Lvl 10, ULT, and X-valve Problems

[athomas]

The level 7 leak will probably stop if you use a shorter powertube spacer.

Now that you got all the leaks topped and everthing is the correct size, lets figure out your antichop problems. You need to be by a chronograph. Start with the middle bolt spring and the velocity adjuster turned down. Gently turn up the velocity adjuster until the gun fires. Check the velocity over the chrono. Ideally this velocity should be about 20 fps below where you want your gun to normally be shooting (eg. If you want to shoot 280fps, then the gun should be able to shoot down to about 260fps before it doesn't shoot any more). If the velocity where the gun starts to shoot is down around 240 or 250, then go to the next longer bolt spring. It will bring the starting velocity up to a higher level. Maintaining this 20 fps buffer allows your gun to operate consistently and also to be gentle on paint because a 20fps difference means the bolt force on the ball is very gentle.

[nak81783]

I put a .215 spacer (smallest of the kit) in the powertube for the Lvl 7, and it still leaked terribly. Where can I get some shorter ones? I'll see if I can have some made up in the mean time.

Anyway, yeah I did all of what you suggested for the Lvl 10 last night. The short gold spring was rough on paint but fired at all desirable velocities. I then moved up to the middle red spring. This one started shooting at about 270 fps. Local field limit is 280. However, when I put paint in it, it bounced off of a FULLY CHAMBERED ball. I couldn't believe it. It must be on that fine line, and simply hitting the ball puts it in the no-fire zone. I didn't bother with the long silver spring. However, I did have a filed down silver spring in between the lengths of the gold and red ones. That gave the best results as listed in my previous post. I'm still not where I want to be though. I'll try filing my other long silver spring when I get time.

I just can't believe there's that much gap between the short gold and medium red springs. One is tough on paint but hits the velocities I want. The other is excellent on paint, but can't achieve the velocities I want.

Thanks,
Nathan

[athomas]

You are on the right path. If you have a cut middle spring that operates at too high a velocity, then cut a tiny bit more off. Keep doing this until you achieve the operation you want. Always put the cut edge of the spring towards the bolt.

[nak81783]

I used the Mag a little this weekend. It shot decent. I'll keep tinkering as time permits.

Somewhere in all of this testing/fixing/tinkering I lost my rail bushing. That probably explaines the Lvl 7 leak. The wall thickness of that bushing is probably somewhere around 0.030 or more, which is more than the gap in all the spacers I have (.215-.235). It would allow the bolt to sit that much further forward (or valve back farther, however you want to look at it) when the marker is pressurized, causing the leak. The rail bushing is being ordered tomorrow. I'll update when I can.

Thanks,
Nathan

[nak81783]

As assumed, the rail bushing fixed the Lvl 7 problem. I can now run the Lvl 7 without problems.

The Lvl 10 still isn't where I want it. I will use it this weekend to see how it shoots. Hopefully, I'll have some paint left over to tinker with it some more if it doesn't run up to par this coming weekend.

Thanks,
Nathan

[nak81783]

I used the Mag this weekend and put a case through it. I heard the Lvl 10 pinch/vent two or three times, and I didn't have any chops or breaks all day. I think I'm just gonna leave it alone until I start having problems again. Hopefully, that never happens.

Thanks for all of your help.

-Nathan