AKA Viking

[kopfjaeger]

Are they really as good as everyone says? Anyone have any bad experience with Vikings. I may get one if they are as rugged and reliable as everyone says. :)

[Steelrat]

Yes, they are as good as everyone says. I have owned 3 of them, and 2 of their big brothers, the Excalibur. The only problem I have had with them has been with the detents on the 04 vikings. They initially have had some issues, which may have been resolved with some modifications supplied by AKA.

I'll run down the advantages and disadvantages of vikings:

Advantages:
-As fast as anything out there
-Hyper efficient
-Durable
-Reliable (AKA guns have been the only ones I have owned where I truly never worried about it working)
-Great break-beam eyes available
-04 vikings are light and compact, and 03s really aint that bad at all
-lifetime warranty (for original owners, and most used ones come with a blank warranty card, meaning you get to pose as the original owner ;) )
-Great forum on PBN where AKA master techs post
-No upgrades needed, or even available

Disadvantages
-Not common, meaning you need to search for a tech, unlike other popular guns, which any store can tech
-Problems with the 04 detents causing chopping
-Problem with FSDO, resolved by AKA, but with some controversy
-some might say the stock ones are ugly

If you have any specific questions, feel free to PM me.

[mirthvader]

I have to agree with Steelrat. I have had Vikings and Excaliburs and shoot a Viking now. Nothing faster and nothing more maintenance free. Great eye setup and a great forum on pbnation for problems. FSDO on some markers is easily fixed. Really the only gun I don't worry about having to mess around with to make it work. And super efficient.

[Crazy]

don't get me started...

[Steelrat]

Yes please, don't even get started. Keep your negativity elsewhere.

[GT]

dOOD vikings suck.... ;)

[Steelrat]

LOL, that'd be more believable if I didn't see this in your sig:


GT’s Viking: STATUS: Milling

[kopfjaeger]

Do you think AKA will be able to continue its existence without selling Vikings/Excaliburs? Thanks for all of the info. Also, are these markers very user serviceable. I've heard that there are only a few viking techs around. Are they fairly easy to learn and replace parts, seals etc. Also, what exactly is FSDO.

[No sKiLLz]

Do you think AKA will be able to continue its existence without selling Vikings/Excaliburs? Thanks for all of the info. Also, are these markers very user serviceable. I've heard that there are only a few viking techs around. Are they fairly easy to learn and replace parts, seals etc. Also, what exactly is FSDO.
FSDO=First Shot Drop Off. There are two causes; mehcanical and electrical. The Viking had problems with the latter, and not by their own fault. It was the WAS board in it. Problem being AKA voided the warranty if the board was modified by WAS to prevent FSDO which was kind of silly on their part.

User serviceable; sure. A couple of drops of oil every so often in the ASA will keep it running in good shape, but if by user serviceable you mean being able to take it apart and fix more complicated problems, than not to most, but if you are comfortable enough to dissasemble/reasemble an Angel, you could probably handle a Viking. Experience short of that caliber, you're in trouble. Those who are about to argue, think average paintballer.

[paint magnet]

I love mine...it shoots much better than any of my previous guns, including an Emag, CNC LCD Angel, and an Ebladed cocker.

Never had any problems with it, it shoots darts and it shoots them fast. I have a blind Viking (no chopping problems) and a Nelson board and the old MAC 'noid, and it still easily outruns a Halo B. It's a little heavier than it's counterparts (well, mine is since it's unmilled) but the anodizing is great and the gun is built like a tank. I've never had any problems with FSDO, or any drop off as a matter of fact. Very consistant, very fast, very quiet, great tech support, and very efficient. Think about it, the Sidewinder is one of the best regs ever, the Tornado valve is one of the best valves, the Lightning bolt...it just makes sense. And of course, it's made in the U.S.A. :)

Get one while you can still find them. I can't think of anything in the price range that I'd rather have, and there is very little in any price range that I'd rather have.

