Starter Paintball Package | Update: Built my first marker

[inky]

Finished building my first marker. Her name is Mouser.



Tippmann A-5 marker
Response Trigger
Cyclone feed
Squishy paddles
Exalt feedgate on LP hopper
Flatline barrel w/ foregrip shroud
NC Star 1x25 Compact Holo R/G dot sight
V-Tac Sling
Ninja remote coil w/ quick disconnect
Ninja 68/45 HPA
RAP4 Folding Stock
(and I carved the name MOUSER near the A-5 text)

Looking forward to getting a Gas Through Mag and a folding grip+mounting rail to replace the standard one in place. Also a Tac Cap and maybe a 3" barrel for CQB set up or a J&J 16" for more accurate sniping.

My next project would probably be a TipX with the new 20-round Zeta Mags for the girlfriend. Stick in the 8" stock barrel and an APEX system and it should be good to go. Maybe another 1x25 dot sight as well on it.

Thanks for the tips guys. Really helped a lot with this project.

Spoiler!

Buying my first paintball set. I just need to know if the set I put up have parts compatible with each other and if there is anything else that I need there.

Not included in the list, I just added a barrel sleeve and a squeegee. I tried looking around for starter packages but a lot of them come with 9~20oz. CO2 tanks, which, from what I've read, aren't as dependable as HPA/N2 tanks.

Anything else you might want to suggest? Changes in the parts? The Gryphon is fine for now. I was looking at the A5 but since I am going to get my sister her own marker, I figured I'd try this one out first and give her the marker+hopper+tank when I get my A5. She'll have to buy the rest of the products herself.

I will get a knee/elbow sleeve later on since my knees are still bruised from dropping down into hard surfaces but for now, I just want to get the market set ready.

Thanks =)

[.curve]

Nice, this is my specialty.

Since you plan on upgrading most of the stuff after giving it to your sister, everything you've chosen will work fine. My only suggestion would be to look into getting a little higher end mask. Honestly a comfortable, sturdy mask is 10x more important than what gun you're running. I'd suggest this one. Seriously, a mask is the one thing you don't want to be cheap on, especially if you plan on being into this sport for a while.

The remote coil/pod pack is a good choice. It takes so much unnecessary weight off your marker. I'd suggest maybe one or two more pods as they tend to break/get lost really easily, and they're only three dollars.

The Gryphon is fine for starting, but I'd still suggest the 98 Custom. It's such a reliable gun. The paintball field I work at has them for rent and they're literally the AK-47s of paintball guns. I've seen them thrown, dropped, slammed, etc and still work.

[*BlackFox]

marker+hopper+tank

What's that stuff?

[Panu]

marker+hopper+tank

What's that stuff?

The marker
The hopper
The tank

In all seriousness I only know about the hopper and c02. The hopper is where the paint balls are fed/stored into and the tank is the c02 which contains c02.

I might be wrong.

[omier]

And the marker is the gun itself.

[*BlackFox]

Aha.. Okay! xD

[I Am Vegeta]

though this would be abit more expensive

[Juicy]

though this would be abit more expensive

I was thinking the same thing...

[Blindfire]

My Tippmann A5 came with a squeegee and barrel cover so I don't think those are necessary purchases.

I was never really a fan of the remote line but I was playing in the woods so it got caught on stuff a lot. I also preferred a bigger hopper to carrying pods but you don't shoot as much in woodsball and you look like you're setting up for speedball so carrying extra paint is a must.

[inky]

@Blindfire: I want a gun mainly for woodsball but also compatible with speedball since the nearest arena from where I live is an indoor facility. Crappy but it'll do for regular visits when I feel like playing. Also, nothing in the item description says that it comes with those 2 items so I guess it's better to be safe. In any case, they're pretty cheap and I can always use them as replacement or add to my sister's PB package.

@curve: You live in PA right? Do you work at Skirmish by any chance? I was just there this weekend and I think the rental guns we used are Custom 98 markers. I took your advice and went with a better headgear and a Custom 98. I was comparing the pros and cons of upgrading to a Cyclone Feeder hopper but I decided against it. Looking at the kit I've come up with, anything else you want to suggest adding/replacing/removing?

