Drop Forward: Whats the Problem?

[Tiberius]

Ok ive been living under a rock as far as paintball lately so tell me whats the deal with the drops? Whats with the criticism on them? :confused:

[RRfireblade]

As of late pros don't use them as much so..........there out........for now. ;)

[Tiberius]

And they dont use them because y???

[Smoke]

As of late pros don't use them as much so..........there out........for now. ;)

Exactly. Drops are sooo last year.

(I sill love my drop)

[scrumpy]

Well, aparently personal preference is wrong, according to certain members of AO. Drops "decrease performance" etc. I think for each person it's going to be a different story every time though. Different arm lengths etc is going to affect the way each person holds their marker, so a drop might not be right for "Helldog"(ja, ich spreche deustch), but one might be good for little Timmy weilding his long *** tippman 98 custom. If you're unsatisfied with your setup, change it and don't listen to hype.

[Crazy]

As Sk said on pbn, It is hard to hit anything running when your gun is behind your head due to your 2 ft drop...

I'd have to agree.

[Thermus]

I'm not sure, I have a unimount right now, and I like the feel of drop forwards better...

[MrWallen]

Cradles 4 Lyfe!!!!!!!!!! :D :D

[Tiberius]

Anyone got a good pic of what a marker with a cradle looks like?

[teufelhunden]

The problem with drops is a) the way it contorts your wrist on a standard 45 frame and b) how it changes the balance of the marker in an unfavorable way. You'll be able to find reams of info on this subject if you choose to look around.

[RRfireblade]

And they dont use them because y???

Actually many players do.

http://www.forceofnature.com/gallery/album74/Bad_Company.jpg

http://www.forceofnature.com/gallery/album74/Valkeries1_001.jpg

http://www.forceofnature.com/gallery/album72/Revolution3.jpg

http://www.forceofnature.com/gallery/album72/Anger_Management1.jpg

http://www.forceofnature.com/gallery/album58/center_shooters.jpg

[ghed]

I wouldnt say that drops are completely out, I see alot of the smaller to medium sized drops like the flame drops. I think its just the massive drops that put the whole tank beneath your gun are out. Personally after switching from a big drop to a Uni-mount, I find it alot easier to aim while running and the position of my wrist feels alot more comfy.

[MrWallen]

Cradles are just basically giant drops, they usually come with a piece that holds your tank too, instead of screwing into the top of your on/off or whatever. They usually place the tank as far forward as possible. If you want a really tight set up, they help, though they throw off the balance of the gun and force you to get really close if you want to support the tank on your shoulder.

[evan123]

Alright i am no anti-drop person but it is my personal perferance that i like my gun rifled out more, like somepeople day imagine you shooting a rifle and it had a drop, your face would be gone. It is easier to walk with gun extended out, easier to switch hands, balanced out more IMO (use one finger and find where your balance point is on your gun).

[White_Noise]

my personal opinion..it depends on the setup and person....personally....i favor no drop with the back of the frame almost touching the tank, i believe that the way the weight sits at this setup and the way the marker fits in my hand, i have the most control, and can shoot the fastest i can....but thats all preference

[rx2]

I will not say drops don't work. But, ergonomically speaking, on a standard frame, large drops are a mess. They almost always add extra strain. This is not to say that some cannot compensate, or that in certains setups they don't work (90 degree, etc.). Certain people can make due with less than ideal situations, and do so quite well. Some people can defy convention with impossibly stellar results, at times. Just look at Babe Ruth. The name synonymous with baseball looked like a train wreck compared to most of today's pharmecuetically enhanced players, and even many of his contemporaries. Yet, with his sometimes sub-optimal mechanics, and shabby physique, he performed feats that many can never dream of matching. Most players who are as stiff and obese as Ruth was are typically poor players, but note the caveats. Furthermore, one might speculate that he could have been even more, had he kept in shape, and refined his natural style futher. Here, note speculation - there is no proof. However, there is plenty of evidence that certain routines, styles, and forms will yeild the best results from the highest percentage of people. Sometimes they even go against INITIAL personal preference.

Anyhow, it seems that a lot of people become used to bad haibts and sub-optimal styles (especially if they see a pro do it, and force themselves to adopt it). And, while some people do actually do better with these methods, most don't. They can get by, but there usually comes a time when they plateau prematurely. Said player, having taken some time to practice without a drop, may very well find that his playing will improve drastically. It may feel awkward, it may even feel wrong. But, personal preference isn't always "right." Again, to protect myself, I am not saying this is always the case. Read on.

Another example, with which I am quite familiar as a musician, is playing technique, and posture, particularly with the guitar, where it is quite debated. Certain players do quite well with terrible posture, and technique. One might say that if it works for them, it isn't terrible. Well, perhaps, but as a whole, the average player would be doing themselves a disservice by adopting these techniques. They put undue strain on joints, and tendons, and utilize muscles that most people will never be able to condition properly, and which are far less efficient then others. In fact, while some people finds these techniques to feel fine, even good, at first, they can often cause serious medical problems over the long run.

Here is a typical scenario (one that I see too often) - you have a kid who thinks he is doing the right thing by picking up a certain technique that some speed-picker was using, or becuase it felt easier because it used shortcuts, and after time he learns to use it quite well. In fact, he finds that more standard techniques seem awkward (due to his conditioning to the other technique). However, he finds that in the long run, he has to practice a little harder, and seems to see less results. He hits the proverbial brick wall, and hits it hard. So, you suggest to him a more conventional technique. He tries, and it takes a while to pick up. In fact, he thinks he progressing even slower. Actually, he may be, as some of the "bad" techniques utilize shortcuts that get you to a certain point quickly, but which lack the fundamentals to take you all the way. Anyhow, later you play a tape of him from before, and after, and boom, it hits him. His playing before was stiff, mechanical, and just plain average, whereas now, he is playing not only well, but with feel, and adaptability. Often, he find he is playing also with more speed, and less fatigue. This is not a hypothetical - it is something real. Sometimes, SOMETIMES, you will find a someone who does better with the odd technique, and for some reason compensates enough that he doesn't get the muscle injuries.

The point of all of this is that sometimes personal preference IS wrong, because sometimes it has been developed for the wrong reasons. Sometimes things that feel better at first are actually sub-optimal (such as with the shortcut picking techniques). Sometimes a little extra work goes a long way.

Again, I don't want to take sides. I am sure there are plenty of people who do better with a drop. But, there are also many of you seem to refuse the possiblity that perhaps you got into a bad habit, and perhaps, as well as you do with a drop, you may actaully do better without one. Of course, there are some people I know who refuse to change, simply because they are too embarassed to admit that they were incorrect. In any case, if you win with a drop, then keep using it. But, do not refuse that it may be possible that you could do better without. I can not enumerate the times that I have done someting one way, only to switch later and find that I was so much better off for having done so.

[GoatBoy]

So, what, nobody here think's it might have been sort of a historical thing?

[Destructo6]

Uni-mounts seem to be nothing more than a modern rendition of the duck bill ASA. They make the entire package overly long.

Unlike a rifle, a paintgun has no recoil to speak of, has no sights to align, and therefore, has no need of 3 points of contact with the shooter.

It seems to me that the anti-drop sentiment is just another paintball fad, like splash anodizing.

[Enemy]

thank you destructo that was so good im quoting into the other anti drop forums..in my opinion no drop is long and uncomfortable..if your not confortable with something then you will be skechty and awkwarde to say the least can you over come that yes.. but as for drops robbing me of my own abilities i will be making vids to disprove/maybe even prove this point so stay tuned!!!

[REDRT]

Well, I've been playing with a remote line for many years and loved it. When I had the chance to buy a flatline with its small drop it was way different at first, but I really like it. No performance loss with the switch. I however had the chance to use a micro e-mag (awesome gun) and it had a big drop to allow for the huge 114. That hindard me performance wise, but not the rest of the team. In fact my brother liked it so much he ordered a rt pro ule custom yesterday with plans on a drop. I'd stick to what works for you and what you like.

[SpecialBlend2786]

I went from a duckbill to a large drop to a rail mount to a small shocktech drop, and that's where I'm staying for now. There is NO extra strain on my wrist when using a small drop, because of the regulator on the tank. My wrist is not curving around the tank like it would with a larger drop. However the tank is moved forward, and this balances my RT-ULE perfectly on the spot right in front of the field strip screw but behind the trigger frame. I find that this has been the ideal setup for me.

[Bolter]

if you use a drop, it pushes your bottle forward right? So when you grip the grip, your wrist has to go around the bottle yes? And you start to look like a f@g no? Especially with it in your face agreed?

cool, glad we cleared that up. Honestly I used a drop for years and poo-pooed rails as a fad until I played with one and OMG it felt soooo comfy!! Its like getting your first car, and its a $1000 Ford midgit (I made that up) and you think its the best, fastest thing out there. Then when you pluck up the courage you try your buddys Mercedes and well schwiiiiing that thing is comfy. Then you jump in the ford and it just don't cut it.

Try a rail, they are $10.

[DK1]

A great deal...


Unfortunatly, your entire theory is based on one, wrong, assumption. And that is, that there is somehow a definitive "correct" posture. There isn't. This isn't music (and btw, I play bass, guitar, and saxaphone, so I understand where you are coming from), there is no large body of scientific study (or even non-scientific study) to draw those conclusions from. If you look closely at those photos, you'll notice something... those players aren't nearly as bent up as people make them out to be. A couple of them actually have very straight wrists. Straighter than competition shooting of rifles actually... Ever notice how you shoot a rifle? You put your elbow out, and bend your wrist back against itself. That's not a very comfortable looking position, but it is the one that yeilds the best accuracy. SO, now I can say, the straightest posture isn't necessarily the best one. Now, we aren't shooting rifles, no, but that's not exactly the point. I for one, find that having a slight bend in my wrist doesn't affect my shot at all, nor my speed.

Drop/no-drop comes down to preference, and confidence. What you like, and what you feel makes you better is a larger factor than which you actually pick.

So, I, for one, frankly do not care what you use. Use what you like...

DK1

[Vanced]

So, I, for one, frankly do not care what you use. Use what you like...


Exactally...

Just another opinion in paintball ... Both have their advantages and disadvantages that vary from player to player... But if you are looking for MY SOLE OPINION ...

I have used Rail/No Drop , Big Long Drop, and smaller to mid size drops ...Still own all three, and to be honest my preferce vary's slightly to wich tank size and reg combination I am using... to get a proper balance for me...
But with after using them all I typically find myself going with a smaller drop... not sending the tank too far forward...but far enough to get the proper balance I like for the length and weight of the typical stainless 2 piece barrel kit I am using... and place the tank a little lower from the bottom of the frame that the diameter of the tank is putting added pressure agaisnt my wrist and fore arm pushing it into more of a uncomfortable position unless I have my arm and hand wraped out and around the tank to the fame... being a taller guy with long arms I got a lot of elbow that I need to keep tucked in and the drop helps me do it...

Just another worthless virtual 2 cents for you...

[No sKiLLz]

I can't even think of how drops came into existence in the first place.

As stated, a drop forces your wrist into a very unwalkable position as you have to curve your wrist around the tank and then tweak it forward to put your fingers in a horizontal position, vs. having a straight wrist (no strain of ligaments) against the tank regulator which gives you a smaller profile coming out to take a shot.

Drops make you square your shoulders to the target. I love it when I play people with big drops. I can see their shoulder and gun before they have line of sight and they overly expose themselves. Personally, I am all for drops if other people want to use them.

Drops make you a great opponent. You shoot slower and make a bigger target.

[GoatBoy]

I can't even think of how drops came into existence in the first place.

