How yins doin'! So it all started around 2002 with the Ultra Nickel Micromag 2000 and then the Crazy Black Splash Minimag in 2007. That's when the 'Mag addiction took hold and the rest is history - even surviving a paintball hiatus from 2012-17. Anyhoo, here's my planned collection of 50 'Mags plus 3 very special ones. It showcases the diversity of 'Mag components both past and present, illustrating the true modularity of the Airgun Designs platform.
A-B-C Triplet 'Mags
We start with a very special trio of TunaMags that belong to my two brothers and me - because we are triplets! These 3 builds all feature a Tunaman valve in a sculpted Deadlywind body on a vertical 90 degree frame with recurved trigger and other uncommon parts. Overall very similar but still unique! Even the colors align with our assigned color throughout childhood - green, blue and red.
(A.) Black Fin TunaMag
The rare Tuna rail and valve were fortuitous acquisitions back when I first started collecting extra 'Mag parts and later earmarked for my oldest brother's 'Mag build. The valve is certainly unique with its lasering - the "Tuna" is there but no "X" and the "TMX" serial number prefix I've never seen before. The TunaPack was the last piece picked up - thanks Bunny for letting it go! Finding a Karta body was a saga that went on for a year and a half despite being the most-produced DW body with over 150+ made. Tracing the history of this Karta, which had been drilled for eyes, it passed through at least TEN owners over its lifetime. With a clever ano pattern I don't think the tiny little holes will be a distraction or detractor.
- Deadlywind Karta body #36 (of about 160) and unfortunately milled for eyes
- CCM No-Pro feedneck
- Tunaman "Tuna" gloss black X valve #TMX009
- Tunaman TunaRail RTP-length rail
- Magnus M90 Emancipator frame
- Magnus Talon trigger
- Luke's aluminum 90 panels w/ Fish Scales
- Tunaman TunaPack battery pack cover
- Luke's Emag foregrip adapter
- Inception Designs Stella barrel kit
(B.) Blue Fin TunaMag
After sitting on AO for several weeks back in 2010 I picked up this exquisite 'Mag from the first owner - an original Tunamart 'Mag! Too bad mech is making a comeback and re-popularizing the 'Mag market as I don't think I'll see a sweeter deal ever again. A bunch of RPG parts deck out the rare Dallara body which is in the even more limited "dimpled" form. This black & blue 'Mag now belongs to my middle brother for our Deadlywind Tuna trio.
- Deadlywind dimpled Dallara body (1 of 8 dimpled; 30-45 Dallaras total including 3 of EM/RTP length) & rail
- RPG Strangler feedneck
- Tunaman "Tuna X" dust blue valve #VV06315
- RPG Chimera frame
- RPG Viper Blade trigger
- RPG aluminum 90 panels smooth
~or "RPG" blue poly 90 panels by The Frymarker/Heather?
- Deadlywind angled carbon fiber foregrip gen2
~or original DYE Comfort gas-thru foregrip
- DYE UL barrel kit
(C.) Red Fin TunaMag
After a decade my Tuna'd VMF Chord project is finally done and ready for ano! Black is boring and uninspiring so to bring out the dimensions it's going to get a light base of glossy acid washed rose with dust red as an accent. The wavy Logic-spec trigger is unique with an unknown creator, even after I posted about this trigger.
- Deadlywind Chord v2 (1 of about 30; there were only 8 Chord v1) AM-length body
- AKA feedneck
- Tunaman "Tuna X" dust red valve #VV06316
- RPG MiniWave rail
- Logic Industries VMF v2 "(L)"-engraved with a safety
- (creator unknown) wavy Logic trigger
- Luke's aluminum 90 panels w/ Hexagons
- Luke's 1-piece smooth foregrip
- Doc's Machine Tanto barrel, Freak-bored
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#1-5 Retro 'Mags
These markers focus on that signature Automag RT and E-Mag look with the prominent sight rail and foregrip. Who cares how heavy they are when they look so good?
