Question about the b2k4....

[cheddar]

Okay, I don't claim to be any expert with paintball guns and equip so sorry if this is a stupid question.

I have roughly $450-$550 to work with. I think I have my mind pretty much made up that the 2k4 bushmaster is the best for what I want available in that range. My question (more like questions) is this though:

Should I get the standard 2k4 with an ultralite barrel with it putting me at $500, or should I get the PDS version?
Also (and this is the potentially dumb question), can I purchase a PDS system seperately? (ie: buy the standard, see if the barrel is okay, if it is get the pds if it isn't then decide what I need more...?)

Am I off track on what should I do to optimize it's performance within my $550 cap? Or is this even the gun I should be looking at?

I'd appriciate any input you have, what I should do or if I should be looking at a different gun or what.

Thanks

[lotus_esprit5]

. For your price range, the B2K4 is EXACTLY the gun you should be looking at.

The normal B2K4 costs $405. You can send the gun in to ICD later and get PDS installed for around $125.

The B2K4 PDS costs $495, so it is alot cheaper than the above option. I recommend getting the B2K4 PDS if you can. It's worth it, especially if you dont run a Halo.

The stock barrel is nothing to brag about, but it's ok. You wil definately be ok using it for awhile until you can get a new barrel. I highly recommend a CP instead of an UL. Dye's are too friggin expensive. Why would you pay $100 for a 2-piece barrel? The CP 2-piece is about $35 cheaper, and just as good, trust me. After owning a CP 1-piece, I doubt I will own anything else. It is as accurate as my friend's Freak (even with proper paint-barrel match) and my other friend's Boomy, and I only paid $20 for mine :D. They paid $180 and $120 for the same performance.

Anyway I think you should get the B2K4 PDS and then a CP barrel ($40 for 1-piece, $60 for 2-piece). You will also need a Unimount or something for your bottomline ASA.

[cheddar]

Thanks a ton, really appriciate your input. One question thought...what's the unimount for and what is it exactly? [yes, I am a complete idiot]

[I am currently running an e2 with a z board on an electra...that was my starter gun...I've outgrown it though...even though I still know nothing about guns]

[Xnuke]

The Uni-mount is an on off adapter without a drop forward.
http://shorepaintballsupplies.com/chunimo.html

The BKO's and Bushmasters do not come with an adapter for your tank.

If you don't want a drop forward the CP on/off and rail is a good choice too. If you want to go cheaper get the small DOP adapter.
www.shorepaintballsupplies.com

[cheddar]

So the bushmaster deson't come with a dropforward you're saying...or they do, but they just don't have an adapter?

What's the adapter do for me?

[lotus_esprit5]

out of the box, the Bushy doesn't come with anything to screw your HPA tank into. This is probly cause most ppl end up buying a new ASA for their gun anyway. You have a few options:
-Drop foward.
-Unimount (it's pretty much a basic ASA to screw your tank into, but it has an on/off)
-CP rail. This is like a Unimount because it isnt a dropfoward. But unlike the Unimount, it comes in 2 piece (the rail and the on/off). The on/off can slide along the rail, so you can make your gun setup shorter or longer. Look at the Picture thread, you can probly spot some rails and Unimounts in there.

[sonnemann]

Semi-threadjacking yet again, I slip in a post.

My brother's getting pretty much what cheddar outlined, with a few frills: Red-black PDS B2k4, CP 2 piece, CP reg, No-rider...but yet again he has a question, which I hope you can answer.

Can you get B2k4s (fades) in dust finishes, or only gloss? (He'll be getting it anyway, just curious.)

[FrOnTmAn4LiFe]

You can only get them in gloss finishes. They look really good IMO.

[cheddar]

Hmm, sounds good - but I havn't a clue what ASA and CP mean :( Anyone care to elighten me?

So I guess It'd be best for me to go with (for now, I only have 550 to work with, wont be able to spend any more on it until next summer probably) a b2k4 with PDS and then I'd have to buy either a drop forward of some sort or the cp thing? - that would run me another 30 some odd bucks right?

