The Progressive barrels are available in lengths (12/14/16/20") and are available for most paintguns. They come in black, blue, red , silver & green.
Product Availability
The Smart Parts Progressive Barrels are newer, so they should be commonly available, both new and used. Check out the Places to Buy links below for places to purchase them new.
J+J Ceramic 14" (With Tippy M98), stock barrels (the stock barrel on the CCI Phantom is the best barrel I've owned).
Marker Setup:
2003 WGP Sniper Pump, Smart Parts Progressive Barrel.
Recommended Paintballs:
I usually use Amp paintballs, but most seem to work fine.
Strengths:
It is fairly good in every aspect...
Weaknesses:
...but not as good as other barrels I've owned or tried (Including friends' barrels).
Review:
I bought this barrel in November 2003 to replace the crappy stock barrel on my Sniper, and I have owned it for about 6 months now, and I really don't have any bad things to say about it. I love the price ($35!!) and it quieted my Sniper down. It's pretty accurate - I can hit almost anything I want at 50 yards with it and the spiral porting is nice. However, when I compare it to my J+J Ceramic, the Ceramic seems to be better in almost everything. The Ceramic seemed more accurate (I could hit smaller targets from farther away - and that was with my M98, not the Sniper pump), quieter, and the teflon impregnated bore on the Ceramic was easier to clean. The only thing I prefer on the Progressive barrel is its weight. I like barrels to have a little weight (but not heavy), because if a barrel is REALLY light, like a Ceramic or a Stiffi, the marker won't balance as well. Still, overall I'll take the Ceramic, though I wish I could afford a Dye Ultralite (this 17-year-old has a lot of expenses)
Conclusion:
I don't have any complaints about this barrel, except that it isn't as good as others in its price range, at least in my opinion. Try it, it might work better for you.
When I first put this barrel on my Victor II (which by the way, has a pretty loud stock barrel) I was thouroughly impressed with how quiet it made my gun sound. the accuracy was incredable aswell. for very cheap (70 Canadian) you get a very well crafted barrel. it looks really cool and isnt too hard to clean either
Conclusion:
I would recomend this to anyone lookijng to improve on your gun. Stock barrels are always crappy and a new barrel makes a huge difference
Smart Parts Impy
14" full freak barrel kit
mini max-flo LPR and tape worm
EvoII loader
45k Crossfire HPA tank.
WAS board
PsycoBallistic bullet drop forward
Twister feedneck
ND Delrin Bolt
ND Hammer
ND round bolt pin
Recommended Paintballs:
32*
Strengths:
Pretty quiet
Looks nice
Weaknesses:
Not very accurte
Review:
This barrel came stock on my Impy and I wasn't very impressed with it. Even with a good paint to barrel bore match i would still have balls curving and flying all over the place. My Impy was running at 160psi and 280 fps so I don't thik it was my velocity or pressure. Also after I got my Freak the psi and velocity stayed pretty much the same and I had no more problems at all. This is an ok barrel BUT i would get a Teardrop or AA over a Progressive
Conclusion:
This is an ok barrel BUT i would get a Teardrop or AA over a Progressive
Accuracy
Smaller bore
Much Quieter than 8.5" barrel the Tippmann 98 comes with
Weaknesses:
None except a long barrel can get in the way
Review:
This barrel is VERY accurate. I was playing against people with flatlines, boomsticks, freak kits, and other top line barrels. The smart parts barrel was just as good as most of them, and was even better than some. The progressive barrel is just as good as barrels that cost well over $100, but it only costs $50. It is a good investment, but if you get it, it is very important to find paint that works good for it. If the paint is the wrong size, it will either break in the barrel, or will be very inaccurate because the ball will bounce around in the barrel and shoot out at a bad angle. This barrel, just like any other, is only accurate if you use the right paint.
Conclusion:
I recomend this barrel because there is not a single bad thing about it. Don't let the part where I warned about paint scare you. It is just as important to any other barrel too. This barrel is well worth $50 or however much it costs.
