Paintball News/Rumors Welcome to the second edition of PCRInet. Let's get right to it. Brass Eagle recently reached a royalty and distribution agreement with Lazerball Technologies for Lazerball products. Brass Eagle will distribute the glow-in-the-dark Lazerball exclusively in the near future.

Remember Aldo Perone, the original owner of the Brass Eagle and Zap Paintball names? After selling Brass Eagle and signing a "no-compete" contract that would last several years, Aldo is close to releasing four new paintguns. We're told the guns start at "well under $100", and will compete directly with Brass Eagle and others in the mass merchant market. Speaking of no-compete contracts, if you're wondering when Dave Bell (formerly of Viewloader) will be back in the Paintball industry, figure at least five years. Dave signed a five year no-compete contract in the Brass Eagle deal. Do you get the feeling that Brass Eagle isn't done in this industry yet?

Bob Long recently issued a press release regarding his cutting of several members of the Ironmen, stating that there were too many "i's" and not enough "team players" on the team. We'll have that press release right here for you in a few days.

If you're looking for a really fun big event to play in, consider EMR's "Castle Quest" in New Milford Pennsylvania. This two day event takes place June 12 and 13 and is EMR's version of the original Monty Python classic. Advertised as part scenario, part big game, "All fun, much silliness", this will be a blast.

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Product Evaluations

Armson Stealth Barrel for the Model 98
The Armson "Stealth" Barrel is the newest addition to Pro Team Products' long list of barrels and accessories. For the next three months we are going to evaluate and report on the Stealth barrel for several different paintguns. This month's article will focus on the Stealth barrel for the Tippmann Model 98.

Design/Construction The Stealth barrel used for this evaluation is twelve and one-half inches in length and weighs six ounces. The barrel is constructed from aircraft grade aluminum. Like Armson's original rifled barrels, this one has internal twist rifling, but differs in that it has sixty drilled holes (eight straight rows of holes) in the front six inches of the barrel. The Stealth barrel is machined beautifully and finished in matte anodized black. 98.
Design/Construction rating [4]

Accuracy
Procedure: With a securely bench mounted paintgun we fire 200+ rounds of three different brands at two target distances. At 100 & 125 feet the target size is 22" x 22". All accuracy testing is performed indoors at temperatures of 60-80 degrees (F). For this test we used RP Scherer Premium, Proball, and Zap Pro-Series.

Stock Tippmann barrel: Shooting at the 125 foot target, the Model 98 with the stock barrel hit the mark at a rate of 38% with RP Scherer Premium, 41% with Proball, and 29% using Zap Pro-Series. At 100 feet the ratios increased to 64% for Premium, 63% for Proball, and 58% for Zap.

With the Armson Stealth barrel the 125 foot ratios were increased to 45% using RP Scherer Premium, 46% with Proball, and 40% with Zap. At 100 feet, the Armson barrel's accuracy ratios were 81% for RP Scherer, 75% for Proball, and 73% with Zap. Observations: As you can see, the Armson barrel increased the accuracy of the Model 98 in all six test areas. We encountered no ball breaks using the Armson Stealth barrel.
Accuracy rating [3]

Performance
(CO2 efficiency, ball breakage, etc.)

Using the Armson barrel with Diablo paintballs, the velocity was about 25 feet per second higher than that of the stock barrel gun. We attribute this to a better fit between the paintball and the bore size of the barrel. Using the standard barrel we got about 725 good shots (275 FPS or higher) from a twenty-ounce tank in 60 degree temps. With the Armson Barrel, the shots per twenty-ounce tank fill was increased by about 40.

During field testing the Armson Stealth barrel we encountered no ball breaks in the barrel, using any of the four paint brands. We purposely broke paint in the barrel so we could test how paint shoots through ball breaks. After one pass of a "Jerk" type squeegee, the loss in accuracy was noticeable. After a good off-field cleaning, the Armson barrel's accuracy was back to its earlier standard. Also of note, the Armson Stealth barrel is much quieter than the original Armson rifled barrel. This is a result of the 60 drilled holes which "vent" the C02.
Performance test rating [3.5]

Price
At around $99, the Armson Stealth barrel is priced in the middle of the pack. The ratio of improvements over the stock barrel, compared to many other third party Model 98 barrels is higher than most. The Stealth barrel is a very good value.

Conclusion
If you're looking for more accuracy from your Tippmann Model 98, take a look at the Armson Stealth barrel before you buy an aftermarket barrel. This one offers improved accuracy, it's quiet, efficient, and looks good to boot.

PCRI IS PLEASED TO AWARD THE EXTREME RAGE GEAR BAG OUR FOUR STAR SEAL OF QUALITY.

