Flatline problem

[the_klenzer]

OK guys, let me be clear, I have a Flatline AUTOCOCKER.
Now before you flame me for not posting this in the Worr Games Forum, I'd like to point out that I'm posting here because I don't want 30 replies dissing me for owning a Flatline Cocker. Those guys seem to have no respect for it. Which is fine, whatever.

Here's my problem, hope someone here can help me. It seems to originate in the barrel/adapter rather than the Cocker body, another reason I think you guys will be a better help.

I've owned the gun for just under a year. When it was new/stock it shot fine, never broke paint, even cheap big bore paint. Then I tricked it out gradually, and continued to fire fine. All of a sudden it decided to break pain. Never chopped paint, only broke it in the barrel. At first it was only maybe one ball out of a hundred (which is still a lot). Then it fired fine for a few weeks, then it started breaking more paint, one out of every 20, now it's about one out of every 5-10 balls. And once there is broken paint in it, it is literaly every second ball. It's been timed by 3 different cocker techs, the store I've bought it from has given me a new flatline barrel to try and it breaks paint in it as well. I've tried many different types of paint in it, from RPS Marbleizer, to Premium, to Zap Performance, to Diablo Blaze and there is no change.
Another reason that it cannot be the cocker end of the problem, is that it will break the first ball to go through it even if I hand load it. This rules out any timing problems.
When I examined the barrel to see where the broken paint was, it was only on the top of the barrel, not in the breech/adapter area.
The marker operates at about 280psi at 290fps, runs on a Max-Flow air system, and I tried both the stock bolt and an ANS venturi bolt. Ball detent is in place and working correctly.

So, can any of you guys shed light on this problem? Anyone with a Tippman Flatline had this happen to them? I'd really appreciate some help here, as I've tried to contact Worr Games with no response.

Thanks!

[123justin]

Hmmm, I'm not too sure but maybe crappy paint?

Too large of a bore size for the flatline barrel?

Cold weather?

[the_klenzer]

Can't be any of those three. It was winter when I got it, and it shot various paint fine all winter. I just just started having problems with it in the summer, so it's not the cold.

One of the paints I tested was Marbleizer, which I think is the smallest bore paint going and it broke it. Diablo Blaze is also on the smaller side to and it broke it as well. So it can't be the paint. These are also brands of paint it used to shoot fine before the problem started.
It also can't be old paint, because I pick it up fresh from the shop when it's delivered. No WalMart stuff. There were also just too many different types of paint tried for it to be that.

Good try though! :)

[Digger]

I don't know exactly how the flatline locks into the cocker, but are you sure the barrel is seated properly into the adapter? If either the adapter or the barrel loosened slowly, it could start to break paint.

I know you siad you got a new barrel.

[the_klenzer]

I'm going to have to assume that it is in place properly. I've had it out several times to examine it, and we did switch barrels. I slid it into place snugly and tightened it down. Looking through the gun with the bolt out, it apears to be seamless, so I figure that's right.

Thats for the barrel. As far as the adapter goes, I hear they can come out of alignment by a fraction of an inch and that will destroy the gun. I don't know how to judge if its aligned properly or not, but it appears to be seamless with the breech when examined with the barrel out.

[brandon14295]

hey the_klenzer, i had the EXACT same problems that u had, except i had a tipp98 sniper. no matter what i fed through it, it broke. even steel ball bearings would shatter(exaggeration). but yea i had my gun looked at by all the airsmiths at http://thepaintballstore.com and they could tell what was wrong. (actually when they fired it, it worked, but when i shoot it it didnt so it made me look like an idiot.) but it really wouldnt work 4 realz. my theory is that the very first flatlines made were excellent and the modern ones are crap.
so i sold my sniper and bought an a-5 with a bigshot.

[Meph]

Actually, it might be the body. Because there was a bad batch of autocockers made with those flatlines. They were not aligned up properly. And it's such a small fraction of a degree off, you wouldn't think it would matter.... but it does.

So it might not actually be the bolt or barrel, rather the spot where the body and barrel adapt.

Also, Diablo Dusk is smaller than Marbs.

[brandon14295]

i shot dusks too and it still puked paint. btw, those dusks are great cheap paint.

[the_klenzer]

Thanks for the replies guys.
I believe it must be something with the way it's aligned as well. Glad to hear I'm not the only one with the problem.

A few times it did the same thing, shot fine for the guys at the shop and made me look like an idiot too. :) Finally one of them saw it do it so I had proof.

I don't think it's a bad body or barrel, because it used to shoot fine. It must be the adapter misaligned. Does the Tippman have a similar adapter and do you have to readjust it every now and then?
I've heard of two cases where people had Flatlines work fine in their Tippmans for about a year, then start breaking paint.
Any thoughts on that?

[brandon14295]

its a government conspiracy :paranoid: