Macro vs Stainless

[Mindflux]

I know this topic comes up (or came up a lot in the past).. but I'm looking for advice:

I'm getting ready to put the air fittings on a ULE Mag I picked up on AO and can't decide between stainless and Macro.

Aesthetically I think Macro looks better, and is for the most part much simpler fitting wise.

However, macro seems to have leak issues from time to time and occasionally a blow out.

My biggest issue with macro is since I plan to run a Flatline regulator on one of my mags and AGD didn't design a way to vent these (WHY?) I need a way to de-pressurize the X-Valve if I should need to work on it. With a stainless setup I can pop a QD after shooting MOST of the air out of the system.

The problems with stainless are simply cost and aesthetics....

Right now my older ULE mag has a screw in tank with stainless hose and a slide check. The slide check is simply there so I can remove all but an elbow and the slide check male barb from the X-Valve if I need to work on it and I love that I don't have a foot of line dangling off my valve if I need to tune my ULT/LX. (not that it happens often, but it's still nice not to deal with the line hanging there)

What do you guys prefer and why? How can I overcome the quick disconnect shortcoming with Macro? I know I can do it with some extra fittings and whatnot, but the added cost of that kind of sucks too. (Yes, yes I know you can just remove the macroline from an unpressurized fitting, but that's asking for leaks in the future)

[slider30250]

Honestly, I've never had a leak from a macroline that was seated properly in the fitting and macroline is easier to run. I'm not familiar with the flatline reg setup, I would think that any issues with degassing are going to be the same whether you use stainless line and fittings or macroline if you have to shoot all the air out of the system to work on it anyway.

[Sneaky Sir]

I'd have to agree with Slider about the Macro. If the line is seated correctly, and the fittings aren't worn out to where there is slack or slip in them, I've never really had problems.

With your Flatline setup, what output are you running? The only issue I've ever ran into with Macro is that in my own stupidity, I tried running my 1300psi output Max-flow, and of course, I blew the macro fitting up like a small bomb since they are only rated for like 900psi. So that would be my one concern with macro is that your pressure output be within the safe ranges for the fittings. I've never actually blow the line itself, only the fittings.

But SS is nice too, but it all depends with the setup. I ran a tight SS line setup on my Ripper Mag and ran into the problem where I could vent the system properly. My fix was using a QD right before the valve, and also one right before my ASA went into the Vert. Grip. But trying to degass even a small bit of pressure in the line with QD's is almost impossible without damaging the fitting from the sudden degasses that it does. The way I got around that problem was just by using a CP ASA with the venting feature once you screw the knob to the off position.

[OPBN]

I use macroline fittings on all of my markers and have never had an issue even on the ones where I am using higher pressure (1100pxsi). I also use on/offs on all of my markers except for one that I have rigged up with a slide check and macro line so that I could utilize the splashed asa that came with the set. One thing I dislike about SS lines is the lack of swivel ability that the macro fittings have. I have tried swivel fittings before with SS and the fittings all blew out.

[factoid]

I believe you'll find a number of people on here that use macroline fittings and run at high input pressures of 1200+

The fittings are supposed to have a burst rating of 1500 PSI. They only rate OPERATING pressure to around 900PSI though.

The benefit of a SS setup would be that you could more easily install a slide-check onto your flatline. That will let you at least cut off tank pressure to one side of the fitting and then pull the trigger to degass the marker. The flatline is an OLD design...and it hasn't aged nearly as well as most of AGD's other tech.

Personally I'm all about macroline especially on a lightweight setup. I would probably just ditch the flatline and go with a ninja or some other adjustable output tank that uses standard ASA threads.

My personal favorite ASAs are from Custom Products and Planet Eclipse. For mags I like the eclipse OOPS ASAs. Nice venting on/off and you can set the macroline elbow to left or right (or both if you want to double-attach a classic RT)

For guns that have foregrip regs I like the CP ASAs because the macroline comes straight out the front instead of from the side.

[Mindflux]

Honestly, I've never had a leak from a macroline that was seated properly in the fitting and macroline is easier to run. I'm not familiar with the flatline reg setup, I would think that any issues with degassing are going to be the same whether you use stainless line and fittings or macroline if you have to shoot all the air out of the system to work on it anyway.

I've found with the Flatline (or other regs that have no way to purge) that 'shooting' the air out only does so good. Since it still leaves 300-400PSI in the X-Valve itself, it makes pulling the valve out a little worrrysome since the on/off can be poking out.

[Mindflux]

I'd have to agree with Slider about the Macro. If the line is seated correctly, and the fittings aren't worn out to where there is slack or slip in them, I've never really had problems.

With your Flatline setup, what output are you running? The only issue I've ever ran into with Macro is that in my own stupidity, I tried running my 1300psi output Max-flow, and of course, I blew the macro fitting up like a small bomb since they are only rated for like 900psi. So that would be my one concern with macro is that your pressure output be within the safe ranges for the fittings. I've never actually blow the line itself, only the fittings.

But SS is nice too, but it all depends with the setup. I ran a tight SS line setup on my Ripper Mag and ran into the problem where I could vent the system properly. My fix was using a QD right before the valve, and also one right before my ASA went into the Vert. Grip. But trying to degass even a small bit of pressure in the line with QD's is almost impossible without damaging the fitting from the sudden degasses that it does. The way I got around that problem was just by using a CP ASA with the venting feature once you screw the knob to the off position.

Well Tuna recommended stainless if I went above 900 PSI, but I have no set output in mind yet since I'm not sure what line I'll be running.

I've also considered the newer CP ASA's too (for my other mag) since the old CP ASA I have does not vent when you turn it off and it also has a lot of pressure behind the knob when turning it on. (It gets tough to open the bottle all the way once you open that pin up)

But that doesn't really solve my Flatline issue..

[Mindflux]

My personal favorite ASAs are from Custom Products and Planet Eclipse. For mags I like the eclipse OOPS ASAs. Nice venting on/off and you can set the macroline elbow to left or right (or both if you want to double-attach a classic RT)

For guns that have foregrip regs I like the CP ASAs because the macroline comes straight out the front instead of from the side.

Eyeing the CP Mini Direct mount ASA for my other mag and the line can come out of either the left or right side (my preferred setup)..

Maybe I should ditch the flatline, but I can't help but love them. They're great regs, the just need a way to vent. I can't believe TK didn't consider that.

[factoid]

Eyeing the CP Mini Direct mount ASA for my other mag and the line can come out of either the left or right side (my preferred setup)..

Maybe I should ditch the flatline, but I can't help but love them. They're great regs, the just need a way to vent. I can't believe TK didn't consider that.

Well the two best things about the flatline are the user-serviceable reg and the adjustable output. You find neither of those two things on most new tanks. But on the flip-side they all use standard ASA screws and are usually much more compact.

[Mindflux]

Well the two best things about the flatline are the user-serviceable reg and the adjustable output. You find neither of those two things on most new tanks. But on the flip-side they all use standard ASA screws and are usually much more compact.

The best thing about the flatline was (at the time they were new) was virtually no shootdown compared to screw in regs.

One thing I don't understand is why the 4500 PSI flatline chewed up those reg seats, but Ninja can make something that adjusts up to 1200PSI and doesn't see the same problems. I wish TK was still active around here and could provide insight as to why those reg seats failed so frequently even after they got the harder durometer part from Europe.

[factoid]

The best thing about the flatline was (at the time they were new) was virtually no shootdown compared to screw in regs.

One thing I don't understand is why the 4500 PSI flatline chewed up those reg seats, but Ninja can make something that adjusts up to 1200PSI and doesn't see the same problems. I wish TK was still active around here and could provide insight as to why those reg seats failed so frequently even after they got the harder durometer part from Europe.

To be fair, the ninja 1200 PSI system is not the same as their standard reg. It's got different internals (not sure exactly WHAT is different, but I'm guessing it's the piston spring) It can't be adjusted as widely as the standard ninja tank which will go reliably from something like 450psi to 950 PSI.

I'm pretty sure the 1200PSI model is only minimally adjustable for about a 100PSI range. That was the tradeoff for getting such high pressure.

[PAINTHEY]

Apocalypse and raptor tanks where the same way. We just added a T and little ball valve to bleed the presser. I think palmer still sells them on his site.

[Mindflux]

Ugh. I just wish ASA's weren't 1/4 of the price of a darn Tank/Reg and I'd be on my way.

[Newt]

Would anyone be interested in a compact 1/8" NPT fitting specifically for degassing a system? I haven't figured out how to make one in-line, but I have a design for and ability to produce one that would be mounted on a T fitting. Just testing waters...