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**cougar20th** · 06-14-2023, 01:55 PM

I believe CS in Chichester NH mixes FS and roundball players.

Contact the.to verify

**Daltech** · 06-14-2023, 02:04 PM

First strike and speed ballers do not mix. Typically the first strike guys are more concerned with the model and accessories on their marker way more than anything else. The second issue is 20 balls only and the a mag change? No thank you. There’s no competition against a 280 round speed feed with unlimited pods. The only advantage is accuracy, a small little bit more accurate, and maybe 10 more feet of distance? They use crossbow scopes if that tells you anything. I would try a bolt action only first strike game, that could be interesting. But I agree with you at the end of the day I’m not really into having a replica anything pointed at me. Let alone dudes with fake quad nods and fake vests and full on tac helmets with headphones too.

I suggest asking someone who has one if you can play a game with it to try. On a positive note, everyone I talked to with a first strike was very nice and offered to try the markers. Except one guy who was ghillie suited and face painted. He went all the way dumb and didn’t respond when I said hey, I guess he was in character.

I wouldn’t say it hurts more, more like you feel it more because the increased mass, but nothing compared to a hard shell paintball at 300+-. I found it annoying because, yes, you feel it, but they leave a plastic piece, you can see the bright orange float through the air and it’s obvious where it came from.

**Jonnydread** · 06-14-2023, 02:26 PM

We have talked about trying a private game at Xtreme and allowing single shot FSR guns. It hasn't some to fruition yet, but I know some of the Ragnastock crew are open to it.

**JeepDVLZ45** · 06-14-2023, 02:28 PM

Xtreme allows them if you’re in a private game.

Otherwise, you might hear whispers through the trees of single-shot outlaw games that allow the magical zoomies to fly….

**Shaftski** · 06-14-2023, 02:36 PM

I've played at CS in Epsom and been shot at by FS rounds a few other times. At CS the FS shooters are all milsim. As to hurting more, not so much. They do focus more of break energy in a smaller area according to my welts.

You'll be in a milsim type environment just about everywhere around here unless we have a private game and allow them which sometimes happens. Fields won't allow them typically unless for a special event, CS allows all the time last time i was there.

**Jonnydread** · 06-14-2023, 02:49 PM

I think FSR SOUND scarier than roundball, but in my experience they don't hurt much more.

**Chuck E Ducky** · 06-14-2023, 02:51 PM

I don’t think they hurt more but the do more damage to bare skin. The shell cuts you really good like cheap hard shell paint. Glancing shots have a tendency to scoop meat out especially up close.

Unfortunately The few places local (NY) just banned them because a local douche bag was shooting riot rounds. Most just let you use them in MFO games if at all.

Ask me how I know. (couldn’t close my hand for a week had to get an X-ray and everything) This is the day I quit Scenario paintball. Everytime I think oh I want to play that Scenario I’m going to look down at the massive cigar burn like scar and smack myself in the face…NO!

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**AnarchicArctic** · 06-14-2023, 03:25 PM

Zoom dots are a lot of fun. They absolutely have an advantage against roundball. Ragnastock has hit several scenarios handloading fsr single shots against mechs and electros. Precision accuracy and range are crazy. I’ve made shots at 70 yards with iron sights, it’s like tank wars. Oh I was low, aim higher. Whack. So much fun. You can operate just out of roundball range when the field is large enough, and that’s the crux, you really need a large field for them to shine.

Like Chuck said though, we’re pretty burnt out on the toxic scenario world. APE banned them from everything but magfed only days due to the delinquent with riot rounds. Xtreme allows them on Sundays with open play, but those fields are tight and don’t lend themselves to the experience. It would be like buying a Maserati to drive around town…Outlaw is probably the way to go.

My advice to you, pick up and modify a roundhead breech and get a rifled barrel for your phantom. Super light setup. Point, shoot, smile. I giggled the first time I used them. Probably just about every time after too.

**ketzer7** · 06-14-2023, 04:07 PM

I don't have anything helpful to add to this thread other than echoing what others have said here.

Shaftski and I both went and played at CS Paintball in Epsom their grand (re)opening weekend in 2021. Lots of SAS NH milsim dudes were there all shooting FSR. Didn't really enjoy most of their hardo attitudes, but as for the FSRs themselves, I didn't really notice a huge difference getting hit with them versus regular roundball. It was my first experience with FSR, and was honestly expecting worse than how it turned out.

I've been somewhat intrigued by giving FSR a try myself since discovering this guy's channel on YT.

Gaffz

https://www.youtube.com/@Gaffz/videos

Bringing you a paintball sniping experience. Be sure to like and subscribe.

That CCM SSR bolt-action he's using (it looks like an M40, but I guess it's not) seems like it could be a lot of fun in certain scenarios (no pun intended), but outside of that, I don't know when else I would ever use something like that.

**packersrule729** · 06-14-2023, 04:11 PM

Other than CS, I think Friendly Fire allows FSR too. But double check on that.

**Hellion360** · 06-14-2023, 04:17 PM

Personally I think they are great fun. I treat them like a very accurate stock class gun for mid-range use. You can occasionally get some crazy long range shots as well.

I have owned two versions of first strike markers from CCM, but they are larger. I really like the lightweight setups. Single shot phantom is great. I am currently using an Inception bodied "Ranger" with a see-all sight. It is very lightweight and accurate. It shines in less dense woods and more open town-fields.

