Posted by: Dale "Head_Hunters" DuPont on July 03, 2003 at 14:17:51

A $225 Freak Barrel system can't make a paintball that isn't round fly straight AFTER it leaves the barrel. Maybe 'better' but you would have to bench rest it with a scope and pattern it to be able to measure it. You would likely never see it on the field of play... Now one would expect to SEE the difference after spending $225 wouldn't you? Go borrow one at your local field for 5 minutes, put it on your marker, with your paint, go up to the chrono station and Shoot it. EYEball the 'accuracy'. Then put your barrel back on and do the same. Compare. Then decide if you need the barrel for the $money they want to sell it to you for or if you want to try some better paint first. The key to ACCURACY is paint quality. My boy uses a stock spyder classic with a STOCK barrel, nitro, revy, and $80 a case paint. Beads on a string. After 10 years of practice, he can point it in the right direction real quick too. The mistake EVERY paintballer seems to make (myself included) is to go on the Quest for Accuracy and buy hardware marketed to 'improve accuracy'. After they have spent several hunderd dollars with minimal results, they try some good quality paint. Then they are REAL HAPPY. Accuracy starts with paint. Try that first and then decide if that meets your need to have improved accuracy. Next is to get rid of the CO2 which gives you a huge variations in muzzle velocities that trashes accuracy and get Nitro or at least a CO2 Pressure Regulator. You can buy Nitro bottle for the price of a regulator so I say just get the Nitro. Then you can think about an aftermarket barrel. Then Maybe a Low Pressure Valve and regulator. I can't recommend any other accuracy related products. RANGE: Range is a function of velocity. You are stuck with a max of 300 fps if you are playing safely. The only thing you can do to increase the distance that you can consistently break a ball on a torso is: Go low pressure and find a LP paint with a real thin, fragile shell that will break easily at a distance. This can add 15-20 yards to your max range that you can get a consistent torso break on. The trade off is you can easily break the paint in your barrel. Very fussy and warm weather dependent but really, really nice, when you get it all working together break free. The other thing required is simply being able to hit your target at a distance. An Accuracy function. Your basic 10 shot pattern. If it is 30 inches at 40 yards your likelyhood of actually hitting a facemask is very small compared to a 14 inch group. Then you have to guess the correct elevation so the ball drops onto the facemask or torso. If you take 10 shots to get the elevation right, the guy has ducked, taken cover, run away, shot you etc. Aiming properly is a function of practice and play. But you might be interested in my auto rangefinder. A little do it yourself project that gets the elevation right for that all important FIRST SHOT or two. Why do you think they call me Head Hunter... E mail me ddupont@charter.net and I will send you the info. Anybody.

Follow Ups: Post a Followup Show your name as: DefaultRealnameBothNickname E-Mail address (eg: joeschmoe@aol.com): Show your e-mail address? DefaultYesNo Your Password: Don't have a password? CLICK HERE - Forgot your password? CLICK HERE Subject: Subject:Message: : A $225 Freak Barrel system can't make a paintball that isn't round fly straight AFTER it leaves the barrel. Maybe 'better' but you would have to bench rest it with a scope and pattern it to be able to measure it. : You would likely never see it on the field of play... : Now one would expect to SEE the difference after spending $225 wouldn't you? : Go borrow one at your local field for 5 minutes, put it on your marker, with your paint, go up to the chrono station and Shoot it. : EYEball the 'accuracy'. Then put your barrel back on and do the same. Compare. Then decide if you need the barrel for the $money they want to sell it to you for or if you want to try some better paint first. : The key to ACCURACY is paint quality. My boy uses a stock spyder classic with a STOCK barrel, nitro, revy, and $80 a case paint. Beads on a string. After 10 years of practice, he can point it in the right direction real quick too. : The mistake EVERY paintballer seems to make (myself included) is to go on the Quest for Accuracy and buy hardware marketed to 'improve accuracy'. After they have spent several hunderd dollars with minimal results, they try some good quality paint. Then they are REAL HAPPY. : Accuracy starts with paint. Try that first and then decide if that meets your need to have improved accuracy. : Next is to get rid of the CO2 which gives you a huge variations in muzzle velocities that trashes accuracy and get Nitro or at least a CO2 Pressure Regulator. : You can buy Nitro bottle for the price of a regulator so I say just get the Nitro. : Then you can think about an aftermarket barrel. : Then Maybe a Low Pressure Valve and regulator. : I can't recommend any other accuracy related products. : RANGE: : Range is a function of velocity. You are stuck with a max of 300 fps if you are playing safely. : The only thing you can do to increase the distance that you can consistently break a ball on a torso is: : Go low pressure and find a LP paint with a real thin, fragile shell that will break easily at a distance. This can add 15-20 yards to your max range that you can get a consistent torso break on. The trade off is you can easily break the paint in your barrel. Very fussy and warm weather dependent but really, really nice, when you get it all working together break free. : The other thing required is simply being able to hit your target at a distance. An Accuracy function. Your basic 10 shot pattern. If it is 30 inches at 40 yards your likelyhood of actually hitting a facemask is very small compared to a 14 inch group. : Then you have to guess the correct elevation so the ball drops onto the facemask or torso. If you take 10 shots to get the elevation right, the guy has ducked, taken cover, run away, shot you etc. : Aiming properly is a function of practice and play. : But you might be interested in my auto rangefinder. A little do it yourself project that gets the elevation right for that all important FIRST SHOT or two. : Why do you think they call me Head Hunter... : E mail me ddupont@charter.net and I will send you the info. Anybody. [ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ WARPIG Tech Talk - Spyder ]