SLG vs Invert Mini

[ß.C.]

I keep hearing about how these two markers are great bangs for the buck. But which one has better value or is it nearly the same? Does someone mind doing a little compare and contrast of performance and reliability for me? Also are they both cocker threaded?

Thanks guys

[snoopay700]

I know minis are cocker threaded. As for the difference, the mini uses a poppet and the SLG uses a spool type valve, but it also uses a sear so it's actually a lot closer to the mag in that way. If i had to make a choice i'd choose the mini personally, it's smaller than the slg, but then again you may like a heftier gun because some people hate how small the mini is. I also just looked it up and found out i was lying, yes the SLG is cocker threaded.

[ß.C.]

Awesome, now would anyone happen to know if either trigger is magnetic?

[mr doo doo]

the SLG's trigger isnt magnetic. it is held on by a trigger pin, but no roller bearings; resistance is caused by a spring inside the frame (i know my explanation sucks). there are trigger stops on the top and side (main area) of the trigger for adjustments. It's nearly identical to an electric spyder frame.

[snoopay700]

the SLG's trigger isnt magnetic. it is held on by a trigger pin, but no roller bearings; resistance is caused by a spring inside the frame (i know my explanation sucks). there are trigger stops on the top and side (main area) of the trigger for adjustments. It's nearly identical to an electric spyder frame.
Where as the mini uses a hal electric trigger, much like the emag.

[SN toter]

I have yet to play with a mini, but here is an SLG review I wrote a while back. These are my favorite electros, tremendous bang for your buck. You can do a magnet mod on the slg trigger and they do have aftermarket triggers available....I'm waiting for a UL frame to be released for mine....



SN toters Proto SLG Review

At first glance the low cost electro market is flooded with high end wannabes. The SLG is not one of them. I was in the market for a backup to my AGD E-Tac One and sleek lines and cost of the SLG got my attention. I placed my order and 3 days later Fedex delivered.

I was impressed before I even saw the marker. Once I opened the shipping box I pulled out a beautifully packaged and incredibly small box. I really couldn't believe that it housed a paintball marker it was so small. Said box was very well designed with trendy graphics and a slick finish. I have never seen such nice packaging for a paintball marker.

Upon opening the work of art, I was greeted by the SLG itself, sitting snugly in molded foam. I removed the marker and found another layer of foam below hiding the user manual, Dye slick lube, barrel sock, Proto battery, warranty card, an allen key set, and a full parts kit with a complete set of orings and new spring detents. I read through the user manual and was impressed with it as well, it was just as well designed as the packaging box with color diagrams on glossy paper.

Onto the marker itself. I chose dust olive for the color of my SLG and to be honest, it's more of a bronze. The finish of the body is excellent and there are no visible mill or tool marks under the anodizing. I can see why they call this the 'Super Light Gun'. I expected it to be light but not that light. Very impressive. The gripframe is a high test polymer that has a nice fit and finish, it does not have that 'cheap' feel like some composites that other companies use. I was also pleasantly suprised to find the marker wasn't shipped from the factory dry, it was already lubed and the internal aluminum parts were finished with no alumninum burrs or shavings that you can find in some lower cost new-in-box markers.

After installing the 9volt barrery I applied the included barrel sock, aired the marker up, and turned it on. I was impressed with how well balanced the SLG is with an HPA tank and a full hopper. It is very maneuverable and comfortable. I went through several pods of paint to begin breaking in the reg before my day of play. The marker has a very slight amount of kick and cycles very smoothly. One of the first things I noticed was that as it is a sear-tripper(the electronic solenoid trips a mechanical sear, much like an E-mag) the solenoid clicking is considerably louder than a solenoid in a fully electro-pnuematic marker. With paint, however, this marker is not unusually loud, in fact with an after market barrel that has more porting than the stock barrel, the SLG was quite quiet.

The stock trigger is made of polymer and is a little stiff for me stock but is very easily adjustable. There are two set screws to adjust the travel of the trigger itself and a trigger sensitivity adjustment that can be made through the circuit board. In a few minutes I had the trigger right where I wanted it. The feedneck is not a clamping feedneck. It uses inset orings to pressure hit hoppers on. While this is better than a lot of stock feednecks, I would recommend upgrading to a clamping feedneck and an aluminum roller bearing trigger, any matrix feedneck will work and there are several after market SLG triggers on the market.

The stock board is more than capable. It is very easy to program and the manual takes you step by step through the process. You can adjust the firing modes, balls per second, and trigger sensitivity. The LED and buttons on the back of the gripframe, along with the trigger, make programming and operating the electronics a breeze. Other stock options include a Dye Hyper 3 reg that is incredibly consistant and comfortable, and a very nice rail based air source adapter(ASA) with macroline hose and fittings.

In play with matched paint this marker is extremely consistent and efficient. Proto quotes this at 1500 shots from a 68ci 4500psi HPA tank and I don't think that's an exaggeration. I was very impressed with the efficiency. Out of the box at the chronograph I was getting +-3 fps. After shooting over a case of paint(2000 rounds per case) I chrono'd again(Proto advises that it takes about 2000 cycles to break in the Hyper 3 regulator) and was getting +-2fps. Impressive. They eyes were great and I had no double feeding, breaks, or jams shooting the SLG at various rates of fire and holding it at different angles.

All in all? The SLG performs great out of the box. A couple upgrades(roller trigger and clamping feedneck), and this is my ideal marker. It truly is high performance marker at a low cost. It is a comfortable, affordable, fast, sleek, and quality marker. Kudos Proto, you just gained a fan.

***
It should be noted that the first run of the SLG marker had a couple reported bugs that Proto has since corrected. There were some reports that the SLG bolt was about one millimeter short leading to rollback and also reports of the spring detents wearing out. These issues were quickly addressed by the manufacturer and new SLG's do not have these problems.

Stock:
http://www.mcarterbrown.com/gallery/data/545/medium/DSCF00211.JPG

With Angel Barrel kit, trinity feedneck, and an on off asa:

http://www.mcarterbrown.com/gallery/data/545/medium/DSCF00116.JPG

[ß.C.]

Wow that was very good into, thanks a lot guys, I think I'm getting the proto!

[lidocaine]

Ask "Trevorjk" about his minis. He'll probably respond here in a little while, dont buy the proto yet..

[veteranmag]

I played with my friend's mini for a day. As a long-time mag shooter, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the mini shoots a lot like a mag, but disappointed that it doesn't fit as well as a mag in my hands..

The mini's accuracy and trajectory felt very much like my Tac One. Shooting the mini in factory-settings semi, the rate of fire is more than adequate. The gun is extremely light and when it goes into ramping mode, there is a slight upward kick. The clamping feedneck is very nice.

The only two issues I had with the mini is the following:

1. trigger: the trigger is set rather far back in the trigger frame and the trigger has very short travel. I personally prefer a trigger with a springly bounce to get into a nice rhythm. I would get a different trigger, but I'm not sure whethere there is a large selection of after-market mini parts yet.

2. erognomics: The forward grip is placed very close to the trigger guard and the integrated bottomline ASA is flush with the grip frame. Neither the forward grip nor the ASA is ajustable. When shouldering the mini, I found my crossfire tank placed the grip frame too far away from my body and my non-shooting hand was too close to my shooting hand. Even though the mini is extremely light, the setup and weight distribution of the mini (with an air tank and full hopper) made the mini uncomfortable after a full day in the woods. The width of the gripframe is larger than a standard 45 frame and is a bit uncomfortable for my taste.

If the forward grip was 2-3" further foward and if the design allowed for the use of a drop forward, I would get this gun because it shoots like an electronic mag for $325.

On the other hand, I recently picked up a Proto Rail for $275. It shoots very nice as well - extremely fast! I'm looking into getting a SLG because at a cost of less than $200, simpler design and with fewer o-rings and parts, it's hard to ignore.

[snoopay700]

The mini's accuracy and trajectory felt very much like my Tac One.
Funny, my spyder had the same trajectory as my mag, same with my BE Talon, and my friend's Omen, they all had teh same trajectory, it was weird.

[lidocaine]

What did mommy say about "dont have anything nice to say, then dont say it at all"..

