Tournament Locks on Mags??

[RiTZ509]

So I was reading through the rules of a local tournament series, and they state

AutoMag, UniReg and other finger-adjustable power regulators must have tournament caps or locking screws.

What kind of locking mechanisms are there for mags? I never even thought about having an issue with the velocity adjustment needing a locking mech. Where can I find one? Can they be made?

Thanks

[st6212]

Technically it's not finger-adjustable. You need to use an allen key to adjust it.

Unless you have fingers as strong as the Hulk

[Mescalito]

They still want to see those threads covered and locked down... are you honestly mocking safety procedures? May you and your first born take rogue paintballs in the eyes. Maybe in that circumstance you will fully understand your ignorance.

[st6212]

Lighten up, mate

I was referring to the X-Valves which do not have threads for you to lockdown the velocity adjuster. This is the same for all the other valves except the Classic/Minimag valve.

And in any case I merely commented on what "finger-adjustable" was in reference to a valve. Have you tried turning the velocity adjuster (as is) with just your fingers?

Where in my post did I say, "Screw the saftey guidelines, it's all a bunch of nonsense".

Tip for you, read the posts carefully, before making your holier-than-thou comments.


RiTZ509: LAPCO sells a Velocity Thumb Adjuster that replaces the stock one for the Classic/Minimag Valve (if that's what you have). This replacement will allow you to adjust the velocity by hand, without the need for an allen key and it has the Safety Lock built into it also. You can find it here: http://www.lapco.us/prod/accessories...cessories.html

[buzzboy]

It seems to me that those rules are talking about the thumb style velocity adjuster as the stock one is not thumb adjustable.

[Lohman446]

Let's not get into how one knows this.

On a classic valve turn the air off to the valve, shoot it enough to empty the valve, and then turn the velocity adjuster with your fingers. Not that hard.

[REDRT]

If you have the stock velocity nut that you need a wrench for don't worry about it. If you have a thumb adjustment velocity nut it might not be kosher unless it has set screw locks.

[athomas]

As Lohman446 mentioned, the tourny locks were put in place to prevent finger adjustments to classic valved automags. By simply turning off the air and shooting out the pressure in the valve, you could easily adjust the velocity on the field up or down. Locks were made that screwed onto the adjustment nut and tightened to act as a lock nut. Others replaced the adjustment screw all together. On retro valves, this problem was addressed. With or without the valve aired up, you can't turn the regulator adjustment with just your fingers.

[RiTZ509]

Ok, sounds to me like I will be picking up a locking screw for my classic. I would much rather have the adjustment lock then to be disqualified from the tourney because I didn't adhere to the rules exactly.

As for X-valves, what do they have to lock the adjuster down on those? Or are they like the RT valve, do not need them. Again, if there is one available I would much rather have one than not be allowed to play.

[Lohman446]

As for X-valves, what do they have to lock the adjuster down on those? Or are they like the RT valve, do not need them. Again, if there is one available I would much rather have one than not be allowed to play.

As far as I know there is not a lock provision made or needed for either the X or RT valves

[Dryden]

You should have a tourney lock on any Classic valve regardless of any explicit field rule. The vibration of the marker alone may cause the regulator nut to slowly back out of the valve threads, causing the velocity to drop as you continue to play.

My understanding is that the Automag velocity locks were originally designed to solve this specific problem; that they prevented on-field adjustment or made the process of cheating more difficult was an added bonus, but not the original intent.

[Dryden]

LAPCO sells a Velocity Thumb Adjuster that replaces the stock one for the Classic/Minimag Valve (if that's what you have). This replacement will allow you to adjust the velocity by hand, without the need for an allen key and it has the Safety Lock built into it also. You can find it here: http://www.lapco.us/prod/accessories...cessories.html

These thumb adjusters actually make cheating easier, safety locks or no. As Lohman suggested, shut off the air to the marker, turn the marker upside down and dry fire to bleed the valve, then use the thumb adjuster to turn the velocity down. Once you've back the adjuster out, you can remove the set screws by hand since they no longer have any resistance, and you can then crank the valve up really high. It's easier to do with the thumb adjusters because you have a knurled surface to hold onto rather than the velocity nuts' threads. The thumb adjusters from TASO are the same way.

I had a TASO one and realized by accident that I could do this without even degassing the marker since the thumb adjuster gave me enough surface area to change the velocity bare handed. A 1/8th turn counter-clockwise (down), back out the set screws with my fingertips, then turn the adjuster a 1/2 turn clockwise (up). It took less than 15 seconds to dial from 280 to the high 300s without tools and without degassing the marker.

[RiTZ509]

So is there a locking mechanism out there that will make my Classic Mag tourney legal according to the rule stated above?

[luke]

AutoMag, UniReg and other finger-adjustable power regulators must have tournament caps or locking screws.

What kind of locking mechanisms are there for mags?
Thanks

Here is one for the Classic Valve>

[REDRT]

I would've never had thought the velocity nut could be adjusted on the fly on the classic valves with the stock nut. I just tried mine and no way I was going to turn it up. There is just not enough to grab on to for me. I guess it could be possible though. Who dreams up cheats anyway? I mean really who is going to stop in the middle of a tournament and degas their marker to turn up there velocity? Isn't that stupid.