ACI F1 illustrator, F4 illustrator, Tornado, Spyder compact
Marker Setup:
Tippmann Procarbine w/ 12" lapco bigshot and a stock fugitive bruizer back up gun
Recommended Upgrades:
a new barrel and any other upgrades you want
Strengths:
-inexpensive
-easy to work on and clean
-sturdy design
-good gun for beginning players
-takes spyder barrels (from what I've heard)
Weaknesses:
-not being made any longer, may be hard to find parts for repair and replacement
-heavy weight
Conclusion:
overall, this gun is a great entry level gun. I would not spend a whole lot upgrading this gun, but then again, I would hold on to it as an extra or back up gun. The stock barrel is pretty accurate at short distances and the gun is very sturdy. For beginners, this gun is a great gun for learning to work on pb guns. Easy to clean easy to maintain.
Tippmann Model 98 - doesn't shoot as accurately as the Fugitive.
Strengths:
Good Quality, accurate, comes with carrying case and hopper
Weaknesses:
Comes without sight rail, hard to take apart because the screws are tight
Review:
The Fugitive is a very nice reliable paintball marker. We've had it for a couple of years, it hasn't caused us any problems, and we've done little more than keep it clean. We put on a bottom line, a vertial expansion chamber, an electronic sight and a sight rail (you'll want one to take advantage of the accuracy this marker is capable of).
This marker comes with its own carrying case, a black plastic BOSS 200 ball capacity paintball hopper, and an elbow. The case has lots of room in it for a 12 oz tank, extra barrels and other gew-gaws. You'd have to pay extra just to get a carrying case and it is well worth having - Nice touch from the manufacturer. You also get good instructions and some spare o-rings and seals. That's thinking of your customer too.
The Fugitive is "Spyder compatible" which is good as it takes Spyder compatible barrels, parts, and grip frames. We also discovered that some goodies for the PMI Piranha, such as the beavertail sight rail will also fit nicely.
The grip frame is tapped for Spyder and straight bottom line fittings - thank you! We put a straight duckbill onto it and a PMI gas thru forgrip. After installing some 90 degree fittings We tried connecting the ends to some macro line but found that the macro line choked off the pressure from the tank (lowering the velocity). We had a 30 fps drop in chrono values. So, we ended up using braided hose instead which restored the velocity to normal performance levels.
This marker is a side cocker and the internals are not totally easy to access for cleaning. This does prevent new users from losing bits of the marker - a good thing. The back end plug screws were put on very very tightly. I had to be very careful not to strip them when I tried to disassemble the marker. I ended up pressing the marker down on the carpet using a hexagon/allen key shaped screwdriver tip to undo the screws. I had to do this just to get enough leverage - it was not easy. The cocking knob uses a flat screwdriver and I had to do the same thing to undo it.
The marker does not have a sight rail, which is a drag since you can't see over the cross feed without one. More expensive version of this marker do have them and would be worth buying. I got a rail for a PMI Piranha and slid that over the top. It fit nicely but since the top of the Fugitive was not tapped for screws I just used some automotive goop to secure it in place. I let the glue dry overnight and it hasn't moved since.
We put a Spyder threaded Nyte Stikk on the marker easily but in my opinion the stock barrel is pretty good. The stock barrel gives a good grouping at 50 feet and beyond. When you put a red dot sight on the sight rail you can really put some balls onto the target accurately. I found the Fugitive with its stock barrel more accurate than the Tippmann Model 98 I owned. The Fugitive's groupings were much tighter on the target than those of the Tippmann. Once we changed to the Nyte Stikk this didn't change enough to make buying the aftermarket barrel worth it - just my opinion. My son insists it shoots better but I was not able to prove this to myself at the target range.
I'm not a big fan of double triggers and found the marker a bit awkward to hold with one hand. Put a vertical expansion chamber/gas-thru grip on the Fugitive though and you've got something else to hold on to. My 16 year old son loves the double trigger, and doesn't aim, so he just blazes away as fast as he can. He hasn't complained of ball breaks so I guess that isn't a problem either.