[Storminnorman]

Ask "Trevorjk" about his minis. He'll probably respond here in a little while, dont buy the proto yet..
Reply With Quote

Trevorjk loves his minis, even though its a girl's gun :rofl: . I bought one for the old lady because it was the only gun that fit her and the one she wanted. I was very impressed with this marker and customer service. I had one problem with the gun and in less than a week it was fixed. I have played with the old ladies mini maybe three times, and every time I'm very impressed with the no kick factor, accuracy, and weight of this marker. I like a heavier machine myself but wow this marker is not something you would get tired of holding all day. Capable and reliable are the two words I would describe the mini with.

[ß.C.]

Thanks a lot guys, just bought an BNIB SLG for $160. Mini's sounded awesome but that price just couldn't be beaten.

[pmstc]

Mini's are great but Proto also makes very solid guns. Hopefully you won't have any problems with it. I <3 my PM5. I don't really like the looks of the trigger on that thing though.

[SN toter]

You really can't go wrong with either for the price. The SLG is an absolute steal. Drop a couple bucks on a new ASA and feedneck immediately though.

[secretweaponevan]

I have a mini and like it, but I have a few gripes about it.

Because of its design, you can't put an on/off ASA on it. Its ASA is a regulator with a gas transfer tube going through the grip. If you want an on/off, you are forced to use a New Designz TSO (thread saver on/off) between your tank and your ASA. This makes the marker too long for a lot of players, so they are "forced" to use a 45/4500 tank to keep the length down while gaining the benefits of an on/off air supply. Also, the front grip cannot be moved and it is really close to the trigger frame, so much so that my front hand's thumb sometimes hits the trigger. :eek:

Some mini's are afflicted with board/poppet bugs and have to be sent back to KEE. Mine is a 1.1 version (the buggy version supposedly) that I bought used, but I guess I got lucky, mine performs flawlessly. KEE's new spring poppet is supposed to remedy the problem ($8).

Mini Pros:

Magnetic trigger (like an Emag)
Tunable for efficiency or to be very gentle on paint
Light
Small
Can shoot deep into tank (runs on 140-200 psi)
Clamping feedneck


Mini Cons:

Stuck with stock ASA that may limit your tank options
You might get a buggy one
Might be too small for you
Some loader/tank setups really throw off the balance


I like mine, but after reading SN toter's review of the SLG and its price, I think an SLG will be finding its way into my gear bag soon.

[punkncat]

^ Never really understood the on/off gripe. It is as simple as unscrewing the tank.

I will say that getting an HP output tank off the asa can be a little tricky.

[Storminnorman]

If my old lady can take the tank off her mini anyone can. Just fire the gun while unscrewing if its to hard for you to take off.

[Ninjeff]

dont forget the DP Fusion. I just picked one up, and am extremely happy.

As for you two choices, go for the mini. Ive shot both and the Mini feels better built, and has a better resale value. Both can shoot paint, but ive seen less ball breakage in teh mini at teh field.

[68magOwner]

I have owned 3 minis, 2 fusions, and 1 slg.

Of the three, my favorite has to be the fusion. I like all three, would not feel outgunned bringing any of them onto a PSP or NPPL field, but, the fusion was my personal favorite.

[Bang and Breach]

Funny, my spyder had the same trajectory as my mag, same with my BE Talon, and my friend's Omen, they all had teh same trajectory, it was weird.


Truth.

[SCpoloRicker]

Truth.

Don't you feel a little dirty all the same?

[Indignant]

dont forget the DP Fusion. I just picked one up, and am extremely happy.

As for you two choices, go for the mini. Ive shot both and the Mini feels better built, and has a better resale value. Both can shoot paint, but ive seen less ball breakage in teh mini at teh field.


i love my F7

[Bang and Breach]

Don't you feel a little dirty all the same?


Yeah =\

[veteranmag]

Funny, my spyder had the same trajectory as my mag, same with my BE Talon, and my friend's Omen, they all had teh same trajectory, it was weird.


Amusing... is this the part where B.C.'s thread seeking information gets hijacked and turned into yet another "the Stingray and the Angel both shoot 300 fps!" or "it's the player, not the gun!" thread? As for me, I appreciate and respect other AO members' (subjective) opinions on gear that they have owned/used when I'm deciding on new gear and before I spend my money.

Good luck B.C. let the AO community know how you like your SLG.

[SCpoloRicker]

Well, they do. :)