Anyone ever use an apex barrel from BT and my guns

[matteusz]

Just wondering if anyone has tried this barrel and how good the "flatline" curvy effect works. DON'T lecture me on paint to barrel match and accuracy I know I know. I am just curious to see if anyone has gotten good results on some trick shots with one of these barrels and if they are hard to clean etc. Thanks in advance.


oH and here is a look as some of my guns. What do you think? anything MOTM worthy for the classic division?

http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/5/12500191123.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5391085)

http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/5/12500191011.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5391082)

[kruger]

There have been several show up at my field. Some of them like them much better than the flatlines. One thing to note tho, you have to be aware of where its set at all the time. Nothing worse than looking at a straight shot and forgetting that its set up for a left curve.

[maglover728]

You spent time mounting the expansion chamber horizontal on the Minimag in the center and I have not seen anyone else do that before. Put that Mag up for MOTM.

[matteusz]

You spent time mounting the expansion chamber horizontal on the Minimag in the center and I have not seen anyone else do that before. Put that Mag up for MOTM.


Thanks I put it up last month and am waiting to see if I made the finals.

Thanks Kruger I am gonna look into this further. Anyone else?

[georgeyew]

I just saw a BT apex barrel in action today at a scenario game. It belonged to a teammate. I was pretty impressed. The backspin on the paintball caused it to go far and flat with minimal arc. We did a side by side test and as mine dropped off, his stayed flat and went 1/3 further before dropping. Even one of the refs were wowed by the results. Even though the distance and the flatness was very impressive. I noticed that once past 60-70 yards, the ball tends to float and curve a little....make it hard to aim and hit the target. I don't expect everyone to believe the distance of the Apex barrel, but I saw it first hand. Try to see one in action for your self.

[G Squat]

I've used it and yes, it works as advertised. It doesn't give you quite the range of a flatline, but the other modes are cooler anyway. Shooting over bunkers and smackin' noobs on the top of the head it my fav. It works best with a gun that can fire fast. A steady stream helps you adjust where you need to aim. It doesnt have a super consistent grouping, so slow firing guns make it hard to know where to aim.

[matteusz]

I just saw a BT apex barrel in action today at a scenario game. It belonged to a teammate. I was pretty impressed. The backspin on the paintball caused it to go far and flat with minimal arc. We did a side by side test and as mine dropped off, his stayed flat and went 1/3 further before dropping. Even one of the refs were wowed by the results. Even though the distance and the flatness was very impressive. I noticed that once past 60-70 yards, the ball tends to float and curve a little....make it hard to aim and hit the target. I don't expect everyone to believe the distance of the Apex barrel, but I saw it first hand. Try to see one in action for your self.

Ok so they work like a flatline. Sweet. What about breaks? Anyone use one long term?

[peeeto]

one thing that i don't like about it is that when the ball hits the bumper, it comes out of the barrel at an angle - for example, when set up for a backspin, the bumper will hit the top of the ball and deflect it downward initially, so you have to tilt your marker back to aim high...

i couldn't get used to it so i'll be getting rid of mine.

[blamtro]

Me digs that minimag with the horizontal expansion chamber!

[FIST2CUFF]

I tired one and had mixed feelings. It does reach out there! I set up some distance markers on the ground and was able to shoot out 200 ft! BUT at that distance you take the chance of your paint not breaking and it was not very accurate and on the "super flatline" setting the paint would arc down about 2+ feet when coming out of the barrel and then come back up. It is cool to watch but you have to be aware of what was in front of you because your paint could be arcing down into a bush. Another thing as Kruger noted is that you have to constantly check what setting you have it on so you dont have it on the "super flatline" setting when your trying to make a close shot. Basically you have to pay alot of attention to it and that can be a pain during the pressure a game. To me the the tippmann flatline worked better because it shot straighter out of the barrel but it was not that accurate and both are LOUD. I will say that during a scenerio game it is great to lay down some covering fire so someone else can move up.