(01.) Tuxedo Automag RT Pro
The first 'Mag that really ever caught my attention was the 1996 Automag RT looking all dapper in the magazine ads - it was like a paintball marker in a tux with the clean and starkly contrasting satin black anodizing and polished steel. The factory image of the RT Pro was just as suave and that is what this build will replicate. It will also be my primary loaner to help the unknowning appreciate the Airgun Designs old school but still very relevant mech tech. Heck, its factory-touted 26 bps non-electro capability is still unmatched today!
- AGD RT Pro/E-Mag NoRise centerfeed polished steel body
- AGD "RT Pro" valve #RTP01046
- AGD RT Pro rail + sight rail + foregrip mount
- AGD single-trigger carbon frame + trigger
- AGD grooved rubber grips (most comfortable grips ever!)
- AGD RT Pro foregrip w/ grooved rubber sleeve
- AGD RT tulip tip barrel
~ or a barrel from one of my kits: Equation, Freak, CP 2-pc, Lapcos
(02.) Hologram Automag RT
AGD Europe's website had these Nickel w/ Color Splash kits when the Automag RT was released but none were seen on North American shores until one of Tom Kaye's infamous attic sales. Supposedly, the splash masters PK Selective did the work but it was determined to be too costly for any more batches. When I saw pictures of the "Euro" HiRise powerfeed RT body I knew this is what it belonged with, and I just love the raked-back sportscar look of it. The nickel Intelliframe and Triggernomics handmade sterling silver trigger fit right in with its flashiness.
- AGD RT "Euro" HiRise powerfeed-right/hopper-left body
- AGD early RT valve sans "RT" lasering and #RT00131 on the LEFT
- AGD Nickel Spash RT rail + sight rail + feed plug
- AGD Intelliframe nickel
- Triggernomics/MagHog/Dan Desmedt sterling silver swoosh trigger
- RKM Designs translucent colored 45 panels
- AGD Nickel Splash RT foregrip mount + foregrip adapter
- _?_ clear bike grip sleeve
- AGD Nickel Splash RT tulip tip barrel
(03.) Zee Smear Automag RT
The Automag RT (or RT Classic as most call it) is iconic in its satin black and polished steel, but when I saw my first Red Smear ano I knew it had to be mine (you'll see a theme of several black-red-silver splash 'Mags in my collection). The double-lasered Z-Grip was from the Sandman's personal stash at AGD! I actually bought a second Red Smear RT from Canada just to obtain the sweet MagHog Z trigger now on it, and then that RT was sacrilegiously traded for my first 'Cocker.
- XMT ULE RT Classic centerfeed body
- AGD later "RT" lasered valve with #RT01145 on the RIGHT
- AGD RT Red Smear rail + sightrail + feed plug
- AGD "Z-GripZ-Grip" wingless RT frame
- Triggernomics/MagHog/Dan Desmedt handmade sterling silver double moons trigger + liquid panels
- AGD RT Red Smear foregrip mount + adapter
- AGD RT rubber bike grip
- AGD RT Red Smear tulip tip barrel
(04.) Spaze Oddity 'Mag
"Ground Control to Major Tom..." - time to cue David Bowie! The highlight piece of this build is the Spacemag-inspired Z-Grip foregrip which was featured on the MOTM "SpaZeMag" designed by AOer "Nickless Cage" in Germany and milled by a local shop circa September 2014.
