luke
04-23-2002, 07:19 AM
How in the world do companies stay in business when they produce junk, and on top of that, why do we consumers continue to buy the stuff? I have seen people around AO "plug" after market products that are not worthy of being bolted to an AGD marker. Why do people overlook the problems they cause? There may be solutions to the problems, but, why should we as consumers put up with it? Don't get me wrong here because I have done it for years myself.
This weekend I saw 2 perfect examples of "after market" problems on 2 different Mags, that is what prompted me to write this. What makes the situation bad is that these two guys have no experience with Mags except when they have borrowed one of mine.
To begin with, the guns were used and not running properly when they bought them. The first gun, a AutoMag, was purchased in a shop in Phoenix and while he was there he decided to get a double trigger Benchmark 45 frame because he doesn't like the feel of the stock frame, which is understandable.
So he sets up the gun and brings it to my house the morning we were going out to play, we fill his tank and try to fire the gun, besides the leaks (bad reg. seat and pt. O ring installed wrong) the over-stroke of the Benchmark frame will not allow the trigger sear to catch the Bolt.
I mention he should have bought the Intelli instead of the benchy and of course he says "I don't want to run Intelli", I go into my spill about after market parts and AGD products and explain how the Intelli frame does not have to be set up to operate. He decides he can still use the 45 frame, "he just wont pull the trigger all the way." Of course he chops like mad and the gun operates poorly. I set up a temporary stop by taping some nuts behind the trigger on the grip, this helps, but the gun still does not function properly. After a few more games I talk him into putting the stock frame back on and of course this fixes it. He finished the day with no problems and no chops. (surprise, surprise)
The second gun belongs to his brother, he bought an AutoMag from a kid who had stopped playing paintball about 3 years ago, the gun had not been fired since the kid quit, so the gun needed a minor overhaul.
Prior to this weekend I gave him a thumb adjuster that had been floating around in my gear bag for about 4 years, I never did try it, so I didn't know there was a problem with it. He installed the adjuster after I gave it to him, aired up the gun and it wouldn't fire. The gun ends up at my house a few hours before game time yesterday. The first thing I do is pull the thumb adjuster out and inspect it. I saw right away that the problem was with the thumb adjuster. The manufacturer had cut the threads literally 3/4 of an inch too long.
I ground the off the extra threads to expose some of the spring pack then reinstall it. With the TA screwed all the way in, it just starts to air up the gun, but still does not let enough in to pressurize the valve assembly. After closer inspection I find that they also had drilled the hole too deep into the adjuster so that the regulator sets too far back in A.I.R. chamber. I pressed a shim into the bottom of the TA to move the spring pack forward in its chamber.
The valve now operates properly but has an air leak. I replace the Reg. Seat, and it's good to go! I went ahead and checked the rest of the gun over to see if there is anything else wrong. I find there is no barrel nubbin. (first day with his Mag and chop, chop!)
The Mag worked great the rest of the day and he didn't experience any chopping problems.
Case and point, AGD gets the bad reputation as a result of poor after market parts, and we continue to purchase the junk that helps keep these after market companies in business. They give us a half-*** product and we tinker with it to make it work. It's one thing for someone with experience to install an after-market product, but when some unsuspecting Mag-newbie does it's a different story.
You would assume manufacturers would have enough responsibility to check their product's to see if they even work before they put it on the market.
Sorry about the rant, but this kinda stuff ticks me off.
This weekend I saw 2 perfect examples of "after market" problems on 2 different Mags, that is what prompted me to write this. What makes the situation bad is that these two guys have no experience with Mags except when they have borrowed one of mine.
To begin with, the guns were used and not running properly when they bought them. The first gun, a AutoMag, was purchased in a shop in Phoenix and while he was there he decided to get a double trigger Benchmark 45 frame because he doesn't like the feel of the stock frame, which is understandable.
So he sets up the gun and brings it to my house the morning we were going out to play, we fill his tank and try to fire the gun, besides the leaks (bad reg. seat and pt. O ring installed wrong) the over-stroke of the Benchmark frame will not allow the trigger sear to catch the Bolt.
I mention he should have bought the Intelli instead of the benchy and of course he says "I don't want to run Intelli", I go into my spill about after market parts and AGD products and explain how the Intelli frame does not have to be set up to operate. He decides he can still use the 45 frame, "he just wont pull the trigger all the way." Of course he chops like mad and the gun operates poorly. I set up a temporary stop by taping some nuts behind the trigger on the grip, this helps, but the gun still does not function properly. After a few more games I talk him into putting the stock frame back on and of course this fixes it. He finished the day with no problems and no chops. (surprise, surprise)
The second gun belongs to his brother, he bought an AutoMag from a kid who had stopped playing paintball about 3 years ago, the gun had not been fired since the kid quit, so the gun needed a minor overhaul.
Prior to this weekend I gave him a thumb adjuster that had been floating around in my gear bag for about 4 years, I never did try it, so I didn't know there was a problem with it. He installed the adjuster after I gave it to him, aired up the gun and it wouldn't fire. The gun ends up at my house a few hours before game time yesterday. The first thing I do is pull the thumb adjuster out and inspect it. I saw right away that the problem was with the thumb adjuster. The manufacturer had cut the threads literally 3/4 of an inch too long.
I ground the off the extra threads to expose some of the spring pack then reinstall it. With the TA screwed all the way in, it just starts to air up the gun, but still does not let enough in to pressurize the valve assembly. After closer inspection I find that they also had drilled the hole too deep into the adjuster so that the regulator sets too far back in A.I.R. chamber. I pressed a shim into the bottom of the TA to move the spring pack forward in its chamber.
The valve now operates properly but has an air leak. I replace the Reg. Seat, and it's good to go! I went ahead and checked the rest of the gun over to see if there is anything else wrong. I find there is no barrel nubbin. (first day with his Mag and chop, chop!)
The Mag worked great the rest of the day and he didn't experience any chopping problems.
Case and point, AGD gets the bad reputation as a result of poor after market parts, and we continue to purchase the junk that helps keep these after market companies in business. They give us a half-*** product and we tinker with it to make it work. It's one thing for someone with experience to install an after-market product, but when some unsuspecting Mag-newbie does it's a different story.
You would assume manufacturers would have enough responsibility to check their product's to see if they even work before they put it on the market.
Sorry about the rant, but this kinda stuff ticks me off.