My son did lose the velocity adjuster set screw, so we have to find a replacement for it. We also put some chameleon kit springs in the marker, but that was just a personal preference.
Overall, we have been impressed by the quality of the Fugitive. This marker is a good buy. It has been to the field many times and just won't quit. The Spyder/Piranha compatiblity means you can find lots of accessories. Lately my son has expressed an interest in electonic markers and we could probably use one of the Spyder electronic grips on the Fugitive but for the price of an electronic grip we could purchase an entirely new Spyder Esprit. Even so we're going to keep the Fugitive in the family since it has been such a good paintball marker. Maybe Dad'll have borrow it, heh heh...
Conclusion:
An excellent paintball marker, the Fugitive gives solid reliable performance.
Rating:
10 out of 10
Last edited on Monday, April 14th, 2003 at 10:25 am PST
16" boom stick, 6 stage expansion chamber, bottom line, solar red dot, dove tail
Recommended Upgrades:
sight mount rail, barrel, expansion chamber
Strengths:
Cheap, built like a rock.
Weaknesses:
Don't make them any more, Accuracy with stock parts
Review:
This was my first gun when I started out more than 7 years ago. It has gone under water/mud, hit trees. and fell out of the back of my car once. and it shoots as good as the day I bot it. I still use It from time to time dering woods ball games when my phantom so Sim-4 is acting up
Conclusion:
Not a pro gun. But a great beginner, loner or back up gun
I have used the Tippman Custom 98 and the Tippman A-5 (stock as the come in the package) and I prefer the bruizer.
Marker Setup:
I have added nothing but a 14 inch barrel but you dont really need it the stock barrel shoots dead on!
Recommended Upgrades:
Nothing if your a begginer but you may want to get another bolt and maybe an expansion chamber.
Strengths:
Great Gun!! Reliable most definately. Quick and doesnt chop balls very often..
Weaknesses:
Bolt breaks easy and thats about it.
Review:
This gun has given me alot of reliable service and is a dead on shot .I personally woulud recommend this gun to anyone EVEN experienced players,but they may need expansion chamber and a few other things like a barrel.The word they used in naming this gun(bruizer) couldnt have suited the gun any better. And thats partly what paintball is all about. Its good on the field and doesnt chop. And the valve system in this gun is great also.So i see this gun as the gun that keeps on giving.
Conclusion:
Overall I consider this to be my favorite gun I have used because its unique and very reliable.Shoots straight and hard and quick.
2002 matrix led otp barrel centerflag inline,12v revy, 68ci crossfire tank and nw dropforward i used to have a bruiser w/ boomstick & carbon fiber barrels, shocktech rear cocking bolt, 12v revy, shocktech dropfoward, rail sight, dye stickies, a trigger-job, 68ci crossfire, pmi pure energy reg, andmacro-line kit
Recommended Upgrades:
new barrel, expansion chamber, new bolt
Strengths:
compact
not bad lookin, better lookin than some spyders and you dont see many bruisers being unique is good
quiet
not that much kick
very upgradeable even though not neccesary
faster than people think
pretty consistant
a good anno jog i just had a couple scratches(color 'em in w/ a sharpie or other perminant marker)
Weaknesses:
a bit heavy
"rocky feel" when you shoot it
cheap stock parts... screws etc.
i somtimes broke the little springs and plates in it
the way it cocks on the side is pretty annoyin
Conclusion:
this is a great gun for the entry/mid level player
it needs few upgrades and is the best "syder clone" for the money
my second gun and its longest ive had my guns
and verydurable so it probably wont break down
I definitly think that anyone that wants to play paintball should buy one of these guns. The price on these guns is great, I got mine for a 100 bucks and then all i had to buy was co2 and paint. This gun shoots HARD! They don't call them bruizers for nothin'.
