If you're worried about a paint bill, and feel comfortable enough,
check out a PGP or Phantom. They're durable, light, and pump-action.
Won't hold up at sheer firepower, but they're accurate (good
manufacturing, not because they're pumps; don't get the wrong idea) and
they'll fairly force you to get good quick, since you won't have a
quick trigger to rely on. I still own and love my A5, but I personally
set it aside until I manage to get a good bit of sand into my pumps.

Too bad they don't make the VM any more. I still have two, and both are in
great shape. It is a work horse of a marker, super tough, and reliable. The
only draw back is the weight, they have a little heft to them. Second on my
list of reliable markers is the Tippman. The Tippman marker are what I use
to Paintball with today. They too are tough and reliable. The flatline
barrel is a point of contention with Tippman users. I own one and really do
not like it at all. The flatline barrel is good if you play in an area where
you have to make shots over 100 feet, and the wind never blows. Trust me if
the wind blows, then so does a flatline barrel As for styles of Tippman
markers, the 98 Custom, or the A5 are the only two I can vouch for . I have
never used any other Tippman markers, but both of these markers preform
great. I have never had any trouble with them.

Moving along, some one mentioned mask systems, This is the most important
piece of paintball gear you will own. make sure it fits well, and is
comfortable for you. Though it may cost alittle more you might want to try
to get a system with a thermal lense. This is very importnat if you live in
a high humidity area. Also, not many people talk about this but get a cup.
Speaking from experience here, a shot to the nads is friggin painful.

--
John TI2#003
seerazREMOVE@aol.com

On Wed, 15 Jun 2005 16:20:14 GMT, "John" <JEMiller@here.net> wrote:

>Too bad they don't make the VM any more. I still have two, and both are in
>great shape. It is a work horse of a marker, super tough, and reliable. The
>only draw back is the weight, they have a little heft to them. Second on my
>list of reliable markers is the Tippman. The Tippman marker are what I use
>to Paintball with today. They too are tough and reliable. The flatline
>barrel is a point of contention with Tippman users. I own one and really do
>not like it at all. The flatline barrel is good if you play in an area where
>you have to make shots over 100 feet, and the wind never blows. Trust me if
>the wind blows, then so does a flatline barrel As for styles of Tippman
>markers, the 98 Custom, or the A5 are the only two I can vouch for . I have
>never used any other Tippman markers, but both of these markers preform
>great. I have never had any trouble with them.
>
>Moving along, some one mentioned mask systems, This is the most important
>piece of paintball gear you will own. make sure it fits well, and is
>comfortable for you. Though it may cost alittle more you might want to try
>to get a system with a thermal lense. This is very importnat if you live in
>a high humidity area. Also, not many people talk about this but get a cup.
>Speaking from experience here, a shot to the nads is friggin painful.

In windy conditions the Flatline is a true problem as the backspin
will make the paintball climb very rapidly, like an upward curve. It
can be fun if you like the challenge. Once I shot and saw the curve
and I fired again close to the ground and it curved right up into the
other guy and he was upset but laughing at the same time. He was
saying I never saw someone shoot a grounder and take someone out. We
traded markers the next time and he had fun.

The thermal lenses are a must down here in mid-Florida. Remember
though you lose more body heat through your eye area than anywhere
else on your body (I have served a few years in Alaska and know it for
a fact) so you have to make sure that you have adequate ventilation
(Through foam or whatever) for your eye area. I have actually drilled
a couple of small holes into the upper face bracket (not where paint
can come in) as to accommodate this and now my mask never fogs.

** Just something to think about**** I am also contemplating buying
some "Slide Shorts" as to give me that extra layer in the sensitive
areas and they have built in cups. They will protect the upper leg
and sides also.


Hardtime

http://www.geocities.com/arcticjohn88/arcticjohn88

"John" <JEMiller@here.net> wrote in message
news:42b05535$1_4@alt.athenanews.com...
> Too bad they don't make the VM any more. I still have two, and both are in
> great shape. It is a work horse of a marker, super tough, and reliable.
The
> only draw back is the weight, they have a little heft to them. Second on
my

"A little heft"... **** me, that's a SURE winner for understatement of the
year. That's like saying that I'm a little chunky. Those bastards were so
heavy that even at the BEGINNING of the day, your shots were invariably
aimed low from the weight of the gun pulling the barrel down.

VM68's had "a little heft"... I gotta remember that one...

--
Jeff Goslin - MCSD - www.goslin.info
It's not a god complex when you're always right

On 15-Jun-2005, "Jeff Goslin" <autockr@comcast.net> wrote:

> VM68's had "a little heft"... I gotta remember that one...

Wow Jeff, you seem to be the only person who caught that. Says alot for
many of the "Long time PBers"

--
John TI2#003
seerazREMOVE@aol.com

On 15-Jun-2005, Hardtime <hardtime11@hotmail.com> wrote:

> In windy conditions the Flatline is a true problem as the backspin
> will make the paintball climb very rapidly, like an upward curve. It
> can be fun if you like the challenge. Once I shot and saw the curve
> and I fired again close to the ground and it curved right up into the
> other guy and he was upset but laughing at the same time. He was
> saying I never saw someone shoot a grounder and take someone out. We
> traded markers the next time and he had fun.

Hardtime, if ya like the barrel that's good, but don't try to sell it to
me. I own one.

--
John TI2#003
seerazREMOVE@aol.com

On 15-Jun-2005, Hardtime <hardtime11@hotmail.com> wrote:

> n windy conditions the Flatline is a true problem as the backspin
> will make the paintball climb very rapidly, like an upward curve. It
> can be fun if you like the challenge. Once I shot and saw the curve
> and I fired again close to the ground and it curved right up into the
> other guy and he was upset but laughing at the same time. He was
> saying I never saw someone shoot a grounder and take someone out. We
> traded markers the next time and he had fun.

Hardtime, if ya like the barrel that's cool, but don't try to sell me one, I
already own one. I've been playing PB for 15 years now. I know what I like
and do not like. If you like the Fl Barrel that's cool. Just don't try to
sell it to me.
--
John TI2#003
seerazREMOVE@aol.com

On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 06:46:47 GMT, "John" <JEMiller@here.net> wrote:

>
>
>On 15-Jun-2005, Hardtime <hardtime11@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> n windy conditions the Flatline is a true problem as the backspin
>> will make the paintball climb very rapidly, like an upward curve. It
>> can be fun if you like the challenge. Once I shot and saw the curve
>> and I fired again close to the ground and it curved right up into the
>> other guy and he was upset but laughing at the same time. He was
>> saying I never saw someone shoot a grounder and take someone out. We
>> traded markers the next time and he had fun.
>
>Hardtime, if ya like the barrel that's cool, but don't try to sell me one, I
>already own one. I've been playing PB for 15 years now. I know what I like
>and do not like. If you like the Fl Barrel that's cool. Just don't try to
>sell it to me.

I am not trying to sell it to you, I am just saying that I
have found a lot of fun and variations to it that a lot of people (yes
even ones that have played for awhile) have not. Don't get me wrong a
lot of times in windy conditions I will take it off and put a J&J on
it. But I play paintball strictly for fun and love to play around and
make things challenging.


Hardtime

http://www.geocities.com/arcticjohn88/arcticjohn88