What is it about the Automag?

[cybrstar]

Hey there,

I've been owning my minimag for quite some time already (8 years to be exact). I was into paintballing before and stopped. Now about 6 year later I am deciding to get back into the sport. Looking at all of the modifications that can be done with this gun, is it really worth it (compared to Ego's, DM'z, shockers, Even Ions)? I know that I am gonna get flamed on this thread but I am prepared.

I mean I love my Minimag, and want to upgrade it but want to know, what is it really about the automag that makes people fall in love with them? They (probably in stock form) are air hogs, chopp balls, blah, blah. But in the other hand they are bulit proof, accurate and consistant.

Also is there anything that I can do to make it more air efficient?

Chop less balls (I am the original owner when I bought it 8 years ago should I be doing any type of maintance?) It seems to shoot okay, but ocationally get a ball chopped.

Thanks

[punkncat]

As to the chopping, put a level 10 (lvl X) bolt in and chops will be a thing of the past. It will cost some air efficency. There is really nothing to do to make them better on air and is IMO one of the weak points of the design.

There are a million and one asthetic mods you can do. Many of them will also lighten the marker. There are pnuematic trigger mods that will make it fire like an electro, also at the cost of more air. There are Eframe mods, E-pneu mods...heck more than you can shake a stick at.

Now as to the original question, you have to decide what YOU like. Does the Ion, Dye, whatever appeal to you more? Is it worthwhile to you to spend the time and money to make your mag into that different animal, or do you just want to buy it and take it out of the box? We really cannot answer that for you.

IMO the best thing about modding a mag is that it is one of the few markers that you can almost always get your money back out of. Unless you buy used this is not true of almost any other marker made.

Personally I have moved away from mags. I still have a deep respect for them, and their quality is unsurpassed. I just found other markers that I like better for the purpose I use them for.

Welcome back to the sport and I hope you enjoy it enough to stick around.

[Hilltop Customs]

what is it about the automag? a gun that was top of the line 15 years ago can have a few small parts added to it, and perform in the top levels today.....I'd say that is damn impressive!

as for is it worth it or not...cost wise, it will be about the same to upgrade the crap out of your mag(basically replace frame, body....might want an rt or x valve too) and pneu it as it will to buy a cheap electro.....so its basically up to your preferences, is ramping required? would you rather have 1 less 9 volt and set of electronics to worry about?

[xero28]

For me, it is the reliability of the gun. I had my 68Automag I bought in '96 boxed up in my garage for six years, some friends started playing ball last year and I pulled my gun out. I changed one o-ring in the on/off and was playing like I had just used it the week before. They are absolutely bullet proof, at least in my experience. After coming back to the sport after those 6 years, seeing all of the electros, I'm happy to have my mag when I see people with two and three other guns not playing because NONE of them are working. People are always saying, "Mags are heavy". I've got a MicroMag with an A.I.R. valve, I picked up a kids Ion, or Vibe (whatever it was), and I couldn't tell any noticeable difference in the weight.

Honestly when you look at the cost of newer, cheaper guns and the rates of fire you can get out of them, I'm really not one to say that mags are that much better than them. You can pick up a gun for $130-$150 that will shoot fast, probably won't chop balls, but will most likely last you a year or two before having to completely overhaul it or get a new one. But when you've got a $1300 ego or whatever, if you spend the same amount on a mag, you're going to have one SWEEEET Mag that will most likely give you much more playing time and much less fixing time. Plus, you toss on a ULT or a pneu setup, heck even just a plain old RT (those were, and I believe still are the kings or ROF), and you'll easily be able to keep up with the electros. Granted, this is just my .02, I've never owned, nor do I think I ever will own, a mid to high end electro, or a cheap elctro for that matter. So I can't really say that Mags are proven to be better, I just love mine and will never give it up.

As far as efficiency, I'm not sure that there is really much you can do to increase it. Just get a bigger tank. The Level 10 Superbolt has effectively eliminated chopping in Mags. It will eat at your air a bit more too, but it is a more than fair tradeoff when you never have another chop. I recently played with my brother, I with my Micro and level 10, him with a classic mag and level 7. He chopped EVERY SINGLE game, me, not once. It really does work and is without a doubt worth the money spent.