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Palmer Pursuit's QuickSwitch Four-Way Valve
I've heard a lot of airsmiths complain about the stock 4-way valve on the Autococker. It appears to be just fine for the stock trigger-pull, but many airsmiths seem to have trouble with it leaking or not being smooth enough when they go all out with a top-end trigger job. In response to this, several companies have come out with aftermarket 4-way valves. Glenn Palmer (Palmer Pursuits) is just the latest to offer his own idea of the ultimate Autococker switch. The Palmer QuickSwitch is actually identical to the 4-way he builds into his Blazer semi-auto, but encased in a brass shell that allows it to be mounted on the standard Autococker front block.

Design
Palmer's has gone in a decidedly unique direction in the design of his 4-way valve. Where most aftermarket 4-ways seek to offer a simpler, but smoother design than the stock valve, Glenn Palmer has gone in the complete opposite direction. Where the stock valve has four parts and four o-rings and most aftermarket valves have only two parts and two o-rings, the QuickSwitch has no fewer than six parts and six o-rings! While this does make for a somewhat more complex design, there was a good reason for doing it this way. But before you can understand the design, you need to understand the problems he was trying to overcome.

In the stock 4-way, the piston o-rings seal on either end into end-caps that have a slightly conical shape. When the fit is tight enough to prevent any leaking, the stock valve can be quite a bit stiffer than many airsmiths like. When it is polished out for smoother action, the valve has a greater tendency to leak, and if over polished can actually be made to begin venting before the valve is completely switched. Most aftermarket valves go for smoother action by doing away with the end-caps and having the valve be a simple tube of fixed diameter. The problem here is that the piston o-rings are constantly rubbing back and forth across the outlet holes at the same spot, making for uneven wear and early failure. Glenn Palmer avoided all these problems by creating the three internal chambers with four cylindrical inserts. Unlike the stock valve's end caps which can require a relatively long travel to go from completely sealed to completely open, the design of these inserts and the precision of their manufacture ensures that they open and close over almost imperceptibly small distances. The result of this is a valve that switches extremely quickly without the stock valve's sloppy, leaky character.

At the same time, the piston o-rings open and close around their entire circumference making for even wear and greater long-term reliability. Like most aftermarket 4-ways, the QuickSwitch switches in just under 2mm of travel, much less than the stock valve. This allows airsmiths to time Autococker triggers for considerably shorter pulls with less risk of leaking and blowback. One final nice design feature is that all of the components drop into the valve body through the front and are held in place with a large allen screw. Anyone who has tried to reassemble a stock 4-way knows what a pain it can be trying to get the C-clips back in. The Palmer design is much easier to work with.
Design rating [4]

Construction
The QuickSwitch is constructed entirely of brass. It is precision-manufactured to very close tolerances as its performance readily indicates. The only problem I noticed was that the back of the piston shaft is a little too large and can be difficult to fit the timing rod collar over. Soon, an aluminum version of the valve will become available in a variety of colors. Only the outer body (not the inserts or shaft) will be aluminum, so the valve should function identically.
Construction rating [3.5]

Performance/Versatility
You are not going to find a whole lot to complain about performance-wise with this valve. It allows softer trigger springing than the stock 4-way and its sub-2mm switch length allows exceptionally short trigger settings without leaks or blowback problems. As I mentioned before, this valve opens and seals over very short distances. When it seals, it seals tightly. Unlike many other 4-ways, Palmer's QuickSwitch can not be easily made to leak when the timing rod is bumped or twisted. The only area in which this valve falls a bit short of some other aftermarket valves is in smoothness. Though its action is smoother than the stock valve, most other short-throw aftermarket 4-ways allow even softer trigger springing than the QuickSwitch. This is the trade-off for leak-free performance.
Performance/Versatility rating [3]

Price/Warranty
At $39, the Palmer QuickSwitch is nearly double the price of virtually all the competing 4-way valves. It makes sense given the greater number of parts and greater precision required in machining required to manufacture this valve. Just because it makes sense doesn't necessarily mean that it is worth it, though. The QuickSwitch comes with a one year warranty. This covers manufacture and materials, including O-rings as long as they are not damaged by solvents (e.g. petroleum-based lubricants). This is probably a better warranty than you're going to find on any other 4-way.
Price/Warranty rating [2]

Conclusion
Glenn Palmer has made one very impressive 4-way valve in the QuickSwitch. Clever design has resulted in a short-throw valve that combines impressive reliability, leak-free operation, and faster, cleaner switching than any other 4-way I've seen. Its only real stumbling point is the exceedingly high price tag.

PCRI IS PLEASED TO AWARD THE PALMER QUICK-SWITCH OUR THREE STAR SEAL OF QUALITY.

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On The Edge
Coming 5/24

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Tips from the Workbench

Welcome to "Tips from the Workbench." This month I'll be discussing disassembly of the Tippmann Model 98. Before you can actually work on the Model 98. You'll need to know how to completely disassemble it. Look for troubleshooting tips for the Model 98 right here soon. Remember, if you have any technical questions, please e-mail them to onthedge@mailcity.com, and I'll answer them right here.

Disassembling the Model 98

The Model 98's main body is manufactured from cast aluminum and comes apart in two halves, leaving the internals in tact.

