Meph
02-20-2002, 03:36 PM
Copyright 20020220 by Michael “Mephistopheles” Murphy
Ok, many times I’ve been asked about upgrades for the Model 98, and now also the 98 Custom. Well, here’s an insight that will help you decide what is right for you.
To start, before even getting an upgrade. Get quality tools. Such as an entire allen key set. Not some cheap ones from Wal Mart, either. Those can strip easy and be a waste of money. Check your local hardware store and find quality made allen key sets. You will need these to take apart anything in paintball. For example, taking apart your Model 98 or 98 Custom to clean it out, replace parts, or anything.
Along with tools, get a good paintball oil. Not vegetable oil or 10 W-30. Get paintball specific oil. Such as Hoppes 9, ProTeam Prolube, or PMI Perfect. There are many different types. But as long as they are made "specifically for paintball" then it's good for maintanence.
Because this is critical in your guns' overall life. These are not toys, they require regular maintanence. Normally, at least every other case of paint, about 4-5 drops in the ASA. Screw in the tank, and take about 20 dry-fire shots (note: with barrel off, otherwise you'll get oil in the barrel hurting accuracy).
For total break down maintanence, you'll only need to oil moving parts. Such as the bolt and hammer. These need to be oiled every so often. And along with those, all the o-rings require to be oiled. Otherwise they will dry up and need to replaced.
For chosing upgrades, it is all personal preference. Chose upgrades on anything you want to improve on your gun. If you want better accuracy, look into barrels and regulators. If you want to quiet the gun down, check out some RVA's. If you want the overall design more compact, look into a drop forward. Don't like CO2 clouds or it eating your O-rings, look into expansion chambers or even HPA systems. Whatever it is you are looking for, this article is for you. And this is my suggestion. Do not upgrade all at once. If you get one upgrade, play for a few weeks with it. Then add another, if you want to. This way, you will actually appreciate the benefits of the aftermarket upgrades.
Now then, your very first upgrade should be a new barrel. I strongly suggest this. Forget everything else until you get a new barrel. You have many choices, and many different price ranges. The choice you make depends on both styles of play and budget.
If you play more speedball, tourneys, and hyper/sup’air ball, you’ll want a shorter barrel. An 8”-10” would be the right size. Custom Products makes a nice 10” barrel for whichever color you want on the Model 98. Barrels of America also makes great barrels, and they’ll make them specially ported and sized for you. If you like, you can have them custom make an 8” long barrel, and I’d suggest the snake bit porting. You can find more information on these 2 barrels at www.barrelsofamerica.com and www.customproducts-az.com/index_pb.html .
If you play more recball and scenario games, then you’ll want a quiet barrel that is very accurate. Again, the Custom Product barrel comes to mind, because these can also be made in 12”, 14”, and 16” barrels. Also the Lapco Bigshot, because it’s very accurate, can now come in 14", but not a favorite choice for snipers due to it’s loudness. Find more out on this product at www.lapcopaintball.com . But some other barrels you may like to look into include the J&J Ceramic, DYE Aluminum or Boomstick, Armson Stealth, and Tippmann Flatline. The J&J and DYEs are nicely polished barrels that are both very accurate and both very quiet. But, the DYEs are just a little more expensive. Then with the Armson Stealth, it’s a picky barrel. But when you find a nice paint to barrel match… it’s unsurpassed! This internally rifled barrel is the quietest barrel I’ve heard on the market, and can be deadly accurate, although a little pricey. These barrels have more information found at www.jjperformance.com , www.dyeprecision.com ,and www.proteamproducts.com / www.armsonltd.co.uk .
Now what about those who travel a lot? We all know the majority of fields have FPO (Field Paint Only). Well, the one barrel you have might be too big, or too small of a bore for the field paint. So that could be a problem, since a very good paint to barrel match is critical for maximum performance out of any marker. Not to mention a big bored paint and a small bored barrel will turn into an instant blender, ruining your entire day of fun.
