Paintball Teams

[blackrain]

NOTE:
To clear things up, I did not contact B&M,they contacted me. I was offered alot of free stuff,but what was offered I felt wasn't right for me to accept.

Team Blackrain does not try and drain a sponsor nor do we accept expensive items that will cause the sponsor Financial hardship.
I was asked to give an honest review and opinion on what was sent to me.

The Jewelry was something that was not expected. Both my Wife and I were surprised when we saw it. My Wife wears it everyday and to all events we attend.

So here is my honest opinion on these items. Just because B&M is my sponsor,doesn't mean I won't be critical on items. Alot have read my reviews and know that I am very honest when I write. I won't endorse a product I feel is not safe nor worthy for the players.


B&M Chainmaille and Jewelry

Chain Mail Products paintball and non-paintball

bmchainmaille@comcast.net


Now we all have seen Chainmaille in museums and movies. Chainmaille was designed to protect areas of the Warriors body. Thickness determined the area that needed the most protection.

Chainmaille is still used to this day in reenactments to Scuba diving suits. It is a process that requires alot of skill and patience.

Iam not an expert in this field,nor am I familiar with the process,so here is a link to explain it much better then I can:

A History of Chainmaille

Team Blackrain has recently picked up such a sponsor. Now we all know that we do not battle with swords,mace nor battkle axe.
What Bradys71 does do is add a personal touch and different look to your paintball equipment. Using various colors and metal materials to make the type of look you request.

About a month ago I received these items in the mail. Yes I have kind of dragged my feet on this review. Not really knowing what or how to describe them.

Jewelry:




13cui Tank Cover:



These items were very well made. My Wife actually wears the Jewelry on a daily basis. She always gets compliments on the braclet and ear rings.

These were actually made to match a recent Jersey we had made. By that time we had purchased two others. However the items match with every team jersey we have. No worries Brady,you did a great job.


So let's start off with a decription of the bottle cover:

The material used was a variety of silver and red metal rings,with red and black orings. Now I know that orings weren't used back in the day of Knights,but you have to have a way for the cover to grip the bottle.
That's exactly what the orings are for,GRIP!

Let me just say that once this cover is slid on,it's not going to twist off or slip off anytime SOON!

I tried to twist the cover while it was on the bottle. I caused it to twist a little,but with some effort. Once this cover is on,it's staying on till YOU the PLAYER actually want it off the bottle.

The cover has two openings. One end is wide,which is the slip on end and the other end is smaller and tight. This is the bottom of the bottle. It will wrap on the lower end of bottle to form a cusion/protection for your shoulder or bottle end.








How to slip on:

It's a very simple process. Not all that hard. Yea right,I messed up my first time,I put it on backwards, I hear I'm not the only one on MCB that did it.

Fit the wide end around the lower end of bottle. Just slide it on and work it up towards the neck of the bottle.















If your wrong it will look like this. Real self explanitory:




As far as clean up after a hit, I can only reccommend two options.


1- Slip off the cover and wipe off the bottle and rinse the cover.

2 -Just put the bottle and cover under running water till the paint is gone and then let air/drip dry. Dry with a towel.


Protection is offered thru the rings that hold everything together. Will it prevent a chip on your fiber bottle? Possibly. I'm sure if it were hit hard enough against a rock intentionally, then I'm sure force and impact ratio will imply with a chip. In my opinion you would have to,on purpose try and inflict damage to your bottle before it would chip or rub off paint.

What would I like to see done? I would tighten up the top a little more. Make the wide end a little smaller. That way it hugs the top of the bottle as such.




I'm prior Military,so to me everything should be tight and snug. However the way it fits now is just fine TIGHT and SNUG. I'm just too picky when it comes to fit up.




For the price it's worth it. I have seen other sites and to be honest I'm not really that impressed with the workmanship of others. Price varies on bottle size,color and what you want done. Either way the player is going to get more than their monies worth with what they order. The craftmanship is quality and perfection. This is something the paintball community has been missing for a long time.
These items are not something that can be done in a matter of hours,but days to weeks depending on what you need made.
A variety of colors can be used for the players needs,but you really need to CONTACT B&M for that info.





Braclet and Ear rings:



This is known as a Byzantine bracelet on the B&M page. This was intended for my Wife, but I wanted to see how it fit. Guys Ladies have smaller wrist then we do lol.
Well let's say it fit my Wife's wrist perfect. She really likes Jewelry as long as it's "PRETTY". Well it must be pretty,because she won't take it off.



Taking a closer look at the assembly,I can't see how Bradys71 is having a ball making these . To me,just putting two rings together seems to be a pain in the A$$. Oh wait,that why I'm using dollar signs in the word A**. Because he has a skill that people like and can afford.

It's an all metal construction.

It's nice knowing that on MCB we have so many talented people.





