Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Kingman Spyder E-99 Review

Overview
E-99 In Box [Click to Enlarge]Many changes have occurred within the paintball industry in 2002, the most significant is the introduction of affordably priced electronic guns. Even two years ago it was unheard of to see an electronic gun priced at under $500. Thanks to the advent of electronic grip frames, players no longer have to shell out hundreds of dollars to gain the benefits of full-auto and burst-fire triggers. Right now it only takes $200 to purchase a gun, like the Spyder E-99, that is capable of reaching 13 balls per second using full-auto firing. Of course it isn’t safe to compare $1,200 WDP Angels to $200 E-99s... But it is fair to say that the E-99 has a definite firepower advantage over its predecessor, the Spyder Xtra. Take note, the E-99 is a Spyder Xtra on steroids. The E-99 has almost all the same features and components of the Xtra with the exception that the older semi-auto trigger frame on the Xtra has been replaced with Kingman’s fully automatic ESP Frame.

Parts Included:
Inside the BoxIncluded along with the E-99 is a one year warranty, owners manual, barrel plug, a couple spare o-rings, and three allen wrenches. The owners manual is fairly well illustrated. It covers the basics of safety, gun operation, maintenance, and how to use and adjust the E-Frame. What is not included with the E-99?… a 9 volt battery. If you purchase an E-99, and plan on trying it out after it gets to your door, you need to have a 9 volt battery on hand. You don’t need to purchase a rechargeable 9 volt, but it is an option. If you do buy a rechargeable battery, don’t forget to buy a charger along with it.

Features
The E-99 doesn’t have every feature in the book, but it does come very nicely equipped for just under $200. Useful features equipped on the E-99 include the Spyder ESP Frame (full-auto, 3 shot , and 6 shot burst firing modes with adjustable rates of fire for each mode), mini-expansion chamber, enlarged low pressure chamber, vertical ball feed, double finger trigger, thumb velocity adjuster, quick field strip pin, drop forward, beavertail, and sight rail.

Feature - Spyder ESP Frame:
ESP FrameThe ESP frame is what sets the E-99 apart from its predecessor, the Spyder Xtra. If you have used the Xtra before, the accuracy, consistency, and internals of the E-99 are essentially the same. The only difference is the ESP Frame. It converts this gun into a full-auto paint throwing machine! The ESP frame gives you 4 firing mode options; semi-auto, 3 shot burst, 6 shot burst, and full-auto. In semi-auto mode, the trigger on the E-99 feels almost identical to the Xtra, but when you kick the ESP frame into full-auto mode there is no comparison. The burst and full-auto modes can be adjusted to fire at a rate anywhere from 5 - 13 balls per second. The ESP frame worked excellently throughout our testing.

The Dip Switch Panel on the E-99To change between firing modes on the E-99’s ESP frame you need a small allen wrench to throw the small dip switches located inside the frame. If you look closely at the bottom of the ESP frame in the picture to the right, you can see the small panel of 6 dip switches. Switches 1-4 adjust the rate of fire and switches 5-6 adjust the firing mode. By varying combinations of the switches (either off or on) you can adjust the firing mode and rate of fire. You can access the switches through a small opening in the plastic window so you do not need to take the frame off every time you want to change settings. Also, for tournament players who can‘t use non-semi firing modes, there is a separate window included with the gun that does not have the adjustment opening.

Two things I think need to be improved on the ESP frame 1) The plastic hand grips are far too wide and not very comfortable. The grips give the frame a very square feeling and make it far too large for average adult hands. The frame is large enough that I found myself having to twist my wrist forward a bit to find a semi-comfortable shooting position. Unfortunately, I don’t know of any aftermarket, soft rubber grips made to fit the ESP frame. 2) You need the instruction manual on you to figure out how to adjust the 6 dip switches to the desired firing mode and balls per second. Sure you can try throwing the switches every which way until you get the bps right, but an LCD display would be an option worth buying. Spyder does make an LCD display version of the ESP frame, but the E-99 is only available in the version that uses dip switches.

Feature - Mini Expansion Chamber:
Mini Expansion ChamberThe purpose of an expansion chamber is to prevent liquid CO2 from entering the internals of a paintball gun. Running liquid CO2 in most paintball guns can damage a gun’s o-rings. The mini expansion chamber is just like it says... miniature. The expansion chamber is only 2 inches long and is enclosed in the front gas-through grip. It may look like the entire front grip is an expansion chamber, but only about 2 inches of it is used for the chamber. Although the chamber is a little smaller than we expected, it was effective at preventing the gun from having liquid CO2 problems during our testing.

Feature - Vertical Feed:
Vertical Feed NeckThe vertical feed allows balls to feed faster into the gun, making it harder to “chop” balls when rapid firing. This is a necessity on the E-99 due to the high ball feed rate required for using full-auto mode. The vertical feed gives you an unobstructed view only down the side of the barrel. This can make it a challenge to get your first shot directly on target, but after a little practice, most players find the vertical feed setup to be the preferred feed for their gun.

Field Stripping & Maintenance
The E-99, just like the Xtra and most other Spyder markers, is very easy to field strip and clean. You can literally take the E-99 apart and put it back together in about 2 minutes. Spyder guns in general are very... very easy to maintain. A few drops of oil after each use and your gun should continue to work properly. When you take the E-99 apart, the bolt and striker are interconnected by a connecting pin, so both the bolt and striker come out at one time. This makes it a little harder if you only need to clean the bolt, but at any rate.... cleaning out the E-99 is a breeze compared to many other guns out there. The engineers at Kingman have done a great job on making the E-99 easy to clean and maintain.

The ESP frame requires no maintenance except for exterior cleaning and periodically changing the 9 volt battery it runs off of. We fired around 3,500 shots through our E-99, never needing to replace the battery. Kingman roughly estimates the life of one 9 volt battery to be about 4000 - 7000 shots. Replacing the 9v battery is very simple and straightforward. Remember to never attempt to clean the interior of the ESP frame using a liquid solvent, this could ruin the circuit board.

Balance and Field Performance

Velocity Testing:
Velocity TestingWe tested the E-99 using compressed air at a temperature of 60 degrees on an overcast day. For this test, we shot 2 groups of 10 rounds each across our chronograph. Group 1 was shot 10 minutes prior to group 2, both groups show about the same result. The graph to the right summarizes our results. Similar to the test results we obtained from the Spyder Xtra a year ago, the E-99’s velocity chart is a bit sporadic. The E-99 varied plus-minus about 7 balls per second from 285 feet per second, our “ideal” range is for speeds to stay within 4 fps from 285 at all times.

On the Field:
After our initial accuracy and consistency testing, we packed up the E-99 and brought it to the local paintball field for the day. We used the E-99 in semi-auto mode for the duration of our field test. During our accuracy testing, we noted that the E-99 generated a large amount of air blowback into the elbow. When we stacked one or two paintballs in the elbow and watched how they feed after each shot, we could see the ball on the top of the stack jump up about 1” after each shot. This was caused by air slipping out through the elbow rather than through the barrel. We wanted to see if the blowback would effect ball feed performance, so for the first couple of games we decided to go with a non-motorized ViewLoader hopper.

After initially shooting about 100 paintballs, we experienced our first ball break. The bolt chopped a ball and paint sprayed down the barrel, and also back into the elbow. We tried to quickly squeegee the barrel and clean out the feed neck so we could finish out the game, but it is difficult to continue after a bad ball chop. After the first game, we gave the E-99 a thorough cleaning and headed back out for game two. Game 2 was yet another problem as we chopped yet another paintball about half way into the game. We had proven our theory that the E-99 needed to have an agitated (motorized) hopper, so after game 2 we switched over to a 12 Volt ViewLoader Revolution hopper. After making the switch to an agitated loader, we didn’t have any more balls get chopped in the E-99. The faster feed rate of the agitated loader kept the feed tube stacked with balls, making it much more difficult for balls to jump up after each shot. Once we made the switch over to an agitated loader, the E-99’s performance was excellent for the remainder of the day. We used just under 1,000 paintballs over the course of the day with no further problems.