Well, for these people, today there are great solutions. Adjustable bores! That's right, thanks to improving technology in paintball, you don't have to suffer with one single bore forever. There are complete kits, or now there are even self-adjustable barrels (meaning no interchanging sleaves).
To start these off, the popular Smart Parts Freak Kit. With this kit, you change the sleave depending on the size of the paintball. So you will now always have a perfect paint to barrel match. More information on these kits can be found at www.smartparts.com .
Now for those that don't want to worry about all those sleaves, there is adjustable bored barrels. These are specially designed with a collapsible inner sleeve that features a straight rifle system. There is an outer adjustor that you just twist and click to adjust the size of the bore. For more information on this sophisticated barrel, check out www.psychoballistics.com .
As for the Flatline, this barrel deserves it’s own separate paragraph. The Tippmann Flatline gets both praised and boo-ed, but with good reason for both. The Flatline does just what it says; it will indeed outdistance every single gun out there… I personally guarantee it will, so won't Tippmann. I've tested the flatline. If installed properly, you will achieve decent accuracy. I will tell now, it is not the worlds greatest, but the accuracy is not as bad as some people bad-mouth it.
*Note: It must be installed properly. The reason some people don’t like how accurate it is, or that paint breaks too much, is because of the fact that they didn’t install it properly. To install properly, check out www.tippmann.com because they have detailed installation tips with pictures to help you along the way.
Now there are many many other barrels out there worth mentioning, I’ve only told of a few of the more popular barrels. But the fact still remains, whatever aftermarket barrel you chose it will be better than the Model 98’s stock barrel.
And don't believe all the hype that everybody puts on the Bigshot. It's loud, and not any more accurate than any other quality aftermarket barrel on the market. Accuracy's biggest factor is a good paint to barrel match. As I've stated before.
After the barrel, most other upgrades only slightly increase performance, quiet the gun, make a smaller profile… etc. But in the end, all future upgrades continue to add weight! That is why the barrel is the most important upgrade. Because it's the biggest factor in you actually hitting your target.
Now comes your next choice. Your air source. Are you going to run your Model 98 off of CO2 or N2/HPA?
For those of you who run off of CO2, you have a couple of options. Do you want an expansion chamber, or run off of a remote, install an antisiphon, or actually use a regulator with CO2?
Well, most expansion chambers are the same. They all do their job by turning liquid to gas. It pretty much depends on how many stages you get. If you want a more compact design, go with a 4 stage. But a 6 stage will help the liquid expand better. And actually now there is an "8-stage" expansion chamber, the PsychoBallistics X-core. This is worth a mention, because it’s one of the first to be built with both CO2 users and N2 users in mind, and “It will do a better job than any other chamber on the market but the price is much lower.” You can check out some nice expansion chambers, including the X-core, at stores like www.countypaintball.com
As far as remotes go, you have the choice of coiled or steel-braided. The steel braided will last a lot longer… but it is also a longer remote. The coiled remote will sometimes curl up on you when gassed up, but just a turn of the gun and it's loose. Plus the coiled remote is more compact and doesn’t get in the way as much as steel braided. And if you get coiled, make sure it’s with a high enough psi, at least 3000, but 4500 if you can afford. Both are very flexible, so this shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
And if you get a remote, which takes the tank weight off of your gun, you’ll need to hold onto it somehow. To do this, you’re probably going to get a harness any ways to help carry paint, so be sure to get a harness+1. That +1 on the harness means +1 spot to hold onto your tank.
Speaking of harnesses, you have many choices. If you don't run remote, then don't bother getting a harness +1 system. And the size of your harness will depend on your playing style. If you're a speedball player where matches last only a couple minutes, you man want to look into just a 2-pod harness. However, if you're a back player in speedball, or you play hour long recball games and hate refilling, then a harness with 4 or more pods would be a good suggestion.
Some of the most comfortable, and more popular, harnesses out there are made by Redz Comfort Gear. They make many different sizes and different colored harnesses. For basically any size that will suit your need. For more information on these check out www.redzcomfort.com .
