my dilemma (newbie gun help)

[mtx]

yeah, another newbie gun help thread. before you yell at me though, i've read past threads and haven't found the kind of answer i've been looking for. if you don't plan on answering constructively, just stop reading right now. if you have a kind (and preferably experienced) bone in your body, by all means, continue. perhaps you can help...

okay... I'm looking for some help deciding on a first gun (I've played about 5 or 6 times, and I'm responsible enough to care for a gun; looking for the better gun here, not the better gun 'to start out with'; I'm probably not going to buy another gun after this one, figure I'll just upgrade a bit and I'll be satisfied). For awhile now I've been researching and reading reviews to help me decide on a gun. After a week or so of this, I finally set my heart on the Spyder Xtra and either a Lapco BigShot barrel or a J&J Ceramic (total ~$230). Shortly afterwards, I read paintball.com's review of Tippmann's Flatline barrel, and I am torn. The Tippman Custom 98 w/Flatline is the new contender (total ~$230).

More research indicates the Xtra's various 'xtras', as compared to the C98 (Double Trigger, Drop Forward, Expansion Chamber, Vert Feed, LP Chamber, Rear Cocking). My question(s): does the durability of Tippmann guns coupled with the Flatline barrel make up for lacking several extra features the Spyder has? Is the Flatline that much better than, say, a Lapco BigShot; even enough so that it makes up for lacking, once again, the Double Trigger, Drop Forward, Exp Chamber, Vert Feed, LP Chamber, and Rear Cocking that the Spyder Xtra features? Are these important features that I will need/severely want to upgrade to in the near future? (I'm 16; won't be able to afford many upgrades, but for now I want the better gun [that i can afford], not necessarily the better value). Another possibility I've been considering is maybe buying an older, used, higher-quality gun such as an Autococker, but I'm not too keen on the idea of buying a used gun, and I'm not sure just how old/used the gun would have to be to fall into my price range(~$250, possibly up to $300 if the deal is good enough). Please help!

Thanks.
-Steve

[Paint Bulley]

some may disagree with me but I would say get a spyder compact.

you said you want to upgrade this and not buy another gun. If you buy this you can upgrade without loosing money. If you buy the Xtra (i think you said) then when you want a better beaver tail or expansion chamber or whatever you will throw away what it already has and buy something else.

I say buy a spyder compact.
a lapco bigshot (in a couple of weeks when they are ready)
and send your gun to pole cat for a vert feed and ans x chamber.

that will cost I geuss around $160. add a mask (i suggest Nvader) and CO2 (20 oz.) and you will be at 200. then add whatever you want be it grips or whatever.


hope this helps/

[mtx]

see, i don't want to upgrade A LOT. i want a gun that basically has what i need for the moment, that i can upgrade a little bit to customize for my likings. the ~$250, by the way, is about my price range for the gun itself... that's without all the other things i'll need. thanks for your input. =)

[ShadowKi][er]

Heya,

I'd say go for the Tippmann Model 98 Custom with a Lapco Bigshot for a little under $200.

You can get all those upgrades on the Custom98 and more. It's nearly impossible to break a Custom98, Tippmann have great customer service and a nice 1 year warranty. Get yourself a mask and at least 14Oz Co2 bottle and you're set.

Where do you live? If it's not cold then you don't need an X-chamber, if it is then you will.

Also I take Lapco Bigshot over Flatline because the Flatline is more for snipers and defense; it's hard to hit somebody with one in speedball or snap shooting, and they can chop balls like there's no tomorrow so you need to find the right paint for them. But if you like sniping, and don't have a problem about the paint chopping, go for the flatline.

I'd also go for a 20 Oz Co2 bottle with a drop foward.

I'd go for the Custom98 because once you buy one, you want need to buy a new marker for a long time. you can get a reactive trigger for it, electro-pneunatic kit, Electronic trigger kit and Double trigger to name a few upgrades. Then there's new grips, fore grip etc. etc.

You can upgrade this marker aplenty, and you won't have to buy a new one next year :).

1 final word, I wouldn't recomend getting a 'Cocker just yet, unless you've got a friend that knows them inside out :)

Both are great entry level markers, and you can't go wrong with either. But if it's possible I would try both of them out first, and then decide.

Oh yeah, don't take my or Paint Bulley's opinion too seriously, because it's about wich one you like and not about what marker i'd get or what Paint Bulley would get :)

Go to the Tippmann forums and visit the New Player Forum wich can be located at http://www.tippmann.com and a Spyder forum (Somebody else probably knows where a good one is), and ask a few questions there. Don't listen to people that say Tippmanns or Spyders suck, and just talk about the good points of their markers because they are just saying those things cos they own one.

At the end this comes down to a Spyder vs Tippmann thread, and no one will be able to help you :). Get the one that you feel like getting.

Good luck,

[Edited by Sp0rk on 06-07-2001 at 10:38 AM]

[CDietz]

i have owned both guns (tippmann w/ flatline and a spyder) and i would say go spyder. tippmanns aren't a bad gun at all but i prefer the spyder better. for one thing, tippmanns suck at field stripping and come with a horrible stock barrel (and you cant play speedball with the flatline). but other than that they are about the same. look at my signature to see which of those guns i still own

[ShadowKi][er]

Have to agree with CDietz on what he said about field stripping...You also have to take in mind are you going to play Speedball or in a forest more?`Spyder for speedball, Tippmann w/ flatline for forest play.

