How good is the new stuff?

[jeffhtg]

I'm sure this is covered 10 times in this forum.. But I've already spent 45 min cruising around reading stuff and I figured I'd risk flaming for a new thread.

Started paintball 10+ years ago.. automag was my 3rd gun - and I loved it. Long since sold - I briefly re-entered paintball with some local guys and bought up another mag - level 9 classic with powerfeed, .45 grips, smart parts 12", some other barrel I dont like, and some sort of motorized viewloader.. I'm running Nitrogen (on a tank with a bad gauge imagine that). That gun sat in the closet un-used for a bit. Didn't play for about a year until today.

Had a blast - and now all the old timers want to play all the time. I held my own on the field - but the new electros definatley were difficult to deal with. I was kind of shocked that most of the guys on the field praised me for having a mag - so I guess they are still holding their own in the game (good!).

I have never shot a level 10. I see alot of people talking about spending 500$ upgrading guns. On the field I noticed I didn't have the range the other guys had! At first I thought my gun was terrible - but I think that was just the adjustment to shooting round 'bullets' (gun is clean, oiled, and shooting just about the same fps). I am out of practice on the trigger finger - but I never knew that lvl10 pushed the trigger out on you, think that might help my firing rate a bit.

So anyways just some input on whats worth a damn - Will I notice significant improvements in anything by blowing 250$ish on a new valve? Also whats with this new body stuff.. I thought the reason for powerfeed was to vent air away from your balldrop.. are the new units simply relying on lvl10 to not chop balls? I'm not concerned with weight - I've toted this sort of gun around with no problem. Also whats the deal with high pressure? Is it significantly better than nitrogen?

Thanks in advance
jeff

[warpspyder]

Level 10 is a fairly simple bolt upgrade
Level 10

A retro valve with level 10 would probably be all you needed. The retro has the reactive trigger you mentioned.

Can't help you w/ the powerfeed question. Mostly because I use a warpfeed and have remained ignorant of the applications of the powerfeed

HPA (high pressure air) is the same thing as nitrogen. Any inert gas can go in those tanks. Compressed air is just much easier to obtain (compressors).

Hopefully I helped a little. I'm sure someone much more knowing than myself will be through here shortly.

-edit-
I'm a child of the electro era, so the automag is a little before my time, so I probably assumed something that isn't true. But to the best of my knowledge this is all true

[Tao]

I'm sure this is covered 10 times in this forum.. But I've already spent 45 min cruising around reading stuff and I figured I'd risk flaming for a new thread.

Started paintball 10+ years ago.. automag was my 3rd gun - and I loved it. Long since sold - I briefly re-entered paintball with some local guys and bought up another mag - level 9 classic with powerfeed, .45 grips, smart parts 12", some other barrel I dont like, and some sort of motorized viewloader.. I'm running Nitrogen (on a tank with a bad gauge imagine that). That gun sat in the closet un-used for a bit. Didn't play for about a year until today.

Had a blast - and now all the old timers want to play all the time. I held my own on the field - but the new electros definatley were difficult to deal with. I was kind of shocked that most of the guys on the field praised me for having a mag - so I guess they are still holding their own in the game (good!).

I have never shot a level 10. I see alot of people talking about spending 500$ upgrading guns. On the field I noticed I didn't have the range the other guys had! At first I thought my gun was terrible - but I think that was just the adjustment to shooting round 'bullets' (gun is clean, oiled, and shooting just about the same fps). I am out of practice on the trigger finger - but I never knew that lvl10 pushed the trigger out on you, think that might help my firing rate a bit.

So anyways just some input on whats worth a damn - Will I notice significant improvements in anything by blowing 250$ish on a new valve? Also whats with this new body stuff.. I thought the reason for powerfeed was to vent air away from your balldrop.. are the new units simply relying on lvl10 to not chop balls? I'm not concerned with weight - I've toted this sort of gun around with no problem. Also whats the deal with high pressure? Is it significantly better than nitrogen?

Thanks in advance
jeff

Just to clarify..it is not the lvl 10 bolt that pushes the trigger back it is the RT (retro and X also) valves which do that. The x valve hower incorporates the lvl 10 anti chop bolt.