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Not All Paintball Markers Are Made The Same!

There’s a wide selection of paintball markers on sale, so it pays to do your research to make sure you buy one that suits your abilities. Paintball guns range in price from under $200 for a decent entry level gun, such as a Spyder or Tippmann, to over $1000 for a tournament style marker such as an Angel paintgun. If you’ve just discovered the sport of paintballing and want to play regularly, it makes sense to buy your own gun and gear rather than rent it each time you go to games. As well as a marker, all paintballers must wear masks out on the field, and you’ll need to check out equipment like hoppers and air tanks too.

Paintball gun packages can be a cheap way to buy all the supplies you need in one go, but make sure you’re getting value for money. There are some top quality markers available at discount prices, but there are a few tips you should know to help you choose which is the best deal. First of all, decide whether you want a basic pump action gun, a semi auto or a fully automatic. These various types have different rates of fire and work in different ways. Look for a paintball marker that doesn’t need lots of upgrades to improve its performance and that’s easy to keep clean and maintain. Some paintballers like to change barrels and add electronic trigger frames to make their gun shoot faster, but this shouldn’t be necessary if you buy a decent sniper.

When you’re running around during the game dodging your opponents paintballs and grenades, you want a gun that you can depend on. Get info on reliable models by reading reviews in magazines and by speaking to other paintballers. Look for guns with a sturdy construction that aren’t cheaply made, but are light enough to maneuver easily out on the field. A metal body is generally preferable to plastic. Black, camouflage or matte colors won’t make you stand out as much as a brightly colored shiny marker. Check the air supply. A CO2 tank is better than cartridges.

There are some fantastic deals to be found at online paintball stores. All sorts of markers, safety gear and other paintball stuff can be found on the internet at affordable prices. By shopping around you should be able to get the marker you want at a great price. Check out http://www.paintball-gear-guns.com/paintball-markers.html for more information all the leading markers at discount prices.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Paintball Gear

T68 Genocide

Are you sick of your puny paintball marker?...
Then get a grenade launching, bipod mounted, laser scoped, paintball marker!
t68-genocide.jpg [60658 bytes]
T68 Genocide from Real Action Paintball for $1,199 USD.

Gun Guide for Experienced Players

Well you can go one of two ways. You can get a relatively cheap gun(That is still nice and dependable) and then add-on a lot of stuff to your specifications(in my opinion this is always the best thing, it really gives it a custom feel and lets yuo decide everything). You can also get a high end gun but with limited variation(maybe like a new barrel at most). What you should really look for is a gun that will last you a while, one that you like, and one that will do what you want. If you want to longball and you got a gun that doesn't shoot long, don't get it. If you want to storm bunkers and provide covering fire and jump right into it, don't get a long-range gun.
Its all really preference, personally I just got back in the game and got a piranha(they are pretty customizable, I know there are better and stuff but I trust it and I used it a few years back, it hasn't done my wrong so far biggrin.gif , I've even seen guns of other brands give out before it), out of all the guns I wanted to get a piranha because later on as better and better technologies come out they usually fit onto a piranha cause it has the normal layout(and I wasn't ready to buy a higher-end marker). But what you should really look for is a nice gun(for 200 bucks you can get a pretty good gun, my piranha goes for 180 but I got it on sale for 120, it was a nice sale. But if you want a higher gun, they aren't cheap, I got my Trix for 600 and that was very very good) and then for the time being get some upgrades that you would enjoy and can help you with your shooting and accuracy and range.
Then over time build up onto the gun as you develop as a player. So as the sport evolves so does your gun. But thats just my opinion some people like to get a gun that has everything on it already and they don't like to add anything on, personally I prefer a custom touch. Its all up to you, also I wouldn't go by name brands just because they are said to be popular and the such, go with the one you have had the most luck with and you have seen on a field that can do some damage. See ya and Good luck!

