Automag - becoming extinct?

**neppo1345** · 02-01-2007, 11:16 AM

Yeah, they are going by the wayside.

However, I still seem to see one almost everytime I play.

I don't shoot one anymore, but I still always make sure to find a few seconds to compliment the player on his mag; especially when I'm reffing.

**matteusz** · 02-01-2007, 11:36 AM

I am pretty much a rec only player since fields are far away and spendy here in Kansas. I found out about mags cause I was reading up on the history of paintball. I started out using spyders and clones. Bought a ton of them on ebay and from a couple of fields that were going under. I got so sick of the things breaking leaking etc. Well the more I read about mags the more I wanted one. So I found a deal and bought one. It hadn't been shot in years. I oiled it up put a bottle on and have only had to replace one oring since. Needless I am selling of the spyders as fast as I can and buying mags. I tend to have about 4-6 guns in a game depending on how many of the people that own their own gear can come out that weekend.

Anyway if I hadn't done some reading it would have been unlikely that I would have ever seen a mag. I went to one tourney and have talked to several enthusiasts. Granted there are not many people in Kansas in general but the few I have talked to (equaling a sizable proportion of the population) only seem to know what a cocker shocker or tippmann is. I love bringing the mags out. When I just go play with some other group and have the only mag there I am irrationally feared since no one can hear my gun over theirs and no one knows what it is.

I think mags may be too good. No one ever needs a new one since you can pretty much always fix them with ease. Upgrades and faster guns maybe as you get into tourney play but still. I think we are gonna see paintball in general shrink (note the convergance of several big companies of late and fazing out of cheap mech guns). Some of that is the normal ebb and flow of things and some of it is the lack of social acceptance, perceived expense of playing and initial cost of starting to play. Maybe if the wealth in this country shifts down a little we will have more teenagers with rich parents who will spring for the 300$ ion setup and 100$ for a day of playing at a local field. Still I think the business will be moving increasingly to the internet and flieds will have to work harder to stay open. Or be in an area with a critical mass of people who only rarely go for a rental game after seeing a tourney on cable.

My .02 the mag dieing theories are all based on an irrational fear of not being able to get parts for a gun you love maybe a little too much? And on people not seeing advertising. AGD can survive for decades just based on moves like yours described in the above post. As more mature players learn what a good gun is (like I did as I grew into the sport) and more recreational players/ newbies get tired of their wal mart guns breaking more people will find mags. Meanwhile the strange religion that is alive and well here on AO will be around waiting to accept new converts into the fold of "quality always shoots straight." And I might add "almost (barring bolt stick) always shoots" .

**StygShore** · 02-01-2007, 11:36 AM

Mags and popularity dont go hand in hand

Mags = Niche market

Currently they are popular to the tinkerers for their mechanical guns, and the fact the Pneumatic mod can be done quite readily to them.

Every other manufacturer has E-guns that cost less than a stock mag, shoot faster than a mag, shoot further into the tank than a stock mag, so people tend to go with those.

The Mag is so easy to sell against in stores for all those factors, so what's the point of stocking them? When a kid comes in and asks "do you have any automags?" the sales person says, Oh no, you don't want one of those, they are old tech, you want to go with something elesctric like this one here that will shoot 20bps if you breathe on it and costs less than an automag, and runs on CO2 ( hey sales people aren't always that honest )

Aside form picking up a few new fans, and losing a few old fans, I dont see the number of mag shooters out there increasing all that much. More likely, we will see less and less of them at the fields as the players that have/use them get older, busier, and just stop playing.

Styg

**matteusz** · 02-01-2007, 11:38 AM

Originally posted by neppo1345

Yeah, they are going by the wayside.

However, I still seem to see one almost everytime I play.

I don't shoot one anymore, but I still always make sure to find a few seconds to compliment the player on his mag; especially when I'm reffing.

You don't shoot one but you post on AO? That is a first.

**neppo1345** · 02-01-2007, 11:45 AM

Originally posted by matteusz

You don't shoot one but you post on AO? That is a first.

The key word was "anymore".

I sold my e-mag about about 6 months ago.

I had a minimag for a long time before that.

Believe it or not, there are a lot of people here who don't shoot mags anymore. Still no matter what, once you've owned one there's something inside that always drags you back.

**cyrus-the-virus** · 02-01-2007, 11:50 AM

Originally posted by matteusz

You don't shoot one but you post on AO? That is a first.

There are quite a few people on here who don't shoot mag's. This is a nice forum with a lot of nice people.

**shartley** · 02-01-2007, 11:53 AM

I also no longer own an Automag.

**Badmovies.org** · 02-01-2007, 11:58 AM

Originally posted by StygShore

Aside form picking up a few new fans, and losing a few old fans, I dont see the number of mag shooters out there increasing all that much. More likely, we will see less and less of them at the fields as the players that have/use them get older, busier, and just stop playing.

I think you summed up all of my hidden thoughts and fears. It still irks me that they are slowly dying out, just because they are not "sexy" like so many other markers. If I get worried about AGD markers dying out, I will pick up one extra valve and two rebuild sets. That should last me until I die.

Other players still ask about my automag (let's see what the reaction to my new RT ULE is once I have her ready in a week or two). They stop short of wanting one, usually citing the looks and that it is not electronic. They would rather have a spyder electro than a mechanical mag. This despite seeing spyders go down often and me telling them, "The only thing I have done to this mag in four years is replace some o-rings and put a few drops of oil in her."

I watched a kid spraying paint with a spyder electro lately. He had a Halo loader and all - but was literally spraying paint as he chopped balls with his fancy trigger.

**tech-chan** · 02-01-2007, 12:12 PM

I just bought a mag. My first! Im very exited and Im extroadinarily loyal to whatever marker I use.... Im trying to get one of my other friends to buy one, soo. Mag players are not going extint, not if I have anything to do with it.
Jeremiah

**Zneaky** · 02-01-2007, 12:23 PM

Badmovies, I may be wrong, but you may be in error. All the kids that used to have Spyders now have Ions made by smart parts. If you saw a bunch of them, they were probably Ions. In fact, I would say Spyder is trying hard to get back to where they were in the market 3-4 years ago.

Z

**Zneaky** · 02-01-2007, 12:24 PM

Originally posted by tech-chan

I just bought a mag. My first! Im very exited and Im extroadinarily loyal to whatever marker I use.... Im trying to get one of my other friends to buy one, soo. Mag players are not going extint, not if I have anything to do with it.
Jeremiah

Welcome to the Family. We are glad you are here.

Z

**wjr** · 02-01-2007, 12:42 PM

I know that there must be other kids out there like myself who will end up shooting automags. I was 12 years old when I bought my first automag. I had used electro blow-backs before, and I was tired of them breaking. I did my research, and I decided that I should get an automag.

**nathanjones008** · 02-01-2007, 12:47 PM

not where i play

where i live there is a increase of mags( metro ATL area) we had a rec tourney at in my property.. we had 20 folks come out. 4 of two had mags. two ule rts, one classic and a mini mag. my best friend just bought a ule rt over a ion. brand spanking new! he loves it. on this side of the country or at least my county mags are on the rise. i always try to get people to buy mags over electros and it works sometimes. so the group i play with, 20% use mags. not bad.

As in mags falling off the face of the earth i think they are hanging in there. this websight is funded by agd (to my knowledge if i am wrong correct me. i am sure that they make more money than we think they do. they just hold their money instead of advertisng. but this is only speculation.

i do not claim to know the facts.

**matteusz** · 02-01-2007, 12:50 PM

Originally posted by cyrus-the-virus

There are quite a few people on here who don't shoot mag's. This is a nice forum with a lot of nice people.

Ok so it is killing me. What do people end up shooting instead of mag? What features on what gun could possibly have you wanting to switch to another line? So as not to thread hijack please reply here:

If not a Mag then WHAT? - Automags.Org Online Forums

http://www.automags.org/forums/showthread.php?t=209885

Paintball Talk is the main forum for Automags.org. Here is where we talk about the sport of paintball in general and make announcements relating to the forum and website.

Always curious to know more.
Mat

Automag - becoming extinct?

Automag - becoming extinct?

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment