clone (stack tubed blowback) as many people know. The detent is the older rubber nipple style rather than the ball bearing. Velocity is adjusted via an RVA you can access on removing the stock.
Unfortunately, there seems to be a quality control issue, as out of the box my handgrip was wobbly, and the front sight was badly dented inward (it is solid steel so it must have taken a tremendous blow). After disassembling the barrel kit and tightening it as best I could I could not 100% eliminate the wiggle of the handgaurd. On further inspection I found a warped steel bracket was the cause. Because it was steel I could not easily correct it.
The condition I got mine in made me raise an eyebrow as to if it was already used for training purposes and sold surplus. A quick look at the bolt and interior of the body showed no normal wear from firing.
-1
Aside from looking gorgeous this marker is remarkably unremarkable as far as special features go, it is as standard in operation as any spyder clone. The safety selector switch could be used as a physical safety stopping the bolt from moving forward. The stock could be removed and swapped for either a wooden or metal one. The stock was secured by two metal stripper pins. Unfortunately for me they sent mine with 1 stripper pin not long enough to clear the body on the other side leaving me with only 1 pin to hold the stock on.
-1
0/2
SHOOTING AND RELATED
The Version I selected with the metal stock was low profile enough so that I could use the iron sight with my mask on. This was very cool for lining up longer range precision shots and gave me allot of nostalgia to COD4 (I’m sure most of you know what I’m talking about even if you are too afraid to admit it :p ). The trigger pull is short (for a spyder) and feels authentic. It is easy to tell when you are about to trip the sear for a proper rifle style trigger pull.
+1
The barrel itself was actually very descent for accuracy as far as stock barrels go. The Thread on tip was compatible with rap4 muzzle breaks. Also the stock barrel is LOUD. I personally think this is awesome. I didn’t buy a marker modeled after an AK47 to make little hush puppy whispers. This marker makes a distinguishable report from other markers on the field.
When I tested this marker I was on a reball field. I used it for about 5 rounds and never experienced one marker jam. A jam with a reball more or less amounts to a chop with a paintball, so I assume it is far from prone to chopping paint.
+1
2/2
AIR AND OTHER
The stock asa is Big, heavy, ugly, but does its job. I would recommend upgrading to one with an On/off but if you are on a budget it works. It had fair consistency for a blowback and I could get it operating as low as 500 psi with a regulator. I had my tank filled in the 1500 psi area and was able to play 2-3 games before getting it filled again.
+1
The ball stopper at the other end of the feedneck was made of such low grade rubber it could be scratched with my fingernails. It felt like it was made of the same material as erasers.
-1
1/2
DURABILITY AND MANTINENCE
Aside from the ball stopper this marker is TOUGH. It feels like a real fire arm and the internals are protected by a thick metal body. You could run this marker over with a bus and I doubt it would break any of the internal components or warp the body. You can tell this gun was built to last. I believe it was originally fabricated for training purposes in the Chinese military. Most of the outer parts are real fire arm parts, and I don’t think I need to debate the proven durability of AK style weapons.
+1
This was designed to be a low maintenance marker. The most important part of upkeep is keeping it oiled as it is a spyder inside. Take care of it and it should take care of you. I have heard the Stock Orings and seals are not Mach grade but I have not had one single problem with leaks or blown orings yet.
The only component you will have to replace on a regular bases is probably the Detent once or twice a year depending how much you use it. As long as you oil the Orings before it goes into storage I can’t see leaking being an issue under normal circumstances.
+1
2/2
Conclusion:
This is a mean little rifle. AS far as looks go you cant beat it for the Ak look in the .68 cal department. As a marker it should stand up to the challenge of being a recreational or scenario players old reliable.
They are intimidating and solid. I’ve seen the price comes down as low as 200 CDN on these things so they are affordable, and are a great bang for your buck. For anyone looking for a semi auto blowback this is defiantly a contender to the Alpha black and other cheap Tippmanns.
These will accept 90% of spyder Egrips if greater rates of fire is your thing. I only sampled this marker in semi auto with the stock grip so I cannot comment on its performance in the high BPS.
I give it an earned 7/10 based on my categories. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns with my review email me at Travis@hitmanpaintball.ca
Rating:
7 out of 10
Strengths: Out of the box It is a highly attractive and intimidating marker. Also made to work out of the box as a plug and play with no complicated tuning.
Weaknesses: Lack of Upgrades,
These Markers are known under many names and suppliers (FX, Tacamo, Rap4, and a few others I believe). However all are manufactured on the same line in china that is a registered weapons factory. This line also assembles Real Type 56 assault rifles (Ak47 knockoffs). For this reason they are able to use real production parts for the cosmetics of this marker. It even came with an authentic service sling.
Video:
Pictures:
LOOKS & COSMETICS
No one can argue that this marker is sweet sweet eye candy. On bringing it on an Xball field I was getting envious looks and complements from everyone who saw it. It simply cant be said that this marker does not look cherry out of the box boasting a real wood stock (if you got the version with a wooden stock) and real wood handgaurd. The magazine could also be removed and used for storage of small items like cleaning kits or squeegee’s.
+1
You can get a number of versions (Krinkov compact style, Full AK, And RPK are the most common). I got the Smallest in the line, the Krinkov. It came with a folding metal stock and shorter magazine. The magazine I assume is a real ak mag without the guts. The body is even crafted specifically to look like an ak, unlike tippmann variants that have been converted to AKs but still sport a tippmann shaped body.
+1
2/2
FEATURES / SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES
The internals of this marker is a Spyder clone (stack tubed blowback) as many people know. The detent is the older rubber nipple style rather than the ball bearing. Velocity is adjusted via an RVA you can access on removing the stock.
Unfortunately, there seems to be a quality control issue, as out of the box my handgrip was wobbly, and the front sight was badly dented inward (it is solid steel so it must have taken a tremendous blow). After disassembling the barrel kit and tightening it as best I could I could not 100% eliminate the wiggle of the handgaurd. On further inspection I found a warped steel bracket was the cause. Because it was steel I could not easily correct it.
The condition I got mine in made me raise an eyebrow as to if it was already used for training purposes and sold surplus. A quick look at the bolt and interior of the body showed no normal wear from firing.
-1
Aside from looking gorgeous this marker is remarkably unremarkable as far as special features go, it is as standard in operation as any spyder clone. The safety selector switch could be used as a physical safety stopping the bolt from moving forward. The stock could be removed and swapped for either a wooden or metal one. The stock was secured by two metal stripper pins. Unfortunately for me they sent mine with 1 stripper pin not long enough to clear the body on the other side leaving me with only 1 pin to hold the stock on.
-1
0/2
SHOOTING AND RELATED
The Version I selected with the metal stock was low profile enough so that I could use the iron sight with my mask on. This was very cool for lining up longer range precision shots and gave me allot of nostalgia to COD4 (I’m sure most of you know what I’m talking about even if you are too afraid to admit it :p ). The trigger pull is short (for a spyder) and feels authentic. It is easy to tell when you are about to trip the sear for a proper rifle style trigger pull.
+1
The barrel itself was actually very descent for accuracy as far as stock barrels go. The Thread on tip was compatible with rap4 muzzle breaks. Also the stock barrel is LOUD. I personally think this is awesome. I didn’t buy a marker modeled after an AK47 to make little hush puppy whispers. This marker makes a distinguishable report from other markers on the field.
When I tested this marker I was on a reball field. I used it for about 5 rounds and never experienced one marker jam. A jam with a reball more or less amounts to a chop with a paintball, so I assume it is far from prone to chopping paint.
