$301-400 Category
Quite honestly there aren’t really any guns in this category that I consider worth it. It would be better to buy something form the $201-300 Category and spend about $100 in upgrades and end up with something better, or just go ahead and buy something from the next category up, the $401-500 Category.
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Dangerous Power Fusion:
Welcome To Dangerous Power.com!
This is probably the only gun in this category worth looking at in my opinion. The design is remiscent of the BKO's, sort of a "FASOR" design (although FASORs are spring return, the spring in this pushes forward): it's a stacked tube poppet valve with an air ram, but instead of air pushing it both back and forth, a spring controls the forward movement. This design has a bad rap due to the guns it's been used in, but it isn't actually the design that was the problem, it was the manufacturers quality that caused problems.
*Stacked tube spring forward ram driven
*Autococker barrel threads
*Break beam eyes
*Clamping feedneck
*On/off ASA
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ICD Lasoya Promaster:
ICDPaintball
It’s just a milled down promaster. Comes with a board that offers more options, a new bolt, and a different trigger.
*Stacked tube air ram
*Break beam eyes
*Autococker barrel threads
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Worr Games Mini E-Orracle:
Worr Game Products - WGP paintball markers and accessories
It’s appealing for essentially the same reason many people would dislike it: it’s an autococker with a select fire frame. Because it’s an autococker, that means it will shoot great; because it’s an autococker some may find it to be finicky and more difficult to maintain. Because it has a select fire frame, it will be fast; because it uses a select fire frame, it does not have much adjustment (compared to the E1/E2 or Raceframe).
*Autococker operation (true closed bolt function)
*Autococker barrel threads
*Reflective eye
*On/off ASA
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Redz Ion:
Redz International 2007 || Redz 2007 Paintball Gear and Apparel
Same idea as the Ion Pro, it’s an Ion with upgrades installed except the parts are Redz stuff. Main difference is that this includes a new bolt along with the clamping feedneck, on/off, and new barrel.
*Blowforward (Similar to spool valve but simplified)
*Impulse/Ion barrel threads
*Break beam eyes
*Clamping feedneck
*On/off ASA
$401-500 Category
This category recently had some very new and interesting additions. Guns in this range are mid-end guns, which basically means they generally shoot as well as high end guns but they are not quite as reliable and/or don’t come with as many features. They are good as backup guns or for competitive players looking to save some money.
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Invert Mini:
Invert Paintball :: Home of the MINI
One of the three new contenders in this range, with a completely new operating design that no has seen before. It is absurdly tiny and light, but it is a poppet valve which was unheard of before this and the Onyx came around. It also boasts a zero hoses and only one wire. Describing in depth all the odd new features would take too long, so I just suggest checking it out yourself. Just beware however, this is the first time this company has made it’s own gun, and on top of that it is nothing like anything that has been built before: this all means the possibility of bugs that need to be worked out is high.
*Inline Pressure controlled poppet valve (poppet valve is not stationary, unique design)
*Autococker barrel threads
*Break Beam eyes
*Clamping feedneck
*On/off ASA
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Proto MR:
PROTO PAINTBALL
Another of the three new contenders in this range, this too with a relatively new but not particularly revolutionary design. It is essentially the same as any of the other Matrixs, except with no LPR. This means it has slightly more kick than the rest of the Proto and Dye guns, but other than that shoots the same. A big turnoff to many people is some of the plastic parts it has, including the collar of the feedneck, back cap, trigger, trigger frame, and eye covers.
*Spool valve
*Autococker barrel threads
*Break Beam eyes
*Clamping feedneck
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Smart Parts Epiphany:
smartparts.com
The last of the three new contenders. This one offers nothing new really, it is still an Ion at heart. The plastic parts have been replaced with metal ones, and it offers a few other things like a new barrel, new solenoid, etc.
*Blowforward (Similar to spool valve but simplified)
*Impulse/Ion Barrel threads
*Break Beam eyes
*On/off ASA
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Smart Parts Nerve:
smartparts.com
A very underrated gun, due to it not living up to expectations thanks to SP hyping it up way too much before its release. It is basically a really, really nice impulse. It’s known for exceptional efficiency, in some cases even coming close to the legendary efficiency of AKA markers (which have been known to get a whole case off of a 68/45 HPA tank).
*Stacked tube air ram
*Impulse/Ion Barrel threads
*Clamping feedneck
*On/off ASA
$501-600 Category
There seems to be an odd black hole with very few guns in this price range. Like the $301-400 Category, I’d suggest buy something cheaper and upgrading, or saving some more money and buying something in the $701-800 Category.
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Alien Paintball Interceptor:
ALIEN PAINTBALL - Light Years Ahead!
A light poppet valve style gun. Fans of the line claim ego-like performance for half the price. What’s unique to the Alien line is that they come with what they call the “Sweep Trajectory”. I won’t explain the system in detail, but they claim a flatter trajectory and better accuracy; whether it is just hype is still being debated. Beware though, as there have been many reports of issue with reliability.
*Stacked tube air ram
*Autococker barrel threads
*Break beam eyes
*Clamping feedneck
*On/off ASA
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WGP Black Magic 05:
Worr Game Products - WGP paintball markers and accessories
Another autococker from the same company. It’s smaller and lighter than the Karnivor, but comes with a select fire frame rather than the E2 which offers more adjustments.
*Autococker operation
*Autococker barrel threads
*Reflective eye
*Clamping feedneck
*On/off ASA
[continued in next post]