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Post by flyboy on Jan 1, 2006 16:49:51 GMT -5
The last 2 times I've played I've noticed that my a5 was chopping balls. Yesterday it was worse. First I thought it was the apex barrel so I switch to my 16" and it still happened.
Would this be caused by a worn rachet? I bought it last spring and installed an RT trigger not long after. I've put probably 8 to 10,000 rounds through it.
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Ety
Sergeant
Ya I'm a PwnMaster
Posts: 158
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Post by Ety on Jan 1, 2006 16:57:10 GMT -5
Where you playing inside? Also where you using C02?
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Post by MerrSonn on Jan 1, 2006 17:30:24 GMT -5
Where specifically is the paint breaking? In the barrel? Breach? Cyclone? This info will help us diagnose your problem.
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Post by LilBigMan on Jan 1, 2006 17:40:30 GMT -5
A couple factors can cause chopping. I've had my barrel freeze over while I wa splaying out in the cold and turn into a paint blender. Playing in the cold can definatly cause choping especially using co2. Another one, is your ball detent backwards? If you put it in the wrong way, that can also definalty cause some chops.
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Post by flyboy on Jan 1, 2006 20:16:42 GMT -5
Both times were out doors. First time using Co2 and temps in the mid 50's. Chopped occasionaly in the barrell.
Yesterday Used an Nitro duck 90/4500 HPA tank I bought used. Not sure if it is 800 or 850 psi. Choped regularly. Went through one pod, reloaded pod and after few minutes checked it because it was chopping everyting. Discovered a ball had broken in the hopper. Called my self out and went to the safe area. Dumped it and cleaned it out, cleaned out the cyclone (wasnt bad there), ball detent was clean, swabbed barrel. Went back out and started chopping again. It looked like it was in the barrel, so I did a paint match check on the Apex and the ball stuck. (had to use a swab to get it out) Switched to the 16" (didn't check it) and it chopped some but not as bad as when the hopper was dirty or with the apex. Went back in and discovered paint in the ball detent. Took off the barrell, swabbed the ball detent till it was clean, swabbed the barrel checked the cyclone (clean).
Went back out and got about 100 rounds and it chopped again. So I quit for the day. Temps at that time were mid 50's I think.
It may be the paint was just too big for both barrells. It was empire paint, mid grade. I'm pretty sure the detent is in right.
Another thing was the velocity was all over the place. 260,290,250, 300 was what I had at the chrono. This may have ben because of the paint. I'm just not sure.
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Post by LilBigMan on Jan 1, 2006 21:19:25 GMT -5
Hmm, not sure if the paint would effect velocity, especially effect it bad enough to get a nice wide spread like you got there. My diagnosis will have to be your paint was to big. Was it old? Old paint can swell up in a way. I find old balls all over the ground at the woods we play at, and there bigger, and more oddly shapped then grapes.
Also, there are a couple screws on the bottom plate of your cyclone. If they are screwed in to tight, the tips will often stick out into the cyclone, ripping up every ball that gets cycled. It may not be the cause, but its worth checkin out
About the ratchet, do you have the upgraded one? Check your bottom plate for a small printed "a". I'm not sure what the old ratchets did, but tippmann started using new rathets in a5's, and printed an "a" on the cyclones bottom plate to know if your a5 had the new one. Just call up tippmann and ask for new one. They'll send it for free.
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Post by MerrSonn on Jan 2, 2006 0:14:58 GMT -5
The updated ratchet and A-stamped bottom plate are actually two separate updates, although if you have one then you probably have the other as well.
The chopping may have simply been due to a problem with the paint. Inconsistencies in the paint could definitely attribute to a wide velocity spread such as you described (maybe aided by co2 spikes). My advice would be to thoroughly clean the marker, get some fresh paint, and give it another try.
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Post by flyboy on Jan 2, 2006 9:34:17 GMT -5
I do have the "a" stamp and will check the screws.
This was fresh paint and it looked and felt ok. But was too big for one of my barrels and if any of them were soft at all I'm sure they would break.
3 people I was playing with used a-5's and the same paint but different brand barrels (even the one with the e-grip and flat line wasnt breaking balls) so there must be another element. Time for a tear down and good cleaning.
