I know that this is a bit off topic, but what about buying a barrel adapter for your a5 instead of a whole to J&J. I started with spyder thread barrels myself and find it disheartening to not be able to use them on my a5. I know lapco makes one but I have yet to order it myself.

Actionvillage

In reading this post, don't think I'm trying to kill all your modification ideas, I'm just presenting my own views that you may or may not feel are useful.

Overall, keeping your marker light and tight will make it easier to haul around the field and quicker to snap on target. Personally, I go for ergonomics over looks any day. I don't like shrouds because they add weight and often extra length without granting any benefits other than barrel protection. If someone's worried about scratching a barrel, why are they bushwhacking through the woods? I don't find the extra rails on a shroud very useful except for flashlights, which only come in handy at night. Any sight attached that far forward can't be used effectively other than iron sight risers ( and I use a red dot. ) I don't like bi-pods because of the extra weight and time it takes to open and close them, not to mention getting them snagged in the brush. Almost anytime I'm low enough to the ground to use a bi-pod, I can likely rest the marker on something else if I even need to. You can't reliably hit anything past 80' so I feel the small extra stability isn't worth it. Finally, I don't use mags because they add too much height to the marker for my taste. If I'm going prone I want to get as close to the ground as possible and that means resting my grip on the ground. Now, I realize some people just love having that look to a marker. Hey, I understand that and I've done a few things that aren't all performance based, it's personal preference.

Stocks and sights are a different matter. I don't consider them cosmetic at all. Stocks can add extra stability to your shooting platform by giving you a third anchor point to your body. As I grew up with real firearms, stocks feel natural to me and thus I can shoot quicker and more naturally with them. Whether you get a fixed, folding, or sliding is up to your own preference and feel.

Sights are a controversial topic. Some people like them, some feel they're pointless for something as inherently inaccurate as a paintball marker. However, real accuracy comes from consistency. While wearing a mask you won't be able to look down the sights ( if that marker even has them ) with the vast majority of stocks. Even if you can, unless you're within 30' you have to aim above the target to compensate for the natural arc of the shot. So to me, iron sights are near worthless. So to consistently aim your marker the same way every time you fire, you need a constant point of reference, something you won't get from aiming down the barrel. A good sight will help you get that first shot either on or very close to the target so you don't have to walk your shots so much.

Check the links in my sig for lots of other general info on markers and modding them.

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Joebiech, the reason I do not want to get an adapter is because if I get a shroud, it could interfere with the lining up and assembly. Not to mention, I found a buyer for it, so even the extra $ I would spend on an adapter can now be used to just buy the right barrel.

Jaron. I want to thank you for your opinion and points made. I have told others on other paintball forums that I am very flexible in the way I think and can be easily persuaded or quick to think again on some of my choices (I look at it as a good and bad thing).

When I first got my A5, I debated to give it the look of a small compact gun, like a MP5, or more of a sit back assualt weapon. Now I know paintball is all personal preference, and a lot of people may spend hundreds of dollars on things that do nothing to their gun but looks. And that is part of the fun and diversity of this game. You can do what you want to your gun.

After you talking about some of a negative points of a more "assault" approach to you gun (bi pod, big shroud, sights) it kind of makes me think again . . . do I really want that. After I come back from training for the Army this winter, I think I may buy another A5 and do the opposite to what I do to this one. So either way, I will be satisfied.

But the thing about the MP5 or other small weapon on such is the lightweight and sometimes, less "just for looks" accessories. In my opinion, you can make your gun look like an Mp5 with a stock, small shroud (light weight), mag, and if you want, a sight. Probably what could be 1/2 or atleast 1/4 of the weight a more bigger gun look would have.

I am going to have to really decide on this before I do anything. In the meantime, comments and suggestions are always welcome. Thanks for everyones help thus far!


Re-edit: I am looking around and for an MP5 look: I saw the UMP shroud at opsgear. I think that, an 8" lapco bigshot and a opsgear MP Fake supressor kit would look pretty sweet. Anyone know if this would work?

Thanks

Hey, welcome to the forum, your gunna love this place. Anyway, I have been thinking about similar options as you. Personally I prefer maneuverability over "heavy gun" style play, mostly because you can get the same firepower from an e-griped A-5 as you can from a fully modded 10 pound A5. However, I still want my gun to scare kids (lol) so I'm leaning towards an MP5 conversion since they are awesome looking, reasonably light for an A-5, and I TOTALLY love H&K guns. There are tons of great looking guns on this forum that aren't all that huge or heavy, and a couple mods can easily make your A-5 look similar. Here are some links to some stuff you might wanna take a look at(keep in mind that its hard for me to justify 50 bucks on something that won't help me at all):


Spec Ops MP5SD grip(sooo nice...)
Spec Ops MP5 grip (for use with MP5 mag)
Opsgear MP5 mag (looks better than Spec Ops IMO)
Opsgear SR6 Shroud (protects barrel)
Opsgear MP5 stock (folding stock available aswell)
Lapco Offset sight mount
Opsgear Gun Kits
Lmao.

I'll look for some really good MP5 and such conversions, hold on
Nice MP5SD
Another
Pretty Unique
Lil' bit of everything
MP5SD
MP5 next to a REAL MP5 *gasp*

UMP
UMP variant

P.S. - Search owns
-I make my posts count, heh

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I really like the Opsgear UMP folding kit you linked. The mag, stock, and shroud were all on my list to get. After that, I would only need the 8 or 10 inch Lapco bigshot, a supressor (gives it the MP5 silenced looked) and a remote line.

Edit: Actually, the mag, stock, and shroud sold seperately come up to like 195$. I don't like the front and rear sights (waste of $ in my opinion).
Thanks for the help!

Welcome to the forums! I just saw this thread and realized we were already chatting about this a bit in PMs. I hope I was of help to you. The guys here are great and as you can see are more than happy to help in any way they can.

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Do want to cheap to get what you want and not go broke or willing to spend a few extra bucks on quality?

This would be the best built shroud in the market, Solid Billett Machined Al, Free floating covered in Rails.
LINK

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funny you should post that snakeyes. that's the one i'm going to pick up eventually. the only thing i don't like about it is that it's open on the front end.

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