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Patron God of Pirates
06-14-2006, 02:18 PM
Hello AO,

In my long absence from these forums I have decided the following:

"The Automag RT Pro is the greatest pure paintball marker ever manufactured"

I had been looking forward to all sorts of new inovations from the vibrant and homegrown aftermarket community here on AO.

Then Tom sold the company.

Then AGD stopped making Slugs at any usefull pace

Then PTP decided only they could make air assist triggers.

Then they decided not to.

Just before the "Smartpocolypse" the future had seemed so bright for we the few. Mags where on the verge of resurgency. Not that it was the fault of Smartparts. Apparently AGD, like many companies, had put to many of it's eggs in the electro-basket.

I have never thought electronics where the solution. My brief ownership of an E-Mag taught me of my own distaste for batteries. A great marker to be sure, but not for me.

So I was thrilled when I saw the infamous hAir trigger demo video. I dreamed of a blue-black faded, Q-Loaded, hAir triggered, Karta RTP. So light! So Fast! So Hot! So mechanical! I could drool.... I did......

I took a break from paintball to start a family, expecting that my return would be flanked by AGD's return to pre-eminance. "Pure Mech" and "Batteries not Included" would be all the buzz. Other companies would be scrambling to get the wires out of thier markers. What a dream it was.

The state of Magdom is not what I had expected to be sure. And the shortfall of the "mechanical revolution" I had hoped for has left me with precious few options going forward.

What to do? Should I mourn? Should I give in and by an ION!? Should I send Nicad scores of E-Mails begging for him to hAir my RT on the DL? Or should I dust of my old Lv.10, Blue-Black faded, Intelliframed, PF left Stainless RTP?

So I dropped some oil in the ASA and that's what I did. I poured a pods worth of RPS marbs into my Blue HALO B with Rip Drive. I turned up the input preasure on my 45/4500 Nitro Duck adjustable to 850. I slipped the appropriate insert into my EQMS barrel system and twist locked it into place. I set up a few targets and practiced against imaginary opponents.

I have to say, it was awefully satisfying. "What more do I need" I wondered.

This was a great tool the day I pulled it out of the box. I spent a good chunck of change correcting problems that, in reality, existed in the margins (lv.10 excluded).

It shoots paintballs, everytime I pull the trigger.
It shoots them very quickly.
I puts the trigger back in my finger well before I'm ready to pull again.
It never breaks.
It never breaks paint.
I don't even think about it while I'm playing.

The industry has us right where they want us, scrambling for the next overpriced upgrade to give us some kind of marginal edge. Me, I'm going to stop upgradeing my marker, and start upgrading my game.

(until Nicad agrees to hAir my trigger on the DL ;) )

Lohman446
06-14-2006, 02:20 PM
Vanity :)

Its not uncommon for me to take my mag out and play with it and leave my Minion sitting on its stand :D

My Dye Attack Pack holds both pods I carry very well too

Hope you weren't expecting a deeper answer

Cow hunter
06-14-2006, 02:27 PM
i COULD have gotten rid of my mag long ago, but i didnt for most of your reasons, plus the fact that my mag draws more attention with the Z grip than any other "flavor of the month/year" marker. i think the reason most of us are here on AO still shooting our mags, they are uber-reliable, fast as we want them, and just plain beautiful!

ShooterJM
06-14-2006, 03:56 PM
Holy crap! Welcome back Patron!

captian pinky
06-14-2006, 04:22 PM
i like mags for the sheer fact that they work good enough said

thefool
06-14-2006, 04:36 PM
all dem old people are coming back after starting familys!!!!! are these the boomers of paintball??!?!?!?!?!?!?!

REDRT
06-14-2006, 04:41 PM
Having every new marker knowen to man in a years time seems dumb to me.Why buy new when old can be just as good as new? ;) I mod/upgrade my old stuff. Knowing the mag is still the greatest marker on the planet. Ok well, the brand I like for the sake of arguement. :p There were things newer markers could do and the trusty emag couldn't (Shocking I know :eek: ). Instead of jumping ship like many do, I have Up'd the emag to be the most up to date it can be. I feel better doing that than ordering up something new. The same old emag with a new attitude. ;)

As far as mech markers. All I have to do is air them up.
I the event I should venture into the woods the trusty minimag and classic rt (both be up'd respectivly)still sends them to the dead box faster than they can say, "stop shooting me". :D

dahoeb
06-14-2006, 04:43 PM
i don't have anything useful to contribute to your post, but it was a good read and i agree with you 100% so i give you a dancing banana :dance:

personman
06-14-2006, 06:33 PM
Amen... after I sold my micro e-mag I built an all ULE mech mag and it was one of the first all ULE mags like that I believe, it was before the RT customs were introduced.. and pretty much the only thing I've upgraded since then is my trigger.. I bought a nifty one from Rogue with trigger stops. I still havent used it yet but I'm thinking saturdays a good day for paintball :)
I honestly dont know what more I could want from a marker that I dont already have.