[LeatherPants]

It's a great marker. I blame Steelrat for letting shoot his.

Everyting that he posted is correct. Some people have problems some don't. All in all it's a pretty easy marker to use. It's not very tempermental either.

Go buy one and have fun.

[MMM]

Keep in mind that you are talking about an electro marker and there are always problems to be had with anything electro. That being said, as I understand it at the mud fest called Mardi Gras the Vikings/Exacals were one of the only electros that didn't fry. DM4s were dropping like flys, my friend's DM4 fried 3 times while he was there. His buddy's Vikig, not a single problem.
We have 4 Vikings and 1 Revenge in the family, out of those 2 had FSDO and both were taken care of by AKA. Personally I'll only own AKA markers but that's a personal thing. I just want to go play and when they yell 'game on' my marker shoots consistanly, everytime. None of that having to go back in and fiddle with this and o-ring that blah blah sitting in the staging area half the day.

[The Action Figure]

If you ever meet paintmagnets viking run and hide its evil

[Twiztidpb]

In a post above some one asked if AKA could survive without the Viking and Excal Model, and the answer is yes the Merlin is a very popular gun and AKA makes such nice internals and alot of people have them they will be around for quite some time...and there is not really any negatives to an Excal or a Vike..the only some what bad thing is there not the lightest but hey there doable :D

[GT]

i believe aka draws the majority of its revanue outside of paintball

[No sKiLLz]

Keep in mind that you are talking about an electro marker and there are always problems to be had with anything electro. That being said, as I understand it at the mud fest called Mardi Gras the Vikings/Exacals were one of the only electros that didn't fry. DM4s were dropping like flys, my friend's DM4 fried 3 times while he was there. His buddy's Vikig, not a single problem.
We have 4 Vikings and 1 Revenge in the family, out of those 2 had FSDO and both were taken care of by AKA. Personally I'll only own AKA markers but that's a personal thing. I just want to go play and when they yell 'game on' my marker shoots consistanly, everytime. None of that having to go back in and fiddle with this and o-ring that blah blah sitting in the staging area half the day.

Did they not waterproof the DM4 board? I know the NYX is waterproof.

[MMM]

Nope, they were replacing them like mad at Mardi Gras though. I know Dan Voils did a test with the Viking, he put it on debounce 1, taped the trigger down and then dropped it in a bucket of water. It lasted some 15 minutes until the lube wore out.

[AzrealDarkmoonZ]

Just an FYI, lube was not the problem, the hammer chamber filled up with water making it impossible to cycle.

Az

[Bolter]

they are the only other gun I see, other than the mag, where players don't take out a squeegee, that has to be a good sign, plus they are fast. Very fast.

Screw everything else, my guns must do four things to get in my gun bag

#not chop at all (I go months without chopping with my X)
#has to be fast, no cheater modes, just fast
#has to be light in weight
#has to have a good eye

and so far, from what I've seen, both AKA and AGD have got have got this. So try it out if possible.

[USAF-Flyboy with a Mag]

Did they not waterproof the DM4 board? I know the NYX is waterproof.

Waterproof enough that you can drop it into a pool? :D

[No sKiLLz]

Waterproof enough that you can drop it into a pool? :D
Don't jinx me. I have to retake a couple of those pictures.

[imstoiched!]

I've been playing for the last 3 weekends with a recently acquired fully WAS'd '03. No problems here. It's half-milled but still weighs more than my old MiniMag. Tank.

Only requirement would be to get a Halo to keep up with that rate of fire. A couple of people at the field I go to don't have eyes but use a Halo and they said they don't chop so go figure. Eyes are an extra insurance and don't weigh much anyway.

[Ov3rmind]

My 03 Viking was made during the period when everyone's had FSDO problems, luckily mine had none. To this day I have yet to have a real problem (only thing is my trigger set screws needed to some loc tite). My only wish is that it was smaller and lighter, but other than that I'm loving it (low kick, very efficient, easy to shoot long strings).

