Scientific side by side comparison of leading aftermarket front bolts for the A-5!

[Invictus]

(originally posted by Cavalry on the old OG site)

Alright, it had to be done, and I was more then happy to do it. I own the DOP Delrin, Shocktech Superfly (original), starfire and original bolt, from various upgrades of the A-5. Now I figured I may as well get the Rufus Dawgs Wicked bolt and Superfly#2 and settle this once and for all.

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2 weeks later, and here we go:

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Testing was preformed at the University of Calgary Mechanical Engineering - Concrete Lab. The lab was closed for outside access (end of semester so my teacher was nice enough to let me use the lab for 3 hours (Thanks Dr. S)).

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The same A-5 was used for all tests, and the marker was attached to a lab bench with vice-grips. The A-5 had a LPK, Flatline, CP Reg (405-415 psi), e-grip (semi-auto with max ROF) and JCS trgger with permanent "q-tip" mod, and JCS Gold Powertube. The A-5 ran was also using HPA.

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All factors were kept constant (as constant as could be for all tests).

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The A-5 was aimed at a target 100 feet away. Accuracy, ROF, and factors like ball breakage were measured. The results were as followed. The initial velocity of the A-5 was set between 285 and 300 feet/second. If velocity changed out of this range, the velocity was re-adjusted to fit in that range and was noted. Each test consisted of 200 shots

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Stock Front Bolt

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Diameter of Spread: 9.07 inches

Velocity (as stated above): 285-300 feet/second

ROF: 14.34 bps (balls per second)

Breakage (none in the 200 rounds fired)

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Dead On Paintball Delrin Front Bolt with Teflon Insert

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Diameter of Spread: 8.56 inches

Velocity (was not re-adjusted): 287-296 feet/second

ROF: 14.34 bps (balls per second)

Breakage (none in the 200 rounds fired)

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Shocktech Superfly Original Front Bolt (Black)

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Diameter of Spread: 11.13 inches

Velocity (was not re-adjusted): 283-313 feet/second

ROF: 12.81 bps (balls per second)

Breakage: 3/200

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Starfire Front Bolt

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Diameter of Spread: 11.36 inches

Velocity (was not re-adjusted): 279-316 feet/second

ROF: 12.34 bps (balls per second)

Breakage: 7/200

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Rufus Dawg's Wicked Front Bolt

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Diameter of Spread: 8.98 inches

Velocity (was not re-adjusted): 280-301 feet/second

ROF: 14.34 bps (balls per second)

Breakage: (none in the 200 rounds fired)

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Shocktech Superfly Mark 2 (white with O-ring insert)

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Diameter of Spread: 9.04 inches

Velocity (as stated above): 287-303 feet/second

ROF: 14.34 bps (balls per second)

Breakage (none in the 200 rounds fired)

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Now to state, a mechanised device was used to fire the trigger, which pulled at a speed that should fire 14.46 bps. As such the 14.34 bps was taken as the maximum rate of frie of the e-grip in semi-auto mode, which agrees with a test I did last month (see "scientific tests..." in the cyclone forum for more information).

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Velocity was taken as maximum and minimum values, using statistical analysis to dismiss any outling or statistically insignificant values. Only the Starfire bolt produced a velocity outside its listed range, and only then for one shot.

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The rate of fire (ROF) was determined through computer analysis of sound files.

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Breakage was counted easily. But to insure accuracy, a high speed camera/computer showed the number of times the target was hit. No shot during this entire test missed the four foot by four foot target.

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To be fair, once breakage occured, the test was reset using the number of balls not broken, and the barrel was cleaned. Weighted averages were used in calculation of the ROF in these cases, as sometimes multiple breaking occured.

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So looking at all the above data, it appears the DOP Front bolt is the best overall, having a narrower velocity range and greater accuracy (smaller spread diameter). However, the stock front bolt preforms equally as well, if not better then some after market bolts. The choice is up to the consumer, infer from this data what you will.