They don't hurt more up close, but like Chucky said they can cut bare skin when shattering. I think they might actually hurt more at a distance with the rifling letting them keep velocity better in the air. First Strike specifically advertises this as an advantage, being less affected by air resistance. I haven't tested it of course. But it makes sense for why people think they "hurt more" if that is true.

**uv_halo** · 06-14-2023, 04:36 PM

Originally posted by Daltech View Post

... The only advantage is accuracy, a small little bit more accurate, and maybe 10 more feet of distance? They use crossbow scopes if that tells you anything....
I wouldn’t say it hurts more, more like you feel it more because the increased mass, but nothing compared to a hard shell paintball at 300+-. I found it annoying because, yes, you feel it, but they leave a plastic piece, you can see the bright orange float through the air and it’s obvious where it came from.

Don't take any of this as me spreading the gospel of First Strike and trying to convince you to use them. I'm responding to this because I don't want folks to dismiss them based on incorrect information.

They are capable of flying farther than a paintball at any elevation. For perspective, at 49yds, a paintball drops 100". An FS round at the same FPS and distance will only have dropped 60" and, it won't drop 100" until it goes 60yds. Apex barrels can help with this a little bit but, at the same impact distance, the apex will be more likely to bounce (due to increased deceleration compared to an FS Round).

Compared to regular paintballs, FS rounds will impact with more force at any given distance, primarily due to the fact that they're more aerodynamic and retain their velocity (Velocity is squared in the Kinetic energy equation). When they came out, they were only a tenth of a gram heavier than DXS Silver, I doubt anyone could register that difference. They way I like to describe it is that most experienced players know what it's like to get a bunker shot with a decent brand of paint, an FS round will extend that experience over a greater distance.

As for my own thoughts on the state of FS rounds in paintball. I'm a little sad given that I spent a fair amount of time participating in the ASTM to make sure they were accurately presented by industry and detractors. They were approved but it seems that Cossio won over a lot of fields and they haven't turned back. Things certainly haven't gotten any better since.

That being said, First Strike (the company owned by Renatus group) is screwing the paintball community over with their product offerings. We're all familiar with the original product. They've since released rubber rounds. The problem I see is that the packaging is identical to their regular rounds and there is no explicit warning (on the packages or on their product pages) telling consumers not to use them in paintball, and even selling them through paintball retailers. These rounds are showing up in scenarios already. I strongly suspect that these rubber rounds are not covered in the ASTM, if not netting and masks are at risk of defeat. Because of this, I'm very hesitant to go to a BYOP event (i.e. Hell's Survivors), and I'm very supportive of FPO provided the site / event sells them.

**Magageddon** · 06-14-2023, 06:14 PM

I used to play the kilo six nine magfed games at emr with my ccm sr1 a few years ago. First strikes definetly give you a range and accuracy advantage. I remember consistently drilling guys at 75-80 yards and even landed some shots that broke at 100+ yards. You do get the wanna be operators there that wear full on tactical gear, helmets, and plate carriers. From what I've seen firststrikes lose a lot of their energy past 60 yards and you can go and pick them off the ground and reuse them if you wanted to, and at 30-50 cents a round, its worth it to do so. With all the magtards that wear all the heavy gear, acually gives you an advantage for getting breaks on your targets, since they usually wear a ton hard part gear vs baggy clothes that your average paintball player would wear.
I don't think they hurt more than regular paint, their just a little more intimidating when your on the field with them. They have a unique sound signature, almost like a whizz when they go by within ear shot. Since they have the range factor a lot of times the only way to counter them is to either have an fsr set up of your own or try to move up on them if you get a bead on their position.
Most of the issues I've seen with fsrs is user error when adjusting velocity. Their expensive, so a lot of people don't like chronoing with fsrs when entering the fiels, they'll use paint and chrono to 280, the problem is when you switch to fsr, its like a 50fps spike and now your shooting 330fps. You have to remember to chrono regular paint much lower than 280 if you don't wanna chrono fsr as is.

As far as events go, I'd look for some big games that allow fsrs, maybe a magfed only game if your feeling frisky, but I've done both and had fun either way. If you do go to an event, pre order your fsrs if its fpo, they usually sell out come game day and its not worth ruining your plans by waiting to buy fsrs.

Edit: I just remembered, If you wanna have some fun/be a menace on the field, bring a butterfly net because you can catch fsrs out of the air and shoot them back at the other team lol

**SignOfZeta** · 06-14-2023, 07:27 PM

Originally posted by Siress View Post

First Strike is a curiosity to me and I'd like to try it out in some games - preferably with rental equipment. The few times I've been to a field in the past decade I've been too preoccupied with having fun than doing recon for trying it out. I've heard/read/observed:

most fields ban use of FS rounds for walk-on / open play
it hurts more to get shot by an FS round
Events that focus on FS rounds (namely magfed events) are almost completely MILSIM events, which fail my vibe check. I have negative interest in playing with imaginary Rambos and real serrated muzzle breaks.

Is there anywhere in New England that you'd recommend where FS has a place in our typical silly game of paintball, or is there just no place for FS rounds?

I think you may be trying to have your cake and eat it too. FSR was designed for the very scene you hate. If you want to avoid Tacticool, Punisher skulls, Proud Boys, incels, gamergaters etc you’re headed directly to the wrong side of the tracks.

Also they hurt, fill the woods with garbage, and are very easily wiped and frankly I can’t wait until they are gone.

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