98 Custom, PMI Piranah....the 98 comes close, but no cigar
Marker Setup:
BT-4 Combat
12" Hammerhead barrel
Recommended Upgrades:
Barrel. Obviously. If you've seen the stock you know why. Plus it's just a rule of thumb.
Rip Clip feed system, if and when it ever comes out.
Strengths:
Shoots well, no kickback, durable and sturdy, good buy for the cash.
Weaknesses:
Feed system blows. Some people might not like the weight, but I do.
Review:
Ok so I know everybody has written the same old same old reviews on this marker, but I'm gonna do it all over again.
The BT-4 is the 2nd marker I've bought, and I've used a few others. When it was time to go marker shopping, I had 3 in mind: the BT-4, the A-5, and the X-7. Yeah, I actually was planning to play bushball with an X-7. It's just sexy. Plus I'm a chick and it'd look bad ass. But back to the point.
I gave into the BT-4. Why? It was cheap. Its the 98's equivalent, and with an A-5 front end it took some wicked barrel mods. Flatline anyone? Exactly. And with a 98 back end, I was familiar with the setup, and knew that it would be reliable. The mechanism's inside are a little diff, but meh.
Another thing is because I'm a chick I'm small. And usually, markers aren't really setup for small people, unless they're speedball....and then they're just so light you forget you're holding them. So the fact that I had adjustable grips was also a big plus for me. I could change it out to balance the marker for my use....not you're typical 5'10, 160 lb. big boy paintball player.
Now I wanted cyclone feed. But at the same time I didn't. Apparently it's an airhog, and I'm not a paint slinger, so going for the A-5 or X-7 soully for the cyclone didn't make sense. Plus I've heard that there's a new feed system coming out eventually, so I stuck with the BT. Now that I've played with it a little bit, and played some fast games, I've realised this marker does chop. Now I don't shoot a lot of paint, but when I do shoot, it'd be nice if a ball came out. So it irks me. It's my only dislike about this marker so far. So, tips to those who play like me....if you want to play a BT-4....wait for this new feed system (apparently it's called the rip clip and as of now they're 3 weeks behind schedule). It's the same as a cyclone feed, only instead of running off your air, it runs on batteries. How that'll work out, I suppose we'll see.
Now onto the weight. I've seen some people for it, and some people against it. So take it from you're little, under 5 foot, 90 pound girl. The weight is a good thing. If you play bushball (and if you're reading a reveiw on a BT-4 I sure hope you do) you want some heft to your marker. You want to be able to dive into a hole full of sticks and not be wondering if it's gonna scratch your marker, or damage your marker. It takes the abuse. And if you're thinking "Well what about when you're actually firing with it?" The weight is a good thing there. It keeps you stable, and I don't even play with a stock! This gun is straight shooting (especially with a hammerhead on it....it's sexy), so when the gun stays put regardless of you're strength, carrying something a little heavier is a-ok.
Conclusion:
All in all, this is an awesome deal. It's cheap, since Ben Tippmann isn't huge in paintball yet, but they're coming up. Which also means upgrades are going to start coming fast and furious, especially for this little marker. So instead of shelling out the $400 for the A-5, or the X-7, play it smart. Play a not-quite-stock BT-4 (replace the barrel, I'm begging) for a little while. Grab the upgrades as they come. You'll still be rolling with the big boys no problemo....and you can still afford paint in the end.
haha great review ender_k! i gotta admit, seeing it from a girls perspective is really differnt. especially if you really are under 5 feet and weigh 90 pounds. i for one wouldn't no what to think if i saw you with this gun. it would be like seeing a fish out of water. lol. still im glad you like your gun. keep the great reivews coming!
nice review, glad your happy with the products. The rip clip very similar to the Halo B internally, so its a force feed bolt on hopper adapter. If u want ill talk to ben and see what the delay is.. might be waiting for the stuff to just get shipped to the distribution warehouse or packaging or something small like that.
