Getting back into the water...

[ElectricBullshark]

So around 2006/8-ish (i cant remember exactly) i snagged a dp f8. I was the first to get my meat hooks on one here in tampa. Green/black, i called it the snot rocket. It was the first true tourney style mid-high end marker i ever bought. Meaning first marker i owned that wasnt a tippmann, or that i spent more than 300 bucks for.

I have gotten into playing again over the last couple years, and have my usual milsim tippy and gear, along with an umarex hdx pump shotty. Iz niice. My a5 has an egrip, but currently its broken, and im probably gonna try to get it repaired. However if i cant, im probably just gonna leave it semi auto.

Ive been looking at getting an electro again to spray some paint, because apparently i like wasting money and the feel of shooting fast is orgasmic. I was looking at spyder electra acs with the rocking trigger, because i owned one pretty briefly , but im not very keen on how to repair and maintain spyders and electros. I can tear down and rebuild a tippmann like im major payne though, just not the electronic stuff. I loved my f8 but the solenoid blew and since i am not an electro engineer i sold it.

I loved the 25bps, the dip switch board settings, lightness, accuracy, and overall felt like a gnarly tourney shooter. The 25 bps was a real rope shooting badass feature. However i was happy with just plain semi auto for paint conservation, smooth shooting, and spray n play speedball marker.

I have been prowling around ebay and watching some youtube vids for reviews on other markers of theirs lately. It seems they have gone under, but ive seen a decent amount of their stuff on ebay, so im thinking about grabbing another. Would you reccomend dp still, as for ease of maintenance, upgrade and replacement parts, and servicability?

Im ok with more basic marker, but if i get something with eyes, etc, id like to be able to find replacement/spare parts without having to buy a whole nother gun just to cannibalize it for parts.

Ive thought about going back down memory lane with the f8, or getting what seems like the more basic g3. Or do you guys reccomend something else? Im not looking to spend too much, but i'd like something hearty, fast shooting, easy to repair, maintain, and maybe buy some extra parts for easy fixes.

I know im probably not gonna spend over 300.

[Ecapnation]

Well regrettably dangerous power has gone out of business and parts for them have become very scarce. So buying a used marker is really your only bet and also a risky venture because it may not fully work

[Cyberpyr8]

Fast is fun, but no fields these days are going to let you shoot that fast. 10.5 is the max. That being said, it helps you find something in your price range. You could get an Axe for less than that used for sure. They can go 15bps (again not on a real field). Shocker XLS and RSX can be found for that range. Heck, I bought a LV1 for $450 a month ago. I wouldn't go with the DP just because of finding parts.

Anything PE is rock solid and honestly, the Etha 2 is a steal right now in that $250 range used. It will work every time you need it and it can shoot semi or ramping at 10.5. If I were in that price range, I would pickup a used Etha 2, a used tank and cheap hopper and go to town. Plus they have support and parts as well as really simple maintenance. You can't go wrong with the PE stuff these days.

I may have played with you down there back in 06-09. I played at Gator, the field in Spring Hill and Gladiator down in Largo. I played at other fields back then too but that's the ones I remember.

[ElectricBullshark]

Haha hells yea, i loved playing at gator. Still do. thats where im located now, spring hill/brooksville, and gator is my home field now. I used to be called "scuba steve" because i wore a 20lb c02 tank on a scuba harness, and had a double trouble (twin gatlin cranked a5s). I also wore a horned viking helmet for goofs sometime.

As for the etha 2, i have a 68/4500 hpa tank. do i have to get a special tank to use with the gun? Like adjusting the pressure output from the tank and all that?

Finding a good hopper would be the next dive into the new tech. I had a halo magna hopper (magnetic clutch drive) on my f8, which was like super advances back then... but i assume thats ancient tech now. Lol

[Cyberpyr8]

Yeah I think I played when you were out there. It was hard to forget! For an Etha 2 any HP air tank will be fine. You could run anything from a 45/45 on up. A 68 would be best for balancing weight and air usage for a game or two.

For a hopper I would look at getting a used Spire 3 or 4, IR or IR2 or a CTRL. They will work great and not cost you a fortune. People like Rotors too but I have had them jam on me occasionally. I prefer the Spire IR or CTRL's over the any rotor just for reliability. You could go old school and get a Z2 Prophesy or Halo if you wanted. They still make all of them. I wouldn't buy a new hopper though. You can get a great deal on a used one and save the money.

If you can't find anything decent on here or locally, look at mazens.com or i75paintball.They are trustworthy and sell used stuff.

[iamthelazerviking]

If you want electronic and not priced crazy, get something like a Gtek or Etha 2.

[shadow191]

If you want to stick with DP, find a used G5 SpecR. They were only $350 new and it has what you're looking for - it will do 25 bps I think and has all the modes. Decently smooth as it's a spool valve and is easy to maintain. Difference between SpecR and regular G5 is just addition of a screen and 2 piece barrel. Picked one up in 2020 and it gets used every time out still. If you can get one, they were going for nothing last time I saw a few posted. Not a lot to go wrong unless the board goes.

I also have a Fusion Elite which I bought used in 2020 and it's still going. They're generally pretty reliable markers. I haven't even had to swap o-rings on either one and they are both north of 40k shots. More than I can say for my Shocker XLS which has probably had 2/3's of the o-rings fail in the same time period with less use.

But if you just want a basic electric you never have to think about, get an Etha2. I have one as well and it's never gone down a single time. My son even forgot to clean it once and it sat for 7 months after a breech break so it was full of paint. Would have never known, it still shot fine. It's not exciting at all though.