Our rental markers (are they Custom 98 guns? Not so sure)

Spoiler!

Also, kind of a stupid question but just to make sure: Does that HPA/N2 tank come with a gauge or do I have to buy one separately?

One more thing... the website I'm getting them from is http://www.tippmannparts.com. Seems like a legit website but I'm very new to the field. Is it a reputable site?

As for my sister's gun. I figured I'll just let her pick her own starter piece (as long as it's not too expensive) instead of giving her the Gryphon. Makes it a more personal thing, IMO.

***

Any thoughts on switching to an Azodin Blitz gun? Although the 98 custom is revered as a very sturdy woodsball gun, the Azodin Blitz (or Kaos even) seems to be more preferable for people who play both speedball and woodsball. Also looking at the 2011 Proto Rail PMR.

[inky]

I was divided between spending an extra $250 for a Dangerous Power G4 + Invert Too loader or settling for an A5 set with a cyclone feeder for now. Since I'm fairly new to the game, I decided it's best to settle for the A5 set for now and get a nice speedball gun (DP G4, Invert Mini, or PMR) later on when I'm more familiar with it.

As for the goggles, I went with a Dye I4 mask. Followed curve's suggestion about the mask. You're right, safety is priority.

[.curve]

I was divided between spending an extra $250 for a Dangerous Power G4 + Invert Too loader or settling for an A5 set with a cyclone feeder for now. Since I'm fairly new to the game, I decided it's best to settle for the A5 set for now and get a nice speedball gun (DP G4, Invert Mini, or PMR) later on when I'm more familiar with it.

As for the goggles, I went with a Dye I4 mask. Followed curve's suggestion about the mask. You're right, safety is priority.

I live in California, one of the best places for tournament speedball. Especially with Huntington Beach right there.

Honestly an A5 can be upgraded to just below a mid-range speedball gun. Electric trigger frames and boards are all around for A5s, but it takes a little bit of understanding how to install the board and time everything that gets difficult. However, a stock A5 will still work wonders for both woodsball and speedball. At 15+ BPS you're right on par with most of the walk ons at your local field for speedball.

I'd look into getting a Flatline barrel system for it. It's a little bit extra on top of the cost, but if you're playing woodsball you'll have one of the most accurate guns out there. Flatline technology is simply amazing.

CO2 tanks usually don't have gauges on them. Compressed air and other HPA tanks usually do. You want to stick with Compressed air primarily these days. CO2 is a thing of the past and most fields will only fill compressed air.

Low to mid range speedball guns are so much more affordable these days, so you picked a good time to get into the sport. When the time comes to upgrade I'll see if I can make any suggestions.

My last piece of advice for now is that whichever gun you get, make sure you spend the time learning it inside and out. Knowing how to quickly and properly field strip your gun can be the difference between chopping paint all day and actually getting to shoot someone.

Oh! I saw the link you were using to purchase, and I want to suggest either http://www.paintballgear.com or http://www.paintball-discounters.com I've used both for every single piece of equipment I've ever had. Might not hurt to compare prices.

[inky]

Thanks. I'll check the prices out. I ultimately bought my set from ansgear.com
I bought a Tippmann A5 with the Response Trigger upgrade. Instead of getting the e-grip, I'll just save my money for a new marker and my sister's gun (probably an azodin kaos).

I did see a lot of people suggesting getting the flatline barrel to get a longer range (about 100ft?) and a straighter ball trajectory (less arching) ...although, apparently, that also means having to sacrifice a little accuracy.

Also, that's a very nice speedball set-up. There's just so many electronic guns in the marker nowadays that it's hard for me to choose the right one. Some people say Invert Mini although it's more expensive than the DP G4 and some say get the Azodin Blitz since it's cheap.