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Hope it Helps, and Happy Hunting

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ﾠCav


Special thanks to Cavalry for this info, and allowing me to repost it here.

[Invictus]

(originally posted on the old OG by Cavalry)


Well here we are again. It has been brought to my attention by a number of people that would like to see me revisit the front bolt comparison I preformed a few weeks back. Some of the reasons are for holding a constant velocity and measuring spread area, while others wanted for the test to be preformed for a barrel other than a flatline. One such reply is posted below, and will give you a reason I have now added on to my previous findings.

CWS_Phalanx

Great experiment. Although, I noticed that you are using a flatline. I think the experiment would be more accurate/effective if you set the velocity of the front bolt to one that is as accurate as possible with the stock front bolt (since it is what all aftermarket bolts are being compared to the most other than each other) since the flatline is more accurate with a specific FPS. Since Variations of FPS will affect accuracy with the flatline and your results were different with each, the FPS being such a wide range of velocity. Finding out what is the most accurate FPS for your flatline on your gun, then adjusting the FPS with each bolt to get the same FPS as you did with the stock bolt, then testing accuracy I think would produce different results. It would be either that or use another barrel other than the flatline that does not depend so much on FPS to be accurate. Due to the flatline, and differing pressures/FPS with different bolts, each one may react differently due to the variables set with the flatline. I have a flatline and like the fact that the test was done using it, but for all intensive purposes, the test was not done to prove the accuracy of the flatline, but more the effects of using a different bolt. I think because of so many variables the flatline throws in, that the test should be done with a different barrel. Maybe using the Snapshot, or a Freak barrel would hail different results, or do as I mentioned and set each bolt so it has the same FPS. It is my understanding that the Flatline is more accurate between 270-280. I noticed most of your velocities were above 280 up to 300. It is well known that velocities above 290 directly affect the flatlines accuracy.



Testing was preformed at the University of Calgary Mechanical Engineering - Concrete Lab. The lab was closed for outside access, and as always, I have to send a special thank you out to Dr. S.

The same A-5 was used for all tests, and the marker was attached to a lab bench with vice-grips. The A-5 had a LPK, 14" Smart Parts Tear Drop barrel, CP Regulator (long bottom) (405-415 psi), e-grip (semi-auto with max ROF) and JCS trigger with permanent "q-tip" mod, and JCS Gold Powertube. The A-5 ran was also using HPA. The velocity was adjusted to 300 feet/second for every test.

All factors were kept constant (as constant as could be for all tests).

The A-5 was aimed at a target 100 feet away. Accuracy, ROF, ball breakage, as well as how different ROF's affected the overall accuracy was measured. Each test consisted of the average of two trials of 200 shots each.

Stock Front Bolt

ROF: 1 bps
Diameter of Spread: 7.07 inches
Breakage: None

ROF: 6 bps
Diameter of Spread: 9.06 inches
Breakage: None

ROF: 14.34 bps
Diameter of Spread: 12.31 inches
Breakage: None



Dead On Paintball Delrin Front Bolt with Teflon Insert

ROF: 1 bps
Diameter of Spread: 6.21 inches
Breakage: None

ROF: 6 bps
Diameter of Spread: 7.34 inches
Breakage: None

ROF: 14.34 bps
Diameter of Spread: 9.96 inches
Breakage: None



Shocktech Superfly Original Front Bolt (Black)

ROF: 1 bps
Diameter of Spread: 7.67 inches
Breakage: None

ROF: 6 bps
Diameter of Spread: 10.03 inches
Breakage: 1/200

ROF: 14.34 bps
Diameter of Spread: 14.26 inches
Breakage: 3/200



Starfire Front Bolt

ROF: 1 bps
Diameter of Spread: 7.82 inches
Breakage: None

ROF: 6 bps
Diameter of Spread: 9.89 inches
Breakage: 2/200

ROF: 14.34 bps
Diameter of Spread: 14.93 inches
Breakage: 6/200



Rufus Dawg's Wicked Front Bolt

ROF: 1 bps
Diameter of Spread: 6.81 inches
Breakage: None

ROF: 6 bps
Diameter of Spread: 8.44 inches
Breakage: None

ROF: 14.34 bps
Diameter of Spread: 11.04 inches
Breakage: None




Shocktech Superfly Mark 2 (white with O-ring insert)