+1
2/2
AIR AND OTHER
The stock asa is Big, heavy, ugly, but does its job. I would recommend upgrading to one with an On/off but if you are on a budget it works. It had fair consistency for a blowback and I could get it operating as low as 500 psi with a regulator. I had my tank filled in the 1500 psi area and was able to play 2-3 games before getting it filled again.
+1
The ball stopper at the other end of the feedneck was made of such low grade rubber it could be scratched with my fingernails. It felt like it was made of the same material as erasers.
-1
1/2
DURABILITY AND MANTINENCE
Aside from the ball stopper this marker is TOUGH. It feels like a real fire arm and the internals are protected by a thick metal body. You could run this marker over with a bus and I doubt it would break any of the internal components or warp the body. You can tell this gun was built to last. I believe it was originally fabricated for training purposes in the Chinese military. Most of the outer parts are real fire arm parts, and I don’t think I need to debate the proven durability of AK style weapons.
+1
This was designed to be a low maintenance marker. The most important part of upkeep is keeping it oiled as it is a spyder inside. Take care of it and it should take care of you. I have heard the Stock Orings and seals are not Mach grade but I have not had one single problem with leaks or blown orings yet.
The only component you will have to replace on a regular bases is probably the Detent once or twice a year depending how much you use it. As long as you oil the Orings before it goes into storage I can’t see leaking being an issue under normal circumstances.
+1
2/2
Conclusion:
This is a mean little rifle. AS far as looks go you cant beat it for the Ak look in the .68 cal department. As a marker it should stand up to the challenge of being a recreational or scenario players old reliable.
They are intimidating and solid. I’ve seen the price comes down as low as 200 CDN on these things so they are affordable, and are a great bang for your buck. For anyone looking for a semi auto blowback this is defiantly a contender to the Alpha black and other cheap Tippmanns.
These will accept 90% of spyder Egrips if greater rates of fire is your thing. I only sampled this marker in semi auto with the stock grip so I cannot comment on its performance in the high BPS.
I give it an earned 7/10 based on my categories. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns with my review email me at Travis@hitmanpaintball.ca
Rating:
7 out of 10
Review: Rap4 RAM Walther P99
Period of
Product Use: 2 years
Similar
Products Used: Other umarex .43 cal
Strengths: Realistic
Weaknesses: Smaller caliber ball.
Review: **Disclaimer**(serious part, but please read)
DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT take this marker out anywhere other than at a legal paintball field, shooting range, or proshop. Transport it in a carrying case or gear bag.
USE COMMON SENSE
*****
This is actually the Second P99 Ive had in my possession. I used to own one a few years back but sold it before I could really use it much. This time however I will take the time to get to know the marker a bit better before I oust it.
Video Section
LOOKS & COSMETICS
The P99 like all Umarex handguns is phenomenal cosmetically. I’ve had some problems with the rear sight falling out so I got 2 this time. Curiously one falls out easily and one doesn’t.
The 12 gram goes in just a bit further than on other RAM’s , adding to realism
The Walther logo appears 4 times on this marker. Twice on the slide and twice on the handgrip. I LOVE IT.
The only real blemish on this marker is the added push safety on the trigger; Umarex also added this to newer P226’s. its ugly, gets pushed in easily rendering you temporarily useless on occasion when retrieving it from a holster in a game, and if you take it out your trigger is left with a big eyesore of a hole.
FEATURES / SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES
The biggest selling point for the p99 is ergonomics. It is built for comfortable shooting and is 100% Ambidextrous, so far it is the only RAM that is left handed shooter friendly.
Out of the box it comes with two sizes of palm inserts to cater to people with different sized hands. These inserts can be swapped on the fly by just removing a pin and pulling them out.
The magazines have a very distinct base and makes it almost impossible to insert them backwards like with other handguns.
Just like on a real P99, when cocked a red indicator at the back of the slide in a peep hole will appear to tell you the hammer is cocked. This is a great feature since the P99 uses an internal hammer.
On top of the slide is a De-cock button, a great safety feature which makes the stupid push button safety they tacked on for whatever reason obsolete.
Slide and mag release are on both sides as mentioned, and the de-cock can be reached from both sides with your thumb
There is also a bottom rail for mounting flashlights. It is not a true weaver rail but works.
--
The P99 is SUPER short and compact. Because of the handgrips shape (with the correct insert for your hand, trigger placement, and clear iron sights it is just pleasant to shoot. It feels like it was made with your (the shooter’s) comfort in mind. Which it was
When I first put a 12 gram into it the velocities were spiking and fluctuating for the first 5 or so shots. I attribute this to the fact my 12 grams had been sitting in the sun. After said shots it stabilized SIGNIFICANTLY.
On the Chrono (after stabilizing out) it read:
251, 255, 254, 251, 251,
My old p99 was NOWHERE near this consistent. Also the hiss heard when airing it up was gone. I assume the P99 has some form of updated internals. At this point I was enthusiastically itching to try an efficiency test.
If the desert eagle blew me away with its efficiency, the P99 picked me back up, slapped me in the face, and dropped me on my ass again.
Doing the same experiment as with the desert eagle in room temperature, I took 1 shot every 5 seconds in volleys of 5 and then gave it a 20 second rest in between.
92 shots before the slide stopped going back!
On shot 90 I was skeptical, and chronoed shot 91 and got 212 FPS. Shot 92 was 207 and decocked. I was still able to empty my magazine by cocking before each shot.
After opening it up, I think the internals are the same as the upgraded Deagle ones, I think the reason it gets more shots per 12 gram is the slide is lighter and the barrel is shorter. Expect to get at least 4-5 mags when shooting quickly.
Accuracy
For my accuracy test I used a 1.5 by 2 foot plywood square as a target and marked off various increments of distance to shoot from. 1 magazine was used for each distance
Sunny conditions (minimal wind) Video recorded here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Cy9a2yuWV8
Range / Shots on Target
30 feet: 9/9
40 feet: 9/9
50 feet: 9/9
60 feet: 6/9
70 feet: 3/9 (2 bounced)
100 feet: 3/9 (1 bounced)
When comparing the p99 to my desert eagle, the p99 was noticeably less accurate when shooting them side by side, but because of how comfortable it was to shoot, it was easier to hit targets and actually out-scored the desert eagle which was bulky and awkward to shoot and had much higher recoil.
Also on shooting the p99, the slide would not always lock back, and I would have to take 1-3 dry shots to get it to lock back. Not a big issue.
One thing I DID have an issue was the magazines spring. Out of the box the tension is far too high, every minute you have the tension on the balls in the mag is another minute they warp. My desert eagle did not have this problem, as it only has 8 per magazine, AND a lighter spring. I will be doing some experiments later to reduce the tension. Out of the box if you have your p99 holstered for any time over 20 min, don’t expect to hit anything less than 30 feet away without emptying your mag.
DURABILITY AND MAINTENANCE
The P99 unfortunately cannot be field stripped tool free. A punch and screw driver are required to remove the slide to get at the internals.
The upper components and Trigger are metal, but the grip frame is plastic, but it is not a cheap or weak plastic. It feels sturdy in your hands and could probably withstand being dropped even in cold weather. I can’t say I’ve ever heard of someone breaking one.
General upkeep is pretty standard, a drop of oil on the asa oring with every new 12 gram and it should never dry out. Greasing the core once a year couldn’t hurt (it comes greased out of the box, but if you disassemble it you will void your 1 year warranty, after that its your call).
Conclusion:
The P99 is a small, light, comfortable, high performance handgun. I can see why it is by far the most popular in the RAM line. It has a few minor issues to fix (magazine spring, safety button, rear sight) but none that majorly take away from the overall experience.
Personally I like my Desert Eagle more. With single controlled shots the Desert Eagle IS more accurate, but because the P99 is so much more comfortable to shoot you will likely get better accuracy in the heat of combat. Plus it holds one more round than the Deagle does.