Here is how the braclet hooks together. A little close up of the hooking mechanism.:





It's very secure once it's on the wrist. The clip is quality,no corner cutting here. Normally my Wife would be worried about a ring and clip not having some kind of weld for security,but not in this case.

I can say one thing,she was a little HOT under the collar when I had to borrow these for pictures.

The ear rings are a NEW WEAVE design. They have hooks that slip into the ear piercing. My wife said she had no problem with putting them on or taking the off.



She likes the design and color. They are very appealing to the eyes.

A little closer look at the design:

As mentioned before,there is no way I would have the patience to do this sort of work. The Ear rings are of all metal construction. Note how everything over laps evenly. I tride to tangle up the Ear rings and Braclet,but was unable to. My Wife has begun to take a few cards to work on a weekly basis. She hands them out when someone ask about where she got it.

I just hope we are bringing in some business for B&M.









As far as Team Blackrain is concerned,we are thrilled to carry B&M sponsorship into our 2011 season.


As far as Team Blackrain is concerned,we are thrilled to carry B&M into our 2011 season.

Later,
Blackrain

[blackrain]

Team Blackrain has a new sponsor and it's Oring Monkey:

http://www.oringmonkey.com/

A while back I blew all the orings in my WGP MG7 Pro. Not the best gun in the world,but for $80 it was real reliable. So after a search and being routed to companies that claimed they could help or get anything,I was disappointed. Nothing unusual in paintball.
So I remember this place on line called OringMonkey.com.

I head over to the page and read this:

"Don't see a kit for your marker? Send us your Orings to size up! FREE 5X reuild kit for sending us your orings"

Sounds like a challenge to me. So I give the owner David a call and we talk. Come to find out that he was interested in the marker,but did not have a marker to match up orings with. So we talk and I remove all my orings and send them his way.


Flash Forward:

Well I'm not going to lie,it did take a while for the orings to be found and sent. Then again,he had to measure them,talk with his supplier and then order the orings. In between that time,David had to attend events to promote his items, attend a vendors Expo and be taken from his office repeatedly to attend to their business affairs. It's just life in general. Also the orings are not standard size. They had to be special order.

I can't fault him that would be wrong of me to even think it,because I didn't have a basic standard oring to work with,plus he has to make a living as well. This is not my main shooter and I had another on the way in the mail. I'm a patient person and I wanted to make sure everything could be found. Yes Iam a happy customer. I'm so happy I asked if he could sponsor Team Black Rain.


Flash Back:

While doing a progress check in,I talked with David about a possible sponsorship. As usual I wasn't greedy in asking for items. All I asked was for a jar of Monkey Poo and just some business cards to hand out. I explained my team format of just being a one man team. Let him know my goals and emailed my resume. I was really happy that he agreed to a sponsor us. Let me tell you what I received was way beyond my expectaions.


What Team Black Rain Received:

Orings:

On the left are used orings. On the right are the new kits.





Sponsor Package:




The service I received was top notch. David was very easy to talk with and discuss business. Emails were answered in a timely manner. As time goes on I will add to this review with my findings of Monkey Poo gun lube. Yes it really does smell like Bananas.

I will also be giving away the head band that you see in the picture. It will go to a young player just starting out or shows a promising attitude in paintball. It's going to take me a while to find that player.

I'll also review the grip tape that was sent to me. It's suppose to be wrapped around my regulator/gas thru for better grip and no slip.

The master oring set that's pictured will be used on the field to help out other players. Nothing like having a blown oring ruin your day of play especially if all you have is one gun. So a few things happening for Team Black Rain.

So if you need orings,lubes and other gun parts,give Oring Monkey a call and talk with David.


My over view:

Customer satisfaction is 100%. Oring Monkey was able to supply me with something no one else in the paintball industry could. ORM also saved me a future expense of ordering brass piston housings,just to get the three orings that are needed to seal the piston housing. He provided me with quality orings and and quality products. Team Black Rain will make sure that the orings are put to proper use out on the field.

Later,
Blackrain

[blackrain]

Our Canadian sponsor Foxxy Fluff:

My paintball e-shop


Will be Team Black Rain's official Mask Foam and Mask Lense provider. We appreciate what they are doing for the team,especially since we are located in the USA.



Foxxy Fluff became our sponsor due to us looking for one more spot to fill on the sponsor banner. We were very happy when they offered to help us out. As with all our sponsors,we donot try and bleed them for anything we can as most players would.

To be honest it was very hard thinking about how they could help us out. Then I looked at my DYE I3. I really like the mask but didn't want to have to buy a whole new lense system just to get new foam and lense. So we discussed what was needed and agreed on it. I only asked for single pain lenses,but Benoit insited on thermal pains. I only felt single pane lenses were enough and thats where we left it.

