Viking Question

[Papa_Smurf]

I'm looking at spreading some interest into another brand of marker besides AGD. I have heard from a few people that the viking may be my gateway gun.

What do you guys have to say about them?

I'm sort of confused about how many kinds of vikings there are, I see all kinds of milling out there are just don't know what's what. Tell me a little about the different kinds of milling.

Last question, what is the difference from year to year in the models?

[DvS21]

I'd like to know some information on the internals and the operation of Viking (03) the AKA owners group is having trouble with their forum, and people joining (tech stuff).

[skyguy]

Definitely, Vikings have been the only gun for me that are easier to maintain than mags. They are definitely the most efficient guns I've ever shot and are just ridiculously fast (I've got M5 board in right now) and with a robtown balanced valve in it there is almost no discernable kick. The 04 is nice because it's a little shorter/lighter, but honestly I'll probably never mill mine because the big brick with indestructable anno is kinda nice.

As far as different years, the significant differences are the 02s mainly don't have eyes and have wire ball detents. The 03s could have eyes but still had the wire detents. The 04 bodies were shorter (body doesn't hang out past the end of the grip frame) and they had eyes and ball detents, and they will generally have the scm and mitey max sticking out the front of each tube.

From the factory you could get half milling and full milling, which were just grooves cut in the sides. Other common milling was pbx, jmj smooth-mill or swirl featherlights, crusader, immortal, highlander, streamlines, and bonebrake. Then DC still does dc-milling or fsp and turantula does some different milling options too.

edit: here, check out this link

[DvS21]

now the 03, how hard is it to upgrade to the SCM III and the Mighty Max? and what do they both do?

[craltal]

now the 03, how hard is it to upgrade to the SCM III and the Mighty Max? and what do they both do?

SCM is the lpr and mitey max is a volume chamber. Installing either yourself should be rather straight forward. As far as I can tell if you already have an SCM, you 'd just remove the innards from it and replace with the SCM 3 innards. As for the mitey max, unscrew the plug on the chamber and replace it with the mitey max.

As for you initial question, the viking uses one solenoid and fires from an open bolt as opposed to the excal which uses two and fires from a closed bolt.

[DvS21]

http://www.automags.org/forums/showthread.php?t=224189

that's the vik I'm getting, I know she doesn't work but I really want a fixer upper, so what's it matter. anywho what can you recommend for necessary upgrades?

[Pacifist_Farmer]

I picked up a vike a year ago, I haven't touched another gun since.

As I understand it:

2 types of vikings 03 and 04, 04 is shorter different switch placement,

the 03 viking doesn't need the scm and mitey max improvements due to extra volume in the body, or so I've been told.

Any other differences are just cosmetic or weight milling.

I can shoot multiple days on the same 4500 psi tank, without filing up.

The only issue I have ever had is a roll-back issue, the ball rolls towards the back of the marker, this is solved through a simple mod.

Pick one up ASAP you wont regret it.

[craltal]

http://www.automags.org/forums/showthread.php?t=224189

that's the vik I'm getting, I know she doesn't work but I really want a fixer upper, so what's it matter. anywho what can you recommend for necessary upgrades?

Well, I'd suggest getting in touch with Destructive Customs if you want someone to fix it for you since the problems might run deeper than just a board or solenoid (there's only one in a Viking, btw) and they can do an overhaul on it to make sure it's purring the way it should be. (they also offer milling, if you are so inclined.)
If you want to try to fix it yourself, I'd try the board first since they are easier to come by and a bit cheaper than a new solenoid. You can either try to find a used one or new one (Pandora or WAS) from here :

http://www.dbnpaintball.com/electronics.htm

Personally I'd put a clamping feedneck on there and possibly a new trigger. If you can get a robtown valve, they are supposed to take just about all of the kick out of the gun (not that there is much to begin with) (I'm having one put in my Excal by DC right now (as well as some weight reduction milling and a general tune-up.)

[Chaos_Theory!]

I highly suggest you go to the AKA section on PBN, theres tons of info there. AKA are by far some of the best markers out there.

If your looking for a diff marker you may also want to consider MacDev as well.

[DvS21]

I'm in the AKA section at PBN, it's not that great..... I've gotten more help here. I think I'm gonna send it out to DC, for the Rmod, which may right the board problems, and while it's there have him put an SCM3 on it (cause I really like the look) maybe a volumizer, and a tune up.

[Chaos_Theory!]

I'm in the AKA section at PBN, it's not that great..... I've gotten more help here. I think I'm gonna send it out to DC, for the Rmod, which may right the board problems, and while it's there have him put an SCM3 on it (cause I really like the look) maybe a volumizer, and a tune up.

The AKA forum on PBN is one of the best on the site. If you cant get help or info there your either slow or people dont like you for some reason.

[going_home]

The AKA forum on PBN is one of the best on the site. If you cant get help or info there your either slow or people dont like you for some reason.