The Desert Eagle is a manlier more intimidating gun to shoot, the p99 more practical.
Summary:
Accuracy: 3/5 (Relative to handguns)
Efficiency: 5/5 (above and beyond average)
Consistency: 5/5 (+ - 4 )
Durability: 4/5 ( has a good mix of metal/plastic to balance off the weight)
Reliability: 4/5 ( The one I owned prior to this had leaking problems, and many other people I know with P99 had similar leaks)
Ease of maintenance: 3/10 (No Tool field Stripping)
Value: 4/5 (As much as .43 cal is not for everyone, I believe ANYONE could appreciate this gun from any walk of paintball)
Lasting Appeal: 5/5 (The Highest in demand .43 cal gun out there at this time.)
Special Category - Maneuverability: 5/5 (Engineered with the shooters comfort in mind)
Over all = 4/5
PBR = 8.5/10
Product Use: 2 years
Similar
Products Used: Other umarex .43 cal
Strengths: Realistic
Weaknesses: Smaller caliber ball.
Review: **Disclaimer**(serious part, but please read)
DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT take this marker out anywhere other than at a legal paintball field, shooting range, or proshop. Transport it in a carrying case or gear bag.
USE COMMON SENSE
*****
This is actually the Second P99 Ive had in my possession. I used to own one a few years back but sold it before I could really use it much. This time however I will take the time to get to know the marker a bit better before I oust it.
Video Section
LOOKS & COSMETICS
The P99 like all Umarex handguns is phenomenal cosmetically. I’ve had some problems with the rear sight falling out so I got 2 this time. Curiously one falls out easily and one doesn’t.
The 12 gram goes in just a bit further than on other RAM’s , adding to realism
The Walther logo appears 4 times on this marker. Twice on the slide and twice on the handgrip. I LOVE IT.
The only real blemish on this marker is the added push safety on the trigger; Umarex also added this to newer P226’s. its ugly, gets pushed in easily rendering you temporarily useless on occasion when retrieving it from a holster in a game, and if you take it out your trigger is left with a big eyesore of a hole.
FEATURES / SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES
The biggest selling point for the p99 is ergonomics. It is built for comfortable shooting and is 100% Ambidextrous, so far it is the only RAM that is left handed shooter friendly.
Out of the box it comes with two sizes of palm inserts to cater to people with different sized hands. These inserts can be swapped on the fly by just removing a pin and pulling them out.
The magazines have a very distinct base and makes it almost impossible to insert them backwards like with other handguns.
Just like on a real P99, when cocked a red indicator at the back of the slide in a peep hole will appear to tell you the hammer is cocked. This is a great feature since the P99 uses an internal hammer.
On top of the slide is a De-cock button, a great safety feature which makes the stupid push button safety they tacked on for whatever reason obsolete.
Slide and mag release are on both sides as mentioned, and the de-cock can be reached from both sides with your thumb
There is also a bottom rail for mounting flashlights. It is not a true weaver rail but works.
-
The P99 is SUPER short and compact. Because of the handgrips shape (with the correct insert for your hand, trigger placement, and clear iron sights it is just pleasant to shoot. It feels like it was made with your (the shooter’s) comfort in mind. Which it was
When I first put a 12 gram into it the velocities were spiking and fluctuating for the first 5 or so shots. I attribute this to the fact my 12 grams had been sitting in the sun. After said shots it stabilized SIGNIFICANTLY.
On the Chrono (after stabilizing out) it read:
251, 255, 254, 251, 251,
My old p99 was NOWHERE near this consistent. Also the hiss heard when airing it up was gone. I assume the P99 has some form of updated internals. At this point I was enthusiastically itching to try an efficiency test.
If the desert eagle blew me away with its efficiency, the P99 picked me back up, slapped me in the face, and dropped me on my ass again.
Doing the same experiment as with the desert eagle in room temperature, I took 1 shot every 5 seconds in volleys of 5 and then gave it a 20 second rest in between.
92 shots before the slide stopped going back!
On shot 90 I was skeptical, and chronoed shot 91 and got 212 FPS. Shot 92 was 207 and decocked. I was still able to empty my magazine by cocking before each shot.
After opening it up, I think the internals are the same as the upgraded Deagle ones, I think the reason it gets more shots per 12 gram is the slide is lighter and the barrel is shorter. Expect to get at least 4-5 mags when shooting quickly.
Accuracy
For my accuracy test I used a 1.5 by 2 foot plywood square as a target and marked off various increments of distance to shoot from. 1 magazine was used for each distance
Sunny conditions (minimal wind) Video recorded here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Cy9a2yuWV8
Range / Shots on Target
30 feet: 9/9
40 feet: 9/9
50 feet: 9/9
60 feet: 6/9
70 feet: 3/9 (2 bounced)
100 feet: 3/9 (1 bounced)
When comparing the p99 to my desert eagle, the p99 was noticeably less accurate when shooting them side by side, but because of how comfortable it was to shoot, it was easier to hit targets and actually out-scored the desert eagle which was bulky and awkward to shoot and had much higher recoil.
Also on shooting the p99, the slide would not always lock back, and I would have to take 1-3 dry shots to get it to lock back. Not a big issue.
One thing I DID have an issue was the magazines spring. Out of the box the tension is far too high, every minute you have the tension on the balls in the mag is another minute they warp. My desert eagle did not have this problem, as it only has 8 per magazine, AND a lighter spring. I will be doing some experiments later to reduce the tension. Out of the box if you have your p99 holstered for any time over 20 min, don’t expect to hit anything less than 30 feet away without emptying your mag.
DURABILITY AND MAINTENANCE
The P99 unfortunately cannot be field stripped tool free. A punch and screw driver are required to remove the slide to get at the internals.
The upper components and Trigger are metal, but the grip frame is plastic, but it is not a cheap or weak plastic. It feels sturdy in your hands and could probably withstand being dropped even in cold weather. I can’t say I’ve ever heard of someone breaking one.
General upkeep is pretty standard, a drop of oil on the asa oring with every new 12 gram and it should never dry out. Greasing the core once a year couldn’t hurt (it comes greased out of the box, but if you disassemble it you will void your 1 year warranty, after that its your call).
Conclusion:
The P99 is a small, light, comfortable, high performance handgun. I can see why it is by far the most popular in the RAM line. It has a few minor issues to fix (magazine spring, safety button, rear sight) but none that majorly take away from the overall experience.
Personally I like my Desert Eagle more. With single controlled shots the Desert Eagle IS more accurate, but because the P99 is so much more comfortable to shoot you will likely get better accuracy in the heat of combat. Plus it holds one more round than the Deagle does.
The Desert Eagle is a manlier more intimidating gun to shoot, the p99 more practical.
Summary:
Accuracy: 3/5 (Relative to handguns)
Efficiency: 5/5 (above and beyond average)
Consistency: 5/5 (+ - 4 )
Durability: 4/5 ( has a good mix of metal/plastic to balance off the weight)
Reliability: 4/5 ( The one I owned prior to this had leaking problems, and many other people I know with P99 had similar leaks)
Ease of maintenance: 3/10 (No Tool field Stripping)
Value: 4/5 (As much as .43 cal is not for everyone, I believe ANYONE could appreciate this gun from any walk of paintball)
Lasting Appeal: 5/5 (The Highest in demand .43 cal gun out there at this time.)
Special Category - Maneuverability: 5/5 (Engineered with the shooters comfort in mind)
Over all = 4/5
PBR = 8.5/10
Review: Rap4 Tippmann X7 Flexi Air system
First off I would like to state, this Stock was sent to me by rap4 for review purposes. I do not work for rap4, and I am not sponsored by rap4. I am 100% Independent and I will review this product with NO bias.
