upgrade how-to?

[VelcroBP]

ok, i'ma new player in general, and i recently bought a stock Classic 68 from a buddy.
I'm looking to add some aftermarket-type parts in about a month or so. I'm looking for a barrel, new body, hopper, and perhaps bolt or new air system? I dunno.

My question is, with a budget of around $350 or so, what would be my wisest choice for the first round of upgrades? I know that i'll need a barrel no matter what, and probably a electronic hopper ,(revolution?), but what else would you folks deem essential (and hopefully affordable)?

From reading the forums here, i'd love to get a X-valve setup and all that, but that will have to wait 'till sometime this winter to fit into my budget.

So, for now, what are some upgrades to my Stock 68 that might get me going in the right direction.

If this was not the proper forum for this, all apologies!
thanks for your time..,,

velcro.

[Flow_Tech]

well,you can always use the go xvalve program,which takes 100 off of the price of an Xvalve if you trade your old classic valve in,then you will have some left over...with the extra you could work on getting a ULE body or a new frame

[Big'n slo]

Used Revi = $30
Used Intelliframe = $90
Used ULE = $115
Lvl 10 = $70
Cocker barrel = $30

Total= $335



I'd go with an intelli first.

[zacbot]

i agree with big and slo

[Magz_rule]

Or you could sell your current mag and take the $ and buy a nice RT ULE custom at the AGD store...

[Dryden]

Unfortunately, every upgrade you want warrants another upgrade, so you find yourself in a cycle not unlike upgrading a computer. If you already have a barrel (any barrel really) and a good CA/N2 bottle, I'd recommend you check with an AO vendor (Tunaman - highly recommended) or call AGD. Trade in your classic valve for a discount on an X-Valve and order an Intelliframe or Y. Both upgrades, provided you sacrifice your old valve for the trade-in, should come in right under your target of $350. The X-Valve already includes the Level 10 anti-chop bolt, so you'll have that upgrade covered as well without spending $70+ on it, then losing that investment when you Go-X.

That'll take care of your two most expensive (and necessary) upgrades right off the bat, then you can upgrade other items as money comes in. The downsides to running the X-Valve will be that it isn't friendly with CO2, so you'll have to use a more expensive CA setup from now on, and you'll shoot a heckuva lot faster, so you'll want an aggitated or force fed hopper next.

You could always pick up a new X-Board Revvy for about $50, less if you buy used on AO, which would hold you over well enough until you can sink $100+ on a Halo, Egg, or similar. There are rare exceptions of course, but really, few people can outshoot a Revvy/Reloader on an all mech Mag - so it might be the only hopper you'll need.

I would recommend not buying a barrel until you've upgraded the body. The new bodies use Autococker threading, the old bodies use the Mag twist-lock system. If you invest in barrels now, you'll need to reinvest in new barrels later or change out the backs if you purchase a kit. Unless you choose something like the Freak kit which uses a single back, this will cost you a fair amount of money which you're not likely to recoup, since barrels typically have a pretty horrible resale value.

[VelcroBP]

a few more questions....

which bodies have cocker threads?

what's needed to swtich to HPA or Nitrogen, and roughly how expensive
(although, my friend just bought a Co2 fill station and 170lb tank, so i'll probably stick w/ Co2 for the rest of the summer, 'cause it's free)

Is a new trigger frame needed to run the X-Valve? (i'm using a 45 style now)

Thanks for all of the input, i'm glad that i came here and registered so i can make some educated purchases in the future!! it's great to have an automag community to turn to when this is all very confusing to someone new!

[Magz_rule]

All ULE,Karta,Dallara and all those expensive ones have cocker threads. The PTP mags have cocker threads also. All u need to do to switch to HPA is to buy the tank. But if you get the X valve you CANNOT use c02 on it HPA only. You can use your current frame with no problems.

[VelcroBP]

i'm in the dark about what exactly the advantages of the INTELLIFRAME are? It doesn't say on the Airgun site?

[VelcroBP]

i guess that what i'm looking to do is max out this Classic68, play through the fall w/ it, then sell it during winter and buy a new ULE RT custom from Airgun.com

with that in mind, the X-valve and HPA systems will wait untill then.
For now, i gather that i'll need a ULE (or if i'm cheap, a Powerfeed left), new barrel, 12v Revvy, Lvl 10, and,, what else?

From reading the tech forums, i see that a second reg isn't necessary and that most of you would not recommend an expansion chamber, correct?

[Pullman]

Listen, HPA is hands down the best performance upgrade you can get for the mag. If you wanna stick with CO2 that's fine, but get yourself an automag parts kit so if you toast an O-ring you can fix it right there. You might also want to either run your tank with a remote line (awkward and weird but people used them for years) or get an antisyphon tube installed in your tank. If you still freeze up maybe an expansion chamber would be OK but don't pay more than $20 for one (buy used). Once that is taken care of get yourself a 12v revvy, ricochet AK or an empire reloader (whatever is cheapest). If your elbow doesn't have the little locking bolts to keep stuff from sliding around get one of those or you'll have trouble. Electric hoppers are the best but they weigh more than the normal ones. If you haven't already got one you may wanna get an LX. It'll help keep you from chopping balls. All the rest of the stuff you mentioned is mainly cosmetic. Learn to use your mag as is this season. Save the rest of your dough (you will never get back out what you put into your marker) so if you decide you wanna go whole hog next season you'll have some money laying around for that RT Pro. This is my boring old man opinion and will probably be ignored, but since I was in your shoes 3 years ago I know I would have liked to have someone tell me this.

Seriously for $350 you could buy a decent used RT Pro, and for another $100 you could have HPA. Keep the classic for woodsball, and bring the RT-Pro to the speedball field.

Good luck and have fun!!! :D