Using an 1/8" allen wrench, remove the five allen screws that hold the two-piece body together. Next use a 5/16" allen wrench to remove the four hand grip screws in the .45 grip frame. Under the rubber grips you'll find another allen screw that needs to be removed. You can now pull the two sides of the receiver (main body) apart. Be careful--the end cap is under pressure from the drive spring and if it comes out of its cavity, you can lose the spring pretty easily.

At this point you should have six receiver screws, four hand grip screws, the end cap, drive spring, and guide detached from the Model 98. You should also have the front sight, sight spring, and rubber ball latch. You can now slide the front bolt off of the power tube.

There are two allen screws holding the power tube/valve assembly to the right side of the gun (looking from the back end to the front). Removing the two power tube mounting screws will allow the power tube assembly to be separated from the receiver.

You'll need a 7/16" wrench to remove the steel braid hose from the power tube/valve assembly. This must be loctited when you reinstall it.

Using a 1/4" wooden dowel rod down the power tube, gently push the valve assembly out of the back end of the power tube assembly.

Looking at the front end of the valve assembly you will see the brass valve plug. The plug is held in place by a snap ring. This can be carefully removed by pulling it out with a needle-nose pliers. With the snap ring removed, push on the valve pin and the valve assembly should come out.

To disassemble the trigger assembly pull upward on the trigger spring and slide the trigger assembly off of the pin. Next disconnect the sear spring and slide the sear off of the sear pin. This is literally as far as the Model 98 can be disassembled. Thanks for reading.

From Square One

Hi again and welcome to "From Square One." Before we get started, we need to make a correction. Last month we said that RP Scherer Big Ball paintballs had a larger bore size than other labels or brands. This is actually not true. Big Ball's bore size is in the average .678-.680 range. This month we're going to be discussing the "Spyder" clones, and how they differ from one another. The first thing we need to discuss is the fact that these guns are not really Spyder clones--they are F-1 Illustrator clones as far as we can tell. As far as we can see, the F-1 Illustrator was the first gun with this type of internal over/under bolt/striker design. If anyone knows of an earlier paintgun with this design please let us know.

F-4 Illustrator: The F-4 from ACI is a totally revamped version of the original F-1 Illustrator which debuted back in the early 1990's. The F-4 features a bottom-line air set-up, 45-grip frame, power feed design, "quick slide" cocking design with no exposed internals, sight rail, and wide trigger shoe. The F-4 is available in black, red, green, and grey. A custom "S/X" version of the F-4 is available as well. This one comes with matching splash components, including a twelve-ounce C02 tank.

Spyder: There are several versions of the Spyder available, including the Compact "A" or "P" (vertical C02 set-up), the Spyder One, Spyder Elite, Spyder Special Edition, and the old standby, the original Spyder. Without dedicating this entire article to the Spyder series, here are the basic differences--the "Compact" is a vertical C02 setup, with "P" being the designation for "plastic", and "A" for "aluminum." The Spyder One features a 45-grip frame with rubber grips, a modified receiver (for aesthetics only), plastic frame, bottom-line C02, and a power feed design. The Spyder Elite differs from the Spyder One in that it has a metal (aluminum) frame. The Special Edition has an extended main body, expansion chamber, double finger trigger, bottom-line C02, 45-grip frame, raised sight rail, and power feed system. All metal parts are splash anodized in a "camo" green color.

Scorpion: The Scorpion  from Power Paintball is an all aluminum gun (externally), that features a rear cocking design, thumb screw velocity adjuster, thumb screw (2) disassembly, lightened bolt, aluminum barrel with interchangeable tips, and bottom-line C02. For more information on the Scorpion see page eight of this issue.

Bob Long Millennium: The Millennium probably has more features than any other gun we're looking at here, but it costs quite a bit more as well. The Millennium features a vertical feeding system, ported barrel, low pressure design, expansion chamber, rear cocking system, molded aluminum 45-grip frame, all aluminum design, locking thumb screw velocity adjuster, and a totally uselesssight rail.

PMI Piranha: The PMI Piranha is probably the newest of the class. The Piranha comes with a 45-grip frame, is rear cocking, has a power feed, vertical-bottle set up, carbon fiber frame, sight rail, and "push pin" quick release for super fast field stripping.

The Diamond GT: The "GT" features all aluminum construction with a 45-grip frame, bottom-line C02, power feed system, raised sight rail, side cocking, and wide trigger shoe.

The Stealth: The Stealth semi-auto is top-cocking, and has a rear thumb screw velocity adjuster, power feed, carbon fiber non-45 grip frame, back-bottle C02 sat up, and ported barrel.

Brass Eagle Raptor: The Raptor has a unique ambidextrous cocking handle, 45-grip frame, power feed system, bottom-line C02 set up, sight rail, and is finished in satin green. There you have it--one more thing, if you're looking to buy one of these paintguns, the prices range from around $110-$300.

That will do it for this edition of PCRInet, please check back with us regularly.

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