Secondly I would like to state I owned the previous generation of Flexi air stock (this one being the newest version as of 2009), and was not at all impressed by the first ones performance. That being said through the course of this review I will point out to improvements/fails this time around and do allot of comparing between the two generations of stocks.
My main objective is to give the reader the best understanding of this product when considering purchasing this upgrade for their marker.
Video Section
Pictures
LOOKS & COSMETICS
Does the Flexi air stock look pretty?
The previous generation, albeit all of its flaws, had a smaller more cosmetic adapter, that could be flipped upside down to lower the stock on the marker. This generation does not have that ability, and the rear adapter is overly bulky, but it now has a port to accept airtank-in-stock mounting brackets for people using one of the wide variety of compact cylinders out there. And though the bulk is not pretty, it also puts the fill nipple on the remote line adapter a few inches further back raking it out of your wrist (this bugged me allot on the previous flexi air stock) should you chose to run a remote line on it.
To counter its bulk it features NO external hoses, which in my opinion is a fair trade off cosmetically.
The stock comes standard with the M4 style carbine stock. This stock is so common it sickens me, so I attempted to put my knockoff HK 416 stock on it. Unfortunately the flexi air adaptor tube is not standard stock tube size, and cracked my cheap (but pretty) airsoft stock. After a bit of sanding and wedging I was able to attach the stock to my marker, but a standard size adapter would have been great.
FEATURES / SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES
As I said, the new flexi air stock has ditched the external macro line, and has replaced it with an inner copper tubing. This ability to accept internal air lines is one of the key differences between the A5 and X7, and rap4 takes full advantage of this feature.
The copper line plugs into orings at each end of the adapter to reduce the chance of a leak, and extra orings are included with the stock should they ever dry out or crack. Out of the box mine had a small leak, after applying a small amount of marker oil the leak stopped.
The only thing i would have added to the housing itself would be a gauge port. The horizontal Style ASA does give you the option of using the Rap4 AG1 regulator, which is equipped with a gauge and still lets you use a tank. Though, I find it does not handle high rates of fire (15 bps) well.
SHOOTING AND AIR
The flexi air stock has a double function as both an expansion chamber and volumizer. If you use co2, liquid co2 will have a greater chance of warming and becoming a gas giving you better efficiency and consistency. When using air at high rates of fire, say with an Egrip, the same chamber makes it almost impossible to starve the marker of air.
The stock itself made shooting my large rifle style X7 much more comfortable to shoot, and allot lighter without a tank. This resulted in comfortable, accurate shooting as seen in the video section.
Remote lines are not for everyone, but if you are a believer in remote lines this is defiantly a stylish alternative to a macro line and asa setup.
DURABILITY AND MAINTENANCE
Unlike the first run of flexi air stocks, this one does not rely on 4 set screws to keep it stable. It goes on the gun with no modification and is solid and does not wiggle in the x7’s frame.
Everything is solid, and the quality has risen quite a bit since the recall of the first runs. people should not let this recall denture them from this product.
Conclusion:
In closing this is a very sturdy, versatile stock system. If I would chose to use an air through stock this would likely be my choice. Having the ability to keep an air tank in your stock is great for military simulation/training. Biggest turn off is that it cannot easily accept other stock options because the tube is not standard sized.
Durability: 4/5 The air tubeing is copper, so it is much more durable than macroline, and everything is metal except the stock housing.
Reliability: 5/5 No leaks, Stock housing intended for use with it moves back and farward easily, and does not collapse against your weight.
Ease of maintenance: 3/10 (If it wasn’t for the two main springs this would be much higher)
Upgradeability: 4/5 Not standard tube size, however the ability to use tank-in-stock, remote line, and horizontal tanks counters this.
Value: 3/5 at $98 American it is reasonable value (compared to some other air though stocks) with the features it has.
Lasting Appeal: 2/5 not standard tube size so it can’t fit a variety of air soft/real stocks
Over all = 4/5
PBR rating 7/10
If you have any questions / Comments / Concerns about my review, or if you are a dealer / manufacturer of a paintball related good and like to see it get a fair, unbiased independent review like the one you have seen here, please email me at:
Stan_the_hit_man@hotmail.com
Thanks for reading
- Stan
-
Secondly I would like to state I owned the previous generation of Flexi air stock (this one being the newest version as of 2009), and was not at all impressed by the first ones performance. That being said through the course of this review I will point out to improvements/fails this time around and do allot of comparing between the two generations of stocks.
My main objective is to give the reader the best understanding of this product when considering purchasing this upgrade for their marker.
Video Section
Pictures
LOOKS & COSMETICS
Does the Flexi air stock look pretty?
The previous generation, albeit all of its flaws, had a smaller more cosmetic adapter, that could be flipped upside down to lower the stock on the marker. This generation does not have that ability, and the rear adapter is overly bulky, but it now has a port to accept airtank-in-stock mounting brackets for people using one of the wide variety of compact cylinders out there. And though the bulk is not pretty, it also puts the fill nipple on the remote line adapter a few inches further back raking it out of your wrist (this bugged me allot on the previous flexi air stock) should you chose to run a remote line on it.
To counter its bulk it features NO external hoses, which in my opinion is a fair trade off cosmetically.
The stock comes standard with the M4 style carbine stock. This stock is so common it sickens me, so I attempted to put my knockoff HK 416 stock on it. Unfortunately the flexi air adaptor tube is not standard stock tube size, and cracked my cheap (but pretty) airsoft stock. After a bit of sanding and wedging I was able to attach the stock to my marker, but a standard size adapter would have been great.
FEATURES / SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES
As I said, the new flexi air stock has ditched the external macro line, and has replaced it with an inner copper tubing. This ability to accept internal air lines is one of the key differences between the A5 and X7, and rap4 takes full advantage of this feature.
The copper line plugs into orings at each end of the adapter to reduce the chance of a leak, and extra orings are included with the stock should they ever dry out or crack. Out of the box mine had a small leak, after applying a small amount of marker oil the leak stopped.
The only thing i would have added to the housing itself would be a gauge port. The horizontal Style ASA does give you the option of using the Rap4 AG1 regulator, which is equipped with a gauge and still lets you use a tank. Though, I find it does not handle high rates of fire (15 bps) well.
SHOOTING AND AIR
The flexi air stock has a double function as both an expansion chamber and volumizer. If you use co2, liquid co2 will have a greater chance of warming and becoming a gas giving you better efficiency and consistency. When using air at high rates of fire, say with an Egrip, the same chamber makes it almost impossible to starve the marker of air.
The stock itself made shooting my large rifle style X7 much more comfortable to shoot, and allot lighter without a tank. This resulted in comfortable, accurate shooting as seen in the video section.
Remote lines are not for everyone, but if you are a believer in remote lines this is defiantly a stylish alternative to a macro line and asa setup.
DURABILITY AND MAINTENANCE
Unlike the first run of flexi air stocks, this one does not rely on 4 set screws to keep it stable. It goes on the gun with no modification and is solid and does not wiggle in the x7’s frame.
Everything is solid, and the quality has risen quite a bit since the recall of the first runs. people should not let this recall denture them from this product.
Conclusion:
In closing this is a very sturdy, versatile stock system. If I would chose to use an air through stock this would likely be my choice. Having the ability to keep an air tank in your stock is great for military simulation/training. Biggest turn off is that it cannot easily accept other stock options because the tube is not standard sized.
Durability: 4/5 The air tubeing is copper, so it is much more durable than macroline, and everything is metal except the stock housing.
Reliability: 5/5 No leaks, Stock housing intended for use with it moves back and farward easily, and does not collapse against your weight.