- AGD RT Pro/E-Mag vertical feed "stovepipe" teflon body
- AGD "RT Pro X" valve #RTP01866
- AGD E-Tac ULE rail
- AGD Z-Grip de-winged frame
- Luke's Z-Blade trigger
- Hogue rubber 45 grip panels
- AO's Nickless Cage SpaZeMag foregrip
- Premium Paintball Products (Canada) aluminum Twist-Lock to Autococker adapter
(05.) The GooniE E-Mag
When the E-Mag was first introduced at the 2000 Zap IAO I was mesmerized by the colorful anodizing that really made them stand out in the AGD booth. The ano needs to stand out so, while I'm waxing nostalgic, a colorful '80s scheme seems on point - Marty McFly's hoverboard, Miami Vice, Koosh balls, Tron. Another iconic movie was The Goonies and many may think the source of this 'Mag a goon himself... as most of the parts on this build are actually from an E-Mag tester given to Billy Gardner of Smart Parts. Boo! Hiss! Boo! This includes the rare early E-Mag valve with an electrified "E" (later seen on the E-Max X valve), a factory-chopped powerfeed meant for attaching a WarpFeed from below, and a the frame. The rail is an uncommon ULE'd "E-Tac" rail made for some factory TacOne E-Mags, and the trigger a TL-63 blade E-Mag trigger with the Comb roller attachment which was created by AGD and Odyssey (you know, the fellas behind Halo loaders).
- AGD E-Mag/RT Pro Warpfeed-left polished body
- AGD E-Mag ULE rail
- AGD sight rail
- AGD "E-Mag" valve #EM00036
- AGD E-Mag humpback frame
- Timmy63/Tim Latch "TL63" E-Mag blade trigger
w/ AGD-Odyssey Comb roller trigger attachment
- AGD E-Mag black rubber grip panels
- AGD E-Mag battery pack cover
- AGD tulip tip barrel
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#6-10 Breecher 'Mags
Not like breaching doors and blowing stuff up as I did in the Army, but in regards to the unique feed ports that set these markers a step above the others. Tom Kaye really had something going with all the creativity and ingenuity coming out of his company.
(06.) Pneu X-Kitty X-Mag
I started a build thread on my revival of the X-Kitty X-Mag body that I bought from RogueFactor on PBLegion back in 2010 (who coincidentally also just sold me a blank Reverse X valve for the project!). I'm glad I went on a hiatus because my intention back then was to re-ano it black and gold for a yinzer 'Burgh scheme but I wised up and it's staying original now! It will be Warp left and with a reverse valve so the roof and passenger sides are slick and free of obstructions. This will also be a Pneumag project but I'd like to keep it a dual-mode hybrid marker - switchable as a mech/pneu rather than mech/electro. Time will tell what I can figure out and make work.
- AGD Cut & Carved Xtreme E-Mag v1 unibody (short dovetail behind breech rather than long)
- AGD X-Mag Warp left C&C breech
~or BigEvil CCM'd vertical C&C breech
- custom dust black "X-Kitty" reverse X valve #VVXKITTY
(thanks to Craig Palmer at PPS for the lasering!)
- AGD X-Mag ULE frame
- DIY Hybrid pneumatics
- Tunaman TunaBlade v1 E-Mag trigger
- Luke's AO Hex aluminum E-Mag panels
~ or RKM Designs clear E-Mag panels
~or Clare's "Hello Kitty" clear E-Mag panels by The Frymarker/Heather Frymark
- AGD C&C X-Mag battery pack cover
- DYE Ultralite barrel kit
(07.) Maelstrom X-Mag
A dream 'Mag actually coming to fruition! I think the bulky Euro-X body and Stormwalk frame combo actually balance each other out quite nicely, but I'll have the driver side slotted like the passenger side so you're able to see the valve's "X-MAG" lasering. The massive amount of real estate for ano really needs something exotic or intricately detailed so perhaps a raging sea below with whirlpool and a crazy hued sky with thunder clouds and lightning above. Shout out to Bunny for the rare Warp Right breech!
