Tippmann XM7 "Phenom"

[paint magnet]

Ok, so I've been out of the loop for a while, and recently watched a video on youtube about Tippmann's newest marker. It got the thumbs up from MCB, so I started paying attention.

It appears to be an electronic spooler with manual override and no sear. It also looks like it has a lot of other good things to recommend it, like efficiency (on a Tippmann!?!) and low recoil. I really want to get my hands on one and try it out, but I was hoping you guys could answer a few questions first.

Is it an easy-to-field-strip, modular design? Or is it still cheap a cheap cast-metal clamshell frame with a bajillion screws?

How does the manual override work? The gun doesn't have a sear, so what's it use, a 3 way of sorts?

Why is it called the X7 Phenom? Isn't the X7 a blowback gun? Why put new internals in an old frame?

If the Cyclone feed uses "blowback" gases, how does it work with a spool gun?

And most importantly, does Tippmann or anyone else make a gun with all these features that doesn't have a hundred tactical rails, a fake magazine and mag well, and non-removable sights, for those of us who would prefer to shoot a paintball gun without 5 pounds of extra metal to make it resemble an MP5?

[going_home]

http://www.youtube.com/v/AobPoeFPbU4


:ninja:

[koleah]

http://www.youtube.com/v/AobPoeFPbU4


:ninja:

Quote from the video:
"The simple fact that you can have an electronic gun run without battery. . . is going to change the whole industry."

1st reply to that guy:
I guess the industry changed a long time ago.

2nd reply to that guy:
The industry changed a long time ago. Didn't you get the memo?

[DevilMan]

"The simple fact that you can have an electronic gun run without battery. . . is going to change the whole industry."

I guess the industry changed a long time ago.

LMAO!!!! Well I have to laugh at that comment... Isn't that the same as saying that you can drive a car without gas? Or watching a TV with no electricity? Sure it can be done... :D bwahhahahaa

I know what you are talking about though, just think it's funny.

DM

[BiNumber3]

Well, u could get an e-mag except u'll have to give up on efficiency (for a non tactical electro that can shoot mech without batteries)

[snoopay700]

Well, u could get an e-mag except u'll have to give up on efficiency (for a non tactical electro that can shoot mech without batteries)
I'd personally take the emag.

[DevilMan]

Well, u could get an e-mag except u'll have to give up on efficiency (for a non tactical electro that can shoot mech without batteries)

I'm pretty sure that's what he was talking about... About "it'll change the sport" It happened years ago with AGD. Same as the HPA stuff that Tom worked out.

I know for sure that's what I was talking about.

I do think there are ways, and rather simple ones to make mags more efficient, but I've yet to try them out to see how well they work. I plan to when I get back to CA though.

We'll see.

DM

[snoopay700]

I'm pretty sure that's what he was talking about... About "it'll change the sport" It happened years ago with AGD. Same as the HPA stuff that Tom worked out.

I know for sure that's what I was talking about.

I do think there are ways, and rather simple ones to make mags more efficient, but I've yet to try them out to see how well they work. I plan to when I get back to CA though.

We'll see.

DM
Honestly efficiency never bothers me since the place i play at has all day air and it's self service.

[OPBN]

I would assume it's called the X7 Phenom since it's directly styled after the X7 and most of the upgrades are interchangeable excepting the magazines. I thought like the X7 that the valve etc came out the back of the marker similiar to the standard X7 and the A5. Also, I've held a standard X7 and if the Phenom is the same weight, it is really pretty light. Lighter than my 98 or A5 were. According to the specs the Phenom is actually lighter than the standard X7.

[CatoRockwell]

I'm pretty sure that's what he was talking about... About "it'll change the sport" It happened years ago with AGD. Same as the HPA stuff that Tom worked out.

I know for sure that's what I was talking about.

I do think there are ways, and rather simple ones to make mags more efficient, but I've yet to try them out to see how well they work. I plan to when I get back to CA though.

We'll see.

DM
Keep me in the loop on this.

[Watcher]

We have them where I work. They are pretty nice, fairly light, and easy to strip. You need to remove 4 pinds and the whole valve slides right out.

It works like an Automag in a way. There is an on/off pin assembly, but it somehow allows the marker to fire or hold air depending on position. There really is no sear holding the bolt back.

The trigger works a little "L" shaped bracket, or the solenoid trips it. That is how they got dual function.


I also hate the tac rails and all that. If they made an A-5 Phenom or even a 98 Phenom I'd probably pick one up.

[jolt00]

98 phenom ftw!!

[OPBN]

Would be interesting to see if anyone could come up with an aftermarket body kit that you could just take the Phenom internals from and put them into. Something maybe a little less tactical looking....

[Mayvik]

Engler is selling them now apparently...appears to be just a machined down Phenom body and is nice and blocky...but not covered in pointless rails or fake magazines.

