Seriously, is the A5 quiet enough to snipe with?!

[famousgamer]

Is the A5 going to be quiet enough to snipe (shoot and try to remain hidden in a concealed position) with? If not, how does one make the A5 trully quiet, and has anyone actually done this?

By quiet, I mean DM4/Shocker type of quiet. Super quiet basicly. I realize that the mechanisms are different from a Matrix to a A5, but has anyone really come close to this volume level?


This all started when I first read up on the super reliable Tippmann A5, and I wanted one right away. I personally love to play D, or "ghost flank" alone, or with a few other people on a weak side, with my almost stock Spyder. Ugh.

Obviously, sniper tactics work well with the positions I play, and I figure noise reduction and camoflauge are the keys to upping my game (as well as practice of course).

So... can I really combine my interest in the A5 with noise reduction and sniper type movement/tactics?

I have has a chance to read so much stuff on snipers from the Special Ops site, but wonder how the Tippy A5 can really be as a sniper marker? They are plain loud... so its hard to put this together. I do not want half of the sniper package. I will need silence at some point, and I am wondering what Special Ops is thinking? Is the Longbow that much quieter?

Even with a super quiet barrel, the A5 should still be noisy from the base of the marker. The "pop pop" is not nearly as bad as the "chank chank" sound from the base of the gun!

I was dry firing (i know, its usually louder this way) an A5 at the local shop, and damn it was loud. The helpful guy there was showing me how the reactive trigger system works, and I was impressed at the rate of fire, but not the noise. If I blasted out more then 3 shots per target at that volume, the remaining opposition will weed me out without a problem!

I am just super concerned about the volume issue because I loved almost every other aspect of this marker.



So... if anyone out there has made their Tippy A5 trully quiet, please let me know how to do the same with my own. I am even willing to accept advice on home-made silencers, shrounds, and other unorthodox methods.

[MerrSonn]

The two very effective ways of quieting the A5's report:

-Invest in a nice barrel with tons of porting. Stiffi (and Switch kit), Powerlyte Scepter, Lapco Snapshot... there are plenty of good options out there.

-Get the LPK. This will allow you to regulate your airsource down to the 300-400 psi range. Since higher pressure = more noise, your shots will be significantly quieter. I'd also suggest getting an HPA tank if you don't already own one, you'll get less of that annoying "ping" noise.

[LilBigMan]

Check out the Whisper barrels by 32*. I tried given you a link right to it, but it wouldnt work. Go to www.actionvillage.com, I know they have them there.
Also, I havent been able to shoot my all American barrel yet, but it has either 48 or 58 porting holes (I went to go count them for ya, but I forgot on the way back here) so I dont know how thats going to compare on other barrels on volume levels.

[Kreeper X]

For the most part, the idea that you're going to be silent and invisible within the range that the average paintball travels is pretty much mythology.

You can reduce the sound signature of a marker, but unless you're just throwing the paint at your enemy, you're going to make noise that is easily triangulated, whether it's a "mouse fart" marker of a Flatlined A-5. Sure, the A-5 will be louder, but a trained ear is going to find the "mouse fart" as well.

BUt to reduce the noise signature there are a couple things you can do:

1. Get the tank off the marker. If the tank is on the marker, the sound of the gun cycling can reverberate within the tank, basically creating something of an amplifier.

2. Go LPK. It's a lot quieter than a stock A-5.

3. Look for a good ported barrel. As a general rule, the more porting, the less noise generated. The trade off is a less gas-efficient cycle.

Other than that, the key is to fire and move. If you plan on posting up, it doesn't matter if you're shooting an angel or a howitzer. They will find you after two or three shots.

[Medina]

Don't waste your money. The A-5 is not meant to be silent. You'd spend $300 or more going LP and a new barrel to achieve only moderate gains. Trust me, I know because I've tried it myself.