Paintball

[mfaded]

Hello,

I just picked up a vsc phantom with a 6" stock barrel. I'm looking to upgrade the barrel...probably to a 14". Is a barrel kit worth the price? If so, which ones. I've heard good things about the stock phantom barrels;and at $26 that can be hard to beat. But if a barrel kit is that much more accurate, I may consider it. Thanks for any advice.

[Wycke]

The CCI barrels are among the best you can get. Pick up a set of detent rings (which work to help prevent rollouts) and get a barrel at whatever length you find comfortable. I've used 8, 11 and 14" barrels and found that the 11" provides the best accuracy and usability for me. If you're used to longer barrels, get the 14". Heck, for the price, get a couple different lengths and see which you like best. You might find that a shorter barrel works better than a longer one for certain fields.

If you really feel like spending money, either get a PPS barrel (choose a length, but make sure you get wedgits and, if you want it, porting) or a pair of Lapcos (an AutoSpirit and a Microshot should handle most any paint you're likely to use). Either way, you're probably looking at spending around $100.

-chad

[Jaan]

I had good luck with the stock barrel with detent rings, but I wanted a longer barrel (my original was 6"). I got one of the stock barrels from White Wolf Airsmithing that were machined out to accept Freak inserts. I'm quite happy with it. I think total with shipping was like $40. Still, detent rings work just fine...

[Cunha]

I dont really like the way the detent rings work too well. I run the smaller bore lapcos and the stock barrel just in case.

[Phantom Power]

The stock barrel with detent rings works surprisingly well. That being said I use a LAPCO Microshot on mine just because my paint is always small and it means I don't have to fuss with the rings or worry about losing them when I remove the barrel.

[jhyan]

I've been using a DYE aluminum barrel (12 inch) with detent rings, and it shot great.

It's now at O'dells paintball getting bored for freak inserts. I haven't shot a phantom with freaks, but I've heard people swear by them.

It costs a bit more, so if budget is an issue, I'd say stick with barrels and detents... will work fine.

[Chemical-X]

I have a barrel kit that I never use. I just love the stock barrel and its detent rings more than monkeying around with different backs and fronts.

[Ir0nExpress]

I owned a PPS brass barrel 11 inch .685 bore and 11 inch stock that takes freak inserts.

My take:

If you are lazy or lack money, you can buy a PPS brass (I think they even have wedgits options now, back then they didn't when I bought it) I got mine for $60 shipped, but I just checked the price and apparently they raised it because now they only start at $65 without the shipping, so by the time you add enough money for wedgits or any other fancy options, it'll be running probably $90 ish, assuming it's just 65 barrel + 15 wedgits + 10 shipping. Wayy too much, I hope they listed the price wrong.

Performance wise, .685 brass does its job real well, very little rollouts, dead nuts accurracy. It would be the barrel I would buy if I just wanted to buy and not worry about anything else.

The con about the barrel is that the weight of the brass offsets the balance of the gun REALLY bad. You better have a stock on the gun or have something to shoulder the gun. Phantoms are designed to be light. I have it on my "heavy" phantom. (45. grip aluminum. red dot sight, Bottomline with 9 oz tank, PPS stabilizer, right feed body with 100 round hopper, Dangerous Power RAPS asa.) It balances on that setup quite well since there's a lot of stuff on it unlike my phantom pistol (Plastic Eurogrip, SC feed, dropout, undercocking kit).

The freak bored barrel tops it though, it costed me $35 to bore out the barrel at twinky's (I used my stock phantom barrel) and the freak kit I got it used for $55 shipped, usually they go for $60 shipped used from what I've seen. You can also use the freak inserts for other guns, which is a major bonus in my opinion. so around $80, assuming you have a stock barrel to get it bored out.

My verdict: Go with the freak. If you are tight on money, you could always try a lapco microshot. Same as A PPS brass in terms of bore size (it's .684 instead of .685) but probably lighter since it's aluminum. The PPS brass is very nice and looks GORGEOUS with a clear pump but with the price increase and weight issue, it really limits its uses.

[mfaded]

Looks like I'm going to get the stock barrel with detents. Was originally plannning to buy to 14", but I'm thinking about maybe the 11".

Any thoughts?

[Chemical-X]

I bought the 11" 8" and 6" for my last phantom and have never used the 11" I use the 6" from time to time but the 8" is my main barrel. Like others have said the CCI barrels are excellent barrels to begin with, compared to other barrels stock or aftermarket they beat most all of them and rival with the top end barrels

On my old phantom I had the 14" 11" 8" and 6" barrels I never used the 14" except for once and that resulted in not being able to fire correctly from having too long of a gun. I went to the 11" for a while the found myself using the 8" most of all. I had the mini pump kit for a micro phantom and used it with my 6" but not very often.

I would advise not to get the 14" unless you are going to be playing long ball most of the time as it will hinder you in a mid to close encounter. As for how I see it the 11" and shorter barrels will be easier to manage on the field but once you get to the 8" you wont notice much difference from that to the 6" Incase you are considering getting the duckslide heck out this thread as it will show you a slide with a few diferent barrel lengths and options.

StockClassPaintball Forum -> D-slide