As stated, a drop forces your wrist into a very unwalkable position as you have to curve your wrist around the tank and then tweak it forward to put your fingers in a horizontal position, vs. having a straight wrist (no strain of ligaments) against the tank regulator which gives you a smaller profile coming out to take a shot.

Drops make you square your shoulders to the target. I love it when I play people with big drops. I can see their shoulder and gun before they have line of sight and they overly expose themselves. Personally, I am all for drops if other people want to use them.

Drops make you a great opponent. You shoot slower and make a bigger target.


Ahem... How long have you been playing?

http://www.automags.org/forums/showthread.php?t=133090&p=1392057#post1392057

[RoadDawg]

Ahem... How long have you been playing?

http://www.automags.org/forums/showthread.php?t=133090&p=1392057#post1392057
He's been playing for a good while now. IF that's how he feels it is how he feels. I'm pro drop as I like how it feels when I put it to my arm.

[No sKiLLz]

He's been playing for a good while now. IF that's how he feels it is how he feels. I'm pro drop as I like how it feels when I put it to my arm.
You have a warp. That's different.

[RoadDawg]

There are always exceptions. :) Overall the drop has created a small and compact setup. Much to the misery of opponents. Now if I could build the skill with my low compact profile then that statement would be true. :D

[GoatBoy]

He's been playing for a good while now. IF that's how he feels it is how he feels. I'm pro drop as I like how it feels when I put it to my arm.

I was referring to the question of how drops came into existence in the first place.

[WARPED1]

And they dont use them because y???
Because it's not cool. I'll never lose my use of drops, one of the best PB inventions ever.

[nastymag]

i think it depends on the gun.

on my A4 i could never run ANY sort of drop, the 90 degree frame already pushed the tank farther forward and down, so you add a drop to that and i feel likes it waY to tall and its hard to sight down it.

i use a KAPP Rail on it.


on my other to angels, i use Small Shocktech drops, they have in for sizes , micros ( practicly a rail) small ( what i use) med, and large.

i guess its up to the person using it. but i seriously cant see why the whole chicken wing thing is comfortable

[dave_p]

drops came about when compressed air became popular and the tanks were big(114's). nitroduck had a 68 that was skinny but longer than a 114. if you tried to use a bottom line or duckbill with a 114, its not playable. i use a nitroduck 110. i need a drop. when i shoot my wrist is not bent at all.

toasterstreudel has a point if you are using say a 45/45 or 68 stubby with a drop. it may end up making the gun a little too short, but i wholeheartedly agree on the side of personal preference. my preference is the huge tank. i like it. im a strong grown man and the tank doesnt slow me down, balances nice and provides a stable platform to shoot from. most newer players would probably think im nuts. oh well.

[FallNAngel]

I think it's not so much the drop that people have a problem with as the results of using a drop. Generally speaking, you can should the marker easier and site down the barrel easier when you have you have the marker in front of you. Having a huge drop which places the marker next to your head makes you have to kink your wrist to pull the trigger, etc.

In the end though, it all comes down to personal preference and depends on the situation. In some cases, it'd be good to use a drop. With others, you may be better off without it.

[Empyreal Rogue]

As stated, a drop forces your wrist into a very unwalkable position as you have to curve your wrist around the tank and then tweak it forward to put your fingers in a horizontal position, vs. having a straight wrist (no strain of ligaments) against the tank regulator which gives you a smaller profile coming out to take a shot.

With my Drop my wrist is in a perfect walking position. It's slightly bent around the regulator but I can walk just as easily as if I had my hand straight out. I also tuck my tank into my armpit and even along my pec. depending on how I'm in the bunker. Maybe we should get together and I'll show you how a real D/F user gets tight. :D

Personally, Uni-Mounts put the tank too far out (From the marker) for me. My D/F is just so comfortable for me. And obviously if people are resting the tank on their shoulder they deserve to be shot out. It's just common sense that if you put the marker above your head you put yourself in a worse situation than you were in before.