Thanks a ton for your help guys, if you have any more suggestions or opinions...please, I'm open to them all - anything new I cna learn about the gun or guns in general would be great

I also may be able to weasle a loan from my parents and get up to a 650 cap...if that's the case...any clue what else I should stick on it/upgrade? The b2k4 with pds and a drop forward of some kind will run me $540 (best price I've been able to find), so would the next the be to upgrade be internals? barrel? or what? any opinions?

[kl1223]

With $550 I would get a b2k4 w/ PDS ($495), and a CiP Unimount ($40). That comes out to about $535, and is a nice setup to start out with. If you get some more money, the next upgrades should be a barrel, and an inline reg. I'd recommend CP for both,

[sonnemann]

ASA stands for air source adapter, or the thing into which you screw your tank. CP stands for Custom Produtcs, one of the best paintball companies ever ;)

[cheddar]

Ahh, thank you very much guys!

So let me beat the cow to death again - you'd get a CP 2 piece over an ultralite?

And do you know what company might have all this available? Or would I had to get gun/asa from one and the barrel from another...

[pbfreak47]

i just saw a guy on pbnation selling stock b2k4 standards for $350. they are blue. buy that, a halo, a uni, and a cp reg. then if you want get pds on later, but you shouldnt chop with halo.

[lotus_esprit5]

www.shootpaint.com has CP barrels and CiP Unimounts. They carry B2K4's but I dont think they have any in stock.

www.shorepaintballsupplies.com has Unimounts and B2K4's, but no CP barrels.

[sonnemann]

Shootpaint carries both Bushies and Cp stuff, barrels and drops and ASAs and all sorts of goodies. criticalpaintball.com is also a good place for CP stuff, and usually has the best prices.

I owned an Ultralite...it was nice, but probably more so because I got it for really cheap :badboy:...but if it were between a new CP 2 pc and a new UL, I'd definitely go CP. The extra $30 or so you spend on an Ultralite just isn't worth it for a budget-conscious player such as yourself.

I'm buying a 2 pc tomorrow...simply great barrels.

[cheddar]

Well, thanks a ton guys. I really appriciate all your help.

Just one last question:

Okay, so I'm going to get the b2k4 with PDS and a Unimount. Eventually I will also get a 2 piece CP barrel. Aside from these two upgrades, what else should I eventually get?


If you could say the specific part (no abbv's) that'd be awesome. Any opinions/suggestions would be very appriciated

Also, what is the "bore"? At this link, one of the specifcations you can make on your gun. What is the best ammt to select [or setting, or whatever the term is]

http://shootpaint.com/pd-146417111.htm?defaultVariants=search0_EQ_Gloss_AND _search1_EQ_685_AND_search2_EQ_10_AND_search3_EQ_B lack_AND_search4_EQ_Black%20to%20Blue_AND_{EOL}&categoryId=16

[sonnemann]

Bore refers to the inside diameter (ID) of the barrel. As the b2k4 is an open-bolt marker and therefore doesn't depend upon a tight paint-to-barrel match to prevent rollouts, you can get a .693 bore barrel and never have to worry about breaking odd-sized or swollen paint again.

Some other nice ups would be a Custom Products grip regulator or an AKALMP Sidewinder or 2 Liter regulator (if you've got the cash; they're rather pricey.) A BP No-rider is a favorite clamping rise of mine, as is the Chipley Custom Machine (CCM) no-rise.

Of course, a decent tank (Crossfire, Centerflag, ACI, PMI) and a ncie fast hopper (eVLution II, Halo B, reloader B) are a good diea to realize the full potential and speed of the marker. You might want to consider a Revolution or Reloader (A) if you like to keep your setup light and don't plan on shooting long, fast strings (ie a front player.) I tend to play more with my revvy than I do with my Halo for that very reason.

[lotus_esprit5]

I agree. A Custom Products (CP) reg is a great upgrade. And clamping no-rises are great, pick up a CCM (Chipleys Custom Machining) one. their website is www.chipleymachine.com I think.

Further down the road, a valve could really lower your gun's pressure and increase efficiency. Vapor valve, Zenitram valve, and MACDev Red valves are all good.

check out the Upgrade FAQ for more info on upgrades.