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Post by Kreeper X on Jan 2, 2006 15:58:57 GMT -5
Both times were out doors. First time using Co2 and temps in the mid 50's. Chopped occasionaly in the barrell. Yesterday Used an Nitro duck 90/4500 HPA tank I bought used. Not sure if it is 800 or 850 psi. Choped regularly. Went through one pod, reloaded pod and after few minutes checked it because it was chopping everyting. Discovered a ball had broken in the hopper. Called my self out and went to the safe area. Dumped it and cleaned it out, cleaned out the cyclone (wasnt bad there), ball detent was clean, swabbed barrel. Went back out and started chopping again. It looked like it was in the barrel, so I did a paint match check on the Apex and the ball stuck. (had to use a swab to get it out) Switched to the 16" (didn't check it) and it chopped some but not as bad as when the hopper was dirty or with the apex. Went back in and discovered paint in the ball detent. Took off the barrell, swabbed the ball detent till it was clean, swabbed the barrel checked the cyclone (clean). Went back out and got about 100 rounds and it chopped again. So I quit for the day. Temps at that time were mid 50's I think. It may be the paint was just too big for both barrells. It was empire paint, mid grade. I'm pretty sure the detent is in right. Another thing was the velocity was all over the place. 260,290,250, 300 was what I had at the chrono. This may have ben because of the paint. I'm just not sure. Sounds like, to me anyway, that you're dealing with a paint issue. Your velocity is all ove rhte place meaning that some of the paint has a good fit to the barrel, other paint is either too loose or too tight. Second, you're not experiencing chops. A chop is when the bolt comes forward and either cuts the ball in half or "chops" the ball before it gets fully into the breech. What you are experiencing is refered to as a "break." It definately sounds like some of your paint is being squeezed a little too much. But it could also be the quality of the paint as well since you mentioned some if it pop in the pod/hopper... Low quality paint and too tight a barrel match = barrel spray. Hope that helps. |
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Post by Kreeper X on Jan 2, 2006 16:04:46 GMT -5
I do have the "a" stamp and will check the screws. This was fresh paint and it looked and felt ok. But was too big for one of my barrels and if any of them were soft at all I'm sure they would break. 3 people I was playing with used a-5's and the same paint but different brand barrels (even the one with the e-grip and flat line wasnt breaking balls) so there must be another element. Time for a tear down and good cleaning. The Flatline is EXTREMELY large bore, so the paint wouldn't have a problem with being squeezed. Also, check your barrel for a correct fit in the adapter. remove the adapter from your A-5 with the barrel fully installed into it. Take your pinky finger and run it around the ID of the barrel adapter and see if you can feel a ridge or gap where the adapter and the barrel come together. It should be smooth or if there is a ridge, it should be going "outward," as in the adapter has a tighter ID than the barrel. If there is a gap going "inward" (i.e. the barrel is tighter than the adapter) your paint might be getting scraped open on that ridge. Also, check your barrel for spurs, lumps, ridges, etc in the ID. It should have a very smooth and mirror-like surface. |
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deluxestogie
Corporal
He who can destroy a thing controls that thing.
Posts: 66
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Post by deluxestogie on Jan 3, 2006 6:04:25 GMT -5
Ratchet. For $1.50, just replace it. A worn ratchet will cause balls to feed half-way and chop in the Cyclone. 10,000 balls with an RT sounds ripe for a worn ratchet.
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Post by flyboy on Jan 3, 2006 13:13:58 GMT -5
I'll check ther barrell adapter. I have polished the internals lately and it might be the problem.
Also, for $1.50 a new ratchet is a done deal.
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Post by MerrSonn on Jan 3, 2006 13:22:55 GMT -5
If you call up Tippmann and tell them that yours broke you may not even have to pay that. They sent me a new one and I didn't have to pay a dime, not even for shipping.
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Post by flyboy on Jan 5, 2006 8:49:26 GMT -5
Ok, I took the marker completly apart last night and cleaned it. The ball detent had paint all in and around it and so did the area around the cyclone opening. It was in places a swab wouldn't get to. Cleaned that, checked the barrell adapter and it was smooth but may not have been seated correctly.
I examined the cyclone and noticed that some of the paddles had tiny paint chips on them. I cleaned all of them and the clyclone itself (but I didn't take it apart yet) and put the marker back together. It dry fired ok but my RT has a leak and I'll need to take it apart again.
I'll fire it with paint tonight and if it chops I'll call tippman about a wratchet.
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