ROF: 1 bps
Diameter of Spread: 7.45 inches
Breakage: None

ROF: 6 bps
Diameter of Spread: 9.05 inches
Breakage: None

ROF: 14.34 bps
Diameter of Spread: 11.89 inches
Breakage: None



JCS Front Bolt (red)

ROF: 1 bps
Diameter of Spread: 7.30 inches
Breakage: None

ROF: 6 bps
Diameter of Spread: 9.46 inches
Breakage: None

ROF: 14.34 bps
Diameter of Spread: 12.29 inches
Breakage: None



Now to state, a mechanized device was used to fire the trigger, which pulled at a speed that should fire 14.46 bps. As such the 14.34 bps was taken as the maximum rate of fire of the e-grip in semi-auto mode, which agrees with a test I did last month (see "scientific tests..." in the cyclone forum for more information). The other velocities of 1 bps and 6 bps were set using the e-grip. All rates of fire (ROF) data were determined through computer analysis of sound files.

Breakage was counted easily. But to insure accuracy, a high-speed camera/computer showed the number of times the target was hit. No shot during this entire test missed the four-foot by four-foot target.

To be fair, once breakage occurred, the test was reset using the number of balls not broken, and the barrel was cleaned. Weighted averages were used in calculation of the ROF in these cases, as sometimes multiple breaking occurred.


So looking at all the above data, it appears the DOP Front bolt is the best overall, having a narrower velocity range and greater accuracy (smaller spread diameter). However, the stock front bolt performs equally as well, if not better then some after market bolts. The choice is up to the consumer, infer from this data what you will.

Well here you have it folks. For the most part all of the bolts perform about the same. Now some of the bolts that have better performance cost a lot. And when we take into account that if a human is shooting, there will be more firing motion then an A-5 strapped to a lab bench, and as such, a larger spread ten found in this experiment.

The DOP front-bolt with Teflon insert again seemed to function the best overall, but not by a large margin.

The choice is up to you.


Special Thanks to Cavalry for the info, and allowing me to repost it here.

[Invictus]

This graph was made by Dead On Paintball and I have posted it here to help further show the test results. As both Cavalry's testing and the graph shows, while the stock front bolt is indeed better than alot of aftermarket ones..... one front bolt consistantly stood out from the crowd. That is the DOP Delrin Front Bolt with Teflon insert.


Special Thanks to Greg the Owner of Dead On Paintball for both Permission to repost and the graph html.

[Marmaduke]

Great test! Very well written and VERY well done by reading your post. No more doubt in my mind that I do not need a new aftermarket bolt.

[Punisher]

I agree, nicely done. Many will gain knowledge from this reveiw.

[Morph]

Very well written review. Thanks to Cavalry for the test an review, An a at-a-boy to Invictus for finding it. I don't remember the write up being on the old OG. Then again, Theres alot of things i can't remember!

[Invictus]

Added the graph from DOP since it's based off of Cavalry work. Once again, thanks to both Cavalry and Greg for allowing me to repost this fantastic info.

[squirlgod]

cool now i know that after market bolts are bs

[joe434]

so a new bolt would be a great waste of money? is this correct. but hey if you have extra money what could possibly hurt. make it look spiffy. lol

[Invictus]

The stock front bolt is just as good as most aftermarker versions. As the testing shows, the only one that gave enough of a significant advantage to warrant possibly buying one.... is the delrin front bolt from Dead On Paintball.

I have used the stock internals on my A-5 since day one, and it works fine for me. Whether or not one should invest in a different front bolt is entirely up to the individual.