[VIPER_101]

I dont know much about the tippmann flatline but i would go with the spyder se or the xtra and then whatever gun you get get a new barrel.

[dawgs712]

tipmanns are unreliable and the flatline isnt that great. my friends tipmann breaks once a day and he misss at least 3games taking it apart, fixing i and putting it back together. there are about 16 screws you have to take out. xtra all the way

[Q-Ball]

Originally posted by dawgs712
tipmanns are unreliable and the flatline isnt that great. my friends tipmann breaks once a day..
Your friend must have gotten a defective gun. Me and all my friends have had Tippmans 98c for over a year and none of us have had any problems.

[Xander]

I have never personaly shot the xtra but i have shot guns similar to it and I have shot a Tippman before. In my experiences i think that you would be happyer with the Spider Xtra. The tippman was fairly heavy for a paintball gun, and it requires you to have long arms if you plan on shotting accurate.

If it was my choice Spyder Xtra all the way

[Snyper731]

I would say go with the Tippmann if you are a "rifleman" (some will get mad if i say "sniper") but if your a run and gun person go with the Xtra (im getting mine on wednesday when Mike, the UPS guy, gets here) and get a good barrel with it (Bigshot is a great choice but i prefer J&J 2 peice). I dont think the Xtras xtras will tear u apart too much. I have a C98 now and i dont feel the need to get double trig, ex-chamber, etc. because it shoots great (all except the 8.5 inch barrel, lol) and i still paint my fair share of people, a remote is like an x-chamber also so u dont need to spend a lot to get that for the Tippy. Some say the Tippmanns are uncomfortable but i know they are not. I am a small guy (5'8) with short arms and it is a great feel. They are only a couple more oz. than other guns (a "hefty" 2.9 pounds) so you wont have any trouble. But, all in all i think your style should dictate your choice. (Flatline all the way!!)

[TIPPMANN98C]

For me if you like to play in the forest i would buy the tippmann 98 but you would need to get a new barrel {flatline}. I have one and the range and accuracy will blow you away. Tippmann rules!!!

[TheNinja]

You'll probably wanna punch me in the **** for this, but I just have to make sure that you considered getting a piranha STS G2 or G3. These guns are great, reliable, durable (havent had to field strip mine, but I hear thats easier then hell anyways), they have an excellent trigger pull, the stock barrel doesn't suck, and they have just as many upgrades as a spyder or m98. Sorry if you have already considered this but thrown it out, but these markers are top notch.

[Red_October]

Like everyone else says there are a bunch of factors to consider. If you are going with a Spyder, personally I would go with the Compact and a barrel upgrade. Compacts are really nice for the money and they are as light as hell. I would say this is your best choice for a good versatile first marker. It is also really cheap.
I started out with a Tippman and believe me they are VERY reliable. My friends, family, and I have never had a problem with them. The only things I dislike about them are that they are long, heavy, and not field strippable at all. They are the PERFECT woods gun though, they are built like tanks and with a J&J Ceramic barrel they can be extremely accurate. In your position I would still go for the Compact. Make sure you get a barrel upgrade and a Revy soon after buying the gun though, they are the best possible things you could get for your marker at this time.

[phatboy]

I say Xtra only because of the vertical feed and the fact its easy to upgrade. Lapco barrel, of course. After all, they will come out with a barrel that works like the flatline for other markers soon enough.

[El Cheeko]

I WOULD GO WITH THE SPYDER AND GET A DYE BERRAL...THE SPYDER IS LIGHTER AND HAS MORE THEN THE TIPPMAN...

[Invasion]

My brother has a spyder Xtra and every time he shoots fast the paintballs expoled in his barrel.

[Saiyan_warrior]

Piranha VTL - 90
Used WGP Reg - 30
Macroline kit - 10
Lapco bigshot - 50
Turbo valve - 20

Great setup right there :)

[El Cheeko]

the wgp reg isnt very good......and if you are getting a spyder or parahna it doesnt matter to much anyways...if you are going to get a reg for your gun get the pure energy inline reg it is better then the wgp one.....i would stick to the spyder....i work in a paintball store and i always get people needing their paranas fixed i barley ever get spyders that are broken....

[P8ntballer]

Id say the Spyder w/J&J Ceramic. But this is a personal preference. Try both out. Then go from there. And if you dont know what upgrades you want or need, you can always post threads here.

[Saiyan_warrior]

Originally posted by El Cheeko
the wgp reg isnt very good......and if you are getting a spyder or parahna it doesnt matter to much anyways...if you are going to get a reg for your gun get the pure energy inline reg it is better then the wgp one.....i would stick to the spyder....i work in a paintball store and i always get people needing their paranas fixed i barley ever get spyders that are broken....

Doesnt sound like you work in a paintballstore, because you cant even spell piranha, and plus what if people needed there piranhas fixed more then spyder, maybe they dont know how to maintain a gun.

[El Cheeko]

sorry i my spelling isnt up to your standards.....but there isnt much to maintain on paranhas and that isnt usually the problem.....the guns people bring in are not old they are usually brand new.....it isnt my fualt paranhas are ****...all you have to do to maintain a paranha or a spyder is oil the bolt every once in a while and even if you dont the worse that will happen is your bolt will get messed up......what i usually get with paranhas is they have problems with their valve body.....