[ProblemKinder]

Would be interesting to see if anyone could come up with an aftermarket body kit that you could just take the Phenom internals from and put them into. Something maybe a little less tactical looking....

http://www.mcarterbrown.com/forums/dead-zone/116125-engler-minimalist-phenom-3.html

[OPBN]

http://www.mcarterbrown.com/forums/dead-zone/116125-engler-minimalist-phenom-3.html
I saw that on the Tippmann forum. It's just a milled down stock Phenom. I am saying it would be interesting for someone to cast completely new clamshells.

[paint magnet]

Unfortunately the milled-down version got rid of the only useful rail on the entire gun (the bottom one)! The advantage to having a mil-spec rail there is that it allows you to buy a cheap, generic foregrip made for an AR-15 or other rail-bedecked rifle, instead of a paintball and marker-specific foregrip that costs 3x as much.

It seems like the market has also veered away from having the latest software, boards, and updates.

[ProblemKinder]

It seems like the market has also veered away from having the latest software, boards, and updates.

it's a tippmann. :rolleyes:

[esperto96]

I've got one and it shoots very nice. It is bulky but efficient. It's my one and only 100% milsim gun. For lighter and tighter, I'll shoot any one of my four automags (okay one of them is my wife's but she lets me use it sometimes). I see Tippmann selling a winner with this one, even if it is just a gussied up emag.

[bound for glory]

the way the goof was going on about not needing a battery :rofl: when did this jackass join the wonderful world of paintball? f**kin hick...

[paint magnet]

Yeah, a lot of people probably think Tippmann markers were the first with anti-chop bolts too.

Seems like the whole mil-sim thing has really taken off. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy playing scenarios every now and then...but the US Army branding, selling, and encouraging paintball playing because it relates to military training? That seems like something you'd hear about in communist China, not the US.

Apparently WDP even makes "tactical stocks" for the Angel now! Gone are the days of the sleek, sexy, well-engineered marker in favor of the dust-ano'd mass-produced gun with rails and fake mags. Despite this, more companies seem to be producing padded gear...chest protectors, padded jerseys, and the like. Is that allowed in tournament play now? Can I strap a pillow to my chest :rolleyes: ?

Are Tippmann-toting JROTC kids with camo and MOLLE gear the next generation of "AGG?"

At the field yesterday, I saw one guy with a '99 cocker. He and I were the only ones who had ever heard of his gun before (it broke, in true 'cocker fashion :D )

Also saw players picked for teams because they were wearing camo, not because of skill or equipment. Sorta weird. The guy with the Tac 8 pistol, 18" barrel, BB gun scope, ghillie suit, and 35 round hopper gets designated "sniper dude" and is picked first every time. The entire day, I never saw him actually shoot another player. In fact, whever I was near him, all he ever did was tell me to do something he didn't want to do out of fear of getting hit. I didn't bother trying to explain that his gun couldn't actually shoot any farther than anyone else's :rolleyes:

Ok, rant over :cheers:

[BlackOps]

Yeah, a lot of people probably think Tippmann markers were the first with anti-chop bolts too.

Seems like the whole mil-sim thing has really taken off. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy playing scenarios every now and then...but the US Army branding, selling, and encouraging paintball playing because it relates to military training? That seems like something you'd hear about in communist China, not the US.

Apparently WDP even makes "tactical stocks" for the Angel now! Gone are the days of the sleek, sexy, well-engineered marker in favor of the dust-ano'd mass-produced gun with rails and fake mags. Despite this, more companies seem to be producing padded gear...chest protectors, padded jerseys, and the like. Is that allowed in tournament play now? Can I strap a pillow to my chest :rolleyes: ?

Are Tippmann-toting JROTC kids with camo and MOLLE gear the next generation of "AGG?"

At the field yesterday, I saw one guy with a '99 cocker. He and I were the only ones who had ever heard of his gun before (it broke, in true 'cocker fashion :D )

Also saw players picked for teams because they were wearing camo, not because of skill or equipment. Sorta weird. The guy with the Tac 8 pistol, 18" barrel, BB gun scope, ghillie suit, and 35 round hopper gets designated "sniper dude" and is picked first every time. The entire day, I never saw him actually shoot another player. In fact, whever I was near him, all he ever did was tell me to do something he didn't want to do out of fear of getting hit. I didn't bother trying to explain that his gun couldn't actually shoot any farther than anyone else's :rolleyes:

Ok, rant over :cheers:

Paintball was born as woodsball. It was all about capture the flag and red paintballs were all the rage. Somewhere along the way, people started frowning on that, and the industry made a huge push to get away from the military aspect of it and tried to make it over and mainstream it. That's when we started calling paintball guns "paintball markers", started seeing "arena" aka speedball style play, bright colorful jersies and the like as they tried to gussy up war games for mass consumption and try to legitimize it as a sport.

In recent years the Milsim style of woodsball has really started taking off and now there are two thriving and very different sub-cultures of paintball. Its rather interesting really.

[MeÐiCX]

New 98s (called Platinum series) also have rails.