Rating:
10 out of 10
Last edited on Monday, October 4th, 2004 at 2:18 pm PST
spyder fenix
sweet spot trigger
stock bolt
Smart Parts Progressive 14in
shocktech shim
32degree valve and pin
shocktech springs
pmi 20oz tank w/on/off
halo B hopper
Strengths:
this barrel is great for woods ball it is it holds a tight pattern
Weaknesses:
gets dirty pretty easy and not good for long range
Review:
this barrel is great for shooting into tight spaces yesterday was the first day i used it in battle and it worked great. People complimented how nice it shoots. It is great for tight spaces and is really accurate. I play in the woods alot and it is perfect for getting between branches or logs or bunkers that have little cracks in them. You can hold a good pattern from 100 ft. All in all this is a great barrel.If your looking for a cheap way to improve your accuracy and skill this is the way to go. I highly recommend this barrel to rec. ball players and people who play in the woods.
Conclusion:
great barrel for the price. It is light accurate and cheap. What else can you ask for?
This is a great barrel, from 50 feet away, i can get a 5" by 5" grouping (with the right paint of course). Its actually not as loud as everybody says it is, its basically an ugly teardrop/ one piece all american.
Conclusion:
ITS ONLY 35$! GET IT I SAY!
Rating:
9 out of 10
Last edited on Wednesday, June 30th, 2004 at 3:50 pm PST
Spyder Victor, PMI hopper, 14inch Progressive Barel, 20oz C02 tank
Recommended Paintballs:
G.A.P. paintballs work really well, as well Draxon, pretty much anything
Strengths:
looks, acuracy, quietness, strength
Weaknesses:
NONE
Review:
This is a sweet barrel. Makes my gun so quiet. This barel wont scratch either. Get it in black. Makes my gun a lot more acurate to. This barel looks sweet on any gun. My friends so jelous when I got it. Get 14inch not to long but not short either. Its gotta be good its a smart parts.
Conclusion:
This is a must upgrade for your gun and works so well. You cant beet the price either for what you get. Smart Parts sure knows how to make them. Go out and get one best move you can make.
Stock barrell
14 inch thunder pig
14 inch J&J Ceramics
Marker Setup:
Tippmann 98
14 inch Progressive Barrel
Ricochet Hopper
Car Stock
Recommended Paintballs:
will shoot just about anything really ...
Strengths:
Great grouping !
Very consistant !
Good looking !
Great Price !
Weaknesses:
Pretty Loud
Review:
After several barrells, I think I finally found the one for me ! I was very impressed with this barrell. I would have to say that you will not be let down. It costs around 35.00 and for the money, you will simply not find a better barrell anywhere. You will notice how tight your patterns are in 3-5 shot bursts ... you can litterally shoot through the little holes in the bunkers if you want to :)
stock barrel ( pretty good but not as good) tear drop, 3a knock out ( sucks so dont buy it) j&j ceramic
Marker Setup:
spyder xtra, kingman ipi electro frame, ricochet rhino loader ( why do people with spyders buy halos? doesnt make sence the hopper cost more than the gun and the gun cant come close to keeping up) pmi pure energy 20 oz co2
Recommended Paintballs:
i use kickin
Strengths:
same thing as teardrop, cheap, looks good
Weaknesses:
none
Review:
this barrel is awesome, looks good on my gun but performs even better, im able to hit people from distances i never was before, i can shoot twice and lands the balls right on top of eachother, it never breaks balls and its real quiet, i wouldnt trade it for a freak
Conclusion:
go get it, 30 dollars off ebay, what a steal, giving it a 9 cuz nothin is perfect
Tippmann 98 Custom, 14" Smart Parts Progressive Barrel, Halo TSA Hopper(soon to come: Bob Long Regulator, Full Boar Rear Cocking System, GTA Double Trigger Kit, GTA Reactive Trigger Kit, Dead On Drop Forward
Recommended Paintballs:
PMI Premiums
Strengths:
Good Looking, and very accurate
Weaknesses:
None I have found yet...
Review:
I got this barrel by chance, I originally wanted a SP Tear Drop because i had played with my friends and it was nice. So I asked him to get a Tear Drop for me in his order and he said he would. So he calls me back the next day saying that the site didn't have a Tear Drop and that he ordered me a Progressive. So I said sure and why not and So I got the barrel and tried it out. The first 6 shots landed almost on top of each other. I LOVE THIS BARREL!!!
Conclusion:
I think that this is an awesome barrel for the money and works great with the 98 custom.
