Ive used a tippman carbine which rated about as well as my F-4 illustrator TP. I have also had some experience with various spyders and my advice to people thinking of buying them is DONT. They break very easily and are a pain. I have also used a model 98 and while it performed well, it didnt perform up with my f-4. It wasnt quite as accurate at long distances. I also have a stingray 2 and for a beginner it is a decent gun. It is very durable and easy to use. Overall, if your a person looking for a good reliable well priced semi, id say go with a f-4. Their reliable, durable, easy to use, low maintenance, and have a good price.
I recommend a aftermarket barrel. THe stock barrel is not the best but with a good aftermarket barrel, the gun is great.
Strengths:
Almost everything. It has a real light trigger pull, 2.2 to be exact. It is a breeze to clean and can be taken apart with allan wrenches. With the aftermarket barrel, it is very accurate and shoots a long ways. It uses very little CO2 and doesnt weigh much. It is very low maintenance and in the two years ive had it, it hasnt broke once. It also has a very good price tag on it.
Weaknesses:
Occasionally it will jam if a piece of paintball gets into the barrel and it takes about 10 minutes to fix. That is the only drawback i have seen however.
Conclusion:
If your a person playing paintball on a budget, this is a good gun for you. It is well worth the price, durable, low maintenance, and fun to use. With a aftermarket barrel, ill put it up against any semi out there.
