returning from the darkside

[cpt]

A couple of months ago I made a trade for a Ion for my Mag. I just had to join the crowd and have an electro. Had problems with the Ion but got it sorted out and have used it for quite a while. It is a real pain to take apart and I keep having to replace my bolt stop o ring. I don't play tournment but have enjoyed playing with it. My friends marker went down so I let him use my RT backup. Then he wanted to try the Ion. After 5 minutes I thought why did I ever trade? I was killing with the RT. Like an old friend came back. I don't have the fastest fingers but I feel I could shoot faster with the RT and I haven't taken it apart in 3 years. Oil and go. I also noticed I seem to have less barrel breaks even though the Lapco on the RT was 689 and my CP on the Ion was 693. It was cold and we were all getting barrel breaks but I'm thinking the RT is softer on paint. I was thinking I will keep the Ion for backup but then I thought in 6 years my Mag has never broken down. Ever! I have a level X and have never chopped and have 3 times with the Ion. All 3 times I had to quit playng because the gun wouldn't work. Don't ask me how becuase I did have the eyes on, I think the bolt stop O ring smashed something. Anyhow, a little vent. It was nice to not be like everyone else and people coming up to me and saying Holy S**t, what is that?

[peewee]

I went thru the same ordeal.. Welcome back!!

[REDRT]

That will teach ya. Next time you feel you need an electro maybe get something ending in mag. ;)

[pachytriton]

This is making me feel sad that I traded my ule. I'll have to see how my new matrix works out, I might just end up getting another mag. What kind of setup are you running with your rt?

[Aslan]

I just spent over an hour trying to figure out how a cocker works...it's a project gun I picked up...why would anybody want to mess with all that pneumatics, dual regulators, dual cocking, and timing...it's so much more complicated than a Mag...valve...mainbody...ummm...I think that's it??? :cheers:

Who knows...maybe when I get it put together and figure it out I'll be so impressed I'll jump on the Orr is God bandwagon...but for right now...I'm very much unimpressed. :ninja:

[cpt]

I'm just running a RT with an intelliframe and Lapco big shot barrel and level X. I had a X valve with ULT intelliframe that I traded. I thought long and hard about an electro and was going to purchase a Xmag. Then a guy wanted to trade an upped Ion for my mag. Then I go wait a minute, I'll have a heavier marker, it won't shoot any faster, has less aftermarket stuff, cost like 3X more and seems to have its own problems. I just read a lot of posts where the electro mags have thier own set of problems and I want to play, not fix a marker. I'm sure there a a lot of reliable electros out there, but I am not sold on the X/E mag. And speaking of other markers, I have seen so many guys with high end guns breaking down during a game. The Ion is reliable. Mine just needs the bolt stop O ring changed every time, some guys have never changed theirs. But I have had problems with it and never with the Mag. I guess it's like yor first girlfriend, you never forget her. And once I held her again I fell back in love. I think I could pull my UlT as fast as the Ion anyhow. For those of you that don't know, a ULT kills the reactivity of the mag but gives a much lighter trigger. So one game I would use the RT and say this is great and then use the ULT and say this is great. Anyhow, that's my feelings and I will probably sell the Ion and get my old setup back. BTW I played last week with a guy who played with a brass eagle Orion on co2 and non motorzied hopper. Absolutly no problems and I was amazed at how good that thing was. Accurate, no broken balls, no problems. I talked to him and he played in his woods with friends and it was like his first time he had payed to play. He said he was having a blast and the first thing he said was what type of marker should I upgrade to? I said Dude, you're doing fine, don't change a thing.

[REDRT]

The Ion is reliable. Mine just needs the bolt stop O ring changed every time

:confused: I might be wrong, but that doesn't sound reliable to me. Well atleast not in a good way.

[Chaos_Theory!]

The only mag id ever take over my ion is an Xmag. However, mine is upgraded pretty much the most it can be and it wouldnt be worth it for me to go with anything less than an xmag. I wouldnt be doing it because there is any sort of performance gain with the xmag over my ion, becuse there just isnt. Ive wanted an xmag ever since i had to sell my old one to pay off some stuff. It was by far one of my fav markers simply because i love the way it looks and they perform great, not to mention i have always loved mags.

[Aslan]

...BTW I played last week with a guy who played with a brass eagle Orion on co2 and non motorzied hopper. Absolutly no problems and I was amazed at how good that thing was. Accurate, no broken balls, no problems. I talked to him and he played in his woods with friends and it was like his first time he had payed to play. He said he was having a blast and the first thing he said was what type of marker should I upgrade to? I said Dude, you're doing fine, don't change a thing.

Actually, Brass Eagle doesn't make the Orion, VL does...but that's neither here nor there.

The low end guns work okay these says. When you get lower than the Orion...(Winchester, splatz...or whatever that $15 pump pistol is, Marauders/Eradicators)...then you start to see quality isssues right off the bat. The thing with the Orion/Triad/Avenger is longevity and upgradability. They probably won't last that long without some work...and the upgrades just aren't out there. There are some...and there's always the guys that can do miracles with a dremmel and some electrical tape...but as far as buying reliable upgrades and parts, there are slim chances. I have a VL Prodigy E-Grip...and I've only used it once...performed awesome! My only concern is that it might not over time. But really good out of the box! :clap: :shooting:

My favorite example is the old Stingray and Stingray II. Out of the box, not bad. Fairly cheap, perform well...a little bit of accuracy problems with that stubby little barrel...but overall good. Then, after a season or so...umm...not so good. You can perform some decent mods to keep them going longer...but once the parts dry up...which is a huge problem with VL and BE because they are in the business of selling new markers, not supporting those markers (because they aren't markers people keep, not high end) you're eventually going to have give up on it. :nono: :confused: :cry:

[RapidTransit]

My favorite example is the old Stingray and Stingray II. Out of the box, not bad. Fairly cheap, perform well...a little bit of accuracy problems with that stubby little barrel...but overall good. Then, after a season or so...umm...not so good. You can perform some decent mods to keep them going longer...but once the parts dry up...which is a huge problem with VL and BE because they are in the business of selling new markers, not supporting those markers (because they aren't markers people keep, not high end) you're eventually going to have give up on it. :nono: :confused: :cry:
I hate the fact they discontinued the Rainmaker that gun if they spent the extra $100 bucks to put more R&D into it would have ripped for its time period, and maybe even now.

[Aslan]

I hate the fact they discontinued the Rainmaker that gun if they spent the extra $100 bucks to put more R&D into it would have ripped for its time period, and maybe even now.

The rainmaker is supposedly the one exception to the BE rule...as it is the one example of a high end BE gun. Like I said in my previous post, I think BE realized that they could make alot more money selling high volumes of inexpensive junk than they could putting out a few quality items and the support/upgrades those products would require. It's not a conept I agree with...because it's harder than hell(o) to get aftermarket upgrades for my silver eagle...but you also can't argue with the money they've made in the process. :hail: