Has any tried the Apex barrel?

[FSU_Paintball]

Ripped from PBN. I gotta get me one of these.

BT stands for Ben Tippmann... they're the ones who release all those paintball guns made to look like M-16s and stuff. Anyways, they've got a new barrel out that uses the same crappy theory as the Flatline, but works a whole lot better.

It's got an adjuster on the end which lets you adjust how much backspin/curve on the ball you want, and which direction you want it to curve in. So basically, it's a flatline that isn't monstrously long, can be used on any gun, can be quickly turned on and off, and is completely adjustable in terms of curve sharpness and direction. That's just freakin awesome. Manike already swears by his new one.



I'm definitely buying one for scenarios. Looks like fun :)

[Mr. Mouse]

lol i love the diagrams

[slade]

...

im sceptical. i want to know how they claim it works.

[FSU_Paintball]

Manike says it works well, that's good enough for me

[vf-xx]

It should work in theory. I haven't seen one in person, but it appears to have a plate or something that catches one side of a paintball leaving the barrel and slows it down giving it spin. Theoretically you can adjust it to spin any direction out of the barrel.

I used to do that a long time ago with pumps. If I licked my finger than touched the edge of the barrel I could make the paintball spin that way. Problem is, it's really really hard to aim.

[ojhspyro89]

Wait is it a barrel or just that little thing? Heck, i want to put it on my game during Xball... thatd be fun. How much are they?

[manike]

Adding my post from PBN...

I must admit was very skeptical when I heard about this, but I'm a convert now.

I'm one of the few people that has actually shot this thing, and I'll tell you what, it's one of the first new products to make me smile in paintball in a VERY long time. When I saw Ben shooting it I couldn't wait to grab it out of his hands.

I was actually using this at the recent Skirmish 'Invasion of Normandy' game and I definitely used it to good effect, pushing back players at range so my guys could move up, and shooting out players by divebombing the balls down on top of them when we were halted on the beach.

One of my friends behind me was stunned by what the barrel was doing.

I personally would NEVER have used a flatline barrel, nor a Z-body or Cooper T bolt. Ever. I've never been a fan of spin devices.

This I will have on my gun whenever I go into the woods or play recreationally. Seriously.

It actually works VERY consistently.

You can add just a small amount of spin and get flatter shots with a similar to normal accuracy spread, but you can aim through gaps better because of the flatter trajectory. Amazing for use in the woods and bunkers with holes (like ones made from logs etc.)

You can absolutely shoot down over bunkers at relatively close range to eliminate people that thought they were safely hidden.

You can swerve it around doorways and bunkers to hit people you couldn't normally shoot.

Maybe the advert showing a 90degree side turn is a little off, but as the ball slows down the spin is quite pronounced. You may have to aim wider for the ball to come back in, but it's astounding how well it works.

It is very NEW, I've never seen a system before where you can angle the direction of spin with such repeatability (and tilting your gun doesn't even come close). The end piece of the barrel actually rotates so you have infinite adjustment possibilities, I've also never seen a system reliably work with an adjustable amount of spin, the galactic Z-body was crap and never consistent. This is.

I've also never seen a system that you can adjust to your paint so well, if you have brittle paint you need only apply enough spin to get results without breaking the paint.

It also works at high rates of fire... this on my new promaster had to be seen to be believed.

And one of the best features! You can turn it ON and OFF very quickly. So if you don't want spin you don't have to have it and can just play normally...

I'll need to check but when I tried it I don't think I got any noticeable change in velocity.

[slade]

scepticism gone. its simon.

[cuttydiamond]

How much are they and where can i get one?

[Boydster]

Please tell me it'll be available for more guns than Tippmann's.

[JoshK]

it's a flatline that isn't monstrously long, can be used on any gun,

Answer for person above me.

[Alpha]

Yeah.. Good luck with that.

More hype then anything.

I dont doubt it curves the ball nicely.

But how does the paintball know EXACTLY where to curve? It would only be good in a situation where you are x distance away from someone.

[sanity]

Please tell me it'll be available for more guns than Tippmann's.

Promaster = ICD = more than just tippmann

[PsychoBaller]

I think Manike is either right... as he's been trustworthy in the past... or just plain and over the hill...

I definately was looking for some flatline barrels to help me out during recent D-Day. Everyone holds the line on either side just out of reach of each other, heh.

Also, I agree bout the 90* curving pictures... bit much... but seeing normal flatlines at work with they range... this looks promising.

[Evil Bob]

But how does the paintball know EXACTLY where to curve? It would only be good in a situation where you are x distance away from someone.

Its got a slider on it that adjusts the level of spin. Light for longer paths, heavy for shorter distances before curving. Basicly, you watch where the balls are going and adjust accordingly with the slider as to where you want it to start curving at, that's your "know" answer. Plus you can change the direction of spin by rotating the tip.

Used to do something similar with the tipman flatline by angling the m98 right and left, drop the FPS to control where it starts curving. This new toy is more simplified in that you dont have to mess with the markers velocity settings to dial in where you want it to start curving at.

-Evil Bob