Efficiency Questions?

[HYPER]

Ive been searching these boards left and right to find ways to increase my efficiency. Much of the advice had left me to wonder if they actually work or are just plain myth.

1) First method I heard was to use the shortest spring in the level 10 kit. Many here use the shortest spring successfully without chops. I can definitely get away with it too since I use cheap paint which isnt as brittle as the tourney paints out there. What I dont understand is why would it improve efficiency? I mean no matter what spring, wont it still require the same volume to air to accelerate the ball to a specific field speed?

2) Second method I heard was to drop the input pressure of the tank. Having a more "matched" input pressure to the guns operating pressure is supposively suppose to give better efficiency. Again I ask why? After reading articles off the Palmer site, I can see how it will give better consistencies, but not efficiency. I have a preset tank, but can drop pressure by opening the reg up and removing some of the springs/shims in the pack. It'll probably drop the pressure from 850 down to maybe 700 which is suppose to be the recomended input for E-Mags. I dont really need the reactiveness. I plan on using pure electrnoic mode since the hybrid throws off my rythym some what.

This is not an official method, but a member claimed having great efficiency by tightening the carrier size on their level 10 setup. Once you find the one that seals, go one more size tigher. It has been recomended against this on the forum, but whats wrong with a guaranteed seal. Im thinking of seriously getting an automotive stethoscope and ramming it down the bolt to see if there is any form of leak in the power tube.

Maybe there is something wrong with my setup. Maybe not tight enough a carrier. Maybe too many shims. I set it up and the level 10 does its job right. Im guessing maybe theres a leak in the system that I cant hear.

Last time I played, my first fill was 2500 psi after cooling down. I only shot 2 pods and a hopper. Thats roughly (140 + 140 + 180) 460 rounds off my tank before it got dangerously low while my friend with a simple modded blowback was still shooting pod after pod while I was back at the air station.

There alot of answers I need now, I wont be able to do any testing until next weekend when I have some free time to play at the field.

Help me out fellahs.

-HYPER

[sneakyhacker420]

first of all, what tank are you using?

[ugabiged88]

If you are using a 48ci nitrogen tank, then 460 shots would be a little less than normal on a mag, but not horrible.

We really need to know what size of nitrogen tank you are using

[HYPER]

Originally posted by ugabiged88
If you are using a 48ci nitrogen tank, then 460 shots would be a little less than normal on a mag, but not horrible.

We really need to know what size of nitrogen tank you are using

sorry fellahs, when you come home late at night from work, everything isnt all there.

if its normal to get 460 from a 48ci, then I must be in trouble. I have a PMI 68/4500. The 460 shots came from a 2500 fill after fully cooling down.

I hope this helps.

-HYPER

[Zenwood]

To answer your first question, I think since the short spring puts less pressure on the bolt you can get your tank down to a lower pressure, and therefore get more shots before your gun stops firing since it needs less pressure to push the bolt forward. Your not really producing more efficient shots but just utilizing more of your tanks air. I beleive thats the reason though I could be wrong..

[Aliens-8-MyDad]

dude 460 shotts on a 68/45 is bad, check air fittings for leaks... also cheak tank fittngs/guage for leaks...

[sneakyhacker420]

the problem was that your tank was only filled half way to its full capacity

if you got a 4500 fill, you should see around 900 shots to 1000... but since you only has 2500 psi in it, you will see half of the shots that you normally would see out of it



everyone else, read it carefully, he is only getting 2500 fills on his 68/4500!!

[sneakyhacker420]

another thing is that the level 10 needs atleast 400psi input to keep cycling, unlike the level 7 which cycles down to around 175psi

[Da1spaz247]

I also have a LX in my ReTro minimag and I use a 68 3000. Normally I get at 1000 shots safely before it begins to drop off. I know I don't have a good tank cuz it's an old ACI w/ bulldog reg. It does get the job done though. Everytime I chrono each shot is within 5 fps. I am not sure what I owe this consistency and somewhat effeciency to. I run my input pressure at around 625 (Pure Energy foregrip/reg.) I use the biggest carrier that doesn't leak, two shims, and a cut-down middle sized main spring that won't shoot below 220 fps. I would think Hyper should get at least 1250 shots on a 68 4500. I run my tank until it gets down to 800 psi, and there is still no drop-off. My friend with a Dye Ultralight autococker gets about the same amount of shots per tank (and I thought cockers were so effecient) and he runs his gun at 300 psi.

All in all, I think mags aren't nearly as ineffecient as people say they are, they just have to be setup correctly.

Hyper, I would suggest you turn down your input to 625 or so, (since you have an emag and don't need the reactivity) and just make sure you graciously oil your gun before EVERY day of paintball. If you still don't see improved results, you must have leak somewhere. I would try spraying all air fittings with a windex bottle filled with water (carefull of the electronics!)