Stock Class Feed, Stick Feed, Spring Feed, Sydarm, or 50 Round Hopper?

[ghost flanker]

Nobody,

I get what you're saying, and you're not wrong, but I really am interested in what other people prefer for themselves, particularly those who play with limited paint, and also which of the above gets the most style points. This thread was only meant to be a fun thing...and hopefully it generates more ideas I hadn't even thought of (like Jackal's suggestion for a 30 rd hopper).

And, of course, I realize I'm not obligated to go with what the group suggests. Ultimately, I may decide against the configuration that gets the most votes. The spirit of this thread is more of a conversation starter than a formal election.

[BLachance75]

Springfeeds can be a pain to load. I had a custom build brass gun with a springfeed and most of the time I would just lock the spring back and play with it as a rock and cock.

[going_home]

Limited paint.

I usually try to limit myself to two cases a day, its hard, but it can be done.

[Nobody]

Ok, you want my opinion here it is.

Small or limited hopper is by far the easiest and best way to go. You do not need to relearn loading, get specialized packs or tubes(though 50rnd pods do have an advantage) nor do you have a drastic equipment change going from limited to unlimited paint, i.e. change the hopper and pods and you can sling paint.

If you wish to go full stock class then so be it. I do see stock class as a discipline that you have to learn, not only on how you play but how you react. You can not shoot your way into a position like you could do with a semi, and like loading/reloading, you have to teach yourself how to do it under fire like you do with regular play. Going back and forth from stock class to unlimited is more trouble than you think. Just like learning to shoot off-hand, you must dedicate yourself to that.

Now a friend that actually builds brass guns, chplnstn on MCB does bring over some guns for me to see and help with paint, parts or air. And i see, because he has played so long with a stock class gun, that spring feeds and rock & cock guns that feeding a gun for him is quite easy. That is the discipline that stock class demands.

Now with that, its far easier to use a spring feed and lock it or dump it if its just doesn't work but there are advantages to it, just like a regular force feed hopper (the paint stack is under tension). Any of the stock class paint delivery systems all have advantages and disadvantages with them. A cram and jam means you might loose caps or if its not in the breech a whole tube. Loosing caps is moot, if you have a capless harness.

I can go through the exponets of every system for it and lay it all for you, but it still ends up being what direction you wish to go and what you are still comfortable with and in the end how much you are willing to pay for it to immerse yourself into the subculture of stock class/limited paint.

On that note, i do love hopper ball. It won't matter how fast the gun is, as a hopper is all that you have. Sure, you can RT, but how long is that last. Limited paint does force you, not how to completely change your style, but to realize what is good paint wasting qnd bad. It also teaches you the importance of actual skills like snap shooting as you don't have a case of paint to fall back on.

[Spider-TW]

I think a side effect of playing limited paint is that you are a lot easier on your marker. You learn to make smooth and precise motions for loading and pumping/cocking, or at least take the time to plan your shots. Some people will beat the snot out of a pump, knocking the pump to its limits back and forth and holding the trigger down on an auto trigger so hard that it rounds off the cam. When my son first started with his pump mag, I had to keep taking the burrs off of the tip of the stainless rod. That went away completely after a while. I know some of my wood handles wouldn't survive that kind of play.

I have to say that I don't understand the attraction of the full time autotrigger pump style in the first place (and the volume of paint that goes with it).

[Nobody]

I think a side effect of playing limited paint is that you are a lot easier on your marker. You learn to make smooth and precise motions for loading and pumping/cocking, or at least take the time to plan your shots. Some people will beat the snot out of a pump, knocking the pump to its limits back and forth and holding the trigger down on an auto trigger so hard that it rounds off the cam. When my son first started with his pump mag, I had to keep taking the burrs off of the tip of the stainless rod. That went away completely after a while. I know some of my wood handles wouldn't survive that kind of play.

I have to say that I don't understand the attraction of the full time autotrigger pump style in the first place (and the volume of paint that goes with it).

It is the belief that pumps are "better", yet the people who rely on the autotrigger would be better of with even a mechanical gun. In one word, hypocrisy.

[keiko_819]

It is the belief that pumps are "better", yet the people who rely on the autotrigger would be better of with even a mechanical gun. In one word, hypocrisy.

pumps are better, just because you have auto trigger doesn't mean you have to use it...if you wear a pod pack do you have to use the extra paint you carry?

[Nobody]

pumps are better, just because you have auto trigger doesn't mean you have to use it...if you wear a pod pack do you have to use the extra paint you carry?

For me, sometimes, but that was more in reference to those people who pop out and hammer on the autotrigger like a semi, who have 4 or 5 pods, i.e. people that are playing like its abmech but with the snobbery of having a pump, like they are better than you.

On a speedball/airball field, you walk into the game with a pump, i will laugh but pay attention to you. The 2nd game, if you can play, you have my respect. That is way different than the idea of a pump or pump play.

[Spider-TW]

pumps are better, just because you have auto trigger doesn't mean you have to use it...if you wear a pod pack do you have to use the extra paint you carry?

Yes, it's not the pump or even the autotrigger I was referring to, but the pure habit of always holding down the trigger and pumping to shoot. I don't mind playing with that bunch; I just don't see the attraction from the cost, accuracy, or rate/volume of fire aspects. I would have a CCM pump if I ever played that way.