Stock Class Feed, Stick Feed, Spring Feed, Sydarm, or 50 Round Hopper?

[ghost flanker]

I played my first game ever with a stock class gun, my Phantom, the other weekend and now I'm hooked! I loved playing with 10 round tubes and a lighter, smaller profile configuration. This has inspired me to convert my pump minimag to modified stock class or something similar. I'll be running constant air into a vertical ASA. As for the type of paintball feed that will go on the gun, I'm still undecided, so I figured I'd share some mockups of the five different limited-ammo configurations of which I'm currently deliberating:


- 50 ROUND HOPPER

This is my gun as of right now, so going with this option will cost nothing. Maybe re-do the macro and that's it. Haven't played with it like this yet. I really liked going hopperless and using 10 round tubes with my Phantom, though, so this is the least exciting option. It's also the most practical, I suppose. But it's also really tall.

- STOCK CLASS FEED

Uses a clear CCI feed block with a 10 round tube jammed into it, sorta like a magazine fed marker. I think it'd look cool with the MM body. The AM body in the photo is just junk that I used as a test run for mounting the feed block. Having the feed block on the right side of the gun using the MM body will keep my line of sight down the left side nice and clear. But I hate the thought of chopping up and drilling holes in a perfectly good MM body... plus I'd have to pay to have it bead blasted to re-finish the SS MM body. It's marred up anyway, so whatevz. It'd be for a noble cause, right?

- STICK FEED

Would require a couple bucks and a quick trip to Home Depot to do. Picture is a mockup. Perhaps a bit more practical and certainly less destructive/permanent than the horizontal stock class option, but the line of sight won't be as open when aiming down the left side. And it's tall. Almost might as well use the 50 round hopper.

- EMPIRE SPRING FEED

Would require the purchase of an Empire spring feed (the black thing in the photo is just a 10 round tube covered in black duct tape as a mockup). I've never used one before, though. Don't know if I'd like it (I imagine that reloading won't be nearly as quick as a stick feed) or whether I could even mount it securely to a 3/4" feed neck. I'd also have to use the less cool looking AM body pictured, which would need to be pump milled, as well.

- SYDARM

Luckily, the Sydarm body is already pump milled. Plus I have a CA adapter. And it looks damn cool, too. Reloading a Sydarm will always be a pain in the wiener, however. And it only takes 8 rounds at a time instead of 10, so not the most practical option. Will cost the price of a 90 degree 1/4" threaded male to female fitting to do this.


So yeah. Donate your 2 cents below. By the way, I'm not looking to be told to pick the one I like best, or that I should try them out for myself to see what I like. Don't worry, I will soon enough. Until then, I want to hear your opinions. So which option do you think features the best balance between function and old school cool?

[going_home]

Bad thing about the Sydarm is it only holds 8, the tubes hold 10.

Good luck finding an Empire spring feed reasonably priced.

[cougar20th]

Im partial to stock class feed. It how my phantom and vsc pumpmag are so its what I'm used to.

I find my vsc pumpmag is a awesome shooter. Slightly inefficient compared to the phantom. Absolutely gets tons of attention from people.

This is mine.

[ghost flanker]

Good luck finding an Empire spring feed reasonably priced.

Captian pinky has one for $35. But the question I have is, would it clamp securely onto a 3/4 feedneck? And would the spring feed's slide knob be impeded by the macro line fitting coming out of the valve if I cut down the feedneck so that the spring feed sits close to the body?

[ghost flanker]

That's a nice looking gun, but 12 grams through that thing has got to get expensive though, right? Especially with that crown point shorty of yours. I get no better than about 16 good shots out of a 12 gram in my mag. That just doesn't seem worth it to me. If you're getting better efficiency with your mag, please tell me how.

On the other hand, my Phantom gets 43 good shots per 12 gram, so the difference between my 2 guns is a bit more than "slightly".

[Toms Gun Show]

Stock Class!

The stick feed also gets some serious street cred as well!



Sent from my LG-D852 using Tapatalk

[Nobody]

Go with what is most comfortable for you. Granted, a mock up is not an in game experience with the setup but it shouod give you an idea of which is better than the other.