[frischtr]

let's beat this dead horse into a coma... ;)

[No sKiLLz]

With my Drop my wrist is in a perfect walking position. It's slightly bent around the regulator but I can walk just as easily as if I had my hand straight out. I also tuck my tank into my armpit and even along my pec. depending on how I'm in the bunker. Maybe we should get together and I'll show you how a real D/F user gets tight. :D

Personally, Uni-Mounts put the tank too far out (From the marker) for me. My D/F is just so comfortable for me. And obviously if people are resting the tank on their shoulder they deserve to be shot out. It's just common sense that if you put the marker above your head you put yourself in a worse situation than you were in before.
If you have a drop, the first part can't be true. You say your wrist is wrapped around the reg, but if the tank is forward, the reg isn't under the grip frame, the tank is, unless you hold your gun backwards. And think about what you just said. If the tank is in your armpit or chest, what comes out of the bunker first, your gun or your shoulder, arm, and elbow?

[teufelhunden]

toasterstreudel


hahahahaahahahahahahaahaha

[dave_p]

hahahahaahahahahahahaahaha


glad you didnt take offense, and none intended
it was easier to spell than your real handle :D

[Blazestorm]

I just prefer the unimount over anything else because its comfy... I'm a big guy and having the gun firmly pressed against my shoulder and out decently far is important.

[Enemy]

i couldnt understand any points toasterstrudel was making in his other thread or what everyone else was saying but now i see.. i guess alot of people use the drops to put the gun on the side or your head which would make it more of a guess and click and a blimp for fire..the reason i couldnt understand was that my 88/4500 with my big old drop put the back of the valve an inch off of my face and when shooting i got into the quick habit of rolling the shoulder my gun is on alittle down to bring my mag right down my eyesite being single trigger i wasnt expecting to high rates of fire so that part never hit now with my new mag coming in im going to attempt both setups so thanks for whoever started this thread.. also i love this agrument how the drop makes the gun tall but have you seen some of the recent guns they look like a reciver for radar they are so tall...

[Empyreal Rogue]

If you have a drop, the first part can't be true. You say your wrist is wrapped around the reg, but if the tank is forward, the reg isn't under the grip frame, the tank is, unless you hold your gun backwards. And think about what you just said. If the tank is in your armpit or chest, what comes out of the bunker first, your gun or your shoulder, arm, and elbow?

You're right, my arm doesn't go around the regulator. It goes around my tank. And when I come out of bunkers the first thing out... Well it all depends where I'm coming from. If I'm snap shooting up the first thing out is my barrel. If I snap shoot to my right the first thing out is my barrel. Very seldom do I run out from a squatting position trying to shoot, it's just awkward and uncomfortable for me. If I'm at a standing position and I run out shooting the first thing out is my gun followed by my forearm then body.

I've quickly and easily adapted to coming out of bunkers because I had to with the Q-Loader. I was already use to using a D/F so it was even easier for me. I guess some of us just have it and others just don't. *shrugs*

[No sKiLLz]

You're right, my arm doesn't go around the regulator. It goes around my tank. And when I come out of bunkers the first thing out... Well it all depends where I'm coming from. If I'm snap shooting up the first thing out is my barrel. If I snap shoot to my right the first thing out is my barrel. Very seldom do I run out from a squatting position trying to shoot, it's just awkward and uncomfortable for me. If I'm at a standing position and I run out shooting the first thing out is my gun followed by my forearm then body.

I've quickly and easily adapted to coming out of bunkers because I had to with the Q-Loader. I was already use to using a D/F so it was even easier for me. I guess some of us just have it and others just don't. *shrugs*
Do yourself a favor; have someone video tape you head-on while you pop from a bunker and see what happens.

[Empyreal Rogue]

If you really want me to prove you wrong, sure.

Nah, I won't be that cocky. I'll be honest though, I really don't think you'll be right. Again with honesty, I'm sitting here doing some practice snap-shooting from behind a tall chair and I don't see how my shoulders could be seen before my marker. I'd tape it with my digital camera but no one else is here. I might be paintballing with my friends in a few weeks and I'll ask the ref to take some pictures of me snap shooting and show you.

