Paintball

[bdotma]

Could someone explain to me how the Tippmann Full/Auto functions or point me in the direction to learn about its mechanics. I want to know specifically how the full/auto feature works and how its rate of fire is controlled.

[Jaan]

There's video on you Tube...here's part 1 of the video tape that the gun came with (yes, I have one, but no VCR's attached still lol)...

Link to video

[Mayvik]

The short version is that in semi auto, it works just like a Pro-Lite for the most part. Trigger pull drops the sear down enough to release the hammer (or rear bolt ), which in turn pushes the forward bolt (via linkage arm) forward pushing a ball into the barrel, and at the forward most point smashing open the valve to shoot the ball. Blowback pushes the rear bolt back, recocking the marker, and returning the forward bolt to the back position allowing another ball to drop into the breech. The sear catches on the hammer, readying for another shot.

In full-auto, the cycle is the same with two exceptions. The sear now drops down far enough that the rear bolt does not catch it when it is being returned by blowback pressure, so as soon as the main spring pressure overcomes the blowback pressure, the hammer starts travelling forward again, starting another firing cycle; repeat until the trigger is released. The second exception is the shock system, which controls the firing rate. The two auxiliary sears on top of the marker also catch on the rear bolt. During semi-fire, this causes a slight delay (due to sear position, adjusted by the brass screws under the shock cover/front sight, and the viscosity of the fluid or air inside the shock) between rear bolt returns and catches the main sear, as it has to push by the secondary sears in order to get to the main sear, but it's generally imperceptible. During auto-fire, however, this delay is used to change the rate of fire. More delay (from sear spacing or more viscous fluid) = slower RoF.