A simple cleaning and possibly replacing some of the o-rings and you should be good to go. Also, if you haven't yet, make sure you upgrade to HPA, CO2 can ruin your day with a mag. Tanks are so cheap now too, why would you spend $25-$30 on a CO2 tank when you can get an HPA tank for $10-$15 more?

Good luck, have fun.

/end of rant

[dark blade]

For me its the fact that they rarely break, they are highly innovative, still have some of the most unique technology available, are extremely easy to maintain, extremely customizable, highly accurate (quality always shoots straight), and the plain fact that they are just bad ***.



and then of course theres the fact that i love the look on peoples faces when i show up with a warp left qloaded e-tac with an inline maxflo... (95% of people never know what it is) and people learn to have respect for them just as i did. Until 4 months ago i had never held one, never seen one in person, never knew how easy they are to take apart, and never knew anything about them. Now i know more than a good chunk of people and have come to love them with a passion.

[stoffa15]

by far the best marker in the world

Remember "Quality always shoot straight". If not that,its the history lesson I give every time I bring out my warp left minimag.I love when kids say"what is that"? "Is that a good gun"???I reply my gun is probally older then you

I guess most Mag owners stay with there mag because its a security blanket. couple of drops of oil in the asa and lets play!!!!!!!!!! Theres also always something you want to do with your marker. a different grip,a diffrent mainbody,milling there frame. theres always something to do. Its an ongoing project. which makes it a ongoing love

[gommie404]

we only have to look around and see how many other markers are using the mag blow forward
design.
i would say the most copyed marker of all time.

But there is just something about holding a mag. you just know its right .
it cant be explained if i had to you would not under stand.

And yes i own a lot of other markers that are modern and cutting edge.

i just sold my xmag < gutted must have be a weak moment >
but your be happy to know that im replacing it with a emag.

Im the chap that makes all the custom side feed ions
and the very clever side feed < 90 degree like a warp >mini sp8s fitted with a 90 degree side feed halo.
and with all this choice i still would break out the Xmag.

you can feel the difference in mass production and made by hand.


LONG LIVE THE KING.
by the way im based in the uk and getting mag stuff here is very hard,

[BigTrucker]

The only two upgrades i would go for first is a level 10 bolt along with a new power feed plug. I picked up an older mag and put in a super bolt and the only problem i had was a feeding problem caused by an old style power feed plug. If you have the cash get a nice HPA tank and dump the CO2. Although i kinda like going out with a nicely modded Co2 mag and owning the kids with the $1300 guns that Dad bought them. (yea I'm jealous...so what!)

[drewkroeker]

Gommie404 summed it up quite nicely:

QUOTE:But there is just something about holding a mag. you just know its right .
it cant be explained if i had to you would not under stand.

I pick up any of my mags or anyone else's mag and I just know that I'm holding something accurate, consistent, just plain rock solid. Unless you really neglect a mag (never oil it, put mud in the feedneck, and just be plain stupid with it), it will perform. Just looking at it, you can tell its solidly built. At D-Day 08 I used an RT Pro that was at least 8 years old (upgraded with a lvl10) and might have had it's o-rings replaced once. There was rain, mud, dust, humidity, but the gun shot beautifully all week.

It says a lot that people are still buying AGD even though mags are "heavy" or "too high operating pressure" or "slow" Haha. Not to mention that your resale value will stay a lot closer to the price you paid than any Ego or Matrix that is top of the line this year but by next year is old news.

One caveat about the "too high operating pressure": I don't know what the mag's operating pressure is but I have heard that if you use brittle high-end tourney paint with too thin of a shell, you will get breaks in the chamber. I buy premium paint and have not had any problems yet.

[Wicked_Silence]

so its basically up to your preferences, is ramping required? would you rather have 1 less 9 volt and set of electronics to worry about?

I agree with hilltop on this one. As an old school player, I really dislike all the electronics out there these days. I long for the day when a new player will ask me about pump play. Yeah I said it, pump. Mags are bulletproof, once you get em up and running to your liking, you don't need to 'tweak it' anymore. Thats it, a few drops of oil in the ASA and your done. If you need to, mags are super easy to fix. They will take whatever abuse *I don't recommend abusing it, but it can* that you can toss at it. Plus there is the shock value from alot of the newer, younger players. Ya pull it out and they are all over it because they have never seen one. I love my classic RT and I think that it'll either be willed to my son, or buried with me when I die. I just ask that someone tosses a few drops of oil in the ASA to I can kick satan's butt for a few games when I get there.