New marker and Questions galore

[[AK]JD]

I am thinking about buying a marker as a few of you know and am doing alot of research and though maybe some of you would like chime in with suggestions on what marker you'd recomend for a newb. Also what things to look for and what to look out for.

[[AK]JD]

Ok don't everyone speak out at once, one at a time please

[[AK]Squidly]

I wasn't saying anything because you and I have already discussed this at length in email...

[[AK]JD]

Yes and thanks again Squidly. Here is another question then, what is the advantage of electric triggers over manual ? as a newb I would think that if you can shoot more paint faster that would be better but..... I am probably wrong. Is this just another peice that can go wrong ? break, dead batteries and what not ?

[[AK]Squidly]

Electric triggers offer enhanced sensitivity (woohoo!) What that means is that you can tune your trigger to the point where it basically has the travel of a mouse click (or less) to start the firing process. That's the way I have my gun set up.

Electric guns also sometimes offer "firing modes". 1 press = 3 shots, press and hold = full auto, that sort of thing. Verbotten for tourneys of course.

The downside to electric guns is that you can't immerse them in water. In most cases nothing will happen if you play in the rain, but in a torrential downpour you probably ought to "pack it in". Battery life isn't too big a deal. My Angel has a big honkin' NI-MH thing, and you just plug it in to your charger. Most lower end electrics use 9v batteries. Keep 2-3 in your paintball toolbox and you'll never have a problem.

In other news, I'm seriously considering upgrading from my Angel Speed to the full-on Angle Fly. My guitar sold and I've got the xtra cash burning a hole in my pocket. It may happen very soon.

[[AK]JD]

next question what does an expansion chamber do ? is this the same as a lower pressure system ?

Squidly, what type of guitar did you sell ?

[[AK]The Beast]

...and I gave you my thoughts on the Spyder line in the last post.

I was reading a paintball magazine that Squidly gave me last night, and in the "Ask the Gun Tech"-style column, the author advises a rookie asking for advice similar to yours that the Tippmann 98 is the best overall value for money in the entry level category. I had some pretty good results at the Top Gun Big Game in May when my gun wouldn't fire and I had to rent a Tippy 98. I especially liked the slight offset of the hopper to the right side of the gun--this allowed me to use the sight rail and get some reasonably accurate shots when I wasn't shooting from the hip.

[[AK]Squidly]

CO2 is stored as a liquid. That liquid must be converted to gas before use in the gun. In most cases, the distance from the bottle to the valve is sufficient. However fast firing, or tilting the gun the wrong way can cause liquid CO2 to travel into the internals of the gun, unexpanded. This is a problem, and may even damage the gun. Usually though, it just causes a velocity spike - which results in drasticly reduced accuracy.

Expansion chambers are areas that allow more time and space for the liquid to expand into a gas. See this link for a more detailed explanation.

http://paintball.about.com/cs/airsys.../xchambers.htm

I sold a Yamaha SG 2000 from 1980.

Also - in response to Beast's post - in most cases with fast firing guns you won't sight down the barrel. You won't sight much at all... you basically walk the paint to the target. Practice will give you a feel with the behavior of your gun so that first shot will hit as well. This is akin to shooting from the hip. Slower firing, high recoil guns will make "feel aiming" a lot more difficult.

[[AK]Squidly]

Also, when you're talking about "lower pressure system"s, you're talking about compressed air. Some guns are fine with high-pressure delivery (above 500psi), others require lower input pressure (< 500psi). This is achieved through regulating the pressure down from the tank pressure of 3000-4500psi.

My lpa tank regulates my input pressure down to 450psi, and my lp reg takes it down to like 120psi. The result is a quieter, more efficient gun, with less kick (and better accuracy.)

[[AK]Faxman]

Expansion chambers are areas that allow more time and space for the liquid to expand into a gas. See this link for a more detailed explanation.

Additionally, a remote or anti-siphon tank will keep liquid C02 from bleeding into the valve, even when the gun is tilted toward the ground. A remote will keep the gun vertical on your back, causing the liquid C02 to pool at the bottom of the tank. Also, the coils in a remote add an extra amount of space between tank and gun for the C02 to expand. An anti sipon tank has a metal tube inside it running to the pin valve. It is designed to point upward toward the top of a horizontal tank connected directly to a gun's air source, keeping the liquid C02 pooled at the bottom.

[[AK]JD]

so do I have this right, I can put either co2 or compressed air into the same tank or no ?

[[AK]Squidly]

Additionally, a remote or anti-siphon tank will keep liquid C02 from bleeding into the valve, even when the gun is tilted toward the ground. A remote will keep the gun vertical on your back, causing the liquid C02 to pool at the bottom of the tank. Also, the coils in a remote add an extra amount of space between tank and gun for the C02 to expand. An anti sipon tank has a metal tube inside it running to the pin valve. It is designed to point upward toward the top of a horizontal tank connected directly to a gun's air source, keeping the liquid C02 pooled at the bottom.

Heh...a remote is like the ultimate expansion chamber.

And JD - no you cannot put compressed Air in a CO2 tank (or vice versa).

BTW, Fax and Beast, MI Paintball offered to sponsor our team today!
Just what that means will become clear once we put in our application (a formality.) Basically we have to wear their logo on whatever jersey we design and we get free stuff. We can take it to email or just do it here if you want to discuss further.

[[AK]Faxman]

BTW, Fax and Beast, MI Paintball offered to sponsor our team today!

That is fantastic news! It's sounds very cool to say that I'm on a sponsored team. It'll add some flair to our jerseys too.

[[AK]Squidly]

I'll send around the questionaire later. It's basically like a resume. Since we haven't played in any tourneys yet it'll just be biographical info.

[[AK]The Beast]

Wow--that's really cool! I guess that gets us off the hook for having to choose a team name. Probably easiest to continue this over e-mail--I'll send you a PM later.