judy finkle

Hey all,
As the title says, I'm returning to paintball after 5 years away. When I left I was playing tourney ball with a Freeflow Racegun cocker. Tourney's burned me out so this time around I will probably just be playing some competitive rec ball. Most of the folks at the field have Eteks, Ions and a few Shockers and I hate shooting low end markers so I'm looking at mid-range electro's. Prior to my Freeflow I only shot Smart Parts guns and will probably get another. I'm down to a few guns and need a little help making a decision. Here's what I'm looking at:

Freak Factory Vision Impulse. Brand new from a shop for $350.
Shocker SFT from ebay or shop surplus. Around $500
Epiphany. $400

I shot Imps when they first came out and had a lot of succes with them. The Freak Factory is very well equiped marker and that price is about 50% of the original prices a few years ago. My biggest concern is parts support. Whatever I buy will have to last me years and I don't want to get stuck with an orphaned marker.

Shockers were my first love and I left paintball when the '03 shocker was just a rumor. I like the Shockers a lot but cannot spend $700 on a new gun so if I get one it will have to be a SFT. My biggest concern with that is that at least for now I'll probably have to get a cheap 3000psi air system and I've heard the SFT's are gas hogs. Can anyone tell me a number of shots to expect from a 48ci and 72ci 3000psi tank?

Epiphany's seem pretty nice. After holding one compared the the Ion I definitely want to go with an Epiphany. The value of the upgrades and the feel of the trigger over the Ion make it seem like a better value and a much cheaper gun to own over the long run than an Ion. I could start with a base Ion and work up from there but I know I'll end up spending more than just buying an Epiphany to start with. My biggest concern about the Epiphany is how it compares to the Impulse and Shocker in terms of overall quality and durability.

Thanks for sticking with me through the long read. I look forward to any comments or advice.

evolkers2003

Hm, well, Shockers are nice, but i think there are better guns for cheaper. Imps were great guns but are very outdated now. The Epiphanys are ok, but i would get an ION and upgrade it myself. You know what gun i think you should get? The PMR. The PMR is a great gun, however some of the parts are siad to be a little weak. However, it is lighter than all those guns you mentioned, and i know the PMR has good gas efficiency (better than the shocker for sure.) The PMR can also be found for around $360. Take that lil extra money you save and replace some parts (new feedneck, etc) I have a friend who bought a PMR (he sold his PM6 for it) and he says its lighter, quieter, and he is getting 1200 shots out of his 68 ci 4500 psi tank. Thats amazing for a spool valve. I would trust his opinions too as he owns 2 pro shops and is very knowledgeable about paintball. If i had to choose out of the guns you listed though i would pry get a shocker.

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Daziak

yea the impulse isn't even being made anymore, sadly they were to heavy and noone wanted to buy them, and that is an expensive price but it is like a dark marker right? i'd suggest the shocker aswell, due to the fact that you can upgrade it using NXT upgrades that are out so u can up it still without worrying about it being outdated.

Epiphany is just an upped ION, and to prove it look at a picture of an ION and the Epip...see how its the same just upped with a smart parts only body? and its twice the price...hmm...

and the PMR has a LOT of composite plastic which are really weak thus the reason why they can sell it so cheaply. but honestly PMR owners are killing me, the mature ones are ok but the little little kids who try and take me on with their PMR because they say it just "flat out pwns you" are annoying so if u decide to get the PMR don't become one of those people!

other than that Welcome back!

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judy finkle

Thanks for the input. I looked at the PMR's a bit but found myself thinking the next model up would be a better choice and those Proto's get pretty expensive quickly once you pass the PMR.

I'll probably wind up with a Shocker if I can find one for a decent price. $500 is my absolute cap because I need to buy everything all over again. But ultimately, going with a higher level marker to begin with usually winds up being cheaper in the long run so instead of buying the wrong gun first because it's cheaper I'll just buy the one I know I'll end up with.

Thanks again!

evolkers2003

$500 for just the gun w/o a air tank or hopper? You can get used PM6's for $400- $450 dollers and taht is a great price.

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Sex on tv cant hurt unless you fall off.

judy finkle

It'd be a brand new SFT shocker for $500. I'd still have to buy all the other things to play.

Used marker prices are pretty good but I've never bought a used marker I was happy with. No one seems to take care of their stuff as well as I like to so I anything I ever bought used got sold right away. I'm just too particular.

judy finkle

OK....I've decided to get a Shocker. I have a choice of either a Freeflow, Toxic or Octane shocker.

Freeflow and Toxic are my favorits, the octane is a little plain.

Anyone have opinions between the Freeflow and the Toxic?

GameOver

yea the shockers are nice.. Not sure about the new Epiphanys. But the guy above mentioned the PMRs you might look into that as well

judy finkle

Ended up buying this one:

eBay: Shocker SFT Vision - Pro Paintball - Brand New Olive (item 290095334840 end time Mar-30-07 15:43:19 PDT)

It came with NXT internals so I didn't need a bolt upgrade. It shoots really nice and got a lot of looks at the field.

Thanks for the replies.

evolkers2003

Yeah, it should do just fine. Looks nice and everything

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andyminION

good choice i like to ignore these guys too when i think about buying marker.
ive got a feeling some of them dont know what they are talking about
lol probably

Tippy_A-5

save a little more n get an nxt shocker

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THIS IS HOW IT GOES, WELCOME ONE AND ALL TO THE SHOW, WE'RE WIRED UP FIRED UP Fn' READY TO GO...

Black SFT Smart Parts Shocker
Virtue Russian Legion Board
Virtue Russian Legion Grips
CP Reg
CP ASA
Shocktech Trigger Frame
Shocktech Trigger
Shocktech Snatch Grip
14" Stiffi Barrel
14" Dye Ultralite Barrel
16" Dye Boomstick Barrel
CCM No-Rise Feed neck
07 Killa Detents
Freeflow Bolt system
Halo B w/Rip Drive w/V35 Board
Pure Energy 88ci 45k Tank

judy finkle

I already bought the Freeflow. It has NXT internals and a Nerve board. I love the milling and no one else at the field has one like mine so it's a conversation piece. Other than having one vision eye instead of two, it's basically an NXT already.

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Judy Finkle is a Scorpio who loves long walks on the beach, quiet evenings at home and is looking for the right girl to....wait, wrong forum. Never mind.