AKA Viking

[kopfjaeger]

Are they really as good as everyone says? Anyone have any bad experience with Vikings. I may get one if they are as rugged and reliable as everyone says.

[Steelrat]

Yes, they are as good as everyone says. I have owned 3 of them, and 2 of their big brothers, the Excalibur. The only problem I have had with them has been with the detents on the 04 vikings. They initially have had some issues, which may have been resolved with some modifications supplied by AKA.

I'll run down the advantages and disadvantages of vikings:

Advantages:
-As fast as anything out there
-Hyper efficient
-Durable
-Reliable (AKA guns have been the only ones I have owned where I truly never worried about it working)
-Great break-beam eyes available
-04 vikings are light and compact, and 03s really aint that bad at all
-lifetime warranty (for original owners, and most used ones come with a blank warranty card, meaning you get to pose as the original owner )
-Great forum on PBN where AKA master techs post
-No upgrades needed, or even available

Disadvantages
-Not common, meaning you need to search for a tech, unlike other popular guns, which any store can tech
-Problems with the 04 detents causing chopping
-Problem with FSDO, resolved by AKA, but with some controversy
-some might say the stock ones are ugly

If you have any specific questions, feel free to PM me.

[mirthvader]

I have to agree with Steelrat. I have had Vikings and Excaliburs and shoot a Viking now. Nothing faster and nothing more maintenance free. Great eye setup and a great forum on pbnation for problems. FSDO on some markers is easily fixed. Really the only gun I don't worry about having to mess around with to make it work. And super efficient.

[Crazy]

don't get me started...

[Steelrat]

Yes please, don't even get started. Keep your negativity elsewhere.

[GT]

dOOD vikings suck....

[Steelrat]

LOL, that'd be more believable if I didn't see this in your sig:

[kopfjaeger]

Do you think AKA will be able to continue its existence without selling Vikings/Excaliburs? Thanks for all of the info. Also, are these markers very user serviceable. I've heard that there are only a few viking techs around. Are they fairly easy to learn and replace parts, seals etc. Also, what exactly is FSDO.

[No sKiLLz]

Do you think AKA will be able to continue its existence without selling Vikings/Excaliburs? Thanks for all of the info. Also, are these markers very user serviceable. I've heard that there are only a few viking techs around. Are they fairly easy to learn and replace parts, seals etc. Also, what exactly is FSDO.

FSDO=First Shot Drop Off. There are two causes; mehcanical and electrical. The Viking had problems with the latter, and not by their own fault. It was the WAS board in it. Problem being AKA voided the warranty if the board was modified by WAS to prevent FSDO which was kind of silly on their part.

User serviceable; sure. A couple of drops of oil every so often in the ASA will keep it running in good shape, but if by user serviceable you mean being able to take it apart and fix more complicated problems, than not to most, but if you are comfortable enough to dissasemble/reasemble an Angel, you could probably handle a Viking. Experience short of that caliber, you're in trouble. Those who are about to argue, think average paintballer.

[paint magnet]

I love mine...it shoots much better than any of my previous guns, including an Emag, CNC LCD Angel, and an Ebladed cocker.

Never had any problems with it, it shoots darts and it shoots them fast. I have a blind Viking (no chopping problems) and a Nelson board and the old MAC 'noid, and it still easily outruns a Halo B. It's a little heavier than it's counterparts (well, mine is since it's unmilled) but the anodizing is great and the gun is built like a tank. I've never had any problems with FSDO, or any drop off as a matter of fact. Very consistant, very fast, very quiet, great tech support, and very efficient. Think about it, the Sidewinder is one of the best regs ever, the Tornado valve is one of the best valves, the Lightning bolt...it just makes sense. And of course, it's made in the U.S.A.

Get one while you can still find them. I can't think of anything in the price range that I'd rather have, and there is very little in any price range that I'd rather have.

[LeatherPants]

It's a great marker. I blame Steelrat for letting shoot his.

Everyting that he posted is correct. Some people have problems some don't. All in all it's a pretty easy marker to use. It's not very tempermental either.

Go buy one and have fun.

[MMM]

Keep in mind that you are talking about an electro marker and there are always problems to be had with anything electro. That being said, as I understand it at the mud fest called Mardi Gras the Vikings/Exacals were one of the only electros that didn't fry. DM4s were dropping like flys, my friend's DM4 fried 3 times while he was there. His buddy's Vikig, not a single problem.
We have 4 Vikings and 1 Revenge in the family, out of those 2 had FSDO and both were taken care of by AKA. Personally I'll only own AKA markers but that's a personal thing. I just want to go play and when they yell 'game on' my marker shoots consistanly, everytime. None of that having to go back in and fiddle with this and o-ring that blah blah sitting in the staging area half the day.

[The Action Figure]

If you ever meet paintmagnets viking run and hide its evil

[Twiztidpb]

Will Aka Survive?

In a post above some one asked if AKA could survive without the Viking and Excal Model, and the answer is yes the Merlin is a very popular gun and AKA makes such nice internals and alot of people have them they will be around for quite some time...and there is not really any negatives to an Excal or a Vike..the only some what bad thing is there not the lightest but hey there doable

[GT]

i believe aka draws the majority of its revanue outside of paintball