Question on marker in general.

[AlphaBlackMerc]

i had a question with the marker in general. im getting a new marker for X-mas but im stuck on which one to get. i want to save my parents' money cause we arent what most would call"rich". anyways i love the look of the a5 with the flatline and battle shroud with the foldable g36 stock. with RT were talking about $350. is this a really good investment cause i need a really fast marker that looks great,great accuracy, cheap. or should i get the x7 with RT for $350 right out of the box? the new marker is what i would like to be the only marker i buy for about 5+ years. please help me out in any way possible and many thanks to those who checked out my thread and/or replied.

[Rogue42]

Welcome to A5OG

Well, one thing to remember. You come on any website that caters to a specific group and you will probably be told that their favorite xxxyyyzzz is the best.

Here at the A5OG, many here will of course think that the A5 is the best way. Personally for me it was. It is good, reliable and easy to work on, and modify to suit your needs. If money is a concern you don't have to have the G36 look out of the box. Stock A5 looks pretty much like an MP5.

Personally I chose to avoid the RT and went with an APE E trigger instead.

Either A5 or X7 is a good choice to start out with.

[Dante]

I would only avoid the Egrip due to weather conditions, but other than that. An A5 is exactly the same as an X7 except for the exterior shell. Also if you browse around a bit, you might be able to get a bone stock X7 for around $200 and even cheaper on a used A5.

[Dead Box Chewie]

I agree with allot of what Rogue said.

Both are good platforms to start with. I personally prefer the A5 with R/T.

I do not really think there is much of a performance difference between a stock X7 and A5, so I would say a bit of money and go with the A5.

And, BTW...welcome to the OG

[Scared of Mammals]

agreed... the X7 is marketing hype IMHO (it's the tried and true A-5... which incidently is an Improved model 98c... it's an A5 with a cosmetic upgrade.)

th A5 is plenty fierce looking, works the same as the X7, and is cheaper to boot.

go with the decked out A5 of your dreams - you won't be sorry.

[JesterTLS]

I'm with Chewy. I have two A5's with RT. They do great for me. Shooting fast is only good for covering or suppressing fire. Fast and accurate dont always go hand in hand.

I like the A5 over the X7 personally. Most X7 operators will tell you they like the X7 over the A5. To me the X7 is just a reworked A5 with cheap SpecOps parts tossed on. No offense to any X7 Operators. Just the way it looks to me. Its a fine marker none the less. Get rid of the SpecOps parts on it...

Now remember, the new A5 egrip just came out. Might consider getting a stock trigger and then upgrading to the new egrip later on. I will do so on one of my A5's next season. I do like my RT however.

[ryandalion90]

First gun was a5 with RT and don't regret it one bit. The r/t + egrip users i think are pretty 50/50.

I love the flatline but you have to work with it. You gotta adjust and find the perfect paintball+velocity to get the best performace out of it. If you are patient to find the best settings on your marker, you will love the flatline.

The g36 stock looks good but are you looking for looks or functionability? If you want looks, go with g36, if you want fuction, go with dogleg.

IMO, i would not get the x7. My local paintball store even told me not to get it. It has the same performance as an a5, all you are paying for is the cosmetics. And on the x7, the cosmetics dont look as great as those on the a5.

[Dusty Bottoms]

I'd also say go with the A5 over the X7, and FORGET about the flatline! Especially until you get to know your gun and how you play with it. The flatline is always high up on people's list of "things I wish I did not buy".

Also, have you figured out if yor going to run your air 'on-gun' or remote? That decision will help decide what stock you want, or can use.

I prefer the APE boarded, magnetic trigger setup over the RT but either one would work well, loads of guys here have the RT. However, for your first marker I don't think you really need either one, you should just PLAY with your mech A5 and get to know it a little. When you learn to play well in the woods, most of your kills will be shots either to the rear of your opponents or to their flanks were they present the least threat to yourself. In those situations accuracy with your marker counts for alot more than actual firepower. It will make you feel good to take out better equipped opposition!

I know what its like to have little money to put into your first marker when your a 'kid'. I got my first gun, a Tippman Prolite when I was 15 and was WAY outgunned by experienced guys with 'cockers and automags, but you learn real fast that way!

[OneShotKill]

i know your probably not going to like this, but why dont you go with a more efficient marker. spyder mr-2 w/ eyes is $250 new, then you can upgrade it...this is just a suggestion, not an order, so take it however you want...

as for the mr-2,
1. its an electronic stock w/ single-shot, burst, and full-auto fire
2. has eyes so it wont chop(though they can be turned off)
3. has plenty of upgrades
4. is cheaper than the overpriced(dont kill the messanger) tippmans

[Mavro]

OneShotKill is a brave man to suggest a Spyder, but he makes a very good point in that you shouldn't feel obligated to buy a Tippmann unless you feel it will suit your needs on the field.

My first marker was an ACI F4 Illustrator TP. I bought it without doing much research because a friend of mine suggested it. It looked nice but it chopped and broke down on me every time, and although the marker was a nightmare, it taught me what options were important to me in my style of play.

That's when I found the A5. It's field-strippable, durable, customizable, and the wealth of information available from the A5OG makes it a logical choice from beginners to professionals alike.

I currently own two A5s, a Delta .68, and a Tac-1 (Automag), and I used to own a host of other markers. The A5s are the only markers that never gave me a problem on the field (save one worn ratchet (easily fixed)), and were always reliable. If I play with the Mag I make sure the A5 is in the trunk ready to go... just in case.

I may buy and sell other markers in the future but as you guys as my witnesses, for as long as I play paintball I will ALWAYS own an A5.

Best of luck with your decision and feel free to come to us with any questions.
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I know I'm jumping the gun a little, but assuming you DO decide to take the A5 route, remember the following:

"Washer first, then o-ring. The tombstone holds them in place. If you don't know what I'm talking about now, you will soon."

-Mavro