[cougar20th]

That's a nice looking gun, but 12 grams through that thing has got to get expensive though, right? Especially with that crown point shorty of yours. I get no better than about 16 good shots out of a 12 gram in my mag. That just doesn't seem worth it to me. If you're getting better efficiency with your mag, please tell me how.

On the other hand, my Phantom gets 43 good shots per 12 gram, so the difference between my 2 guns is a bit more than "slightly". ]

I usually only get to play twice a year. As such I do not pay any attention to the cost. I just keep feeding the gun 12grams. My guns see about the same number of shots as you. Both the pumpmag and phantom.

[ghost flanker]

Gotsta read the OP, Nobody. I do realize it's a bit wordy, though.

So yeah. Donate your 2 cents below. By the way, I'm not looking to be told to pick the one I like best, or that I should try them out for myself to see what I like. Don't worry, I will soon enough. Until then, I want to hear your opinions. So which option do you think features the best balance between function and old school cool?

[ghost flanker]

Only 16+ good shots out of a Phantom on a twelvie??? Is that with or without the barrel attached? Seriously, you should be getting at least double that.

[cougar20th]

Only 16+ good shots out of a Phantom on a twelvie??? Is that with or without the barrel attached? Seriously, you should be getting at least double that.

16 on the pumpmag like yours 40ish on the phantom

[TheJackal28]

I prefer my mini Winny to be honest it's a 30 rd hopper. I've tried the the stick feed cram jam and empire spring feed and the smoothest of them all is my mini Winny I also have a cramjam revolver that holds 4 10 rd tubes but still prefer my mini winny
So the closest choice to my mini is the 50 rd hopper I guess

[Nobody]

Oh i did read it, its just my own personal views of setting up a gun will always be different than what you might want. I don't play stock class, though i do have a scratch build that i want to do. I will play pump but the virtues that you like with the setup are for you alone.

I would rather you do a body swap, finding a minimag body that has either some damage or even the feedneck broken off is easier than chopping your body up. As for style, if you like cram & jam, go for it. If you like the springfeed, by all means. Its easiest to mod the gun to fit your own style and what you are used to.

So really, my opinion doesn't matter. I don't thrust my opinion on something just because i can. You are an intelligent person and even though you are asking for an opinion, it's more of listening to what people say you shouldn't do versus what you already know what to do.

[ghost flanker]

TheJackal28,

That's interesting. I actually hadn't considered a 30 round hopper. I'll keep my eyes open for a mini winny like yours.

Also, do you have a preference between the stick feed cram jam and the empire spring feed?

By the way, regarding the empire spring feed, I can't help but suspect that the reloading process must get old pretty quick, that it might be more trouble than it's worth. Like every 10 shots, ya gotta pull a thing back, then twist another thing 180 degrees, then take out your 10 rd tube and reload, then twist a thing 180 degrees again, then unhook the thing you pulled back before you're finally ready to go. I just imagine myself spending half the time reloading the damn thing. Or am I over thinking it? How bad (or not so bad) is it in practice?

[keiko_819]

I've used the empire spring feed and it sucks, reloading takes forever...you could probably change out a 12 gram and load a 10 round tube into a stick feed in the same amount of time, can't go wrong with a mini winny or a standard 50 round winny

[ghost flanker]

Nobody,

I get what you're saying, and you're not wrong, but I really am interested in what other people prefer for themselves, particularly those who play with limited paint, and also which of the above gets the most style points. This thread was only meant to be a fun thing...and hopefully it generates more ideas I hadn't even thought of (like Jackal's suggestion for a 30 rd hopper).

And, of course, I realize I'm not obligated to go with what the group suggests. Ultimately, I may decide against the configuration that gets the most votes. The spirit of this thread is more of a conversation starter than a formal election.

[BLachance75]

Springfeeds can be a pain to load. I had a custom build brass gun with a springfeed and most of the time I would just lock the spring back and play with it as a rock and cock.

[going_home]

Limited paint.

I usually try to limit myself to two cases a day, its hard, but it can be done.

[Nobody]

Ok, you want my opinion here it is.

Small or limited hopper is by far the easiest and best way to go. You do not need to relearn loading, get specialized packs or tubes(though 50rnd pods do have an advantage) nor do you have a drastic equipment change going from limited to unlimited paint, i.e. change the hopper and pods and you can sling paint.

