Paintball

[Crewchief]

I agree that the Pro-Carbine rocks but since you said that you're new to paintball I'd stick with a marker in production like a 98, A5, X7, or even the new Tippmann marker...whatever they're calling it these days. I think you should also consider buying a used marker. This will save you some cash and will usually come with a few additional upgrades. But don't limit yourself to Tippmann...there are also Smart Parts, BT, and other manufacturers with great markers in the same price range.

[RatFink]

Go with an A5. I have an X7 and think it's sad to see the direction a once great company is heading. I have owned an A5 E trigger and it was superb.

[Chaos]

Personally I'd go PPS or DP over a Tippmann...If I were to pick a Tipmann though,I'd go with an A-5 in a heatbeat over the others.The x-7 seemed nice,but,didn't feel solid like the A-5 did and although durable the m98/98c is a pain in the butt to work on compared to most guns out there.

[DarkShadowHunter]

Well since this is the Tippmann section I am not going to stear you towards another manufacturer.

I own two 98 customs and have not had any problems with them other than the sear wearing out. They are great markers for a beginner. After you read the manual you will find that maintaince on them is rather simple. The only down side is that you have to take out 6 bolts in order to disassemble it. You can stick with a gravity fed (shake and bake) hopper to start out with. However I would eventually get an aggitated loader for it, even if you don't use a high rate of fire. I recommend the Revolution by Viewloader. There is nothing worse in a game than having a perfect shot and messing it up because a ball did not drop into the chamber, which can happen with a shake and bake hopper. If you do not want to use batteries at all then I would get the cyclone feed system for the 98C. Of course if you are going to go that route I would just get an A5 since it comes with the cyclone feed.

I have also used A5's and find them to be great markers. The A5 has two advantages over the 98. One is the cyclone feed system which eliminates the need for an agitated hopper. The other is the fact all you need to do is remove two pins from the end cap and the internals slide out the back. That makes maintance easier. The only thing is that when you get low on air, either CO[sub]2[/sub] or compressed air, the cyclone will start to skip shots. You can fix this by getting a low pressure kit, which will allow you to go deeper into the tank so to speak.

If you have any other questions do not hesitate to ask. There are several knowledgeable players on this forum who can help out.

[evaunitr]

Get a 98Custom-Pro or an A-5. The 98 is cheaper but has been in use for ever. The A-5 is slightly newer but offers more in the area of upgrades, both cosmetic and performance, should you choose to get more into PB seriously.

However, if you're looking to play speedball you may want to look into some other style of markers. Tipps are are usually relegated to woodsball due to their extreme ruggedness and reliability.

[d4rksabre]

Tippmann 98C, plain and simple. It's in production, has a lot of support for tech, and has ample parts available. Three things someone new to paintball needs. It's easy to find them in players packages too with a mask, harness, CO2 tank and other items.

[paintiac]

i've got a 98C , but it is a slow shooter. Although like everybody else said it is very reliable. i have heard good things about the A5 to, so it is up to you. I like both , but the A5's faster at about a claimed 17bps and the 98c is at 8bps, mine is shooting about 16-18 though with a response trigger and others.

[Omegara]

pro/carbines are awesome, I have one, but I alos have a model 98 flatlined, so either is a good option, but the 98 has more parts available these days.