I love my A-5 and enjoy using it but from the first day I owned it I have disliked the heavy trigger pull. Having enjoyed the opportunity to test-fire several electro markers I had a real appreciation for just how heavy the typical A-5 trigger pull really is. I wanted something to allow a faster rate of fire while lightening the trigger pull. While the response trigger does allow higher rates of fire than the norm, it does not lighten the trigger pull and most fields I visit do not allow the sweet-spotting of it required to get those high rates because they consider it "full auto."
Enter the E-Grip.
The price was fairly steep, retail, but after using the popular "clicky pen trigger spring replacement" trick failed to give me the lightness of pull I wanted, this seemed the best choice in spite of price. Installation was easy. I had the local shop do a re-installation of it to use my double-trigger frame, however, and am glad I did. The two-finger trigger is a necessity for walking.
When taking it to the field the first time I found that the pull was so greatly reduced that I had to re-learn its use in order to avoid shooting myself in the foot (which I nearly did, as the lightness of the pull took me by surprise). I brought the marker to the Chrono range/shooting gallery and blew through a few hoppers of paint. Walking the trigger is a bit more difficult with this than a high end electro ebcause there is a gerat deal of travel in a Tippmann trigger, even the two-finger kind. I am still working on getting the rhythm of it down pat, but the muscle memory is coming along. When I do successfully walk it properly the rate of fire is terrifically increased.
The firing modes are interesting. The semi-auto one is the only one most fields allow. It also comes with full-auto, 3-shot burst, 6-shot burst, and two others I'll describe in more detail.
Response Mode: The marker fires once on pull, and again on release. This effectively doubles your naturally achievable rate of fire.
Turbo mode: Essentially it is a ramping cheat mode. If the trigger is pulled faster than a rate of once per 0.25 seconds it activates full auto up to whatever level you set it in the grip frame so long as you keep pulling the trigger at least once every quarter of a second.
Firing rates are adjustable inside the front face of the grip frame. One dial selects rates of fire from four times per second to 15 times per second. The other chooses the firing mode. These dials are accessable only through a pair of small holes in the front of the grip. My recommendation is to invest 99 cents in a cheap eyeglasses repair kit. The screwdrivers that come with those are perfectly sized for this task. Be gentle when using them, as the dials are not as tough as the rest of the Tippmann marker.
Adjusting either property (firing rate or firing mode) is accomplished the same way. Both dials can be turned with the small screwdriver and have a range of 12 settings apiece. The rate of fire dial settings are:
Do not overturn this dial as it stops at both ends of its settings range.
The firing mode selector has 12 settings. These are:
Semi auto
3-shot
6-shot
Full auto
Response
Turbo
With each setting having a null setting between it and the next. This dial turns all the way around without having a stop at the end of its range.
To keep paint and moisture out of the holes I used black electrician's tape. All I had to do was wrap it twice around the grip frame and it covered both holes neatly.
This upgrade also adds a requirement to have a 9-volt battery. Replacing the battery is easy. Remove the grip frame and life out the trigger assembly. The battery space is clearly visible and you need only remove one and connect the next. When returning the battery to its slot make sure the wirign is not going to get pinched, and re-insert the trigger, then re-attach the grip.
Conclusion:
I believe the E-grip is a fantastic upgrade for the A-5. It gives a rate of fire far in excess of what one would normally expect from a Tippmann without the increased air requirement of the response trigger. It does require a bit of delicate handling and protection of the access holes and has a high initial cost. If you would enjoy a higher rate of fire and light pull on an A-5 and do not mind the cost it's a wonderful upgrade. I will not give it a ten because easier access to the adjusting dials and a slightly lower cost would be improvements, but other than that it's a top notch add-on for an A-5.
just to let you know the turbo mode isn't full auto. all it is it adds a second shot to the release of the trigger. its the same as the response mode but you have to fire more then four times a second to start it ramping.
When I shoot my e-grip it wont shoot all of the time it will just click and it will only shoot paintballs about 10% of the time. Do you have any ideas or tips to make it work?