One great thing about Foxxy Fluff Paintball,they can drop ship with in the USA. Saving alot of freight charges from Canada. You can't ask for anything better. Shipping was fast and he was even nice enough to make sure it all got to me in another state instead of my home state of Washington. I was kept in the loop with a shipping number and with that I didn't even worry about tracking it.


Flash Back:

While I was on a short 4 month trip in Japan,I decided if I was really going to be a team,I might as well travel with my gear. First obstical was the air bottle. So after reading the TSA regulations,I put out on MCB what type of regulator I was looking for.
Foxx Fluff was the first to respond with an instock MYTHE Reg that fit my needs. Even though I was on the other side of the world, he still offered me a return policy once I got back home. Due to my situation,I could not pass it up.

When I arrived home 4 months later,it was there waiting for NIB. I have bought items from Canada before,but only in private sales. Foxxy Fluff was the first ever Canadian retailor I ever bought from in my 23 yrs of playing. I was very happy and the the quality of service was above and beyond. Then again those are really the only type of sellers I like to deal with.


Flash Forward:

Well when the sponsoship was offered,he didn't even have to bait the hook, I just bit the hook and ran. I just couldn't pass up on an offer from a stand up person as this guy.


How was Foxxy Fluff formed:

Well in his own words:

How did it all begin:

My passion for paintball since I was 12

Backstory is I always loved selling items and had a passion for paintball. I wanted to have my own store when I was more of a kid and at the time national paintball was still in business. I was told that unless you have a field and store you could not really generate enough revenue for a living.

I then choosed to study in machinist classes as a compromise wich I stopped after 6month when I found out it wasn't my thing.

I then choosed Commercial representative / sale - council intensive classes wich is a lifetime change on your personnallity.

This gave me the skills I needed to approach manufacturers and distributors into realizing what I wanted to do since I was young and creating a small hobby.

The year it got serious was in 2009.

Before that I was the kind of guy who would try to locate some deals and do some group orders to resell locally which didn't worked right.

I have been official since 2009. I sell to Usa and Canada.

The business is operated by myself. I am only 21 and I have some good relation with other business which we try to do some events together.

This applies to Ico Trading(12grams and pump play, created a Banner for me), 2012 arrive(softgoods).

I'm sponsored thru Point of View Cameras, which I use for recording some of my games(which I will try to do some montage soon but I need to find the right program/converter).

I have distribution thru the following companies and can do drop shipping in the USA thru a few of them:

Distributor:

Valken Paintball
Ans Gear
Paintball Gear

Direct account at:

BobLong
Ninja Paintball
Guerrilla Air
Goblin Paintball
Alumagrips
CCI Paintball
Oring monkey
Rap4 Paintball
TechT


FoxxyFluff also sells:

I can sell Herbalife product but I haven't really started this other than on myself. I lost 30 pounds and staying at an average of 25**


My mission statement is plain and simple:

Offering quality products at a good price.
Having a good relation with my customers.
Making paintball more affordable.
Growing pump play which is a project of mine,that has been slightly delayed.

So if your in Canada or in the USA,FoxxyFluff has you covered. Great person to deal with and fast shipping when having USA drop shipping. If you need to make an order, he can be contacted at the above link.

Later,
Blackrain

[blackrain]

So let’s talk about the big word “Sponsorship”. To some it means making a name for themselves in Paintball, to others it’s a status. To me it’s “Help to give back to this great sport” when I can.

I’ve only played in a few Tournaments in my 23yrs of playing. I really suck at the game and I’m no one special. My body is beat up from 21 yrs of military service. I’m overweight and smoke. I probably run the 40 yard dash in 90 seconds, so that tells you how fast I really am.

Every so often I can still pull out a great move on the field. I think I’m even friendly to people I meet at other fields. Man I hope I don’t annoy any of you.

I travel way to much with my job and can’t even make a big or major event.

So how did I get all my sponsors. Maybe this will help some of you.

To be very honest this all started out as a JOKE, just poking fun at sponsorship in general. However all that took a turn for the better. I was approached by a well known person in paintball and on the MCB forum.

We exchanged a few emails and next thing you know I have a sponsor. Nothing expensive, just a decent discount for supplies. I didn’t take advantage as some would do, because he is just a small business and depends on retail to keep him afloat.

Then it all of a sudden fell into place. Small business was were it’s at. I didn’t just pick them random, They were people who had helped me in the past and still continue to help me to this day.

I review a lot of my sponsor’s items, and if you have read any of my reviews, you know I’m truthful about what I write. I don’t care who gave it to me, if it was free or at a discount, I’m going to be truthful about it. I can’t help my sponsors or players if I lie about a product.

One thing a lot of players forget, small business can become big companies. If they don’t become big companies, then they stay small and still provide an excellent service to you and the community.

So in other words I wanted to help out those who helped me any way that I can/could.


Do I have an advantage:

Yes I do in a way. I travel the US and the World with my job. I travel with my gear, so I’m able to play when I can. Thus reaching a larger player base for my sponsors. I have a lot of fun doing it. My goal is to eventually meet all my sponsors within the next yr or so.


Sponsorship:

Well it has been a yr since I enquired about sponsorship from a few places. To be honest, it was very easy. It’s really about presentation and how you ask the person(s).
When you speak to a prospective sponsor, appearance is everything. Body language and English language. Be respectful at all times. Most of the sponsors I deal with, know me or know of me. They know I’m a straight up guy who will keep my word.

I posted a very truthful resume about myself, and let the sponsors know what I could and can’t do for them. They were very understanding about all of it.

I think what kind of threw some off was that I was just a one man team. I don’t think that it’s rare, but kind of odd in a way. I was surprised that some took the chance, but then again, look at how much money they saved with me.

I’m not very good, I careless if I win or loose. I can’t run very fast, so I’m really slow. I guess because I love the game so much, and just play to have fun, was a main reason. Also I am very thankful for help that I have received from companies in the past.

Many were happy with the reviews I wrote and the business I bought them long before I even considered sponsorship. It was just my way of saying “Thank You” for the quality service that was provided.


Free Stuff:

I’m often asked if I get “FREE STUFF” and the answer is “YES”. However that
“FREE STUFF” is given away to young players starting out or to a local field for them to test or use on their equipment. Remember, “NOTHING IS FREE” in a sponsorship. There is a price to pay for having sponsorship.
Sponsored items are something that is to be shared with other players who can’t afford or do not have or could be potential customers. At least that’s the way I look at it.

For example, if a player has fogged goggles, I better be applying some Fog Doc on them, even if it means missing a game. That’s what my sponsor would expect from me. That’s the responsibility I took on accepting the items and sponsorship.

It’s my job to make sure I show the player how it’s used, how to apply it and what to use to clean it.
It’s also my responsibility to make sure that players leave with a free sample and ordering instructions.

Maybe he/she won’t order an item, but I’m sure he/she will let their buddy use it and he/she may order some.


Discounts:

Yes I get discounts. If someone wants to test drive one of my sponsor’s barrels, I better let them use it. How else can they know for sure if that’s what they want. I better know the specs and who makes it. Be able to tell them the history of the barrel and how to order it.
When I get a discount, I buy just what I need.
For example, I only use 100 round pods. I bought 12 from my sponsor at a discount.

I have a lot of 100 round pods, enough to hold two cases of paint at one time. I make sure my sponsors pods are loaded and used first before I use another. Even the Pit Crew knows that.

A few months back I lost two on the field. A young man returned them to me and I let him keep them. One for honesty and the other reason was to help him out. He didn’t have many pods and I know money is tight. He probably saved his “Lawn Mower” money for a few months just to make that weekend. It didn’t hurt me any and it put a smile on his face.
He left happy and I felt good, but he also left with a sponsor flyer. Maybe he’ll use it sometime down the road when he has a little more money in his pocket. Maybe he will do the same thing I did for him when he has a sponsor. There is always a positive reaction in paintball.



What not to do:

It is team policy not to get hundreds of dollars worth of items from our sponsors. It’s just not right. They have bills and families. Money is tight all around. Even with companies.

Being a one man team makes decisions very easy.

There is no arguing with team members and items that we receive, are needed and well appreciated. The items are put to good use. No commitment to a team or tournament is a great feeling. Knowing I’m not going to hear any whining or crying about my choices in products or sponsors. I’m free to promote my sponsors as I please and my way.

My Wife who is my pit crew usually directs me towards a person who needs help. There are times I do not wish to be bothered, but what kind of player would that make me. That is why I choose the playing style I play. I can take a few games off to help a player with gun issues or fogged goggles. I don’t have to worry about other team members. Also my team reputation is on the line.

I would like to say that our total sponsor package for the 2011 season has probably reached an all time high of $150 total of all sponsor’s combined items.

To many players, That does not seem like a lot, but for what we have received, that will last well thru 2011 and probably into half of 2012 season. I’m not wasteful with items. Just because I’m sponsored, does not mean that I get items every time I call.

I’m working on a gun sponsorship now. Nothing fancy no real big name. It’s something new and old that’s on the market. I have already made the deal and he understands that this will not be my main gun. I still prefer my 99” Auto Cocker over any gun I have used.
He understands that and is okay with it.

What I will do after I’m done playing with it for the day. I’ll let other players use it and test drive it for a game. Get their feed back on it and help my sponsor improve on his item with player feed back.

The gun will not be free, it will be at a discount but it will be mine to use as I please. Promoting him and his product is priority, as with all my sponsors.

Now many players wouldn’t take a gun unless it was a big name sponsor or a $1000+ gun. Hey you take what you can get. Bad Company did not do to bad when they were shooting stock Spyders for a season.

This gun probably won’t be ready for a while, but I can wait without putting pressure on him.



My Contract Agreements:

Well let’s just say they are not bound by paper work, but by the WORD OF TWO MEN making an agreement to up hold a promise. I know in this day and time that’s a hard thing to do or even hear of, but that’s how I conduct business.

The option I leave my Sponsor, they can walk at anytime due to not being happy with me or are just plain tired with paintball, or financial hardship has hit them. No ill feelings. I won’t talk or post bad about them on forums. That’s not what grown men do.

I guess the total over view of all this is not to be Greedy and accept what you are offered. Don’t try and go after a major brand, especially if your starting out. Help to promote your local small Paintball business or smaller companies on line. Your treated a lot better, it’s more personal, you won’t have the stress that major companies put on you to win.



SPONSORSHIP IS EARNED and NOT JUST GIVEN.

Many new players feel that they should get sponsors right off the bat, just because they have been a team for two months and have been playing for 4 months.
Just because you shoot an EGO, doesn’t mean you deserve sponsorship from Planet Eclipse. What you really need to do is sit back and ask yourself, what you have really done for the sport of paintball. Have you really paid your dues that you deserve to have their items in your stable?

To be honest, If a company gave me just a shake and shoot hopper, I’d promote the HELL out of it. Reason, because I would be very proud to know that they thought of me that much to give it to me. I’m that type of player and always will be.

As of now, Team Black Rain will have 10 sponsors to carry into the 2011 season. We are very happy that they are willing to take a chance with us and appreciate they accept how much I travel with my job. They understand that I cannot attend major events or play as often as most do. It’s just an understanding that we have. I can’t change my life just for paintball. The real world doesn’t work that way.


Thanks To:

Celanis Paintball
Whiskey Two Four
Mcarter Brown
Oregon Hydrographics
B&M Chainmaille and Jewelry
Fog Doc
Oring Monkey
First Class Paintball
FoxxyFluff Paintball
Nana’s Bandanas (Thanks Mom)


Standards:

You have to have standards when you pick a sponsor. Well atleast I do. Since a one man team cannot always travel or attend major events, I have to carefully pick and choose who I ask.

If I was offered a major company sponsorship (which I know will never happen),doesn't mean I'll accept it. I have to make sure it's what I want in my stable. It has to fit the team profile.

Truthfully I wouldn't accept one of the newest guns on the market if it was given to me for free. I would really have no need for it and possibly the company. I just check out all the others who have spent money on them Ask questions and maybe play a game with it. Then if I like it,I'll research it and probably buy a used one.

I run my team how I see fit,and play where I want to. I can't let a company regulate me. I created Team Blackrain many yrs ago. I'm not going to let a company or individual ruin it.

It is nice seeing my team name on a few of my sponsors pages. That to me is just perfect. It's nice knowing I can just have fun when I'm playing and stop playing for the day when I want. No sponsor looking over my back wondering why I'm not winning or making game winning moves.

I like the fact that my Team Jersey doesn't look like a NASCAR racing suit. Stickers are put on as an option if I decide to. That's why I have a Helmet.

I do manage to make sure I keep my sponsors seperate. That meaning,if I get MOLLE from one place,I'm not going to accept MOLLE from another sponsor,with out the permission of my Tactical sponsor. It's just not good business.

I have a sponsor that provides lens for my mask,I won't accept a set of lens from another sponsor. They are designated as my sponsor for pods and other items.

In doing this I keep peace with myself and able to keep peace with my sponsors. They all provide a unique service and I want to keep it that way. It's just nice knowing that I can try and help out a few great people that the paintball community hasn't heard of,or heard very little of.

Also I have known a few of these guys for a few yrs and I would like to keep them as my friends.

What I have learned on this path I have traveled, It’s not easy having sponsorship. It’s my responsibility to write reviews. My responsibility to have a banner made. My responsibility to make sure their name is put out to the public. Try and make big events even if they are local.

Trial and error has taught me a few things and all I can do is get better. This is a different yr and a new season.

If you see us at an event or your field, come on up and say hello. I don’t bite very hard these days. Age is catching up.

Later,
Blackrain

[blackrain]

contact

Never really heard of these guys till I went to Dan Bonebrake's Super Game 40in Oregon.

I wish I could have gotten all their names,but unfortunatly I didn't. Would have made this review much better. Maybe they'll chime in once I link them to this review.

I can say that the camera men are brave. Being right out in the middle of the game with no protection,taking hits and not flinching. That's alot of concentration. Hell Fish has video cameras everywhere. Covering all angles of the field(s).

You can catch these guys running straight into fire fights following a group making an assult on key buildings or strategic points on the field. Basically NO FEAR when it comes to getting that perfect piece of footage.


What I liked most about Hell Fish:

During the entire game day,there was a screen tv set up so that all could see what was shot on the field of play.

The company answered all questions without issues or getting upset and were able to give a release date for the game DVD with confidence.


Video received:

There was a minor issue with the video. apparently some that were sent out did not have the DVD. Jeremi from Hell Fish contacted everyone as soon as they were aware of the issue.
They could have waited till players called, but they didn't. My only concern was how many players were actually dishonest enough to say they didn't receive one when they actually did.

Regardless this is top notch service from a company that I hope to purchase more game DVDs from.


Over view:

These guys are very professional in filming and public relations. Very down to Earth and overall great people. If you ever see them at an event stop by and say hello. I'm not sure how far they travel in the USA and beyond.

They delivered when they said and it was a quality production.

I look forward to seeing these guys at Super Game 41 and 42. So if your holding an event,get ahold of them and have them film it for you. Not sure what they charge,but they will make you a nice video.

Later,
Blackrain

[blackrain]

APP barrel Cap:






New from my sponsor Titus of Celanis Paintball.


Titus' APP Products Sales Thread


I've been dragging my feet on this one. Been injured and working over time,but now I have a whole weekend to write a review.


First impression:


As with all APP products,it was built very well. Titus only carries quality items in his shop.

The barrel cap is blow molded and very sturdy. They are tough little item to have in your gear bag. As you can see from the picture above the items come in an assortment of three colors. They come with the standard shock cord landyard that adjust for tightness.

What I like most about the Shock cord, is the way it was set up. The shock cord wraps around the cover in a groove at the end of the cover. What this does is allows you to always put the barrel cover on the same way. Also in doing this,it allows for the shock cord to be passed thru both holes in the barrel cap and then run thru the cord lock and into a lock at the end of the string.





I like the end cord locking system. This was really thought out. I can't say they are not on other barrel socks but I haven't seen them.
In doing this,it makes the barrel cap a little safer to use.





My biggest fear has always been that a marker is accidentaly shot and one piece of the shock cord that is sewn in the bag comes loose. A surprised player will normally shoot one if not several rounds before they realize what is happening. With todays E-markers, triggers are so sensative,that squeezing of several rounds at one time is nothing.

There is a nice little hook on the end of the cover. I am assuming it is to hang it after washing or end of days play. I also see attaching this to a clip on gear. Say maybe a GRIM LOCK.









Another specific item I noticed on the top and bottom of this cover were the ribbed sections. These ribs came in handy. I had gotten hit and wiped off the mark with my left hand. Reached in my pocket to grabb the barrel cap. When I slid it onto the barrel,I noticed even with paint on my gloves,the Ribs did not allow my hands to slip down or off the barrel cap. It gave me a very firm grip. Amazing what you notice that you didn't notice before :rotfl: These ribs will also help to hold the barrel cover in the event of accidental gun discharge while putting on the barrel cap.


The paintball test:

So how does it hold up to say 50 rnds being shot into it at about 290 FPS.

Warning always wear some kind of eye protection when shooting any type of fire arm,or air rifle.

Everytime I test an item,I do as if I were a new player. I know I should have been wear a mask,but I had on glasses. This is a common rookie mistake that I wanted to show how important goggles are.

This is what happens when shells start to fly out of the barrel cap:







So let's clean it up:

Took it over to the sink to clean up the damage. To my surprise,paint was hardly in the barrel and none in the breech. The breech was clean as a whistle.




After washing out the paint from the barrel cap,this is what I found on the inside. What didn't shoot out the back of the barrel cap stayed inside.


How did it work during a game:

Well I'm not an AGG player,so I put my barrel cap in my pocket. I paid money for it,I don't want to loose it. I can say this. My memory isn't as sharp as it was 23 yrs ago,when it comes to remembering which pocket I put my barrel cap in. With the APP barrel cap,since it is plastic,it's just a quick "pocket patdown" and I know where it is. Since it is a blow molded plastic,it doesn't collapse,meaning I can feel the item in my pocket from the outside,even with gloves on. I couldn't do this with just a normal barrel sock.

These are a great deal at $4.75 + S/H from Celanis Paintball:

Titus' APP Products Sales Thread

So contact Titus here on MCB and he can help you out right away. Great person to deal with.

My over all thoughts. Let's face it, it's an APP product. They are well know for making quality almost indestructable plastic parts. They'll last you for yrs. Corners aren't cut and they are one of the few Paintball companies left were "QUALITY and CUSTOMER " really matters. When you buy an APP product,you know it will last for yrs and is strong and durable.

Later,
Blackrain

[blackrain]

Guru Pod stand:




New from sponsor:

FirstClass Paintball

When I was first told about these I was kind of excited. What really got me to buy it was the fact that my sponsor said how much it would help my wife out while she was loading pods. Yea that sales pitch hooked me right away. Make things easy for the pit crew,and you'll be ready for refit quicker.

So we discussed my price and two were ordered. I imagine there was a delay in orders, due to the time it took me to get them,but it wasn't long and it was a new item on the market.

My Sponsor Pat bought them to me and he had opened one up to take a display picture for his page. No biggy to me. The only issue I really see is how loose the pods fit in the rack. I figured they would have been a little tighter,but then again as you can see from the picture, not all pods are made the same. I imagine this is an issue that GURU will work on.


Filled with 100 rnd pods:

As you can see,not all 100 rnd pods are the same either.








Once they are lifted,they will not fall thru,even with full pod weight.






Regardless of the fit short coming,they are still a needed item for the team and we use whatever helps us out to make refit faster.

So this is a very simple item to put together. It takes about 30 secs if not less.


Let's unwrap it and lay it out:






The joining slots:

They don't look pretty,but who cares,they are straight and join up perfect.






Slide in the lower handle slots into the rack slot:






Next slide in the upper handle slots into the upper rack slots:






It's just that simple. You really have to be an idiot not to be able to put this together without instructions.

This rack is made of a sturdy plastic,probably delrin or some kind of ABS or zytel plastic. Not sure if it's blow molded or stamped. I'll forward this review on to GURU and see if they can answer a few questions on this item that I was not able to. I'm almost positive they are blow molded then milled with slots after words.

I would reccommend this item to any individual or team. I consider it a must need for my team,even though I am just a one man team. This will make getting back onto the field faster. Just drop the empties and fill with full pods.

I like that this item can break down and be stowed away. Give me a week or so and I will post up the carry bags we have designed for this particular item.

So please visit my sponsor:

FirstClass Paintball

and pic up a few of these nice pod stands.

Later,
Blackrain

[blackrain]

TyMcneer's Brass Freak-compatible insert

So I'm a Freak Barrel guy. When the Freak first came out I wasn't a believer. Reason being,because I didn't think paint at the time was that inconsistent. So I would just switch out barrels and I was good to go. Then a few yrs later I started to notice that paint was really changing in size. That and the weather in Washington state is really inconsistent. So diameters of paint was really bad during the winter.

Yes I know many people don't believe that theory about paint swelling and shrinking,but I do. So one day while playing I just had consistent roll outs and it really pissed me off. So off to work some overtime at the job. Finally I scrape up enough cash to get a full freak set. Why not,might as well go all the way when you buy something,plus I had really earned that money.

So flash forward. I still use that same kit. I wouldn't get rid of it even if I was given a free Hammer Head set,or the new Tech-T set. I need all the sizes I have. Regardless if I needed them,I have them. Until that one day when the smallest insert was allowing paint to roll out.

Dammit,that's a 0.679 that was allowing this roll out. Maybe it was just bad paint. So I try a few more and guess what,more roll outs. Well here we go again. So I switched brands of paint for a while and that seemed to work. I was good to go.

Then one day while browsing in the MCB Airsmith forum I notice that TyMcneer's is making Brass Freak-compatible inserts. Wow smaller diameter,this is going to help. So off to work the overtime again,I must have these inserts. So I scrap a little cash together,sell a few items and I soon have the cash.

I order the Full Monty:

0.670
0.675
0.680

Now I'm in business. Shortly after receiving these, I attend a scenario game at Lake Stevens,Wa. That morning was wet,nasty and cold. So I register,buy my paint and off to size it with my freak inserts. I started at a .682 and to big,.680,still to big. I drop down to the .675 and it starts to slide in with the friction fit I was looking for. The .670 was a little tighter then I wanted,so I found my happy medium. As the day went on,the Sun began to peek it's head out.

As temps go up,things start to swell. Such as paintballs. So I get shot out and go back to check insert size. over the course of a few hrs I was now at the .680 insert where I remained at till the end of the day. Once again it was the happy medium that I wanted. If it wasn't for this inbetween size,I probably would have had a crappy day to go with the crappy weather of that morning.

To be very honest I have had to use my .670 on a few occasions. These custom inserts travel every where I go to play paintball,be it in the United States or in another country.


FIT:

Well I have read a few reviews on fit up in a freak back. I'll be very honest with everyone here. I didnot have one issue with fit in a Smart Parts Freak back (I own 6 freak backs) nor in any barrel that I have had board out to accept freaks.

I imagine if you have tarnish on your brass inserts,that can cause a little more friction then you want. I just take some Never Dull or Brasso to my inserts and polish them right up. Less friction,the better the parts move.

Now these are my beliefs and opinions,I'm sure there are others out there who feel I'm wrong,but that's your opinion.