Nutsnyomowf
06-14-2006, 06:49 PM
i don't have anything useful to contribute to your post, but it was a good read and i agree with you 100% so i give you a dancing banana :dance:
What he said.

jsdatjsd
06-14-2006, 06:51 PM
all dem old people are coming back after starting familys!!!!! are these the boomers of paintball??!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Yes.


My only worry about automag is that the company goes belly up before next april.

I don't think it will that soon. BUt unless someone at AGD HQ takes an econ class, they are not going to be even a minor competitor in a few years.

:cry:

punkncat
06-14-2006, 06:54 PM
but I'm thinking saturdays a good day for paintball :)



Where do you play? Paintball Atl. or such?

Been out to classic yet?

/hijack

Lohman446
06-14-2006, 06:54 PM
Yes.


My only worry about automag is that the company goes belly up before next april.

I don't think it will that soon. BUt unless someone at AGD HQ takes an econ class, they are not going to be even a minor competitor in a few years.

:cry:

You an economics major? You do realize that niche marketing and support can be more than adequate to sustain a company and turn reasonable profits right? Or are you just one of those people taht figure if you talk and pretend to know what your talking about others will just assume you do?

Cow hunter
06-14-2006, 06:56 PM
Yes.


My only worry about automag is that the company goes belly up before next april.

I don't think it will that soon. BUt unless someone at AGD HQ takes an econ class, they are not going to be even a minor competitor in a few years.

:cry:
why do you think that?

also with all the people ordering from themagsmith and tuna, they have to get their markers somewhere dont they?

/is there actually anything happening at AGD currently, projects, government contracts, anything?

jsdatjsd
06-14-2006, 07:23 PM
You an economics major? You do realize that niche marketing and support can be more than adequate to sustain a company and turn reasonable profits right? Or are you just one of those people taht figure if you talk and pretend to know what your talking about others will just assume you do?


No, Im tossing out ideas, and having fun doing it. It is annoying? I will tune it down some. I don't want to be annoying.

SOrry.

Forgive me?

:cry:

Lohman446
06-14-2006, 07:24 PM
No, Im tossing out ideas, and having fun doing it. It is annoying? I will tune it down some. I don't want to be annoying.

SOrry.

Forgive me?

:cry:

Its not annoying, it just misreads what AGD has appeared to do recently. Scale down towards a sustainable niche market.

jsdatjsd
06-14-2006, 07:37 PM
why do you think that?

is there actually anything happening at AGD currently, projects, government contracts, anything?

I was told to shut up, politely.

I will say this though, when the possibility to re-enter my favotire hobby appeared, and the wife agreed (I wear the pants in my hous. My wife gave me permission) I immediately looked through all the paintball online stores for the automag.

Not one did i find.

NOT

ONE

SO I looked up the AGD website, and despite the website that is frigteningly outdated and misleading, they still sell markers.

That is why I hunted for this forum (I actually did a google search, didn't find the link from agd itself) in order to ask if the mag was still alive and kicking.

Apparently it is.

:dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance:

jsdatjsd
06-14-2006, 07:42 PM
Its not annoying, it just misreads what AGD has appeared to do recently. Scale down towards a sustainable niche market.


Is that the reason for the tac-one?

Im just wondering, what is the AGD niche?

Im not being combative, I just want some warm fuzzies about purchasing from a maker that has "scaled down".

Lohman446
06-14-2006, 07:52 PM
Is that the reason for the tac-one?

Im just wondering, what is the AGD niche?

Im not being combative, I just want some warm fuzzies about purchasing from a maker that has "scaled down".

AGD came to a realization that the current climate in tournament paintball (both political and legal) was not one they wanted to take the risk in. The risk to reward ratio was skewed. They view the casual player (RT PRO) and the scenario player (TAC One) as markets that fill there risk to reward ratio. In some peoples opinions AGD manufactures the best non-custom mechanical marker available today. These two markets suit that reputation very well.

jsdatjsd
06-14-2006, 08:05 PM
They view the casual player (RT PRO) and the scenario player (TAC One) as markets that fill there risk to reward ratio...These two markets suit that reputation very well.

Thanks. It was nice to hear a real, rational answer for AGD not being as visible as it used to.

JD

maxama10
06-14-2006, 09:33 PM
"the original Automag design has evolved into other products and is the heart of the FN303 Less Lethal Weapon System deployed by police and military all over the world."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automag

The link to AO can be found on the agd website :).

http://airgun.com/

look right under the tacone :)
"Automags.org continues to be one of the hottest forums on the net. #1 Automag Forum and Chat - tech questions answered AGD Prototype Showcase & Tom's Tech Tips Click here to check it out!
http://www.automags.org "