Question for people that paintball

Thenowhereman42

Active member
Will my local paintball store Hydrostatic test my nitro tank? Or do I need to send it away to some internet service or something? The store's number is shut off for some reason so I can't just call them.
Also does anyone know how to time an autococker? I forgot lol. A link would be awesome.
What did I miss in the last 5 years of paintball development? Last time I was in a store I was amazed by how many guns look like real guns now and actually have clips. I also noticed jerseys changed and picked up some sewn in elbow pads.
 
-most stores will test an N2 tank, yes. Or go to a scuba shop. Same thing.
-Time an autococker? Do you mean adjust the velocity? Just look it up online somewhere. You might need new springs and new O rings as well if you're using a gun that hasnt been used in a while. Autocockers are known for small annoying problems.
-And you missed a lot. Check out some paintball forums (pbnation.com, techpb.com) and online shops (zephyrpaintball.com). Get back into the game. It's as fun as ever.
 
you could find a Tippmann 98 with everything for probably 180 or so. Tippmann 98's are beasts, the AK of markers
 
Depending on how much you're willing to spend and what kind of gun you're looking for, anywhere from 200 to 600 for a beginner-intermediate setup.

Also depending how much you shoot, it's still gonna cost 40+ bucks per time you go; which is why I don't get to play as much anymore.
 
Ebay, or even better, hit up those 2 forums I mentioned. Grab something used for your first time until you're sure you want to get into it. Like said, either a tippman model 98. Or any lower-end spyder is good. That'll run you about 130ish.
Which will you be playing, speedball or woodsball?
Then you need a mask. That's pretty much it. Though if you're already decent, and you really like paintball. you could grab a pump. #1 you'll learn quicker for sure. more accurate and smarter play. or #2 you'll use less paint, and have the money to play more.
 
Thanks for the spring and O ring advice actually I didn't think about that, the O rings are probably fucked. A couple of the screws are rusted, and the safety is broken (moving freely), but its in pretty good working order. As for the timing thing, cockers are really complicated and you have to make a bunch of little adjustments to like rod positioning and airflow and stuff to get them to work right. I found a hotto on a forum just now though.
^Also to PB is too expensive guy, check out airsoft. I know you can't see when you are hit, but most people are really legit about it, and the ammo costs nothing. Its kind of fun just being able to spray as much as you want without worrying about how much money you are blowing. There are some really cool fields around for it, in LA we have a CQB indoor field and its awesome man. Airsoft costs like less than half as much as paintball.
 
Yea, cockers are a bitch. My buddy has a few older ones and they never seem to work right. He fixes something and other thing messes up. Shoots so nice when they work right though. Best sounding markers too.
As for airsoft... idk about it. It's cool and all for backyard shit, but the paintball community is much better imo. Sure airsoft is cheaper, more accurate, more realistic and whatnot, but there's something about paintball that keeps it going.
 
Well yeah for me an Autococker is really the only non electric high end marker that is even worth buying. Back when I was big into paintball though EVERYONE had a cocker or an angel. It was like those were the only two high end marker companies that existed. You either shot WGP or Angel and that was pretty much it. Now I guess no one really uses them anymore. I walked into a shop that used to be wall to wall autocockers and I think they had 2 in the whole store.
In its prime my cocker was actually very reliable, much more reliable than most people give them credit for. Its no 98 custom thats for sure, but when properly timed mine rarely gave me problems.
It looks like I'm going to have to buy a new electric hopper, and I'm also missing my Custom Products 14" barrel and my old JT mask.
Airsoft is just nerdier and paintball is more of a sport I think. That is IMO why paintball is so popular. A lot of people that play airsoft are all super into it and have like full SWAT gear and stuff. Plus with airsoft you have to trust the people you are playing with to call themselves out. If you go to like a legit airsoft field though where there are a lot of people that take it seriously, it can be tons of fun. Not having to lob distance shots, combined with stuff like flashlights and laser sights and a lot more people using grenades/grenade launchers, and not having to wear a facemask, plus the guns being MUCH lighter and less clunky, its really cool. Both sports are really fun but both different. Airsoft outdoors kind of sucks because wind just takes the BB's completely.
 
if i were u i would keep the cocker and time it properly, paint nowadays is a little smaller then paint form 5 years ago. i would get a cp 14 .685 or smaller bore because when you underbore you get better consistancy and efficiency and you wont break paint. dont go on pbnation its full of 13 year olds that will flame you for an honest question, techpb is the way to go they have like 500 vids and a helpfull online community. it you go onto techpb's youtube and serch autococker you will find a great vid on timing an autococker.

just try to save as much as your old equipment as you can. but if you need a new hpa tank go with a ninja tank and as for a mask i suggest going into a store and try on a bunch of masks ans just get the one that fits you the best.

a couple things you might have missed.

pump play is making a come back

.50 caliber paint is starting to become popular

spartparts is now making acutally great stuff now and is sadly in great danger of shutting down

the sport is in an odd place right now, feilds are closing, companies are eather going through big changes or going under, and guns are changing. but its still as fun as ever
 
As far as I am aware, Smart Parts isnt producing anything at the moment, and is all but gone in the industry for now, but I could be wrong. But your local store should be able to do it for you, and if they cant, they'll tell you a place to get it done.

On a side note; my fields team (Foundation) is currently playing at PSP Phoenix. Distortion and Third Eye today, with VcK and Boom tomorrow. GO FOUNDATION!
 
Well one thing you will be suprised at is the top guns from 05 are going for 200-300 bucks on pbnation in decent condition. Guns are way smaller and lighter, generally the technology is a lot better.
 
i would not enjoy .50 cal. but other than that ya theres lot of SP ion fan boys... i dont really like em though they require a lot of money in upgrades to get em to shoot well. buy a good reliable gun and it should be a blast.

another thing the "best hopper for you money" right now is the halo invert too. really nice i would recommend it.
 
PSN is full of a lot more retards than techpb, but it's more active, so I recommended it. There's still some useful stuff on that site if you sift through the BS. More along the lines of gun specific or specific topics and not the general forum crap. Techpb has much better people though, and more learned conversations.
mmmm, pump play. I need to either convert my phantom to full open class or buy a new one. 12 balls at a time is a bummer.
Smart Parts is legit too. My SP1 kicks so much ass. And if you're into speedball, the Vibe is one of the best entry level guns out there. Too bad if they go out of business a lot of the service will be cut down. But I think people are overreacting on it. Even if you buy a gun when they're out and you blow o-rings and whatnot, there's still plenty of full rebuild kits around. But if you mangle it up somehow, then I guess you're f'ed.
The thing with fields closing, are more fields are opening. It SEEMS to be converting back into the woods a bit more. At least in more woodsy areas. I know around me a bunch of airball fields closed down in the past 4 years, but than 2 new, super legit, woodsball fields opened. The community is still strong, and a lot of younger kids are getting into it again. There's also a bunch of politics floating around the upper tier of paintball, which hinders growth sometimes.
Not sure where I'm going with all this, but now is a better time to get into paintball than 5 years ago in my opinion.
 
Dub post but,
Ions are crap, but SP is making a ton of legit markers now. My SP1 shot super nice out of the box, and it can keep up with anyone in woodsball. Except maybe the 600+ guns like the Macdev drone. Speedball, the vibe, you throw a blackheart of virtue board in there, you have a sick speedball gun for under 300. Everyone understands that the ion was a crap marker, even SP, they've stepped up big time. Even the big haters love SP products now.
And yea, the invert too is a good loader. If you've got a loud marker. I've got myself a carbon fiber barrel, shoots super quiet. The invert too and most other loaders won't turn on all the time for me. And if he has a cocker, those things can get reaaalllly quiet, Be careful
 
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