Long time, fellas…

[Bigtuana]

Howzit, everybody? I’m happy to see MCB is alive and well! Recent synergistic, synchronistic events have led me to find inspiration to reconnect with paintball and the great folks of MCB.

Here to start a dialogue with the OG’s and young money hipsters, giving them some fodder to inspire a tenacious tapping of their keyboard to compose a loquacious piece of literature to properly update a long lost comrade to inform him of all the things he’s missed since end of 2018ish: what weird stuff has stayed and the new stuff you’re into, the inside jokes I need some context on, your favorite memories and things since then, notable events and technology, and what complete paintball setup you’d get if you were Bigtuana starting over from scratch after several years of hiatus and looking to have some of that fun we used to have that made us fall in love with paintball (but in a 2025/26 context)

Love,
Bigtu(a)na

P.S. - I’d prefer to be the person who plays paintball more than they think about paintball guns, pastpresentfuture builds, and collecting awesome objects. My intent is to lean into gear that has little to no finickiness to it, but tickles the old school apologetic in me just a little.

No Space Dildos…

[Trbo323]

Magfeed is still gaining popularity, mechanicals are the new cool things even though the hipsters don't know what an autococker is. Mayo is the preferred lube around here, walzmas is in full swing, smart parts is now leasing markers (I wish that was a joke but it's not) valken just declared bankruptcy

Sent from my motorola edge 2024 using Tapatalk

[BrickHaus]

Welcome back sir! Got any ti barrels laying around yet? I witsh I woulda bought one of those when you made them. Though Im broke rn if you did.

I expect you to get a resounding amount of people telling you to get a gamma core variant shooter. Its the current standard for a system that just works. Etha3m etha 3, 170r, 180r, getk, ect.

I personally have had 3 gama core markers come into my possession, and I sold all three due to my perceived lack of shot quality. (consistency) but that is the new standard.

As much as smart parts can suck a lemon. I really love my old Rsx with a mech frame. Its basically a tooless ion in a nice body. I'd recommend finding a used CVO which is the same thing, but with a longer firing can to reduce pressure.

B2ks are having a huge comeback thanks to Myrkul making them cool again. I have 2 b2k variants he has has his hands on both, and both out shoot most modern electros. They are gas hogs though.

Many modern cocker options including balance valves of both chamber sizes may catch your eye.
i have a pump tac trilogy that has a dye lazarus valve in it. That thing shoots darts with a delrin hammer.

Id also tell you to have a poke at the Nova pb website. They are making some fun shooters that are out of the typical box of guns.

I have both an N1,and a gen 1 n2. My n1 works as expected. My n2 is fickle, but nova has offered to re work it. I just havent sent it to them.

That being said. I have shot an n 4.1, and a updated n2. Both shoot great. My only knock on the on.1 I shot was it used a lot of air. i really wanna buy one though. But novas QC isnt the best, and they dont explain their products very well through online literature.

On paper though, the n2 is a walkable mech with a low force bolt that acts like a lvl 10 bolt. Comes with trigger shoes so you can be tourney legal single trigger, or double trigger.

The n4.1 is a closed bolt spoolie with a slide trigger. It has a crisp shot profile, and haptic cycle feedback.

In all cases, there are a ton of options that you would likely love.

[Bigtuana]

Negatory on the ti barrels… I kept one blem around for a few years just in case I got back into the sport but sold it. I suppose I regret it now but then I’d feel the need to make some super sleeper build instead of enjoying something stock.

What’s the consensus on the nova pumps and cockers?

[Nish]

Welcome back!

[GattoDiavolo]

Long time, no see Bigtuana! Welcome back!

[Grendel]

Welcome back been a while and like you I am more about playing than anything else.

[Bigtuana]

What do you find yourself on the field with nowadays?

[Grendel]

Primarily, one of my pumps lately, in particular my CCM S5RF, but it could easily be my PPS Pyre or my trusty long-term 2K Sniper II. I also always bring my Banzi Cocker and my PPE M170R. If all else fails, the M170R always works and requires little to no maintenance. Overall though I still prefer to play pump.

[Nish]

As stated the Gamma core stuff is a very popular system right now. It just works all the time.i care very little about milsim but in casual conversation when Simmon said that a stripped down emf100 and small tank was the most fun he had had playing paintball in years I had to try it. It's a blast.

High end Cockers and snipers are being made still Mozak and Meteor are a couple names to check out there.

Nova is back.

CCI is now EV. New owner is trying some new things, with various degrees of success.

The game is still the game. Members here are still doing some awesome stuff.

[Axel]

I'm glad your back. Stay away from my brass tho

[Bigtuana]

I’m a changed man, my friend… but I suppose I do have to build some trust after what I did 😬

[Axel]

Nah, it was hilarious. Growth is good but don't don't change -too- much 😊

[Cdn_Cuda]

More on Nova, as they are one of the more interesting manufacturers in paintball right now. They have had some growing pains/reliability issues. Some have good luck (such as myself) others have had all sorts of issues.

That said, the are doing interesting things at least. They've got a fancy new 3-way replacement for autocockers. I haven't used it, but want to try it out. They have a balanced valve for 9/16th autocockers which I have in a marker and I like. for 11/16 cockers check out the Dye Lazarus valve.

For markers, my most modern markers are PE (Emek and EMF100) and Novas (N1, N2 V2 and N4). N1s are retro classics with moving barrels. Fun to shoot, needs to be bored match and need to use Nova's barrel and sizers or lose the moving barrel aspect, which is the fun part of the marker. The N2s are into version 2. Picked up one locally for a good price. These are what I brand as modern speed mechs. They are mechanical but shoot like an electro with walkable triggers. Haven't used my N2 in a game, but just target shooting and it's plenty fast. I've had no issues yet. If you want i can post some shooting video of them I put on Reddit - if Axel doesn't ban me for it.

Meteor has released a new pump/cocker platform. It reminds me a lot of the original CCM Series 5s. I have a full body pump with a Lazarus valve in it and really like it. It is in fact the third brand new paintball marker I have ever purchased! Looking for a nice priced pump, Meteor is definitely worth checking out. Here's my thread on the Meteor for an in-depth look at them:
https://www.mcarterbrown.com/forum/p...mp-disassmebly

Meteor has just released a mini version of their pump as well.

[Bigtuana]

Thanks for chiming in, y’all. I’ve seen some of my previous dreams come true with some small, carbon fiber tanks. What’s the consensus on those and preferred sizes? Something with the 45/68ci length but skinnier.

[Chuck E Ducky]

How much paint you looking to shoot and with what?

Im a big fan of my 17ci First strike tank with a CO2 style 2” round butt stock and a longer powerhouse reg. it’s nice an narrow so you can get your elbow tucked up tight under it. It’s got good length think original standard 68ci length but narrow like the 3k 2” round tanks. The higher pressure gives you the capacity to even run it on a semi setup with pump style capacity’s. I love to run my Emek JoLo, 17ci 4.5k setup. It’s Stock Class Phantom lite with the ability to dump a burst of shots. I mostly play pump / 50 round pod setup.

There are some new tank sizes that just jumped through our the Governments pay walls to sell to the US and got DOT approval and 2x the cost.

It looks like the 2” tanks are no longer available in the 17ci you can only get 13ci and 15ci I find them too short for me. My wife uses a 15ci with a longer reg bonnet and likes it.

Looks like PepperBall is holding the 17ci now.
https://ansgear.com/pepperball-17ci-...k-370-01-0577/

These sizes look promising as well for more capacity.
3 new sizes 15ci, 26ci and 35ci sold under the Sicariis brand. Im assuming they are the Chinese tanks available to the rest of the world rebranded (cerokote) and payed the DOT tax to be sold in the US. These sizes have been available to the Air Rifle community for a while since they fill their own tanks.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sAAp7z...cJCR4Bo7VqN5tD

The new 77ci are the same length as an older standard 68ci now to if you want big air for Air Hogs like mags and Cockers.

[woouulf]

Like Mac Daddy said on FB while Shirt faced drunk... Paintball is dead... .. LOL!!

[nerdcore]

Thanks for chiming in, y’all. I’ve seen some of my previous dreams come true with some small, carbon fiber tanks. What’s the consensus on those and preferred sizes? Something with the 45/68ci length but skinnier.

Omg, they got small. Which is great. But hard to get tank covers & butts for some of them.

Picked up a 68ci infamous hyperlight (all the bottles have fun names now) that's the same size as my 45ci Crossfire.

There's a 36ci bottle that's as tall as a soda can (minus the reg), which is my fave so far. It's adorably small. Played last month using an Etha 3M, tank only filled to 3k, shot a whole bag of paint. Never refilled. Topped it off at the end of the day for home teching/target practice.

First Strike makes a 15ci 4500 psi carbon fiber tank. Currently rebranded as Sicariis. HK makes one, too. If you want skinny, that's definitely it. Just don't bring a full pod pack.

[Chuck E Ducky]

I put the 36ci HK tanks on my boys markers. Perfect setup for lil kids. It’s a lot shorter than a 68ci. You would need a reg extension to get one to that length.