Loader Opinions

[putricio007]

Having just bought a minimag here on AO a couple of weeks ago, I was wondering what you all thought about what type of loader I should buy. I am running the classic valve, w/ the level 7 bolt. As you all know, it has a powerfeed. This brings me to my dilemma: Will a powerfeed minimag really benefit from a force fed loader, or should I just stick with an agitator loader. I have an almost new Halo Backman and I was wondering if that would be enough. I'm not looking to upgrade to an xvalve or ULT body as I wanna run old school (with the exception of nitro) as possible. Thanks you all in advance.

[Ruler_Mark]

halo backman should be enough.


if you ver go force feed vlocity imo is the best.

[drg]

Level 7 mags, since they have no anti-chop, can benefit from force feed.

[PumpPlayer]

I disagree.

Do not use a force-feed loader on a powerfeed body as this will almost surely cause binding and can even lead to chopping issues. The PF bodies were intended to be used with a gravity loading system and in my experience they still work best that way.

Not everyone was a believer in powerfeed but in my opinion, it is bar-none the best gravity-fed loading system ever devised. Trouble is, nobody but AGD ever did it right. In order for the system to work, you need 4-5 balls in your stack to apply just the right ammount of downward pressure on the lead ball. Too much (as in a force feed) and it'll bind, too little and the powerfeed does nothing for you. You also need a fair bit of blowback gas to "bobble" the lead ball and allow it to rebound into the chamber. 'Cockers, for example, don't have much blowback gas and so as cool as the PTP Cockers looked, I doubt the powerfeed really did much for them.

So my advice is to go with a standard Revvy on your powerfeed. Also look into the Reloader or aftermarket boards if you want a sound-powered option. I strongly recommend the APP Atomic Elbow. There is no better elbow ever invented and it fits 'Mags perfectly.

Lastly, and I can't stress this enough, do NOT chop your feed down.

[punkncat]

I agree with the above poster in loader choice, and I must admit a bit of bias in that department. IMO there has never been, nor will there ever be a loader as good all around as the old style soft shelled 12V revi. Even the 9V is a great loader. Its dependability and indestructabilty make it a superb choice for rec ball. Given the right feedneck and a bit of leeway for not trying to run and gun, with the new cap in place they can even be used in a tourney nowdays.

[putricio007]

Where can I find the APP Atomic elbow?

[drg]

I disagree.

Do not use a force-feed loader on a powerfeed body as this will almost surely cause binding and can even lead to chopping issues. The PF bodies were intended to be used with a gravity loading system and in my experience they still work best that way.

Not everyone was a believer in powerfeed but in my opinion, it is bar-none the best gravity-fed loading system ever devised. Trouble is, nobody but AGD ever did it right. In order for the system to work, you need 4-5 balls in your stack to apply just the right ammount of downward pressure on the lead ball. Too much (as in a force feed) and it'll bind, too little and the powerfeed does nothing for you. You also need a fair bit of blowback gas to "bobble" the lead ball and allow it to rebound into the chamber. 'Cockers, for example, don't have much blowback gas and so as cool as the PTP Cockers looked, I doubt the powerfeed really did much for them.

So my advice is to go with a standard Revvy on your powerfeed. Also look into the Reloader or aftermarket boards if you want a sound-powered option. I strongly recommend the APP Atomic Elbow. There is no better elbow ever invented and it fits 'Mags perfectly.

Lastly, and I can't stress this enough, do NOT chop your feed down.

Garbage. My pneumag loads 16 bps fine with a halo through a powerfeed.

[B-Pow]

I would recomend the one that loads paint into the feed tube.

Honestly it's all personal choice. Use what you have and then decide if you want something else. Personally I use a halo, because I like it and I spent the money on it, I'm going to freakin use it. But I also have a 12v revy and that is a good loader as well, and usually drops enough balls into the gun fast enough to keep me happy.

It's all a matter of opinion, use what you like.

[PumpPlayer]

APP = Allen Paintball Products
Buy direct here (http://www.allenpaintball.com/retailframeset.html), on eBay or from a large number of retailers. Note that the price on their site is higher than if you go elsewhere.

Best elbow ever made, IMHO. It's simple but you'll be amazed how well it works, especially on 'Mags. Limetime warranty, too, IIRC.


As for the loader issue again, admittedly, I haven't tried every loader out there on a powerfeed. Paint may play an issue too. I've had plenty of instances jamming and breaking paint in the breech and feed tube with most popular models of force-feed loaders.

Even if it works, and it's great if it does, you're defeating the purpose of the powerfeed in the first place. Furthermore, you're adopting all the disadvantages of a force-feed loader (more weight, more batteries, no/difficult dead-battery operation, larger profile, higher cost, etc.) without being able to reap the benefits since you're still using a fully mechanical 'Mag.

[drg]

Even if it works, and it's great if it does, you're defeating the purpose of the powerfeed in the first place. Furthermore, you're adopting all the disadvantages of a force-feed loader (more weight, more batteries, no/difficult dead-battery operation, larger profile, higher cost, etc.) without being able to reap the benefits since you're still using a fully mechanical 'Mag.

Force feed in a gun like this is not only a question of loading speed but also of loading consistency.

The power feed was a design response to an actual problem in the basic mag design, that of blowback and its influence on the ball stack. Let's not assign magical properties to it. It basically helps eliminate the net negative consequences of blowback on feeding. What it does not help is feed from the loader itself, so if you get a slow drop (even the best revvies leave gaps) or a short stroke, you are open to chopping a ball with a level 7 setup.

That said, personally, rather than a force-feed loader, I'd say get a revvy and a level 10 kit.

[maddboy32]

Level 7 mags, since they have no anti-chop, can benefit from force feed.
i agree.............qloader :D

[JRingold]

i agree.............qloader :D

Or Warp Feed...

[jade_monkey07]

if you want cheap force fed the 9v Spyder fasta is great!