q-loader

[Lohman446]

yep if you set it up correctly, you will get no ball breaks. The pod requires no tools to disassemble and, as said above, is fairly idiot-proof. Just be sure to put paintballs in the tube by hand before you load the pod, or 1) you'll essentially waste about 10 balls of your first pod, and 2) it feeds SOOO fast that all that room can sometimes cause a ball break in the breech.

I can say from experience it is NOT IDIOT proof - either that or Im the better idiot. The system in theory works very very well, and when working right is phenomenal... I quit using it and the warp when I had equipment issues - but if you are willing to take the time to set it up right (after you dissassemble it the first time) it is a marvelous piece of equipment.

[slade]

On average reloading a Q-Loader takes anywhere from 2-4 seconds. 5 if you're slow and take your time... Now, when reloading each pod with paint it could take anywhere from 2-4 minutes. Sure it takes a while just to shoot 100 balls, but it's well worth it.

umm.... which one is it? thanks for the help, everyone. everyone seems to be talking about using this for woodsball... is it also a good loader for speedball? and some of you have talked about how the hose has to be the right length or else a ball will break in the breech... what is the right length?

[Lohman446]

umm.... which one is it? thanks for the help, everyone. everyone seems to be talking about using this for woodsball... is it also a good loader for speedball? and some of you have talked about how the hose has to be the right length or else a ball will break in the breech... what is the right length?

When I had it I used mine for speedball with no problems. Of course I play front and have been known to go out with my Phantom and ten round tubes. I had to reload the other day just to shoot out a four man team.. how sad.

I really did not see it as a tactical disadvantage - perhaps it would be if you played back. As for reloading, I had mine connected to my richochet hopper - I was going to build a bigger body for the hopper so I could put a case in and just run it through as needed - I had a clip for the hose so I could put the hose up out of the way and the hopper mounted in a large block of wood. With this set up (aside from reloading the hopper) you could fill a pod in about five seconds.

The q-loader... well I ended up not liking it for mechanical problems likely of my own doing (I just have to dissassemble everythign once). It never worked "right" for me through an entire game. Other people have not had these issues and you might find yourself pleased with it.

[jwalker87]

he means that, during a game, it takes 2-5 seconds to remove one pod, get the other pod from your harness, and clip it in and begin shooting again. Also, you can shoot while reloading; 5-10 shots depending on your setup. And for the hose, every setup is different. The length of the tube needs to be such that with the pressure the qloader puts on the balls, a integer (full number) of balls fit into the tube. My first try, something like 15 1/2 balls fit, which means that when you take the qpod back out, it slices a ball in half. It's really easier than it sounds. You just cut the tube length you want (a little longer actually; in case you need to shorten it to fit the balls), then you put a full (or partial) qloader in. You look, and if there is a ball in both the tube and the loader, you need to shorten it.

As far as speedball goes, it works very well. The 100 balls could be rather bothersome as a back player, but the zero profile MORE than makes up for it for front/mid players.

[Iron Mag13]

I watched the vid of the guy relodeing it looks like a hassel, but u guys were talking about using your hoppers to load them, how do you do that????? just like fit it in the q-pod then turn it on and start winding? cause i think you have to wine the q-pod.............ahhh **** im confused!

[teufelhunden]

I'll play Devil's Advocate, as I've never been impressed by the Q-Loader.

1) The Q-Pods only hold 100 rounds. This means a few things. First, let's say you carry a 3.2. That's 5 pods, and with 140's you could carry 700 on your back + 170 in your hopper, for 870. For the Q, you'd only have 600, assuming you buy a 6th Q-Pod [500 on your back, 100 on your gun]. To carry the same amount of paint, you're going to have to move to a larger pack. Imagine a frontman carrying a 4.3.. Secondly, it means that you're reloading more frequently, meaning more opportunities to get bunkered/etc.

2) When you're reloading, you can't shoot. No pressure on the balls in the tube to drop them into the breech. Even if everything else was as I'd like it, this right here would keep me away from the Q-Loader. I'm sure everybody has shot out someone coming at them while they were reloading... with a Q, you'd have been bunkered.

3) This will vary from setup to setup, but on most of the Q setups I've ran, they've been unbalanced. Maybe this is because the user put it somewhere other than the optional balance spot or just because of the inherent fact that guns were designed with the intention of having a hopper on top, not elsewhere. The __worst__ setup, by far, that I've ever used was an Impulse with a Q-loader mounted under the barrel. It was so front heavy compared to other setups that it felt like it took an hour and all my strength to move the damn barrel. I felt kinda vulnerable knowing that I wouldn't be able to snap my barrel around as quickly.

4) Q-Pods are EXPENSIVE! $20+ per pod, as compared to $2 for a 140. And even the tourney pack only comes with 5 pods, for 500 rounds. May be enough for some people's playing styles, but not mine.

5) Sticking it on the front of your barrel makes a nice big target. When playing speedball, you should probably tilt your hopper behind the bunker, making it no longer a target. But with a Q, you don't have this option.

And now for a few quick comparisons.

Here's my loader/harness setup now-- Evo 2 w/ Z-Board. 4.3, 140s. I've also got a 2.1 that I can attach to the belt on my 4.3 in case I need the extra paint or somethin. With the 7 pod setup, I can carry 980 rounds on my back and 170 in my hopper, for 1150 onto the field. Evo and Board cost me $95, pack cost me $30, pods cost me $14, for a total of $139. That equals $.12 per ball carried [not including the price of paint]

Now, to do 1150 rounds with a Q-Loader, you'll need 12 Q-Pods. 5 come with the starter system, which runs $140 and then 7 more pods, so 7*23.7=169.50. You're also going to need to get a 6.5 pack, and the only one I could find from a decent brand was the Dye 6.5, at $84.95. This totals up to $394.45, or $.34/ball carried, not including paint.

You could do more to see what it would be to carry the amount of paint you carry. Just as a note, I got my Q-Loader prices from PBGear, since I didn't know any concrete prices off the top of my head. I got my Evo/Z brand new from an EBay store, my harness nearly-new on a forum [SysX 4.3], and pods... um, I've got a bunch from a bunch of places, but $2 seems to be average pod price.

Another note-- the more paint you carry, the more it's going to cost per ball with the Q, and the less paint you carry, the less it's going to cost per ball with the Q.

Hope I've helped some.

[slade]

AAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!! stop making me think more about what to get!!!!

[Adrenaline_Junkie]

GO FOR THE Q LOADER!!! LOL

It is by far the best loader I have used. Its fast easy to use and as long as you know what your doing you wont have a problem at all.

[Empyreal Rogue]

Obviously the Q-Loader isn't for a back man, Teu. I love the Q-Loader almost more than my Automag itself and I would NEVER recommend it to a back man. You see, 100 rounds per Q-Pod really is not all that bad. All you have to do is adjust your playing style, simple as that.

I'm a front/mid man. I was never really a big paint shooter and I shoot even less now with my Q-Loader. jwalker has more playing experience than I do, he would say the same exact thing. Adjusting your playing style to fit around the Q-Loader may seem unnecessary but really benefits you even more in the long run. You conserve more paint and become a more patient player.

Okay, with your Evo II and 7x 140's you could carry up to 1150 rounds, like you said. That same setup with a Q-Loader is only 800 rounds. Obviously your setup is going to spend a lot more on paint, plus you're more likely to spill paint than someone with a Q-Loader. Sure you pay a lot for the entire system but it helps you out in the long run.

And Teu I'll agree with you, some markers certainly cannot use the Q-Loader. B2Ks, Impulses, Matrices (Or is Matrix plural just Matrixes in paintball?), etc., etc.. Not only do they look bad but can essentially ruin the overall balance. I still think it's one of the best loading systems on the market. It has its flaws just as everything in the world does. Maybe except me. Haha, that's a little humor for you guys. :P

[chris99506]

if you use 500 rounds in one game, your using way too much paint and you probably wont be playing for too long unless you have alot of money to spend on case after case of paint. i have an angel, i do use more paint than when i had my mag and spyder, and i usually used 500-600 for a whole day of woods ball with a few speedball games, bow i use about 700-800, reloading the q-pods doesnt take too long espcially if you practice, and putting paint in them is pretty fast also, in my opinion its faster than reloading the old way, you dont have to worry about spillin paint and all you do is stick it in and turn the crank 12 times.

[teufelhunden]

if you use 500 rounds in one game, your using way too much paint and you probably wont be playing for too long unless you have alot of money to spend on case after case of paint. i have an angel, i do use more paint than when i had my mag and spyder, and i usually used 500-600 for a whole day of woods ball with a few speedball games, bow i use about 700-800, reloading the q-pods doesnt take too long espcially if you practice, and putting paint in them is pretty fast also, in my opinion its faster than reloading the old way, you dont have to worry about spillin paint and all you do is stick it in and turn the crank 12 times.

My fronts will shoot 500 in a game during a tourney depending on what div. we're playing and if the game drags.

Empyreal- As I stated before, the biggest disadvantage to the Q is that it can't shoot while reloading. For this reason, I'd use a rev, or even a VL200 over one. That's just too important of a disadvantage, regardless of your position. Fronts need to keep themselves bunker free and backs to keep everybody where they need to be.

As for using more paint-- only if I have to. I really prefer having the paint on my back and not needing it and needing it and not having it. And about the spilling paint, I really doubt even the sloppiest of players will spill $200 of paint [especially if they're paying for it themselves ]

[slade]

i guess ill be going with the empire reloader b or the eggy 2... if it takes 2-4 minutes to reload each qpod, i will have to sit every other game to reload... but knowing me, ill probably have changed my mind by tomorrow...

[Adrenaline_Junkie]

It doesnt take 2-4 minutes to load each pod!!! Whoever said that doesnt know what hes talking about. I can do it in way less than 2-4 minutes. I still say go with the Q.

[GoatBoy]

My fronts will shoot 500 in a game during a tourney depending on what div. we're playing and if the game drags.

Empyreal- As I stated before, the biggest disadvantage to the Q is that it can't shoot while reloading. For this reason, I'd use a rev, or even a VL200 over one. That's just too important of a disadvantage, regardless of your position. Fronts need to keep themselves bunker free and backs to keep everybody where they need to be.

As for using more paint-- only if I have to. I really prefer having the paint on my back and not needing it and needing it and not having it. And about the spilling paint, I really doubt even the sloppiest of players will spill $200 of paint [especially if they're paying for it themselves ]

http://www.automags.org/forums/showthread.php?t=132648

The biggest disadvantage isn't reloading, it's the mount. There's a smarter way to reload than what AIC shows in their videos... so don't take their video as a particularly good example of how long reloads can take. Anyways, it looks like they finally woke up and are releasing a different mount socket sometime in June which will allow people to customize the mount position a little better.