Ease of maintenance: 3/10 (If it wasn’t for the two main springs this would be much higher)
Upgradeability: 4/5 Not standard tube size, however the ability to use tank-in-stock, remote line, and horizontal tanks counters this.
Value: 3/5 at $98 American it is reasonable value (compared to some other air though stocks) with the features it has.
Lasting Appeal: 2/5 not standard tube size so it can’t fit a variety of air soft/real stocks
Over all = 4/5
PBR rating 7/10
If you have any questions / Comments / Concerns about my review, or if you are a dealer / manufacturer of a paintball related good and like to see it get a fair, unbiased independent review like the one you have seen here, please email me at:
Stan_the_hit_man@hotmail.com
Thanks for reading
- Stan
-
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Review: Rap4 / Umarex Desert Eagle .43
I have been playing paintball since the late 90’s now. I have owned over 50 markers during my paintball career, and rarely does one strike me as impressive or outstanding upon taking them out of the box for the first time.
That being said I admit when I picked up the desert eagle, felt its weigh in my hands, ogled the fine attention to detail, and saw “MAGNUM RESEARCH INC” written across the slide the first words that came out of my mouth were “Holy S**t!”
*****
PLEASE USE common sense and discretion with these markers and similar milsim markers.
*****
-Video Supplement:
Pictorial:
--
Note I have the US version (non shell ejecting) The German version ejects shells.
The Desert Eagle is a gorgeous marker. Forget eye candy, it is eye porn. If you take away the 12 gram adapter it looks IDENTICAL to the real thing right down to “® DESERT EAGLE PISTOL – MAGNUM RESEARCH INC. MINNEAPOLIS MN.” Written down the slide. No orange tip to be seen on mine either (not required in Canada).
If I took a stroll down to my local bar and told the biggest ugliest guy there something offensive about his mother and pulled this hand cannon he would most defiantly be either hiding under a table or running for his life (And I would most defiantly have an ERT forcefully taking me custody at gunpoint, but that’s aside the fact lol).
Apart from the 12 gram adapter when it is screwed into the grip frame and the caliber indicator saying “.43 Paintball” instead of “.44 Magnum”, “.347 Magnum” or “.50 AE” you cannot tell the difference. Unlike an airsoft DE with a 6mm barrel the paintball version looks like the same thing even from the front. Can you tell the difference between .43 and .44 caliber when looking down the barrel? I sure can’t.
This pistol is BIG. Roughly desert eagle size if I had to guess (har har har). Don’t dream of getting it in a small (normal handgun) sized holster. I had the rap4 Small holster on my rap4 vest which worked great with my p99 and p226’s I’ve owned in the past. One try with a desert eagle was like trying to put a couch through a doggy door.
--
The Desert Eagle is single action Closed bolt blow back pistol.
It shares most of its cosmetic and functional features with the real desert eagle. The Trigger is corrugated to prevent your finger from slipping when pulling the trigger. The safety is located on the slide in the form of a selector switch.
The Desert Eagle comes standard with a top and bottom weaver mounts for aftermarket accessories, making it the most upgradable RAM pistol out of the box. The lower weaver mounts can be removed if need be via 2 set screws.
The marker is cycled when the hammer hits the valve stem like all other blow back, which is located where the firing pin would be on a real desert eagle making it as real as possible. Since it is single action there is no de-cock button like the P99 or P226. Instead the hammer must be manually restrained with the thumb while you pull the trigger to de-cock the marker.
The desert eagle is equipped the longest barrel of all of the RAM handgun line, which is a 7 inch brass barrel, brass barrels are usually associated with quality, performance, and the ability to shoot through breaks well (according to palmers pursuit shop who make almost exclusively brass barrels). With a 7 inch barrel as opposed to a 5 or 4 inch as seen on other RAM handguns we should experience more paintball acceleration and stabilization, and hopefully more range and better accuracy.
Unlike the other RAM pistol barrels, the desert eagle does not have cross compatibility.
People with big hands rejoice, people who complained about the tib 8 run and hide. This thing has a MASSIVE grip frame, even bigger than the tib8 possibly.
The DE features rudimentary iron sights that do not even have colored dot indicators. It can however be equipped with dot sights and lasers for low light conditions, which trumps any iron sights.
The magazines have also received an upgrade. On previous ram markers a spring located in the grip ejected the magazine, this spring was prone to falling out. The desert eagle has this problem fixed with a spring button on each individual magazine. No chance of losing a spring and smoother ejection.
--
The Desert Eagle is NOT as comfortable to shoot or as maneuverable as the Sig p226 or Walther P99, and is much heavier in the hands.
On the Chrono it read:
277, 270, 265, 271, 275 = + - 12
On airing it up there was no HISS of excess air getting vented like on the p99 and 226. I assume the internals have gotten some form of an upgrade.
This Baby has got some kick to it! Obviously not comparable to the real thing, or even a 9mm handgun, maybe comparable to a .22 caliber handgun. For a paintball gun this is saying allot.
Efficiency on the desert eagle blew me away. Shooting rapidly outside in cold weather I got exactly 44 shots on a 12 gram in cold weather. Impressed I decided to do an experiment.
I took it inside where I had an ambient temperature of 20 degrees (room temperature). I took 1 shot every 5 seconds in volleys of 5 and then gave it a 20 second rest in between. The results blew me away.
I got 73 USABLE SHOTS!!! Doing the same experiment on my sig p226 I got 54.
After shot 45 I began chronoing 1 of every 5 shots to see the pressure drop:
Shot 45: 271
Shot 50: 266
Shot 55: 265
Shot 60: 262
Shot 65: 246
Shot 70: Under 200 (Chrono could not pick it up)
The Slide stopped going back at shot 73
73 shots off a 12 gram. Even for .43 caliber that is above and beyond.
Using 73 as best conditions (indoor, warm, paced shooting) and 44 as worst (out door, snow, fast shooting), I estimate in a warm outdoor or indoor paintball game you will get 45-55 shots depending on rate of fire. 5 magazines worth indisputably.
-<>-
For my accuracy test I used a 1.5 by 2 feet plywood square as a target and marked off various increments of distance to shoot from. 1 magazine was used for each distance
Again for the accuracy test and chronoing see the video segment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9LAydyICeg
Test 1: High Humidity condition (Fog and rain ambient) Unfortunately for this test the video footage was not usable due to the weather conditions.
Range / Shots on Target
20 feet: 8/8
30 feet: 8/8
40 feet: 7/8
50 feet: 5/8
60 feet: 2/8
Test 2: Sunny conditions (minimal wind) Video recorded.
Range / Shots on Target
20 feet: 8/8
30 feet: 8/8
40 feet: 8/8
50 feet: 6/8
60 feet: 6/8
70 feet: 4/8
100 feet: 2/8
At 20-40 feet (Normal pistol use and room-room clearing range) The desert eagle would simply
hit what you were aiming at in any condition. My tests show that the desert eagle can be effectively accurate up to 70 feet max, significantly less in high humidity conditions. As seen in the vid balls were still breaking against a semi hard target at the extreme ranges.
--
Field Stripping can be done tool free by rotating a maintenance lever and pulling the barrel assembly free. This is NOT to say it is user friendly. There are two springs on guide rods under the slide. If you disturb them good luck getting them back in. While its not impossible, it certainly is not user friendly. Once you get the hang of it you can have the DE apart and back together in under a minute, but it would strongly benefit from a housing or bracket for these runaway springs when you open it up.
Velocity adjustment is Sig p226 style. Remove the slide and get at the core with an Allen key. I don’t recommend changing the velocity ever, out of the 3 I’ve tested velocity I conclude that should be ideal out of the box.