Would I buy from Ty again:

You bet your A$$ I will. As I write this,Ty is making me another custom fit brass insert in a smaller size ID that I requested. I can't wait for it to arrive. Paint is going to get smaller is my opinion. Untill the companies decide to all sell one size or they are bought out by one large company. The push for .50 on some forums is stil very alive. I'm sure there are companies that wouldn't mind paint shrinking that low. For now .68 is still the KING and choice of the player.


What are my long term plans:

Well we all know that Ty has a real job as most Airsmiths do. Once I get this last custom insert,it will be time to order the last 6 inserts that I need.

For now all I can say is these are a great item to have in your gear bag. You may not always use them,but when you do,they'll be there for you.

Later,
Blackrain

[blackrain]

Paintballer 187 engraving:

Laser Engraving and Custom Vinyl Decals

Please don't ask what my price was.


Most of you have seen my POW/MIA gun. It was a special project that was very close to my heart. Engraving the names of those who have been lost to us was a special touch to give the gun more meaning to the message that I wanted to pass along as I travel around and play with it.





When I received the first name (Thank You Duce), I wanted to find an engraver that would be able to do what I needed and do top quality work. Thanks to all those who sent me names of potential engravers. Eventually I will use them all for future projects I have in mind.

I chose Paintballer 187. He is a resident here on MCB. I try and use as many MCB members that I can. I want to keep the money and work with in the "Family".

I contacted Paintballer 187 by email and by phone. I had seen his work on this forum before and was rather impressed with it. His prices were very easy on the wallet. We discussed what I wanted done and what this ment to me. We agreed on a very decent price for engraving and shipping and etched the deal in stone.

So I sent it off with instructions on where to etch the now. About a week goes by and I get an email from him with a picture asking exactly where I wanted it and the direction of print. I was really amazed with this,because he didn't just make the decision to do the engraving and leave it at that. Thru my very crude "Paint" skills,I was able to fix the picture the way I wanted the printing and "OK" the location for the engraving. I was very happy that he contacted me. This tells me he cares about his customers and wants to "Do it right" the first time.


His way:




My way:






Once the work was completed,he sent me his paypal addy and I paid for the work. From the time of payment to delivery was way to fast from Mich. He must have sent it out prior to me paying for it,with enough trust that I would pay right a way (Thank You for that trust).

I was very happy with the end results and to be honest when I attached the reg to the gun I did tear up. The impact of what I was doing really didn't hit me till right then when it became real. It was beautiful flawless work. You guys know me,I always want perfection when I build.





So thank you to Paintballer 187 for the great work that you did. You will be the only one to engrave on this gun.

Now the question that all are wondering. Will I use him again? You Dam right I will. I'm sending my Freak Back off to be engraved. I'll post pics as soon as it arrives back to me.





So if you need engraving,follow the link and give Paintballer 187 some business.

Later,
Blackrain

[blackrain]

Black Hawk Down Scenario



Well it's an event I will never forget. 200+ miles to get there and two nights in a hotel for a one day event. Was it worth it,to me it was I had a blast and met a lot of great players. Over 70+ players we preregistered.

To be honest Feb is just a little to cold for me,my guns and paint. However this is the perfect month,cause anyother time would not be good. That's because Dan Bonbrake has to get Super Game prepped for Oregon. So it was fine with me.

My day started out fine. It was like 19*. First the Vibe wouldn't shoot,so I couldn't premier the POW/MIA gun. So I brake out the MG7. Chrono it up and head to the field. Game starts and the battery decides to die,from the cold? Not sure which. As I was walking back to get a fresh battery,it began to shoot again so back out to the field to shoot some players.

Now I'm rocking and rolling shooting players,going from building to building and guess what,the battery dies for good. So long walk back to the stagging area. I replaced the battery and as I walked back to the game,it was over.

Second game started and it was much better. Gun was shooting fine,targets were everywhere and I actually shot a few players before I ran out of air and paint. So back for refit. Everything was going great even though I had broken a few ronds it didn't matter.

By the third game I was over boaring my paint,and it was shooting decent,but temp started to change and the shell got real brittle by this time. So I cange out barrels and I was shooting decent. I should have left the paint in the car instead of outside.

4th game,forget it,my gun was just a paint sprayer. No matter what barrel or freak insert I used. It was just at the point that the cold and temp was making everything go weird. I wasn't the only one this happened to. There were a few SP1s that stopped along with a few tippy A5s and X7s.

Over all if this would have been warmer weather,it would have been a better event,but I'm not disappointed one bit. Weather in the North West is hit and miss and you have to play and attend events when you get the chance.

I plan on attending this event next yr. Not sure if the pit crew will,she did get cold and spent alot of time in the SUV. She was a trooper and did what she had to to making the event run perfect for me.

So if you get the chance to play this event,don't hesitate.

What I would do different,is travel with my cocker. This was the first time I have ever traveled without it,except on a plane. I could have used it. Near the end they were the gun of choice for may players.

Later,
Blackrain