Weaknesses:
I've read a few of the other reviews and like they said, buy a 9 volt hopper, youll be much happier. The barrel that comes with the gun is kind of plain but it does shoot straight .
Conclusion:
the gun does really well with upgrades and you'll love it if you buy an expansion chamber or a gas thru grip. it is definetly worth the cost and if you add custom parts then your Bruizer will be better than a spyder. I would definetly recomenned this gun to others. like my dad and then he bought one. If you give this gun less than a 8 your'e stupid.
I just bought this little black beauty a week ago and been out to the field a few times with it. I am very pleased with the performance. The rof (rate of fire) is more than enough. If you have to shoot faster than this gun, well, chances are you aren't a very good paint ball player. The look is great, smooth sleek black, I still don't understand why someone would buy a super colorful bright gun, you're just asking to get sniped, anyway. this gun is great, no chopped balls as of yet, great velocity consistency considering i haven't put an expansion chamber on it yet. Decent stock barrel, but like ANY other gun, getting an after market barrel is a must. I love this beauty.
Weaknesses:
hmmm. bad, well, for sure get a bottom line for it, i dont recommend lugging around a 12oz tank from under the barrel, it's very uncomfortable. The elbow that comes with the hopper is not that great, but, come on, that is being EXTREMELY picky. I cant think of anything else.
Conclusion:
This gun performs well from the case, great rate of fire, decent accurancy, great velocity, having the velocity adjuster to your disposal so easily is great. The cost is very wallet friendly. This gun is most comparible to the spyder line, you can get any spyder upgrade for it. All you need to do is get a barrel just like any other gun, then get yourself bottomlined with an expansion chamber and, with some skill, you will the man, you dont need these tricked out autocockers or these ridiculously priced Angels to win. This gun is a great buy. I definatly recommend this gun to novice to expert players alike, great gun. And on an ending note, it's not called bruzer for nothing. ;?)
Great all around intermidiate gun. I added a smart parts expantion chamber, 14 smart parts 14", shocktech twist lock bolt, and the thing is almost the perfect marker. Rarely ever chopped a ball.
Weaknesses:
Without a motorized hopper, t'will chop balls.
Also the only Barrel manufacturer that will not addapt are DYE Barrels. We tryed two or three barrels on two different Bruizers and they WILL NOT FIT.
Even the company (NU-Line aka Bruizer) didn't know what to tell us. But after returning the Boom stick, got a Smart Parts ported 14" and it was fine.
Conclusion:
As I mentioned earlier, great intermediate marker. I believe that almost all aftermarket parts made for the Spyder will adapt to the Bruizer Fugitive. I've found that the Manufacturer to be very helpful in the past. For the as much as it costs, I would consider the Fugitive to be a good started marker that a player could grow with.
This gun is awesome!!
its very accurate and never breaks a ball if you get a new barrel
Its super cheap!
It works with most spyder parts too!
Weaknesses:
stock barrel sucks but you can fix that by getting a barrel upgrade
Conclusion:
With a new barrel it is extremely accurate and never breaks balls. with the money you didnt spend on the gun you could buy upgrades. compared to all other guns it the price range this gun rocks! Go buy this gun now!
its smooth shooting, inexpensive, and comes with a carrying case. its easily upradable because its compatible w/ most spyder parts. i added an expansion chamber a rail sight, and a laser sight. this gun is good for all levels of play. fairly quiet.
Weaknesses:
a little bit on the heavy side for a compact gun. stock barrel sucks, needs to be tightened 2 times a game, which causes a lot of ball breaks, I've only had one game w/o a break. fairly basic needs upgrades, however they're affordable considering how much you saved on the gun.
Conclusion:
overall, this is a great gun and its definately worth every penny. I suggest this gun for paintballers at any level of play. i reccomend an Xchamber and a barrel upgrade.