Conclusion:
The desert eagle is a well built marker, like all Umarex handguns. In the air gun world Umarex is associated with the utmost quality, unfortunately in the paintball one they are distributed under rap4, which people lately have been associating with poor quality due to the pre METS era .43 cal rifles and t68 generations 1-4 which were prone to poor performance, factory bugs, and DOA (dead on arrival). This is unfortunate for the Umarex handgun line.
Frankly the Deagle exceeded my expectations. I expected a heavy, clunky p226. I got a marker with upgraded internals, better efficiency, better accuracy, weaver rails, and of course the Desert eagle bling factor.
The biggest deterrent is the fact it is indeed .43 caliber and not all fields will allow it. Since it is sub 300 fps many will likely let you ONLY WITH PERMISSION. Always ask your local field owners permission before bringing ANY .43 cal marker on with you.
Summary:
Accuracy: 4/5 (Relative to handguns)
Efficiency: 5/5 (above and beyond average)
Consistency: 4/5 (+ - 12 and a consistent output even to the end of the 12 gram
Durability: 5/5 This thing is a brick. A slab of metal. The weakest parts are made of Thick impact/weather proof polymer, not cheap plastic)
Reliability: 5/5 (I tested 3 different deagles and shot over 1000 paintballs and rubber balls. No chops, jams or barrel breaks. All ticked like Swiss watches, I have no reason to believe they will give out any time soon)
Ease of maintenance: 3/10 (If it wasn’t for the two main springs this would be much higher)
Upgradeability: 3/5 (Almost all Weaver upgrades, upper and lower)
Intimidation: 4/5 (As far as Handguns go The deagle is one of the most intimidating hand held weapons in existence, second only to High caliber Revolvers. People know if its pointed at them it means business)
Value: 3/5 (These are not cheap, .43 caliber is a great deterrent, and these handguns are NOT for everyone by a long shot)
Lasting Appeal: 5/5 (These will never get old. If they do watch an action movie. I predict resale value to hold tight for a few years)
Over all = 4/5
That being said I admit when I picked up the desert eagle, felt its weigh in my hands, ogled the fine attention to detail, and saw “MAGNUM RESEARCH INC” written across the slide the first words that came out of my mouth were “Holy S**t!”
*****
PLEASE USE common sense and discretion with these markers and similar milsim markers.
*****
-Video Supplement:
Pictorial:
-
Note I have the US version (non shell ejecting) The German version ejects shells.
The Desert Eagle is a gorgeous marker. Forget eye candy, it is eye porn. If you take away the 12 gram adapter it looks IDENTICAL to the real thing right down to “® DESERT EAGLE PISTOL – MAGNUM RESEARCH INC. MINNEAPOLIS MN.” Written down the slide. No orange tip to be seen on mine either (not required in Canada).
If I took a stroll down to my local bar and told the biggest ugliest guy there something offensive about his mother and pulled this hand cannon he would most defiantly be either hiding under a table or running for his life (And I would most defiantly have an ERT forcefully taking me custody at gunpoint, but that’s aside the fact lol).
Apart from the 12 gram adapter when it is screwed into the grip frame and the caliber indicator saying “.43 Paintball” instead of “.44 Magnum”, “.347 Magnum” or “.50 AE” you cannot tell the difference. Unlike an airsoft DE with a 6mm barrel the paintball version looks like the same thing even from the front. Can you tell the difference between .43 and .44 caliber when looking down the barrel? I sure can’t.
This pistol is BIG. Roughly desert eagle size if I had to guess (har har har). Don’t dream of getting it in a small (normal handgun) sized holster. I had the rap4 Small holster on my rap4 vest which worked great with my p99 and p226’s I’ve owned in the past. One try with a desert eagle was like trying to put a couch through a doggy door.
-
The Desert Eagle is single action Closed bolt blow back pistol.
It shares most of its cosmetic and functional features with the real desert eagle. The Trigger is corrugated to prevent your finger from slipping when pulling the trigger. The safety is located on the slide in the form of a selector switch.
The Desert Eagle comes standard with a top and bottom weaver mounts for aftermarket accessories, making it the most upgradable RAM pistol out of the box. The lower weaver mounts can be removed if need be via 2 set screws.
The marker is cycled when the hammer hits the valve stem like all other blow back, which is located where the firing pin would be on a real desert eagle making it as real as possible. Since it is single action there is no de-cock button like the P99 or P226. Instead the hammer must be manually restrained with the thumb while you pull the trigger to de-cock the marker.
The desert eagle is equipped the longest barrel of all of the RAM handgun line, which is a 7 inch brass barrel, brass barrels are usually associated with quality, performance, and the ability to shoot through breaks well (according to palmers pursuit shop who make almost exclusively brass barrels). With a 7 inch barrel as opposed to a 5 or 4 inch as seen on other RAM handguns we should experience more paintball acceleration and stabilization, and hopefully more range and better accuracy.
Unlike the other RAM pistol barrels, the desert eagle does not have cross compatibility.
People with big hands rejoice, people who complained about the tib 8 run and hide. This thing has a MASSIVE grip frame, even bigger than the tib8 possibly.
The DE features rudimentary iron sights that do not even have colored dot indicators. It can however be equipped with dot sights and lasers for low light conditions, which trumps any iron sights.
The magazines have also received an upgrade. On previous ram markers a spring located in the grip ejected the magazine, this spring was prone to falling out. The desert eagle has this problem fixed with a spring button on each individual magazine. No chance of losing a spring and smoother ejection.
-
The Desert Eagle is NOT as comfortable to shoot or as maneuverable as the Sig p226 or Walther P99, and is much heavier in the hands.
On the Chrono it read:
277, 270, 265, 271, 275 = + - 12
On airing it up there was no HISS of excess air getting vented like on the p99 and 226. I assume the internals have gotten some form of an upgrade.
This Baby has got some kick to it! Obviously not comparable to the real thing, or even a 9mm handgun, maybe comparable to a .22 caliber handgun. For a paintball gun this is saying allot.
Efficiency on the desert eagle blew me away. Shooting rapidly outside in cold weather I got exactly 44 shots on a 12 gram in cold weather. Impressed I decided to do an experiment.
I took it inside where I had an ambient temperature of 20 degrees (room temperature). I took 1 shot every 5 seconds in volleys of 5 and then gave it a 20 second rest in between. The results blew me away.
I got 73 USABLE SHOTS!!! Doing the same experiment on my sig p226 I got 54.
After shot 45 I began chronoing 1 of every 5 shots to see the pressure drop:
Shot 45: 271
Shot 50: 266
Shot 55: 265
Shot 60: 262
Shot 65: 246
Shot 70: Under 200 (Chrono could not pick it up)
The Slide stopped going back at shot 73
73 shots off a 12 gram. Even for .43 caliber that is above and beyond.
Using 73 as best conditions (indoor, warm, paced shooting) and 44 as worst (out door, snow, fast shooting), I estimate in a warm outdoor or indoor paintball game you will get 45-55 shots depending on rate of fire. 5 magazines worth indisputably.
-<>-
For my accuracy test I used a 1.5 by 2 feet plywood square as a target and marked off various increments of distance to shoot from. 1 magazine was used for each distance
Again for the accuracy test and chronoing see the video segment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9LAydyICeg
Test 1: High Humidity condition (Fog and rain ambient) Unfortunately for this test the video footage was not usable due to the weather conditions.
Range / Shots on Target
20 feet: 8/8
30 feet: 8/8
40 feet: 7/8
50 feet: 5/8
60 feet: 2/8
Test 2: Sunny conditions (minimal wind) Video recorded.
Range / Shots on Target
20 feet: 8/8
30 feet: 8/8
40 feet: 8/8
50 feet: 6/8
60 feet: 6/8
70 feet: 4/8
100 feet: 2/8
At 20-40 feet (Normal pistol use and room-room clearing range) The desert eagle would simply
hit what you were aiming at in any condition. My tests show that the desert eagle can be effectively accurate up to 70 feet max, significantly less in high humidity conditions. As seen in the vid balls were still breaking against a semi hard target at the extreme ranges.
-
Field Stripping can be done tool free by rotating a maintenance lever and pulling the barrel assembly free. This is NOT to say it is user friendly. There are two springs on guide rods under the slide. If you disturb them good luck getting them back in. While its not impossible, it certainly is not user friendly. Once you get the hang of it you can have the DE apart and back together in under a minute, but it would strongly benefit from a housing or bracket for these runaway springs when you open it up.
Velocity adjustment is Sig p226 style. Remove the slide and get at the core with an Allen key. I don’t recommend changing the velocity ever, out of the 3 I’ve tested velocity I conclude that should be ideal out of the box.
Conclusion:
The desert eagle is a well built marker, like all Umarex handguns. In the air gun world Umarex is associated with the utmost quality, unfortunately in the paintball one they are distributed under rap4, which people lately have been associating with poor quality due to the pre METS era .43 cal rifles and t68 generations 1-4 which were prone to poor performance, factory bugs, and DOA (dead on arrival). This is unfortunate for the Umarex handgun line.
Frankly the Deagle exceeded my expectations. I expected a heavy, clunky p226. I got a marker with upgraded internals, better efficiency, better accuracy, weaver rails, and of course the Desert eagle bling factor.
The biggest deterrent is the fact it is indeed .43 caliber and not all fields will allow it. Since it is sub 300 fps many will likely let you ONLY WITH PERMISSION. Always ask your local field owners permission before bringing ANY .43 cal marker on with you.
Summary:
Accuracy: 4/5 (Relative to handguns)
Efficiency: 5/5 (above and beyond average)
Consistency: 4/5 (+ - 12 and a consistent output even to the end of the 12 gram
Durability: 5/5 This thing is a brick. A slab of metal. The weakest parts are made of Thick impact/weather proof polymer, not cheap plastic)
Reliability: 5/5 (I tested 3 different deagles and shot over 1000 paintballs and rubber balls. No chops, jams or barrel breaks. All ticked like Swiss watches, I have no reason to believe they will give out any time soon)
Ease of maintenance: 3/10 (If it wasn’t for the two main springs this would be much higher)
Upgradeability: 3/5 (Almost all Weaver upgrades, upper and lower)
Intimidation: 4/5 (As far as Handguns go The deagle is one of the most intimidating hand held weapons in existence, second only to High caliber Revolvers. People know if its pointed at them it means business)
Value: 3/5 (These are not cheap, .43 caliber is a great deterrent, and these handguns are NOT for everyone by a long shot)
Lasting Appeal: 5/5 (These will never get old. If they do watch an action movie. I predict resale value to hold tight for a few years)
Over all = 4/5
Review: Milsig K series
Previously being a T68 gen 5 owner I was back on the market for a new magazine fed weapon with a bit more lasting appeal. The gen 5 initially was a great marker that met my magazine fed needs, but after less than a season of use it started rapidly deteriorating, eating detents, and chipping paint on almost anything. My Two choices were either the Rap4 Gen 6 or Milsig K Series. I chose the Milsig K series not only because of its familiar design to the Gen 5 (which I preferred to previous generations of rap4 type 68s) but also because it had been boasted that the Milsig line had addressed all of the Issues of the gen 5 and not only fixed, but improved upon them.
Make no mistake though, this is a review of the Milsig, not a comparison between The milsig and Type 68 generation 5, I will point out factors that have been fixed or improved for generation 5 owners and potential Milsig skeptics.
Please view the video segment of my review here:
Pictorial:
--
On taking this marker out of the box I was extremely impressed by what it contained. A squeegee, barrel condom, Tool kit (complete tool kit), and the marker itself. The presentation was well delivered. On the marker itself the finish was a much higher quality, so I expect the paint job to last longer than it did on my Gen 5.
+1
Out of the box the marker came with an RIS mountable forward grip with a side MINI RIS rail, flip up sights that were basic iron sights when down and peep sights when flipped up. In addition to this the barrel was ribbed so it could be easier unscrewed when slippery from paint, triple polished, and non ported. This gives the barrel more value than the Stock barrel of similar markers like the Tippmann line, you might even be able to sell your stock barrel as an upgrade to stock barrel Tippmann owners.
+1
2/2
--
As per my review of the Gen 5, here is an updated cross compatibility chart of Tippmann a5 to Milsig parts.
Part | Tippmann A5 | Milsig
Barrel: Yes <-> Yes
Thread adapter: No <-> No
Grip Frame: No (Yes with Slight modifications)
Egrip: No (Yes with Slight modifications)
Body Pins/Screws Yes <->Yes
Back Plate Yes <->Yes
Stocks Yes <->Yes (NOTE: Milsig will have stock wobble out of the box with A5 Stocks, Milsig offers their own line of stocks with securing brackets to fix this problem, I have found staking extra owrings onto the back plate can reduce if not fix this problem)
Detent: No <-> No
PowerTube: No <-> No
TombStone: No <-> No
Bolt: No <-> No
Hammer Yes <-> No (A5 Hammer will fit milsig, but not vice versa)
Int/ Springs: Yes <->Yes
Velocity Pin: Yes <->Yes
ASA: Yes <->Yes
As For Cosmetic upgrades, the Milsig will accept a wide range of A5 body kits and bolt on accessories with little to no modification. As stated before the Stock sights it comes with are excellent and the forward grip allows for secure marker control if you don’t have your own barrel shroud.
+1
Internally the Milsig has received a full upgrade over its gen 5 predecessor, and sports features not even the similar tippmann have.
-The Bolt is slotted to Increase Detent life
- The power tube is metal to handle cold weather and co2 better
- The Internals are Polished out of the box to allow for smother function
-the hammer is hardened steel to increase its life
- Velocity adjustment is now done on the side (no more in barrel gen5 velocity tool)
- All plastic parts previously seen on the gen 5 including the Hopper adapter have been upgraded to a higher quality shatterproof plastic.
- The Chamber is deeply slotted forcing the bolt to travel on rails rather than a smooth surface like tippmann, this gives paint and debris a place to go besides down your barrel when shooting through a break allowing the marker to self clean itself in a sense.
Last but not least the key selling feature:
-The Milsig offers duel feed capabilities, being able to swap from magazine to hopper fed in minutes to accommodate your style of play. Very few markers out there can do this. Magazines are half the price of the competitive Tiberius arms markers and hold over twice to volume of ammunition. Each magazine holds 17-19 Paintballs depending on paint size. 18 is the statuesque and it is not recommended that you exceed it.
+1
2/2
--
Out of the box my Milsig experienced a problem with the trigger and tripping the sear. I had heard that all markers are hand tested prior to shipping. Either mine was not or it was not noticed. The problem was the trigger was not tripping the sear in its normal trigger pull length; I actually had to force the trigger in past its normal travel just to get a delayed sear trip. Sometimes it would "sputter" more than one shot.
-1
As seen in my Video the milsig was extremely accurate and consistent. Unfortunately on using reballs they were to small for the magazines retention ball bearings to hold in, making them nearly useless for reball play without a hopper, but they worked just fine with real paintballs. The milsig fired both reballs and Normal paintballs with great to excellent accuracy.
+1
1/2
--
With my X radar hand chrono it had the following results:
297, 302, 293, 300, 296
I used no regulator and a remote coil. +- 9 for an unregulated blow back is great no matter how you look at it. More specifically for me I was looking for a magazine fed sniper rifle, this proved ideal.