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Tactics & Strategies For Beginner

Here are tips and tactics to help you take your game to the next level.
Beginner Strategy: Ten Tips To Play Better Paintball
Want to be a better paintballer? Here are ten cheap and easy ways to play better the next time you step on the field without spending a lot of time or money.
Improving Your Shot
Want to be a better paintball player? This article will give you tips on how to get the most out of your practice sessions.
Basic Do’s and Don’ts
Learn paintball’s basic ground rules for safety and sportsmanship.
Be Unpredictable
In everyday life, it helps to have a routine. But paintball isn’t everyday life. Learn some new moves and make yourself unpredictable.
Beware of Tunnel Vision
Have you ever gotten shot seemingly out of nowhere? If so, you probably fell prey to that common newbie mistake -- tunnel vision. Find out what it is and how to avoid it.

Crawling 101
Crawling is a slow way to move on a paintball field, but it can give you a great advantage by allowing you to stay hidden. Learn when and how to crawl during a paintball game.
Don’t Be a Hoser
Think there isn't a paintball gun out there that could shoot fast enough for you? Go through a case of paint in one day? Then you should learn that shooting well is much more impressive than shooting frequently.
Don’t Shoot Long
New players love to shoot at targets that are out of range. Stop it!
Don’t think twice!
As a new paintball player, it’s only natural to hesitate. Don’t! There’s only one way to learn and win this game – by doing

Eliminating Your Opponents
Hitting another player and eliminating him or her is not the same thing. Paintballs have an annoying habit of bouncing off your opponents. Here are some quick strategies for increasing the number of successful hits you get out on the field.
Help! I don’t know how to play!
You’ve never played before, and you’re afraid you’re going to get pounced on the field. Don’t let it stop you. Paintball basics are simple.
How to Improve Your Aim
These paintball drills are easy to set up but challenging to do. Keep on practicing and soon you’ll notice the difference in your aim (and in the amount of paint you need!)
Keep Your Sights on the Goal
Many players tend to make up their own objectives when playing paintball. Make sure your personal goal isn't going against the true objective of the game – to win!
Play as a team
Take advantage of the fact that paintball is a team sport by using these quick strategies.
Play tight
Tired of those chest shots? Learn how to make yourself a small target out on the paintball field.
Stop and Check Yourself
Some players are too quick to yell they are out when they feel a hit. Before eliminating yourself, make sure the paint actually broke on you.
Teamwork 101
How do you make a good team on the field? By being friends off the field, communicating, trusting each other to watch your backs, and sharing credit for a job well done.

Friday, July 14, 2006

Tactical Paintball Gun

Get Real Life Experience With This Tactical Paintball Gun!

Latest News:
Presenting the T68 Generation 3 Paintball Gun! This is the most
highly celebrated T68 Series paintball gun to ever be released, and
for good reason: durability, features, aesthetics, and it'll shoot any
.68 caliber paintball. The T68 Generation 3 Paintball Gun is designed
for high speed games that call for instant and precise response
with completely reliable equipment. With such features as the
Atom Smasher Trigger System, this unit is manufactured for
full-blown paint-combat.

The T68 Generation 3 Paintball Gun is best for individuals who
believe in tactical precision--where every shot counts, and every
ball eliminates an opponent. With an advanced hammer and power
spring, this marker will deliver head shots at 150 feet, with a max
range of 300 feet. They use standard .68 caliber paintballs and can
be used at any paintball field.
The T68 Gen3 has a
removable carry handle with standard iron sights adjustable
for elevation and windage. With the carry handle removed,
the T68 Gen3 can take any standard scope, sight or mount on the
flattop rail. The T68 Gen3 has an authentic charging handle, just
like a real assault rifle.



Military and law enforcement groups can use the T68 Gen3 for tactical
training. It is perfect for room clearing and building entry training,
teaching CQB marksmanship and firearm safety. The T68 Gen3 is
fabricated with weight, width and length that is comparable to authentic M16/M4 style assault rifles, and the pistol grip is identical to that
on an M4. This gives officers a true-to-life feel as if they were holding their
duty gear. The T68 Gen3 will change the face of paintball and give the
military and law enforcement agencies new training gear...and your
scenario gaming will never be the same again.