I would call or email Jared at Destructive Customs .
He can probably diagnose your problem over the phone/email .
mail: [email protected]
phone: 413-883-4328

I'm looking at spreading some interest into another brand of marker besides AGD. I have heard from a few people that the viking may be my gateway gun.
What do you guys have to say about them?
I'm sort of confused about how many kinds of vikings there are, I see all kinds of milling out there are just don't know what's what. Tell me a little about the different kinds of milling.
Last question, what is the difference from year to year in the models?

I have an 03 unmilled Viking. It doesnt look like much but I really like it.
You will find a lot of the die hard maggers also have an AKA marker in their lineup.
They are to electro's what AGD is to mechs. The best.

I have tried several AKA markers, and settled on my old beat up (but maximum upgraded)
03 Viking. I didnt care for the Excal at all to be honest.

Papa just pick up an older one and use it before you go dumping large cash into one.
You can get a nice 03 or 04 for 350.00 or 400.00 on Ebay, none on there right now but just
keep searching in paintball for "AKA" and "Viking" .

People get them and send them off for milling and re-anodizing and end up with 1200.00
into a marker they cant get 850.00 for.
I mean they look real snazzy and all if you are into that.

Upgrades to look for (or to get from DC) :
SCM III (soda can mod) which is an upgraded LPR:

http://www.akalmp.com/regulators.html

Mitey Max (volumizer)
Upgraded board (got a Tadao in mine)
Upgraded solenoid (I believe the Humphrey noid is the latest greatest)
Upgraded trigger (I really like the Nurvious trigger on mine, similar to a Tunablade):

http://www.destructivecustoms.com/gallery/index.php?id=50

Robtown valve mod (cuts noise and kick in half)

http://destructivecustoms.com/home/robtown-valves

Short answer is if you get a Viking you will love it.
Probably the most air efficient marker made.



EDIT: I forgot to mention, get one with eyes ! Lots of blind ones show up on Ebay.

[Robbie]

I used to only shoot mags.....untill I tried a viking and that was it.
With the robtown valve there is no kick to it.
I own dms, cyborg, and an sl66 and when i play i always use my Highlander Vike.
It is true you can pick up an 04 for pretty cheap... I would shoot it for a while see if it is for you and if it suits you I would think about milling it picking out your own anno pattern and make it for you.
It wont seel for what you put into it but niether did my xmag emag dm5 or any other marker i put time and money into.
there are only a few factory millings.
AKA site has pics of the milling.
04
I thing is ...
highlander
featherlite
featherlight swirl
immortal
roll out
DC
Bonebreak
I belive that was it for 04
and there were very few made of each
I cant say for sure but i think 25 or less.
If someone know the exact i would love to know.
Just to judge how rare each one is.

[jenarelJAM]

I was in a similar boat as you. Thought I'd look into vikings, and after lusting for one for 6-10 months, finally decided to pony up and buy one. I went with an unmilled '04 with most of the upgrades already in it, with a barrel kit. Ended up selling the kit, but I couldn't be happier with the marker.

I've used plenty of other markers, borrowed from teammates and tested through the years. Mags are by far my favorite mechs, and the viking is by far my favorite electro.

Also, this may be considered blashpemous on this thread, but my viking is more reliable than my emag ever was. My emag was not a problem marker, but I can count on my viking never going down, in game or in the staging area. It just works. Tons of shots, very very fast (and I like how it feels), and I can pull it out of my gearbag after it's been sitting there for months, air it up, and it's chrono'd at 265, right where I left it when I put it away last time.

I use my pump just as often, but when I need to play competitively, I know I can count on my viking to keep up.

(Also, the fact that an '04 is still as good as anything else out there imo kinda says something...)

[LoonWulf]

Another note, if you DO end up getting a blind viking there are NO MORE NEW 02-03 eye covers. Jared over at DC does some great stuff modding the 04 covers to the 03, but it IS something to consider.

another thing to consider, is weight reduction via DC milling. It WILL cost you, or you can wait for a normal DC viking or FSP viking to come up. My FSP'd 03 weighs a full pound less then my stock 2k2 full milled did. Its a bit liter then my 04 highlander.


Mechanical upgrades wise there isnt anything you realy NEED, the SCM and MiteMax dont realy do very much for vikings or excals, besides look cool. The Robtown valve from DC is the only upgrade id say REALY makes a differance. research it see if its for you.

An upgraded board might deffinatly be called for, you will also NEED one to run the new Humpy solenoids.
The Pandora board from Vapor works is a good board choice and cheapest
Used WAS can be had pretty cheap also (less then a new pandora)
The Tadao is the newest board for Vikes/Excals and is also the most expensive at 120 new

Humphery solenoid upgrade is worth the upgrade cost, it takes new milling on guns older the the newest 03s to install. but it cuts your dwell by almost 1/2.

As for the milling info, as far as i know there were only 25 highlanders made from the 04 run and 25 from the 03 run. Those numbers could be bad, i just had that from a friend.

the other guns im honestly unsure about.

there are alot more DCs then anything else tho, since Jareds still turning them out.