Viking or Xmag? Opinions...

[RTDynaflow]

Ok, I am looking at a couple of guns. I will be buying one and need some feedback on both.

Right now I have my RT, and definately going to buy an Electro in the next few weeks. I am looking at 2 guns right now, the viking and a black to blue fade X-mag w/ a fireblade. Not exactly sure what model the viking is. Looks like a 2003 (switch is in rear) base model, though I am so very far from a novice on vikings (or electros in general).

There will be a poll too, btw....


--Looks--
Hands down the sexiest X-mag I have ever seen. Pure sex. I love the look of the X-mag in general and this one just...Yeah..

The viking on the other hand... well, it is just fugly. I never liked look of viking in general, but this one has the anno coming off, no milling, dye clear stickies not so clear, plastic trigger, and just in general, its fugly. Only, when you first see her... As you get to know her, she becomes a little more appealing.

--Trigger--
The plastic trigger is a custom one off, and it just owns everything I have ever shot. I can hit 22 cps w/ it on debounce 3. The neatest thing about this trigger is, you can't make it bounce. I mean I tried for a good 10 mins to get it to shoot even twice. Get it ripping and it just keeps getting nastier. Never could I get it to do anything that would have it DQ'ed though... Atleast not at the level I play.

This is what I am unsure about on the X-mag. I have never shot an an e/x mag before, only microswitch electros. I am going to try out an e-mag tomorrow (not sure what software yet). I got to feel the stock e-mag trigger pull (w/o anything on, dead battery), and well, it was less then appealing. Actually felt almost as strong as my RT. Of course I am sure a nice trigger job would lighten this up.

--Electronics--
The viking has a WAS board, but no eyes. This is kind of a concern. I didn't spend 6 hours fine tuning my LvL X just to get an electro that chops. Any viking owners have this problem? The store selling the viking is telling me I won't have a problem as long as I keep it under 20bps. Hard to believe.

X-mag has the eyes (of course) and 3.2 software. How fast are these? Can you adjust debounce on x-mags? Sorry, I know very little about the x/e-mag's electronics. Is there a debounce... I wouldn't think so, but...??

--Maintenance--
I don't know anything about vikings, atleast mechanically. How hard are these to maintain? Is there alot of issues with them? This particular viking was just recently serviced by AKA; O rings and the such.

Mags I know, atleast pneumatically. Nothing I can't handle, for the most part...

--Accuracy--
Opinions on vikings...

I know mags own. No questions there.

--General--
Just in general owners opinions on the viking and any specific parts I missed here. O yeah, that bolt ownz on the viking. Love how quiet it is for dry firing. Because if I buy it I will be dry firing it every day when I wake up

Likewise for the X-mag.

--Price--
The guy is asking $700.00 for the viking. Seems a little high?? It may come with an armegedon 45/45 tank, not sure.

The X-mag is somewhere around $1200-1300. Comes with: both chargers, barrel kit (can't remember which one), vert breech and drop.

Both are discontinued, so I guess whatever they are worth to me is going to be the answer here. However, which one is, in your opinions, the best buy? I am leaning towards the viking right now.

Also, if any Devilmag owners want to drop some comments on thier guns in here, that would be appreciated. Or GA Devil. Your opinions, although biased, would be appreciated (also pics of that 90* I keep hearing about). As a custom Dallara DevilMag isn't out of the question.

Any suggestions and opinions are welcome (except "go buy an e-bladed cocker 'cause it rocks" type ). Even if you don't own either, don't mind hearing some comparisons.

Drop me some pics too. Much appreciated. Just try to keep this as factual as possible. I know alot of you own both, your opinions would be awesome.

Later,
Nate

[Blazingace]

I voted X for the obviousness that it is a superior gun IMO. The X is so exclusive that it owns even if you don't use it. Love mine. I viking is a great gun, but from what you wrote it is somewhat incomplete without the eyes. Up to you.

[BlackWeenie]

i would personally go for the viking. eyes arent a big deal because theyre only $20 and are apparently very easy to install. ive used a viking a couple days and own an emag and even if the xmag and viking were the same price i'd still say go for the vike. $700 sounds like a good deal if you get a tank with it for the price. as far as maintenance goes, both are very easy. and the accuracy is comparable too. anyways, i would definately recommend the viking.

[Steelrat]

I've owned 5 vikings and 5 x/e-mags, so I feel qualified to comment.

Performance-wise, the viking beats the xmag. Its much more efficient, usually faster, and simpler to operate. My electronic mags failed on me quite a few times for a variety of reasons. My Vikings and excals have never, and I mean never, failed me. The xmag is easily the best looking gun I have ever seen, so there is no way a stock viking is going to compete with it, but once you start thinking of the viking as a tool, then its easier to deal with. As for maintenance, they are both easy, requiring a few drops of oil and nothing else. The AKA is not as easy to user-service, requiring special tools to access the internals, but there is seldom anything to fix. The AGD guns are very easy for a user to service.

Now, let me say that the xmag I had with a fireblade (not that odd forward slant logic blade, I mean the actual fireblades, theres a BIG difference) had the best trigger feel ever. With 4.0 on the X-mag, it was VERY fast. I have a trigger setup that I use on all my AKA setups, but its not quite as nice as the Xmag.

Personally, the price on that viking seems a bit steep to me, especially since it doesnt have eyes and the anno is coming off. The AKA viking WITH eyes is an entirely different gun than the one without eyes. I cannot recommend one without eyes. Just glancing at the PBN AKA BST forum, I found this right off the bat:

The Viking:
2003 Sapphire Blue Viking Serial #835- Was board 2.6
- AKA Sidewinder
- Was ACE
- Eye covers
- Wicked Switch
- Smoke Dye Stickies 03
- CCM Lowrise
- Humprey Noids
- Tornado Valve
- Adjusted trigger
- 14 inch Dye UL (2 peice) .694
- Javelin
- Shocktech Med Drop

for $750. Sounds much better. And thats just the first one I clicked on.

Bottom line: For playing paintball, the viking is the better choice, but NOT the one that store is trying to stick you with.

[gc82000]

I voted for the Xmag just because it is an extremely great gun. But if you did not put up the price I would have been Xmag all the way. But you could probably get that Viking for six hundred easily. That is less then half for the Xmag. You could get it reannoed and fixed up to look nicer and still have some change.

[GT]

Depends what you want to do. You want a gun to hang on the wall go Xmag. You want a gun to "kill suckas" with go viking.

Dont get a viking w/o eyes.

[djmrk]

There will never be a perfect marker, if there were, than everyone would be using the samething. You should get what is right for you because after all, you are going to be using it. Another thing to consider it that mags just may have the lowest profile one could find, except for the new shocker (about the same). IMOI, both are very good markers and preform well. I have seen Vickings go down and Mags go down on ppl, it happens. Hope this helps.

[afultz075]

I've owned an E-Mag and currently have an '04 Viking. I just got a chance to shoot the Viking for the first time yesterday so I can give some comparisons.

I hate to say, but the Viking killed the E-Mag in just about every area. The Viking felt so much smoother to shoot (I have a Mitey Max) and was a lot easier to rip on, but that's probably because I had a double trigger on the E-Mag. Also, the efficiency was just amazing, I shot about 75 paintballs through it and a bunch of people wanted to dryfire it, and after all the dryfiring (it was a lot) the tank still had 2000 PSI of a 3000 PSI on a fill on a 68ci left, if I dryfired a mag that much on the same tank, it would've been around the point where I would've needed to refill the tank to get it operable.

The only area the Viking lacks is appearance, my E-Mag was such an awesome looking gun compared to it. But you do get used to the more industrial look of the Viking.

[HeyLookItsADuck]

ive only seen a viking on a field once and it was pretty good, i say you should do viking. Its crazy fast+ its probably the best gas user of all

[Steelrat]

Keep in mind that for the price of the xmag, you could get a nice custom viking or an excalibur.

[Thermus]

Pick up an 04 Viking. You could probably get it cheaper than 1400, with a tank.

[RTDynaflow]

Wow, 50-50. You guys make my decision so much easier

I think the viking the shop owner has come with a tank. I can probably get it for 550 or so w/o the tank. (I have 4, do I need a fifth...). I know the people at the shop and they arren't out to screw anyone. If I buy a viking I would like to get his, but I am not going to spend 700 on it when I could get one here for 750 that is in much better shape all around. I am about to head out there, I will try and find out what all it has on it.

It is pretty close to the one steelrat is talking about
minus the eye, and nice milling/anno. We will see. Also something else I loved about the viking, although big, it was not as heavy as I would think. It weighs about the same as my RT. But it is perfectly balanced. Did I mention the sick bolts on viking. That has to be one of my favorite parts. The nerve video kind of reminded of a viking, except Smart Partsanized.

Appreciate all the feedback, keep it coming.

Nate

[68magOwner]

what i would want- >2k4 timmy>viking with eyes>used (non 2k4 style) timmy>X-mag

i just dont see the X mag as cost effective compared to other markers, for the price, id pick up an alias

[flyinasian016]

Ive got a Viking, i had an E-mag.

The emag was fully loaded with everything you could possible get, except for a CnC pack(but those are so damn hard to find). 3.2, X-valve, ULE body, ULE rail, Level 10, Logic trigger, etc.

The vike has WAS 1.6, Eyes, Nice Trigger, etc. and its a 2k3 unmilled.

The vike is handsdown the better marker. It is much faster, better on air by far, and in my opinion, more accurate. If you are willing to spend $1200-$1300 on an X-mag, you mind as well get the viking and upgrade it. But you can get a lot of custom/aftermarket vikings for $1300. DC's, PBX's, Immortals, Featherlights, etc. Ive had both guns, and my vote goes with the viking. You can buy that viking for $700 and have $600 left over to get it ACE'd and get it anno'd milled. I think JmJ does milling and Ano for $575~. That has anno any color you want, and you cang et featherlight milling too. Or you can get the featherlight milling for $275~ and have your gun raw.

[toymyster]

I have shot both, and really, you can't go wrong with either!! I do, however, love the E/X-mags!! It's more compact, plenty fast, much simpler, and can shoot with or without batteries, and don't forget Lvl10!! The Viking is on the other hand, just about the most efficient thing out there, if that's an issue!!! I think they are both fantastic guns!! I can shoot anything I want, I love the 'Mag!!!
Edit: Being familiar with the Mag is another big point for the X!!!