Ok, many times I’ve been asked about upgrades for the Model 98, and now also the 98 Custom. Well, here’s an insight that will help you decide what is right for you.
To start, before even getting an upgrade. Get quality tools. Such as an entire allen key set. Not some cheap ones from Wal Mart, either. Those can strip easy and be a waste of money. Check your local hardware store and find quality made allen key sets. You will need these to take apart anything in paintball. For example, taking apart your Model 98 or 98 Custom to clean it out, replace parts, or anything.
Along with tools, get a good paintball oil. Not vegetable oil or 10 W-30. Get paintball specific oil. Such as Hoppes 9, ProTeam Prolube, or PMI Perfect. There are many different types. But as long as they are made "specifically for paintball" then it's good for maintanence.
Because this is critical in your guns' overall life. These are not toys, they require regular maintanence. Normally, at least every other case of paint, about 4-5 drops in the ASA. Screw in the tank, and take about 20 dry-fire shots (note: with barrel off, otherwise you'll get oil in the barrel hurting accuracy).
For total break down maintanence, you'll only need to oil moving parts. Such as the bolt and hammer. These need to be oiled every so often. And along with those, all the o-rings require to be oiled. Otherwise they will dry up and need to replaced.
For chosing upgrades, it is all personal preference. Chose upgrades on anything you want to improve on your gun. If you want better accuracy, look into barrels and regulators. If you want to quiet the gun down, check out some RVA's. If you want the overall design more compact, look into a drop forward. Don't like CO2 clouds or it eating your O-rings, look into expansion chambers or even HPA systems. Whatever it is you are looking for, this article is for you. And this is my suggestion. Do not upgrade all at once. If you get one upgrade, play for a few weeks with it. Then add another, if you want to. This way, you will actually appreciate the benefits of the aftermarket upgrades.
Now then, your very first upgrade should be a new barrel. I strongly suggest this. Forget everything else until you get a new barrel. You have many choices, and many different price ranges. The choice you make depends on both styles of play and budget.
If you play more speedball, tourneys, and hyper/sup’air ball, you’ll want a shorter barrel. An 8”-10” would be the right size. Custom Products makes a nice 10” barrel for whichever color you want on the Model 98. Barrels of America also makes great barrels, and they’ll make them specially ported and sized for you. If you like, you can have them custom make an 8” long barrel, and I’d suggest the snake bit porting. You can find more information on these 2 barrels at www.barrelsofamerica.com and www.customproducts-az.com/index_pb.html .
If you play more recball and scenario games, then you’ll want a quiet barrel that is very accurate. Again, the Custom Product barrel comes to mind, because these can also be made in 12”, 14”, and 16” barrels. Also the Lapco Bigshot, because it’s very accurate, can now come in 14", but not a favorite choice for snipers due to it’s loudness. Find more out on this product at www.lapcopaintball.com . But some other barrels you may like to look into include the J&J Ceramic, DYE Aluminum or Boomstick, Armson Stealth, and Tippmann Flatline. The J&J and DYEs are nicely polished barrels that are both very accurate and both very quiet. But, the DYEs are just a little more expensive. Then with the Armson Stealth, it’s a picky barrel. But when you find a nice paint to barrel match… it’s unsurpassed! This internally rifled barrel is the quietest barrel I’ve heard on the market, and can be deadly accurate, although a little pricey. These barrels have more information found at www.jjperformance.com , www.dyeprecision.com ,and www.proteamproducts.com / www.armsonltd.co.uk .
Now what about those who travel a lot? We all know the majority of fields have FPO (Field Paint Only). Well, the one barrel you have might be too big, or too small of a bore for the field paint. So that could be a problem, since a very good paint to barrel match is critical for maximum performance out of any marker. Not to mention a big bored paint and a small bored barrel will turn into an instant blender, ruining your entire day of fun.