[Blindfire]

Good call on the A5, really solid gun. I once tripped and sunk my barrel a good 2 inches into some thick mud, popped the hopper off, fired the mud out, ran the squeegee through it and kept playing.

A guy I played with had a 16" barrel on his A5 and I have a flatline on mine. I could shoot further and through the forest better but his gun shot more accurately.

[inky]

How inaccurate is the flatline at medium range? Let's say, about 50ft? Does the curve in the barrel cause your paint to break? Also, what's the effective range on the 16"?

[.curve]

Good call on the A5, really solid gun. I once tripped and sunk my barrel a good 2 inches into some thick mud, popped the hopper off, fired the mud out, ran the squeegee through it and kept playing.

A guy I played with had a 16" barrel on his A5 and I have a flatline on mine. I could shoot further and through the forest better but his gun shot more accurately.

That dropforward is so gnarly and kind of weird to see on an A5.

How inaccurate is the flatline at medium range? Let's say, about 50ft? Does the curve in the barrel cause your paint to break? Also, what's the effective range on the 16"?

The curve in the barrel just puts backspin on the ball for longer distances. Every Flatline barrel I've used has been considerably more accurate at mid ranges, while still being able to flat out shoot longer distances.

[inky]

Cool. Either way, the flatline is still a must I think. I guess I'll be getting a flatline barrel, a squishy cyclone paddle, and a feedgate for my next purchase. Maybe a barrel shroud too.



Guess I gotta learn how to do regular gun maintenance as well:

[Blindfire]

How inaccurate is the flatline at medium range? Let's say, about 50ft? Does the curve in the barrel cause your paint to break? Also, what's the effective range on the 16"?

I never had a problem with paint breaking in my barrel. As long as you buy good quality paint it shouldn't be an issue.

I never had a problem with accuracy unless I wasn't in a good enough position to hit the shot. The guy with the 16" barrel nailed me in the mask, right over the mouth(paintballs taste terrible by the way) from at least 100ft away and he wasn't needing to arc the shots much at all. I didn't actually play a round with his gun so I'm not entirely sure what the range is on it. What's fun with the flatline is if you shoot it on it's side it puts side spin on the ball instead of back spin so you can shoot around stuff. It's hard as hell to hit anything though.

That dropforward is so gnarly and kind of weird to see on an A5.

My brother gave me the stock because he wasn't using it and my tank wouldn't fit. Thus the drop forward.

[inky]

I couldn't fucking wait. Bought a flatline barrel, cyclone squishy paddles, a feedgate, and a pair of paintball pants.




I was gonna get the elbow sleeve but I figured it would just impede my movement so I'll just wear a thin sweater to avoid getting minor cuts/scratches. Besides, I like the thrill of trying to avoid being shot because it would hurt. Pads kinda ruin that.. I got the pants to make it easier to slide into cover and crawl..also so crotch shots won't render me immobile and infertile. lol.

Thanks for the tips guys.

[*BlackFox]

Yeah, it's probably a good idea.. to prevent a sudden pain. lulz

[.curve]

I couldn't fucking wait. Bought a flatline barrel, cyclone squishy paddles, a feedgate, and a pair of paintball pants.




I was gonna get the elbow sleeve but I figured it would just impede my movement so I'll just wear a thin sweater to avoid getting minor cuts/scratches. Besides, I like the thrill of trying to avoid being shot because it would hurt. Pads kinda ruin that.. I got the pants to make it easier to slide into cover and crawl..also so crotch shots won't render me immobile and infertile. lol.

Thanks for the tips guys.

On a real note, I play in basketball shorts and a t-shirt. Everything else impedes movement and is frankly unnecessary. I used to run with pants and a jersey but it gets hot as shit here and unless you're playing tournament speedball, it's kind of over the top.

Also crotch shots aren't as common as people think. The majority of my hits are my arms, mask, or gun as that's really the only parts of you that should be showing if you're fighting someone.

Good to see someone else getting into the sport though. Paintball's been in a weird flux pattern for the last decade. It got a huge surge when ESPN2 started broadcasting matches and then died back down once the pizzazz wore off. I still play religiously and working at a paintball field is a dream come true for me.

