Series 5
J2 frame
X-stream 90/45
FBM Stilleto drop
Apache
Stiffi Switch
Recommended Upgrades:
Barrel kit, or more sizers for the aluminum 2 piece it comes with.
Strengths:
Fairly light
Efficient (not a viking, but decent)
Accurate
Great pneumatics/internals
FEEDNECK
Trigger
Weaknesses:
No milling (some people, including me, like it this way)
Review:
The internals and bolt are all very nice. It comes with a very light spring kit, and pinches balls out of the box (you can't say that about most cockers). It's fairly efficient, and gets decent consistency (I'm sure if my reg needs more breaking in, but OTB I got about +/- 7).
The 3-way is very short considering that it has 2 o-rings. The LPR is pretty nice, and easily adjustable. The ram is also very fast, I'm not sure on exactly how fast it is capable of cycling, but from what I've been told its around 18.
CCM trigger frames are INSANE. I actually was able to out-shoot my apache (which doesn't feed 17-18bps, it does about 14-15 on the marker). I'm sure it was a slow burst for my hopper, but for a mech cocker this marker is very fast without any trigger adjustments.
The barrel is decent. It is compatible with all CCM and Stiffi Switch kit parts, which is a big plus. The only thing I don't like about it is that it has MAD PORTING! It's pretty quiet, but not a terribly efficient barrel.
The inline reg is alright. It's nothing special, but it wouldn't be cost-effective to replace it.
CCM feednecks are some of the best on the market. They will never let go of your hopper. You can actually tighten them to the point where you worry about the hopper's feedneck cracking.
There is no milling at all. The sides of this marker are totally flat. I think it looks fine, but some people hate guns that look really bland.
Conclusion:
This marker is worth MUCH more than what it costs. Good warranty too.
I would take this marker over an Orracle any day of the week.
"The 3-way is very short considering that it has 2 o-rings." - Actually, there is absolutely no reason a 2 o-ring 3-way valve would have a longer switch length than a 3 o-ring one. This is just hype put around by manufacturers who want to sell their 3 o-ring 3-ways! Can't blame them for that I guess.....
The proviso is that the o-rings on the 2 o-ring 3-way shaft have to be the same distance apart as the two outer hose barbs. If this is the case (which it almost always is) then the switch length is dictated by only two things - the width of the hose barb port, and the contact area of the 3-way o-rings. All that is happening when the 3-way switches is that the o-rings are being moved from one side of the hose barb to the other.
On the 3 o-ring valves, the 3-way is activated by moving only the centre o-ring across the middle barb, whereas on the 2 o-ring 3-ways, you are moving both o-rings across the outer 2 hose barbs. However, as the two o-rings move across the out hose barbs *simultaneously*, it makes no odds to the switch length that two ports are being used to make the switch rather than just one. The end result is that if the two o-ring 3-way is designed properly, it will be just as short as the 3 o-ring one (equally, if you made the three o-ring 3-way with wide ports and chunky o-rings, the switch length would be longer).