[LeatherPants]

I'm not the type of person to say a certain marker is the "BEST IN THE WORLD!" All I know is that it works for me.

I personally like the way a DM4 shoots but the efficiency is horrible. To give some numbers I shot 13 pods and a hopper this weekend on a 68/4500 with my '04. How's that for efficiency.

Kick is less than a Alias but more than a DM4. It's not as light as some markers but it's not too bad unless you really want to admit you're a weakling.

I opt'd for the Featherlight since it is one of the lighter Vikings and it looked good.

I have minor FSDO and until I got the updated bolt and detent springs would chop like crazy on smaller bore paint.

It is easy to maintain and the anno is Type III which has withstood me throwing it w/o scratching.

All in all it's a good gun and it works for me. I shoot fast and I shoot alot so it's perfect. It's not the ultimate gun like some people make it to be but it may be the one for you.

Since the upgrade the only problems I get are barrel breaks from shooting to fast with misshaped paint.

[paint magnet]

If you ever meet paintmagnets viking run and hide its evil

Muwahahahahahaha! :D

[bunkermaster10]

I love my viking. Its my baby. Talk about fast :D

[paint magnet]

Yeah, I'm very impressed with the ROF...just be prepared to spend a lot more money on paint, because you will definately end up shooting a lot more.

[LittlePaintballBoy]

It is easy to maintain and the anno is Type III which has withstood me throwing it w/o scratching.
You THREW IT?!?!?!! DIE DIE DIE!!!!! :p

[Skoad]

... and the anno is Type III which has withstood me throwing it w/o scratching

I think this is a complete myth. My roomate had an 03 Red unmilled viking. Had no scratches on it. He took the grip/tray off being super super super careful to install his eyes. Put it all back together and somehow along the sharp edge of the tray there was some pretty significant scratches/marks right down to the metal.

I think some mystery scratches started showing up in other places too

[ninja underneath]

I just traded my ebladed green fade bonebrake autococker for a 2k3 black unmilled viking with pandora board, was eyes, and a tarantula vert frame. I can't wait to try it out! It will be my first aka gun.

[bunkermaster10]

O was yours the eblade that was like one of one w/ that splash anno or something. I always see you tryin to trade that suker to somebody.

[ninja underneath]

yeah i'll miss her

[The Action Figure]

Yeah, I'm very impressed with the ROF...just be prepared to spend a lot more money on paint, because you will definately end up shooting a lot more.

ROF= Bad
ill never let it go paintmagnet

[Blazestorm]

My jungle goo revenge should be coming in today, with mostly AKA and splat attack parts, if I ever go electro (prolly will) I'm getting a viking match annoed to my baby =)

I love vikings and excals, get to shoot tons of them being next to one of AKA's main distributers, they're awesome guns, you usually flip the bolt around when you first get it and shoot like 10,000 shots to break in the gun than you can lower the pressure and up the ROF so it can actually not chop paint... and not require eyes (although I trust them more)

[GT]

My roomate had an 03 Red unmilled viking.

not Type III ano

[Digits]

Are they really as good as everyone says? Anyone have any bad experience with Vikings. I may get one if they are as rugged and reliable as everyone says. :)

All I hear is good things on the internet.. But half the time I see them on the field they look like they went down.. And with them being so 'simple' to maintain no one knows how to fix them because no one has taken one apart..

I think it might just be user error though, I don't know forsure..

[Blazestorm]

The ONLY time I've seen a viking go down was when it was POURING rain and the guy didn't have the trigger-frame secured all the way, it fried and had to get a replacement board, but other then that they run crazy nice, I need to buy my friends jungle goo viking... he's a crazy guy who's been playing for 10 years and hella good, plays like every weekend... So hardcore, one time he forgot his cleats, so he played in sandles. In mud, dirt, woods, brush etc. He even got shot in the toe o.O