Well, for these people, today there are great solutions. Adjustable bores! That's right, thanks to improving technology in paintball, you don't have to suffer with one single bore forever. There are complete kits, or now there are even self-adjustable barrels (meaning no interchanging sleaves).
To start these off, the popular Smart Parts Freak Kit. With this kit, you change the sleave depending on the size of the paintball. So you will now always have a perfect paint to barrel match. More information on these kits can be found at www.smartparts.com .
Now for those that don't want to worry about all those sleaves, there is adjustable bored barrels. These are specially designed with a collapsible inner sleeve that features a straight rifle system. There is an outer adjustor that you just twist and click to adjust the size of the bore. For more information on this sophisticated barrel, check out www.psychoballistics.com .
As for the Flatline, this barrel deserves it’s own separate paragraph. The Tippmann Flatline gets both praised and boo-ed, but with good reason for both. The Flatline does just what it says; it will indeed outdistance every single gun out there… I personally guarantee it will, so won't Tippmann. I've tested the flatline. If installed properly, you will achieve decent accuracy. I will tell now, it is not the worlds greatest, but the accuracy is not as bad as some people bad-mouth it.
*Note: It must be installed properly. The reason some people don’t like how accurate it is, or that paint breaks too much, is because of the fact that they didn’t install it properly. To install properly, check out www.tippmann.com because they have detailed installation tips with pictures to help you along the way.
Now there are many many other barrels out there worth mentioning, I’ve only told of a few of the more popular barrels. But the fact still remains, whatever aftermarket barrel you chose it will be better than the Model 98’s stock barrel.
And don't believe all the hype that everybody puts on the Bigshot. It's loud, and not any more accurate than any other quality aftermarket barrel on the market. Accuracy's biggest factor is a good paint to barrel match. As I've stated before.
After the barrel, most other upgrades only slightly increase performance, quiet the gun, make a smaller profile… etc. But in the end, all future upgrades continue to add weight! That is why the barrel is the most important upgrade. Because it's the biggest factor in you actually hitting your target.
Now comes your next choice. Your air source. Are you going to run your Model 98 off of CO2 or N2/HPA?
For those of you who run off of CO2, you have a couple of options. Do you want an expansion chamber, or run off of a remote, install an antisiphon, or actually use a regulator with CO2?
Well, most expansion chambers are the same. They all do their job by turning liquid to gas. It pretty much depends on how many stages you get. If you want a more compact design, go with a 4 stage. But a 6 stage will help the liquid expand better. And actually now there is an "8-stage" expansion chamber, the PsychoBallistics X-core. This is worth a mention, because it’s one of the first to be built with both CO2 users and N2 users in mind, and “It will do a better job than any other chamber on the market but the price is much lower.” You can check out some nice expansion chambers, including the X-core, at stores like www.countypaintball.com
As far as remotes go, you have the choice of coiled or steel-braided. The steel braided will last a lot longer… but it is also a longer remote. The coiled remote will sometimes curl up on you when gassed up, but just a turn of the gun and it's loose. Plus the coiled remote is more compact and doesn’t get in the way as much as steel braided. And if you get coiled, make sure it’s with a high enough psi, at least 3000, but 4500 if you can afford. Both are very flexible, so this shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
And if you get a remote, which takes the tank weight off of your gun, you’ll need to hold onto it somehow. To do this, you’re probably going to get a harness any ways to help carry paint, so be sure to get a harness+1. That +1 on the harness means +1 spot to hold onto your tank.
Speaking of harnesses, you have many choices. If you don't run remote, then don't bother getting a harness +1 system. And the size of your harness will depend on your playing style. If you're a speedball player where matches last only a couple minutes, you man want to look into just a 2-pod harness. However, if you're a back player in speedball, or you play hour long recball games and hate refilling, then a harness with 4 or more pods would be a good suggestion.
Some of the most comfortable, and more popular, harnesses out there are made by Redz Comfort Gear. They make many different sizes and different colored harnesses. For basically any size that will suit your need. For more information on these check out www.redzcomfort.com .