+1
There are a variety “In stock” and “Air thru stock” systems offered by a number of companies. Sharing the Tippmann a5 stock style only broadens the horizon. With an in stock air system the milsig becomes a fully contained marker with no hopper (if you are using a magazine kit) and no buttstock sticking out. This is the ideal weapon for maneuverability.
+1
However, unless you get a Milsig line buttstock you have a great chance of experiencing “stock wobble”. Milsig stocks have a bracket that prevents this. Most a5 stocks will experience wobble which can usually be fixed with an added Oring. Because Milsig Specific stocks do not wobble I cannot punish them by reducing a point, it is not their job to ensure other companies stocks made for a different marker fit with no wobble, but I will keep this here to make buyers aware.
2/2
--
This marker is built upon the single tube blow back engine, which is legendary for low maintenance. The noted self cleaning feature and ability to remove the detent for cleaning without opening the clam shell give it a bit of a heads up on similar markers (ie tippman 98,a5)
+1
The only plastic pieces on this marker are the Grips, detent plate, and charging handle. Even the trigger guard has been upgraded to metal (my t68’s trigger guard broke off like nothing). As I previously stated should you chose to use the hopper adapter even that too has been upgraded into a higher quality plastic.
+1
2/2
Conclusion:
The milsig has improvements on its predecessors (t68 for one) and its fellow single tube blow backs (tippmann). It is a step in the next direction of evolution for both scenario and recreational play. The milsig has something to offer to almost any walk of paintballer. While the magazine fed feature is not for everyone, it caters to a select group of players who have been more or less shunned over the years. Having the option to have a self contained paintball marker requiring no hopper and no large tank via a remote line makes this a very unique addition to the scenario world. If the magazine fed paintball Sniper rifle did not exist before, it does now, and its name is Milsig.
Rating:
9 out of 10
Make no mistake though, this is a review of the Milsig, not a comparison between The milsig and Type 68 generation 5, I will point out factors that have been fixed or improved for generation 5 owners and potential Milsig skeptics.
Please view the video segment of my review here:
Pictorial:
-
On taking this marker out of the box I was extremely impressed by what it contained. A squeegee, barrel condom, Tool kit (complete tool kit), and the marker itself. The presentation was well delivered. On the marker itself the finish was a much higher quality, so I expect the paint job to last longer than it did on my Gen 5.
+1
Out of the box the marker came with an RIS mountable forward grip with a side MINI RIS rail, flip up sights that were basic iron sights when down and peep sights when flipped up. In addition to this the barrel was ribbed so it could be easier unscrewed when slippery from paint, triple polished, and non ported. This gives the barrel more value than the Stock barrel of similar markers like the Tippmann line, you might even be able to sell your stock barrel as an upgrade to stock barrel Tippmann owners.
+1
2/2
-
As per my review of the Gen 5, here is an updated cross compatibility chart of Tippmann a5 to Milsig parts.
Part | Tippmann A5 | Milsig
Barrel: Yes <-> Yes
Thread adapter: No <-> No
Grip Frame: No (Yes with Slight modifications)
Egrip: No (Yes with Slight modifications)
Body Pins/Screws Yes <->Yes
Back Plate Yes <->Yes
Stocks Yes <->Yes (NOTE: Milsig will have stock wobble out of the box with A5 Stocks, Milsig offers their own line of stocks with securing brackets to fix this problem, I have found staking extra owrings onto the back plate can reduce if not fix this problem)
Detent: No <-> No
PowerTube: No <-> No
TombStone: No <-> No
Bolt: No <-> No
Hammer Yes <-> No (A5 Hammer will fit milsig, but not vice versa)
Int/ Springs: Yes <->Yes
Velocity Pin: Yes <->Yes
ASA: Yes <->Yes
As For Cosmetic upgrades, the Milsig will accept a wide range of A5 body kits and bolt on accessories with little to no modification. As stated before the Stock sights it comes with are excellent and the forward grip allows for secure marker control if you don’t have your own barrel shroud.
+1
Internally the Milsig has received a full upgrade over its gen 5 predecessor, and sports features not even the similar tippmann have.
-The Bolt is slotted to Increase Detent life
- The power tube is metal to handle cold weather and co2 better
- The Internals are Polished out of the box to allow for smother function
-the hammer is hardened steel to increase its life
- Velocity adjustment is now done on the side (no more in barrel gen5 velocity tool)
- All plastic parts previously seen on the gen 5 including the Hopper adapter have been upgraded to a higher quality shatterproof plastic.
- The Chamber is deeply slotted forcing the bolt to travel on rails rather than a smooth surface like tippmann, this gives paint and debris a place to go besides down your barrel when shooting through a break allowing the marker to self clean itself in a sense.
Last but not least the key selling feature:
-The Milsig offers duel feed capabilities, being able to swap from magazine to hopper fed in minutes to accommodate your style of play. Very few markers out there can do this. Magazines are half the price of the competitive Tiberius arms markers and hold over twice to volume of ammunition. Each magazine holds 17-19 Paintballs depending on paint size. 18 is the statuesque and it is not recommended that you exceed it.
+1
2/2
-
Out of the box my Milsig experienced a problem with the trigger and tripping the sear. I had heard that all markers are hand tested prior to shipping. Either mine was not or it was not noticed. The problem was the trigger was not tripping the sear in its normal trigger pull length; I actually had to force the trigger in past its normal travel just to get a delayed sear trip. Sometimes it would "sputter" more than one shot.
-1
As seen in my Video the milsig was extremely accurate and consistent. Unfortunately on using reballs they were to small for the magazines retention ball bearings to hold in, making them nearly useless for reball play without a hopper, but they worked just fine with real paintballs. The milsig fired both reballs and Normal paintballs with great to excellent accuracy.
+1
1/2
-
With my X radar hand chrono it had the following results:
297, 302, 293, 300, 296
I used no regulator and a remote coil. +- 9 for an unregulated blow back is great no matter how you look at it. More specifically for me I was looking for a magazine fed sniper rifle, this proved ideal.
+1
There are a variety “In stock” and “Air thru stock” systems offered by a number of companies. Sharing the Tippmann a5 stock style only broadens the horizon. With an in stock air system the milsig becomes a fully contained marker with no hopper (if you are using a magazine kit) and no buttstock sticking out. This is the ideal weapon for maneuverability.
+1
However, unless you get a Milsig line buttstock you have a great chance of experiencing “stock wobble”. Milsig stocks have a bracket that prevents this. Most a5 stocks will experience wobble which can usually be fixed with an added Oring. Because Milsig Specific stocks do not wobble I cannot punish them by reducing a point, it is not their job to ensure other companies stocks made for a different marker fit with no wobble, but I will keep this here to make buyers aware.
2/2
-
This marker is built upon the single tube blow back engine, which is legendary for low maintenance. The noted self cleaning feature and ability to remove the detent for cleaning without opening the clam shell give it a bit of a heads up on similar markers (ie tippman 98,a5)
+1
The only plastic pieces on this marker are the Grips, detent plate, and charging handle. Even the trigger guard has been upgraded to metal (my t68’s trigger guard broke off like nothing). As I previously stated should you chose to use the hopper adapter even that too has been upgraded into a higher quality plastic.
+1
2/2
Conclusion:
The milsig has improvements on its predecessors (t68 for one) and its fellow single tube blow backs (tippmann). It is a step in the next direction of evolution for both scenario and recreational play. The milsig has something to offer to almost any walk of paintballer. While the magazine fed feature is not for everyone, it caters to a select group of players who have been more or less shunned over the years. Having the option to have a self contained paintball marker requiring no hopper and no large tank via a remote line makes this a very unique addition to the scenario world. If the magazine fed paintball Sniper rifle did not exist before, it does now, and its name is Milsig.
Rating:
9 out of 10
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