As far as the new bodies go they are for a lighter gun and for using AUto Cocker threaded barrels so you will have to get a new barrel to use these bodies. Stick with the good ol steel bodies :P

Anyway I usualy recomend not upgrading a classic mag because you will spend the same or LESS buying and rt pro custom which comes standard with an x valve ($355 plus upgrades, x valve $325). An x valve is a great performing upgrade and is overall the best. If it is the ONLY upgrade you are going to get from airgun then by all means send in your old valve for $100 credit and get one. Otherwise if you are going to get something else with it you may aswell just order an RT pro custom ($355) which has an x valve and probably the upgrade you are looking for (like a new body) on it anyway. If it doesn't have the other upgrade you can add it to the RT for cheaper than buying it seperately.

Anyway keep that gun it is pretty good. You might just be shooting a little slow velocity wise?
The only upgrade I would put on that gun is a revy or other agitating loader. If you want you can buy a level 10 kit ($80some) but this is mainly for the faster shooting guns like the RT or E mag.

High pressure air and nitrogen are the same thing. Sometimes you get your tanks filled with air sometimes with nitrogen but both do exactly the same thing. Co2 is the only different propellant.

Hope this helps!

[craltal]

bought up another mag - level 9 classic with powerfeed, .45 grips, smart parts 12", some other barrel I dont like, and some sort of motorized viewloader.. I'm running Nitrogen (on a tank with a bad gauge imagine that). That gun sat in the closet un-used for a bit. Didn't play for about a year until today.

So anyways just some input on whats worth a damn - Will I notice significant improvements in anything by blowing 250$ish on a new valve? Also whats with this new body stuff.. I thought the reason for powerfeed was to vent air away from your balldrop.. are the new units simply relying on lvl10 to not chop balls? I'm not concerned with weight - I've toted this sort of gun around with no problem. Also whats the deal with high pressure? Is it significantly better than nitrogen?

Thanks in advance
jeff

Welcome to AO, and back to the ranks of Mag users. A couple of things struck me, first off you have a level 7 bolt.

I'd suggest getting a replacement gauge for that tank first off.
As for the gun, you have many options of upgrades, valve, body, trigger frame.

Bodies:
Yours should be stainless steel and take the twist lock barrels. You could spring for an Aluminum body, advantages are reduced weight, cocker threading, center feed, color options, angel threaded feed necks, cocker threaded detents.

Disadvantages, cocker threading (if you don't already have cocker barrels), center or warp feed only feeds (if you like the power feed), can be expensive.

Trigger frame:
I'm guessing you have a single finger frame. Most players find that they can achieve higher rates of fire by utilizing a double trigger. Ignoring electronic frames, the best double trigger frames are AGD's Intelliframes (a 45 style frame), AGD's Y-grip, (RPG's Chimera (a vertical style frame), and Logic's Ultimate Mechanical Mag frame (a mix between the 2 styles). Each will set you back about $100- $125. I believe all will allow you to install the "Intellifeed" switching which will allow you to advance your agitated loader with each trigger pull.
To go electronic, you have either the Hyperframe, modifying a Spyder/ Dragun frame, or buying E-mag lowers. Let's ignore these options for now.

Valve:
You have a classic, level 7. Workhorse that doesn't mind CO2 or HPA (or nitro). Limited ROF (about 13 bps) and reactivity (really just a fast reset of the on/off and trigger pin). Stainless steel parts.

Options here fall into 2 categories based on a simple decision, do you want to be able to use CO2?

Yes:
you keep the Classic valve but can add a Level 10 and ULE trigger kit. A properly tuned Level 10 will stop ball chops by the bolt, in barrel breaks are still fair game. A ULE trigger kit will reduce the force needed to pull the trigger, but also requires tuning.

No:
You can splurge for the X-valve, or buy a used RT/ E-mag valve. They are essentially the same only difference being that the x-valve is an Aluminum body while the others are stainless. They only operate well and safely on HPA. The x-val.ve is capable of 32 BPS, but you don't want to see the set-up required for that one
A brand new x-valve comes with a Level 10 bolt and some used valves will too. You can use the ULE trigger kit on these as well. The reactivity of the trigger is directly related to the input pressure you give the valve. Most users don't really see any appreciable reactivity unless they have an adjustable output HPA tank and they turn up the pressure.
The only thing to be careful of if buying used is that the original RT style valve are not compatible with your gun, but the newer ones are. If it has a gas through banjo bolt, it's the old style.

Hope that helps show to you your options. Feel free to ask questions as I have just thrown a lot of information at you.

[PumpPlayer]

I also took a little break from the game (for school) and when I returned my 'mag felt like a dinosaur compared to all the fancy new gear out there.

My advice?
Wait on it.