One more suggestion would be fingerless gloves. If there's any shot that hurts more than anything, it's the knuckles. I just bought a pair of paintball gloves and cut off the index and middle fingers from the right one.

[inky]

Yeah.. I never really got shot in the crotch before but I'd rather not wait until I get that unpleasant experience. I got shot in the hands/knuckles a few times but they weren't as bad as the one on my temple.. that shit left a huge bump lol. Also lower back hurts like a bitch. Otherwise, the rest of it is okay.

It's a really fun activity. I've done snowboarding, skateboarding, skiing, rollerblading, ice skating, cycling but never got hooked in that quickly that I decided to throw some $$ into the sport almost right away.

By the way, what's the usual standing of play fields when it comes to Response Trigger? I've read that some of them don't allow full-auto guns but others don't really consider the RT as "full-auto". I guess I can always either turn down the BPS if they're in the grey area about it or simply disable it (although I'd rather not go through that whole thing). Needless to say, I'd rather have it on but I wouldn't use it against friends/family or anyone who is new to the sport or using rentals.

[Love]

90 bucks for a mask, so retarded =p. Cost of producing that is 10 bucks on the worst day.

[inky]

90 bucks for a mask, so retarded =p. Cost of producing that is 10 bucks on the worst day.

Cost of labor, transport of goods, raw materials, factory energy (electricity, heating, etc) cost, patented technology, supply/demand value, HQ space rental, profits, etc, etc...

But okay.

[.curve]

90 bucks for a mask, so retarded =p. Cost of producing that is 10 bucks on the worst day.

$90 for something that will protect your eyes most importantly, and your face secondly? While at the same time being comfortable on your face, with anti-fog lenses so your vision isn't obscured?

Sounds like a deal to me. I'll take a $90 mask over a cheap $15 mask any day.

By the way, what's the usual standing of play fields when it comes to Response Trigger? I've read that some of them don't allow full-auto guns but others don't really consider the RT as "full-auto". I guess I can always either turn down the BPS if they're in the grey area about it or simply disable it (although I'd rather not go through that whole thing). Needless to say, I'd rather have it on but I wouldn't use it against friends/family or anyone who is new to the sport or using rentals.

At my field I don't consider Response as full auto. In fact anything goes really other than full auto. People have been out there playing with ramping, response, etc.

[Blindfire]

If there's any shot that hurts more than anything, it's the knuckles.

A buddy of mine got hit right between the third knuckles of his index and middle finger. There was a raised circle on his hand for like 6 months.

The worst place I've been shot is back of the ear. Never get flanked, ever.

[inky]

@Curve: Ah good. I was worried about my RT being pointless if it's gonna be banned from the field anyway. Planning on getting a Dangerous Power G4 as my next gun..maybe in a few months.

[inky]

Update:

Just got the first package in the mail. Still waiting for the squishy cyclone paddles, hopper feed-gate, flatline barrel, PB pants.


Tippmann A-5 set
Response Trigger
Ninja remote coil
Empire Harness 4+1
NX Smoke PB Pods x6
Empire 48/3000 high pressure output tank
Dye Invision I4 goggles/mask
Valken V-Tac Sling

[Blindfire]

You can remove the steel hose from the gun and hook the remote line in there instead of at the end on the grip.

[inky]

Ah, thanks. I'll try that out. I gotta read the manual first before I start practicing stripping my whole gun. But I guess it can't be that hard to remove the ASA and macro line. Just removed the ASA and macro line and installed in the remote coil adapter directly into the gun. Would that improve the performance btw?

Sadly I have nowhere to get this tank filled with air where I live, except in the actual PB field so I can't really run any tests on it right now.

Also... I'll be purchasing a red/green dot sight next month along with a more accurate barrel (J&J barrel maybe). And, how does one go about getting a red dot sight on an A5? Not sure what kind of mount I have or do I have to get another one? Dovetail, weaver, etc? =/