- AGD Standard "Euro" Xtreme E-Mag v2 unibody (thin front lip rather than thick)
- AGD X-Mag Warp RIGHT Euro breech
~or BigEvil CCM'd vertical Euro breech
- AGD "X-Mag" valve #XT00315
- Cerberus Stormwalk frame w/ integral gas-thru scalloped foregrip
- Magnus/KAM Designs Sabre trigger
- Cerberus Innovations Stormwalk acrylic panels
- PMI Perfect Bore Ceramik barrel, Freak-bored
(08.) Celtic X-Mag
So I need another X-Mag with that unique breech module to round it out at five. I really wanted one of those prototype Aztec X-Mags or a Deadlywind Ci (though it doesn't look much different than a C&C) but they were not for sale to the likes of me. However, a hacked up Euro X-Mag was! It was made by AGD-Europe and in the 2009 video tour of John Sosta's shop (by Manike / Simon Stevens who runs Inception Designs) you can see it hanging on the wall at the 0:37 mark: AGD Europe visit. Prototype gun history. https://youtu.be/2jl2fBwPw_U. On the body under the breech is an engraved pentagon with the letter F indicating an attempt was made to certify it for approval to use in a very restrictive Germany. The hard 90-degree cuts on the rear are rather unappealing so that'll have to change. To keep with the European theme and harken back to my heritage, I think I'll get it milled/engraved similar to the Aztec but with variations of the eight Celtic knots instead. The ano scheme will follow suit with a Rampant Red Lion and some Scottish tartan/plaid.
- AGD Standard "Euro" Xtreme E-Mag unibody with German F-stamp and *CUT* by AGD-Europe
- AGD X-Mag vertical Euro breech
- AGD E-Mag valve #EM
- AGD Intelliframe
- a trigger
- Luke's Customs AGD Lions aluminum 45 panels
- Cerberus Innovations revtangular-oval gas-through foregrip
- AGD C&C X-Mag stock barrel, Freak-bored
(09.) Supreme F'n Leader SFL E-Mag
I never really wanted an SFL because they're stupid expensive and looked kinda funky, but my impression changed upon seeing Bunny's former satin silver SFL with black sponge and red splash ano done by PK Selective - it looked phenomenal! When this dust pewter SFL is re-ano'd I'll copy that splash but change out that black sponge to royal blue instead since I'm a rather patriotic veteran. Since I don't shoot electros the amazing Logic UMF matches up nicely as does PTP's grooved Micromag battery pack cover. Many thanks to Bunny, Big Evil, Freedom and Zondo for making this happen!
- BBT Shocktech SFL E-Mag unibody
- Big Evil CCM'd vertical "SFL" breech
- BBT "Shocktech E-Mag" valve #EM01632
- Logic Industries Ultimate Mag Frame (UMF)
- Logic RRfireblade trigger
- Luke's UMF aluminum panels
~or Luke's Customs CoolHandLuke (Logic UMF-inspired) single-trigger frame + trigger + panels
- PTP eMag Micro 2000 battery pack cover
- Luke's Emag foregrip adapter
- Shocktech dropfoward
- DYE Ultralight (original to the SFL from BBT), Freak-bored
(10.) Automooog Micromag
This is a controversial PTP gen6 Micromag 2k9 with the totally unique multi-position breech system. Controversial because of machining tolerances being off with some bodies not allowing them to achieve 300fps. I'm pairing this one with a Luke's Customs combo of LPR foregrip and T-Rex pneumatics within the MiniVert frame. I find the factory aesthetics of the 2k9 quite uninspiring but perhaps I can find someone to mill it... I don't usually like animal prints but for some reason I want something ano'd in a cow pattern and this seems the perfect candidate.
- Pro Team Products Micromag 2k9 body
- custom white w/ black "X" valve
- Luke's Customs MV2 (Mini Vert Double) frame
- Luke's Customs Trex pneumatics
- Luke's Customs UltraBlade trigger
- Luke's Customs MV2 alumimum panels
- PTP eMicro 2k9 battery pack adapter
- Luke's Customs straight & milled "LPR-FG" foregrip with integral low pressure regulator for pneumatics
- Custom Products gen1 2-piece barrel kit
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