| PCRI Tech
Automag Tips from Rob Hoover
This month we're going to talk about Automag bolts. There are four types
of Automag bolts--the AGD "foamie" bolt, AGD "foamieless", post venturi and
the non post venturi.
Automag Bolts
For the most part every one knows the foamie and foamieless bolts from AGD.
They are very good quality parts and have the backing of the company.
As for the Venturi bolts, there are several makers out there and some are
not using good quality materials in the construction. At this time I will
point out that every Pro Team Products bolt I have come across has had excessive
wear on sear lockup lip. This in the long run can cause problems with shoot
down, accidental gun discharge and leaking down the barrel. I like the basic
design with this bolt but it needs to be made from better, more durable
materials. I should also point out that Pro Team Products is known for keeping
their customers happy and will likely replace problem bolts.
Now for the juicy parts. When looking at an aftermarket bolt you really should
look at a few things. The design is very important for several reasons, which
is why I separated the post/non-post bolts. Bolts that do not take up the
extra room that the foamie did, will probably have problems chopping or breaking
balls. The foamie in a stock bolt takes up space in the breach and keeps
the ball from rolling back in to the bolt face allowing another ball to partially
drop into the feed port. When the trigger is pulled and this is happening
a couple of things can result. You get very lucky and nothing happens, or
the bolt will crack the second ball and then when you shoot it you either
blow it up in the breach or the barrel. With venturi bolts, you have the
added problem of the concave face that will allow the ball to roll back even
farther into the bolt face and allowing the ball to drop farther into the
feed port. If you are using a small OD (outside dimension) ball then the
problem is even worse!
Something else that can cause more of a problem are the very sharp edges
on some of the venturi bolts. The sharp edges can actually "cut" the paintball.
Some makers of the non-post Automag bolts have added a little foamie to the
center of the bolt. This helps a lot, but with smaller paint it still may
not be enough take up room. I have seen players that have added a small piece
of foam to the foam post on these bolts. This can work well, but you'll have
to deal with the problems of the regular foamie bolt (foamie falling off,
etc.).
This may or may not be a concern for most players, but the efficiency of
the bolt is also in question. If you are very close to running out of air
when playing (shooting all your paint) you need to think about how much more
air this bolt is going to use. Most bolts will make you run more adjustment
into your velocity (meaning you need more pressure to get the ball out of
the barrel at the same feet per second). If you have a few friends that have
different bolts, get together and do a little testing. Get a ½ case
of paint and use the same barrel/gun for each test. Test with the stock AGD
bolt and set the velocity to 295. Next change out the stock bolt with a venturi
bolt and shoot some paint and check the velocity.
Now another tidbit to think about. The idea of a venturi bolt is to evenly
distribute the air all the way around the outside circumference of the ball,
not in the center of the ball. Most people do this with the many small holes
placed on the outer edge of the bolt. Sometimes this can restrict airflow.
Now look at the stock AGD bolt and think about how the air hits the ball.
Its not hitting in the center of the ball but the outside edges. It has a
very even delivery with little to no restriction to the air flow.
PCRI has tested several of the venturi bolts and have found no major
improvements over the stock bolts. When viewing the potential problems of
aftermarket bolts, it would seem silly to spend more money on a product that
in the long run could cause problems and isn't backed by the manufacturer.
If you wanted to buy a bolt to have either an extra Foamie bolt or a foamie
and foamieless to choose from they are still less expensive than most of
the aftermarket bolts and they have a factory warranty. But in the long run
that is up to you. Try as many as you can get our hands on and test them
using the same paint, barrels and conditions.
As always play safe and smart and I'll see ya in Chicago.
(Rob Hoover, is a certified Airgun Designs technician and can be found
at most major Paintball events working the AGD booth.)
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