[Walrus]

I haven't used one, but I have played with guys using it and asked their opinion for the same reasons as you. Overall they were pleased with it, but only if you are in woodsball or scenario type games where you have extra time. You need the extra time to get it dialed in to what you want. When you get in a game generally you had better hope you have it set right because if you don't you generally don't have time to adjust it while someone is shooting at you (hence the 'time' comment above). If you aren't in playing a slower style game then stick with a straight barrel. Those owners of the APEX liked it, but considered it a novelty really.

If you are looking to shoot longer distances, just tilt your gun and lob. You are basically going to have the same effect. If you want to shoot around corners, do the tried and true method...flank your opponent or just move ;)

[matteusz]

If you are looking to shoot longer distances, just tilt your gun and lob. You are basically going to have the same effect. If you want to shoot around corners, do the tried and true method...flank your opponent or just move ;)


Seems like it always comes full circle to the good ol GAIN SKILLS versus buy crap question. I play mostly woodsball and this would probably quickly become a novelty. I HATE it when everyone wants to pick trees and lob paint back and forth all day. Thanks for helping me come to my senses guys. I will go back to just outflanking to dorks with the flatlines and practice moving. That should show them.

[Walrus]

Just flank and charge them if they aren't very good with the flatlines. Since the ball is basically being forced upwards you can hunker down while charging at them and they won't be able to get a few good shots at you until they start to compensate for shooting over your head :D They may think they are cool being able to shoot at long distances, but get up close on them and it is hard for them to aim!

[deathstalker]

http://www.filecabi.net/video/paintball-curveballs.html

Here's one way to see it if you can't see it with your own eyes.

[rawbutter]

You spent time mounting the expansion chamber horizontal on the Minimag in the center and I have not seen anyone else do that before. Put that Mag up for MOTM.

Yes! Someone else has done this besides me!

http://www.rawbutter.com/images/twister4.JPG

We should start our own group.

[matteusz]

It is a nice mod if you can find the part. I like how close the chamber is to the minimag body. I also like how it shoots set up like this. Feels more natural to me. If anyone has another horizontal asa I would buy it. I haven't even unveiled "my marker" the ones above are really my core loaner group. :wow: I love gun trading. It has been good to me.

[rawbutter]

It is a nice mod if you can find the part. I like how close the chamber is to the minimag body. I also like how it shoots set up like this. Feels more natural to me. If anyone has another horizontal asa I would buy it. I haven't even unveiled "my marker" the ones above are really my core loaner group. :wow: I love gun trading. It has been good to me.

Yeah, I really love the way the gun feels. I started with a pump gun (which obviously has a foregrip), and so I never got used to the vertical expansion chambers or grips that most guns have.

But I don't have a horizontal ASA. I just bought a $4 carbine bit and drilled a hole in a vertical ASA. :rolleyes:

If anyone's interested, I could take some close up pictures and explain how I did it.

[Epic Fail Guy]

Also keep in mind when using the apex that your velocity will change depending on what you've got the sucker set at.

[matteusz]

Yeah, I really love the way the gun feels. I started with a pump gun (which obviously has a foregrip), and so I never got used to the vertical expansion chambers or grips that most guns have.

But I don't have a horizontal ASA. I just bought a $4 carbine bit and drilled a hole in a vertical ASA. :rolleyes:

If anyone's interested, I could take some close up pictures and explain how I did it.


No wonder yours is down there so far. Hmmm now I know the poor man's way about it. Did you flatten out one side at all? Pics would be cool.

[rawbutter]

No wonder yours is down there so far. Hmmm now I know the poor man's way about it. Did you flatten out one side at all? Pics would be cool.

I'll post some pics tomorrow. :)

[FIST2CUFF]

Something else about the apex that I forgot to mention is that it seems nice to be able to shoot around corners but most fields do not allow "blind" shooting, you know were you stick your marker out and shoot without looking. Well to me shooting around a corner with an apex is about the same. You cannot really see what your paint is hitting so in my opinion it is not any different then "blind" shooting and really should not be allowed. Thats just my opinion so all you apex users out there do not need to get PO'ed. I also play only scenerio/woodsball and I feel that if you have a team then to have one or two guys with an apex would be useful but as most have already said TACTICS always rule in the end not a gimmick!!!

[rawbutter]

No wonder yours is down there so far. Hmmm now I know the poor man's way about it. Did you flatten out one side at all? Pics would be cool.

I started a new thread to avoid hijacking this one.

How to horizontally mount an expansion chamber.
http://www.automags.org/forums/showthread.php?p=2357599#post2357599


Oh... and as for the APEX, I agree with what everyone else has said. Tactics always win over gimmics.

I play lots of woodsball, and I've played against many guys who use an APEX barrel, and I've eliminated plenty of them from long range. They fire long shots, thinking they have this super range advantage, but their accuracy is not as good as mine. I have to lob my shots, but I still have better accuracy (and more eliminations).

On the flip side, there have been times (once or twice) that I was hit behind a tree by a curveball shot by an APEX. And I think its better for that sort of thing.

So yeah... it seems like a novelty to me. Shooting curves around a tree is cool, but if you're buying it for long range, it's not worth it. Just angle your gun.

[bgun1]

I played outlaw last saturday and there were at least 3 flatlines in the game. I was never hit by a flatline all day and I got a barrel tag on one of them. Skill over gimmicks, but I have been tempted many times.

[Richter]

Hey that is me in that video.. interesting on how many places it has been hosted over the internet. I suggest using the apex on open bolt markers. Cockers and excals just just don't like large bore shot barrels. The ball tends to roll down the barrel on a close bolt marker in which you get huge range in velocity over the chronograph. I like playing with it in the woods. I suggest not turning the dialer all the way down for distance. You can see in the video they start to curve up. I like it better than the flatline way less ball breaks.

[matteusz]

Hey that is me in that video.. interesting on how many places it has been hosted over the internet. I suggest using the apex on open bolt markers. Cockers and excals just just don't like large bore shot barrels. The ball tends to roll down the barrel on a close bolt marker in which you get huge range in velocity over the chronograph. I like playing with it in the woods. I suggest not turning the dialer all the way down for distance. You can see in the video they start to curve up. I like it better than the flatline way less ball breaks.


So can you really get more range than by just lobbing as so many suggest? And do they break as reliably. I am becoming steadily convinced that what I need to do is buy a barrel kit and be done with the issue. Focus on nailing people up close with moves that dazzle rather than be distracted by what setting everything is on . . . You know what I mean. It seems like the "upgrades" distract from the game. The marker should be secondary to the play.

Once you hit 6-10 bps and have a good paint to barrel match is there really anything better than gaining skills?

[JRingold]

I bought one off ebay just to mess around with. It's an interesting concept and I still mess around with it from time to time, but I haven't used it in a game yet. Mostly because I'm afraid to lose the consistency that my Pipe Kit brings.

[ThePixelGuru]

Haven't used the Apex, but I had to comment about the lobbing thing. One of the advantages of a flat shot is that if there are overhanging branches or whatnot you won't hit them. When I had my Tippy 98C with the Flatline, I'd sometimes see paint showering down from lobbed shots breaking on branches, find the shooter, and watch my shot sail right under all the trees and nail 'em.

[matteusz]

Haven't used the Apex, but I had to comment about the lobbing thing. One of the advantages of a flat shot is that if there are overhanging branches or whatnot you won't hit them. When I had my Tippy 98C with the Flatline, I'd sometimes see paint showering down from lobbed shots breaking on branches, find the shooter, and watch my shot sail right under all the trees and nail 'em.


OK so there is a small advantage with the long "straight" shot a flatline offers. By the same token if those guys had moved in rather than taking what sounds like poor shots couldn't they have nailed you?