Regardless of whose right, some of us are just good at getting tight with dropforwards and others of you aren't. I bet you're pretty good with Uni-Mounts and I'm pretty bad with them, I know I couldn't get tight with my friend's Max-Flo if my life depended on it.

[Torbo]

i think uni-mounts are the way to go. A 68 tank is the most common size, and with that length it puts the gun in just the right position. It balances it very nicely too, especially something like a trix or timmy with a halo ont he front. Having a long gun is nice playing airball, since it allows one to push in so well, and to wrap. It seems that no one has mentioned this yet.....a drop makes your gun taller. Your hopper is higher. Easier to hit, harder to keep in. And that alone makes a huge difference.

[Empyreal Rogue]

It seems that no one has mentioned this yet.....a drop makes your gun taller. Your hopper is higher. Easier to hit, harder to keep in. And that alone makes a huge difference.

Not with my Q-Loader under the barrel. :D

Seriously though, like EVERYTHING in paintball it just boils down to preference. That's what makes this sport so great, variety.

[teufelhunden]

Not with my Q-Loader under the barrel. :D

Yeah, but that just makes your snapping profile larger.

[sneakyhacker420]

I'm not sure, I have a unimount right now, and I like the feel of drop forwards better...if its a new-style black-black unimount, consider it sold (if you want to sell it that is)


i used to have a 3" drop, it was freakin perfect, then since it was the n00b craze, i went out and got a phatty 8" PMI drop, and i HATED that, so i went and got a 2.5" SP drop (one of the few good things they still make) and i fell in love with that for a while

eventually i picked up a shocktech mini drop cause it was the cheapest drop there was at the time and i needed one right then and there - i fell in love with that

sold that and then got a unimount, but i was stupid enough to sell that, so i picked up an evil on/off kit and then put a CP rail on that


most of the people that still use drops now a days have small arms (the lil' kids)

but ever since i went from 8" drop to no drop, that was probably the best thing i've ever done for myself

and this isnt really hype to me, my gun became more balanced (with an 88 stub), i can shoot faster cause my hand isnt in some weird form anymore, and i can snap shoot alot easier

[dansim]

i love my drop...and its a looooonnnnng one, i dont shoulder when i run i just shoot, since its a paintball gun i have no recoil to make up for,and i can certainly steady my gun without shouldering it....also for arguments sake i have a ygrip

[xXHavokXx]

I cant use a drop on my 90 framed angel, I have to use a rail, it just feels good but on my 45 framed dm4 i have to use a drop otherwise I may as well be holding a rifle or shot gun.

[mr_cunduh]

not using drops is agg.... :D

j/p

the lack of strain on my wrists from my evil rail allows me to shoot much faster than with my old tuck tite drop....

also there is the height issue. however far down you are dropping your tank, you are making your whole setup taller. Now for mags and new shockers its ok bc they are j plain short gun, but on a bushy, impulse or even an angel it can account for a much taller setup than say any marker with a rail setup.

while it is personal preference, i prefer comfort and a fast, long, but short (omen/amg with rail and no rise) setup, thus minimizing any sort of gun hits.

[Cryer]

Just to restate what I said in another 'drop vs rail' thread (as well as expounding on Dansim's point above. He makes a very key point in this debate, btw):

Perhaps another thing to note:

Not everyone shoulders their marker like a rifle. I've seen people (using a large drop, mind you) cradle the back of the tank at the bottom of their bicep and be amazingly accurate with it. In the past, with one of my setups, I actually rested the tank on the outer side of my shoulder. I've seen others use this technique, too...

People all dont hold their markers straight vertical. Many people "cross it over". (press the tank against one shoulder, and angle the gun to where the hopper is on the other side of their body).

Not everyone grips their 45 frame like they would grip a pistol. I for one, rarely wrap my thumb around the gripframe. That hand is for pulling the trigger, not holding the gun. Thats why foregrips are so popular. I've seen many people shoot in a similar manner.

My preference is towards rails or unimounts. As is yours appearently (Whether that is dictated by your personal experience or because the laws of physics prohibit otherwise, I havent a clue, but thats your perogative, not mine).

Others prefer different shooting styles. They hold their gun differently. They use a different size tank, or they have a shorter barrel.

When it all is said and done with, who had more fun? You, preoccupied with the logical aspect of everyone else's setup? Or the ones who have come to grips with the fact that everyone makes an equally appealing target?

That is, after all, what this whole game is about, right? If not, I think I may be in the wrong place, and you can disregard everything I've said here.

There is no standard by which one can judge everyone in this case. People hold there setups differently, people have different length arms, some people do it just because it gives you something to rant about. And thats fine.

While I recommend to people that they should try a rail or unimount, I dont try and discredit their theory on why they have their setup the way they do.

[st6212]

There are ways to have a drop and avoid the awkward wrist syndrome. And there are ways to have a direct rail mount without making your setup exceptionally long.

Drops and rail mounts that position the tank in a 45 degree angle. That way it simulates a compact setup, while still being able to shoulder the tank AND avoid the wrist strain by keeping that tank body out of the way.

For example:
http://www.pbreview.com/products/reviews/2539/
or
http://www.pbreview.com/products/reviews/3594/


And here's a neat gadget as well, it let's you move the tank postion. This is the second one I've seen of this type, I believe Nitroduck were the first to produce this type of product. But this one is alot better than Nitroduck's clunky original.

http://www.pbreview.com/products/reviews/1883/

[RRfireblade]

Holy time Warps Batman.

[dahoeb]

well since this thread has been risen from the dead, i'll go ahead and throw in a post.

I've tried using drops, rails, and just standard bottomlines and i find the drop to be the best choice.
I agree that HUGE drops are somewhat overkill, but a small to medium sized drop works great FOR ME. It makes the marker uber comfy to hold and has no effect on my shooting ability. When i play with a rail or bottomline, it gets annoying when i try to snap shoot and when i have to play really tight into a bunker. and ontop of that, the gun just doesn't feel balanced at all.
drops MAY force the elbow out a little bit, which could theororetically make it more vulnerable to getting shot when snapshooting, but i have NEVER EVER been shot in the elbow. and having a comfortable, well balanced markers does wonders in helping me quickly aim in and fire when i'm under pressure.
simply put, i'm going to be able to perform best when i'm most comfortable, and if a small-medium drop make me more comfortable, then thats what i'll use.
the gun you use does make a big difference though in whether you use a rail/bottom line or drop. markers with 90 degree frames don't need one nearly as much as something with a standard frame.
some people have said that having a bottomline or drop will increase trigger speed and stuff. I haven't found it to have any effect on my trigger speed, and even if it did, i still wouldn't ditch my drop. I'd rather have a comfortable, well balanced marker than be uncomfortable with a 3 foot long unbalanced setup, all for the sake of being able to fire 1 or 2 bps faster.
but like its been said about 4.65 million times before, it really is all preference, its a give and take situation. what do you value more, which do you prefer. everyone is gonna be different.

[sneakyhacker420]

thought i'd make a guest appearance cause i got an email notification for a post in this thread...


05-28-2004, 01:11 PM was the last post by Cryer... hot poop, you really dug this up

[st6212]

Lol yeah, I just noticed the dates....I dunno what happen there it was sitting at the top of my screen, so thought it was recent.

Probably part of a search I did and not realised it :D

[thefool]

what ever happened to drop backwards's

[SpitFire1299]

I think they put your gun like WAYY up in the air making it easier to get hit in the hopper. Also in my opinion, it feels like crap.

[ottomobile]

HAHA! Soon My BackBottle Mag will be in style again!!! :bounce:

[Yakko]

I perfer to use a vertical adapter. That is one reason i am glad to have a mag, its so versitile.
Everyone knows VA's are the next big thing.