Is it my SFL, the paint/barrel match or me?

[2000Sabre]

OK I have posted before regarding my SFL and the paint breakage issues I have and would like someone to point me in the right direction.

First a little history. I have used my SFL since January primarly indoors with a Dye 14" Boomstick using a stock RT longnose foamieless bolt (stock SFL superbolt broke first day, Warp/Halo feed system. Have broken excessive amounts of paint (Proball) except one day when shooting Marbs. Played three weeks ago, outdoors shooting Team Colors with 14" AA Freak and .695 insert. Again broke large amounts of paint both in the breach and down the barrel. Weather was breezy and about 45 degrees.

After reading the forum and heeding the advice of Brian Terry and others I have purchased a longnose RT Foamie style bolt and conducted a backyard test. Test conditions were 60 degress and sunny. I purchased fresh paint from Walmart (purposely wanted low quality paint). I bought 500 rounds of Diablo Dusk and 500 rounds of PMI Super Swirl. Drop tested 10 rounds from each box, Diablo Dusk results were 1,9,8,7,1,9,10,8,3,4 avg: 6, PMI Super Swirl results were 1,2,4,13,8,1,1,2,2,5 avg: 3.9.

I shot the Diablo Dusk with a .689 insert and the PMI with a .691 insert. First tests were conducted with the RT Foamieless bolt in Electro mode only. 25 Single Shots (no hopper), 25 shots with 3 balls in the center feed (no hopper) and two sets with a 12 volt revy with 40 rounds in the hopper. No breaks or chops with the Diablo Dusk and one chop with the PMI. I ran the exact same test but changed the bolt to the foamie style bolt, no breaks or chops with either paint. Additionaly, after all tests I ran two full hoppers with both paints shooting long strings and had no breaks. I did not run any tests with the Warp/Halo setup.

Now I'm totally dumbfounded because I'm not sure of what issues (if any)I now have. Will my SFL perform as well when I play in the upcoming tournament or on the field during practice? About the only thing I noticed during testing was the that even with the Freak barrel tightly screwed into the breach, there still seems to be a lot of up/down slop. I don't have the same slop when I use the Boomstick. But both have broken equal amounts of paint when used. Any other SFL owners have this problem with the Freak?

What do I do now? Try using it one more time before sending it into AGD? Anyone got any ideas?

[BlackVCG]

First HUGE variable that was changed from your playing experiences to your recent test was that you're feeding the gun from the vertical feed with no Warp. This leads me to believe that there was probably an issue with your Warp setup. Perhaps a poor battery in the Warp, improperly adjusted 90* adapter, bad ball detent or kinks in the hoses.

There's a lot of things that you change when you go from a hopper on top setup to a Warp setup. Also, the change in about 15 degrees from your playing conditions to your testing conditions is enough to make the paint a bit less brittle. I'm assuming, since you didn't state that you'd ever used your SFL with a hopper on top setup before you did your tests, that your Warp setup has an issue that is causing double feeds or slow feeding that in turn is causing your chopping/breaking issues.

If the gun does fire with a properly matched bore/paint combo in single fire by dropping one ball in at a time, then there isn't an issue of a sharp edge in your breech or something with the barrel that is causing breaks. What I would do is play your tourney with the hopper on the top and then take some time to play around with your Warp setup and see if you can nail down the problem.

I appreciate you giving as much information as you have already. It shows you're actually willing to figure out the problems and makes it much easier on me to try and nail down the problem for you. :)

*Edit* I have noticed the wobble with a Freak on the Xtreme. It seems as though the o-ring is causing it to get really tight too soon. I just cranked on it real hard and got the barrel to fully tighten and lock in with no wobble. Might want to try oiling the barrel o-ring and using both hands to crank on it.

[Load SM5]

I also had problems with my DYE stainless tighting down enough. I took off the O-ring and cranked the barrel in with both hands to stop the wobble. It took a few times but it fits fine now.

[kilaueakid]

Check to make sure your freak fits in the counter-bore of the breach. Remove breach and see if barrel slides into the breach or if it is catching. My freak back was to big to fit in my breach, so I had it milled out a bit larger.

kila

[kilaueakid]

If it doesn't fit, there will be a gap between the breach and barrel and frequently, balls will catch on this gap and break.

kila

[2000Sabre]

BlackVCG

I think your right it may be related to my Warp and the ball stack with the 90 degree adapter. I have not tried using this with the hopper mounted directly on the centerfeed but will the next time out. I don't think this is a battery issue last time out, because I put in fresh batteries right before the start of the tourney. Also, my Warp hose does not twist around my marker, it's almost at 90 degree angle so I don't thinks this is the problem. My stainless steel freak back has no o-ring on it.
I'll try playing with the ball stack and maybe call AGD and get a parabolic plug as well.

Kila

I checked the counter bore fit. It fits but you really have to push on it hard and it's very tight with no room. I think this is why I get the wobble. My Dye boomstick fits perfectly and the barrel moves freely. How can I get my breach milled out or should I get a new Freak back that fits?

By the way thanks for the input.

[spacemanspiff]

Hey pick up a set of new ball dents. That could also be the prob. I replaced mine and my breaking problem has stopped. Ripped 3 hoppers through it and no problems. Give it a try it can't hurt.

[2000Sabre]

Thanks I'll try that too. I did buy some ball detents to replace the plastic plug on the opposite of the breach. I was having a problem with my original one getting stuck and double feeding so I moved my the plug side detent to the ball detent side and that fixed the double feeding. I'll pick up some more and replace it again.

[Hysperion]

it's definately the sfl not you :)

[kilaueakid]

Another thing to try with your detents, is to pop the plastic ball out of the detent, remove the spring and cut a coil or two off of the spring. This will make the detent sink in easier and easier on the paint. After cutting the spring, take the ball and push it back in, you may need to have a flat surface to push the detent down on to snap it back into the socket.

kila