If you wish to go full stock class then so be it. I do see stock class as a discipline that you have to learn, not only on how you play but how you react. You can not shoot your way into a position like you could do with a semi, and like loading/reloading, you have to teach yourself how to do it under fire like you do with regular play. Going back and forth from stock class to unlimited is more trouble than you think. Just like learning to shoot off-hand, you must dedicate yourself to that.

Now a friend that actually builds brass guns, chplnstn on MCB does bring over some guns for me to see and help with paint, parts or air. And i see, because he has played so long with a stock class gun, that spring feeds and rock & cock guns that feeding a gun for him is quite easy. That is the discipline that stock class demands.

Now with that, its far easier to use a spring feed and lock it or dump it if its just doesn't work but there are advantages to it, just like a regular force feed hopper (the paint stack is under tension). Any of the stock class paint delivery systems all have advantages and disadvantages with them. A cram and jam means you might loose caps or if its not in the breech a whole tube. Loosing caps is moot, if you have a capless harness.

I can go through the exponets of every system for it and lay it all for you, but it still ends up being what direction you wish to go and what you are still comfortable with and in the end how much you are willing to pay for it to immerse yourself into the subculture of stock class/limited paint.

On that note, i do love hopper ball. It won't matter how fast the gun is, as a hopper is all that you have. Sure, you can RT, but how long is that last. Limited paint does force you, not how to completely change your style, but to realize what is good paint wasting qnd bad. It also teaches you the importance of actual skills like snap shooting as you don't have a case of paint to fall back on.

[Spider-TW]

I think a side effect of playing limited paint is that you are a lot easier on your marker. You learn to make smooth and precise motions for loading and pumping/cocking, or at least take the time to plan your shots. Some people will beat the snot out of a pump, knocking the pump to its limits back and forth and holding the trigger down on an auto trigger so hard that it rounds off the cam. When my son first started with his pump mag, I had to keep taking the burrs off of the tip of the stainless rod. That went away completely after a while. I know some of my wood handles wouldn't survive that kind of play.

I have to say that I don't understand the attraction of the full time autotrigger pump style in the first place (and the volume of paint that goes with it).

[Nobody]

I think a side effect of playing limited paint is that you are a lot easier on your marker. You learn to make smooth and precise motions for loading and pumping/cocking, or at least take the time to plan your shots. Some people will beat the snot out of a pump, knocking the pump to its limits back and forth and holding the trigger down on an auto trigger so hard that it rounds off the cam. When my son first started with his pump mag, I had to keep taking the burrs off of the tip of the stainless rod. That went away completely after a while. I know some of my wood handles wouldn't survive that kind of play.

I have to say that I don't understand the attraction of the full time autotrigger pump style in the first place (and the volume of paint that goes with it).

It is the belief that pumps are "better", yet the people who rely on the autotrigger would be better of with even a mechanical gun. In one word, hypocrisy.

[keiko_819]

It is the belief that pumps are "better", yet the people who rely on the autotrigger would be better of with even a mechanical gun. In one word, hypocrisy.

pumps are better, just because you have auto trigger doesn't mean you have to use it...if you wear a pod pack do you have to use the extra paint you carry?

[Nobody]

pumps are better, just because you have auto trigger doesn't mean you have to use it...if you wear a pod pack do you have to use the extra paint you carry?

For me, sometimes, but that was more in reference to those people who pop out and hammer on the autotrigger like a semi, who have 4 or 5 pods, i.e. people that are playing like its abmech but with the snobbery of having a pump, like they are better than you.

On a speedball/airball field, you walk into the game with a pump, i will laugh but pay attention to you. The 2nd game, if you can play, you have my respect. That is way different than the idea of a pump or pump play.

[Spider-TW]

pumps are better, just because you have auto trigger doesn't mean you have to use it...if you wear a pod pack do you have to use the extra paint you carry?

Yes, it's not the pump or even the autotrigger I was referring to, but the pure habit of always holding down the trigger and pumping to shoot. I don't mind playing with that bunch; I just don't see the attraction from the cost, accuracy, or rate/volume of fire aspects. I would have a CCM pump if I ever played that way.