Thursday, July 13, 2006

New Marker From Spyder


Spyder Pilot ACS 2005

Spyder Pilot ACS 2005 Paintball Guns feature:
  • Electronic trigger frame with LED readout
  • New Anti-Chop System (ACS)
  • Up to 20 balls per second firing capability
  • Low pressure chamber
  • New style drop forward
  • Expansion chamber
  • Vertical feed
  • Steel braided bottomline
  • Double trigger with cutlass style guard
  • Rubber side panel grips
  • Tournament style velocity adjuster
  • New cut body for lightweight performance
  • Matte finish
  • Ported muzzle break "twist" barrel


  • Blue/Black Spyder Pilot ACS 05 Paintball Guns
    Gun-KG-PltACS05-BlBk
    Reg. Price: $239.95
    Xtreme Price:
    $119.95

    Wednesday, July 12, 2006

    About PAINTBALL


    A paintball is a capsule of vegetable oil based dye, which comes in different colors and variations. It is used in a military type combat games consisting of teams. The players of the team have to eliminate the opposing players by shooting these paintballs at them. When a paintball hits a player he gets eliminated.

    Paintballs are made in a unique way. They are basically gelatin capsules, which contain colored liquid. This paint or color liquid is safe as it is non-toxic, water soluble and biodegradable.

    Paintballs weigh only a few grams and measure only 1.7 cm in diameter. When they hit a person, they burst and leave a splatter of paint on the person. The size of this splatter is about 13 cm.

    Players use gas powered guns to shoot paintballs at each other. The use of paintballs provides the players with real time atmosphere and situations.

    The history of Paintball

    The history of paintball can be traced back into the early 1970’s. During this period paintball guns were mainly used as a tool for marking livestock and tress. Then in 1981, some 12 friends introduced paintball as a recreational game. They used industrial paintball guns. These twelve friends played this game for the first time on a field of over 100 acres. The game paintball was originally named as “the national survival game”.

    Paintball-the evolution

    It started with normal paintball guns and paintball, and the game was simple –hit each other and win. Since that time paintball has become popular all over the world. It has become a globally recognized recreational activity. The game has evolved and has become more sophisticated. Today people from all around the world form their teams set up international tournaments and leagues. There are continuous innovations happening in the construction of new games and fields of paintball.

    With the growing number of paintball fans the paintball industry is also blooming. They are developing commercial paintball fields. In 1982, the first commercial outdoor paintball field was developed. Since then developments of new fields have kept paintball enthusiasts coming back for more fun and excitement.

    Today there are prizes set up by organizations for the winning teams. The players keep on updating their paintball guns, with the advent of newer technologies.

    The basic thing which sets this game apart from other games is the type of equipment involved. Not too many games involve such adept use of guns.

    The famous paintball games

    Since the advent of paintball as a game, people and industries have both developed new style of game combating. But there are some famous paintball games that are played and enjoyed by paintball enthusiasts.

    Capture the flag

    It is a classic paintball game. This game includes two opposing teams. The teams have to acquire the opponent’s flag and hang their flag on a designated location. During this process, the players of the either team have to protect their own flag.

    When this game is played in tournaments, it requires skills and intelligence. If a team eliminates all the players of the opposition, having none of their players eliminated and hangs the flag within the allotted time, they are said to have ‘maxed’ the opposition. The term ‘maxed’ implies that they have scored the maximum possible points that could be achieved in the game.

    Center flag

    This paintball game is similar to capture the flag. There is only one difference. The flag to be captured is hung in the centre of the field. The teams have captured that flag and hang it on a designated location. This designated location is somewhere on the opposition base.

    Elimination

    This paintball game requires that the elimination of all the members of the opposition. The objective of the teams is to hit the players of the opposing team and get them all eliminated. Whichever team eliminates all the players of the opposing team wins the game.

    Paintball has emerged as game of wits and strategies. It is becoming popular all over the world and is gaining an ever-growing fan base