You 'mag is just as good as anything else for recreational purposes as it is. Until you get a chance to explore the new gear and give it a try, I would recommend just sticking with what you have until you know exactly what you want. When you do go to buy, it's much more inexpensive to simply get it perfect the first time than to spend time, energy and $$$ 'upgrading'. I would recommend buying a new or good-condition used RT Pro 'mag or E-mag if you're considering beefing up and still staying with AGD products. Keep your classic as it is. It makes a great loaner for friends and it'll always be there if you need it or want to use it.

I still have my classic from years ago and it still fires like a champ.
Don't worry about rate of fire too much - you only need one hit to take the other player out.
Use what you have for a little while longer.

Again, I'd caution you to hold out until you know exactly what you want. Also again, you're better off buying an entirely new marker than upgrading what you have.

[jeffhtg]

To clarify I do have the doubletrigger (two finger) mag .45 grip.. wasnt there a mod where a trigger pull and release both fired a round?

what about this new mainbody ULE stuff.. thats a direct drop.. why is it better than powerfeed other than beeing lighter weight? Wasn't the whole concept behind powerfeed to reduce blowback from interfering with ball drop? I'm not concerned at all about weight. I have twist lock barrels now - so keeping the body seems the right choice.

Will a Xvalve really increase my rate of fire? I havent played with one yet.. so I have no idea what it will actually do for me on the field.

Yes I agree you only need 1 shot (or 2 or 3). I had plenty of fun playing yesterday - regardless of the 3 shot burst and full auto fire I took quite often. My 3 shot burst is just a little slower

it seems to me the electronic guns are just not as reliable as the mag classics. Many people on the field even said so. How are the Emags compared to their mechanical counterparts?

So if im running nitro its considered HPA.. do i need some sort of additional equipment for that.. I have a bottle to the regulator. There is no pressure valve that im aware of.

[Dayspring]

It wasn't a mod, it was a separate grip frame that isn't made any more.

1) ULE body is ALMOST a direct drop. Have to remove the twist lock pin. And with the advent of force fed loaders, blowback isn't that big an issue.

2) Yes. Xvalve WILL increase rate of fire.

3) Nitro = HPA = N2. Just plug the bottle in (so long as it's a screw in and high pressure [800+psi] output.)

To clarify I do have the doubletrigger (two finger) mag .45 grip.. wasnt there a mod where a trigger pull and release both fired a round?

what about this new mainbody ULE stuff.. thats a direct drop.. why is it better than powerfeed other than beeing lighter weight? Wasn't the whole concept behind powerfeed to reduce blowback from interfering with ball drop? I'm not concerned at all about weight. I have twist lock barrels now - so keeping the body seems the right choice.

Will a Xvalve really increase my rate of fire? I havent played with one yet.. so I have no idea what it will actually do for me on the field.

Yes I agree you only need 1 shot (or 2 or 3). I had plenty of fun playing yesterday - regardless of the 3 shot burst and full auto fire I took quite often. My 3 shot burst is just a little slower

it seems to me the electronic guns are just not as reliable as the mag classics. Many people on the field even said so. How are the Emags compared to their mechanical counterparts?

So if im running nitro its considered HPA.. do i need some sort of additional equipment for that.. I have a bottle to the regulator. There is no pressure valve that im aware of.

[shades]

I personally own five Mags (Two emags, a Mini, a RT and a RT Pro). You might as well save time and money and just Buy a RT Pro. a Level 10 bolt $50, and a ULT $50. you could behalf way to a NEW RT Pro.

I was in the same boat, I wanted to upgrade my RT to a X Valve but by the time I would have bought the valve, body, grip I was well over the price of a New RT Pro. So... I kept the
RT and put a blade double trigger grip on it and WOW did that make a difference, AND bought a NEW RT with X valve. Now, I seriously have a problem...... which Sweet gun to play with.

You won't believe the difference between your 68 Automag and a new RT Pro.

EMags Are RT Pros With electronic trigger frame the pulls the trigger with the mearest subtle
touch or Breath in some cases.
I LOVE MY EMAG AND WILL NEVER SELL IT! I have Emag Valve #00127(an antique, MY Precious...golum...golum) and it still ripps. Mine shoots So fast I have check my hopper after a short burst. especially when you are running with a Warp Feed. I'm no 20 BPS (Balls Per Second) guy, but at 11 bps you can Rip through the paint . Plus in run my hopper AND my Warp off my gun battery. Emags are dependable, fast, sexy and in a pinch if your electonics go down You flick it to Manual Mode an still rip with the speed of and RT PRO.
OH I get excited just thinking about it. A Ton Of FUn.
for more info Message me.