Do you have more fun with "Bad guns" than good ones?

[Euphie]

As I was making a series of highly questionable purchases on E-bay, this thought occurred to me. I have always enjoyed playing with stuff widely seen as "bad". What I mean by that is at my very first tournament I rocked up in a Brass Eagle jersey and using co2 at a time where both those things were things that renters might do. Don't get me wrong I have plenty of high end gear, and some of it was highly rated in it's day some is even highly rated now (I notice almost no one looks down on an Angel LCD), but I seem to be at my most gleeful shooting things that most people would rather rent than use.

Related to this, I decided to buy the gun that started it all for me a Tigershark. Well technically my first game was a borrowed Talon, but the Tigershark was the first one I actually owned. Though I did give a solid moment of thought to how I could upgrade a talon to freak inserts and constant air. I dunno, anyone else finding that it is more fun to put away that Automag and just grab a Splatmaster instead?

[Jonnydread]

HA

This is my raison d'être and I reckon the majority of the Ragnastockies would be right on board.

I have bought and used guns that are objectively high-quality, effective markers and immediately turned around and sold them because they weren't janky enough. See Emek, CCM S6.5, Buzzard, Geo3, etc. etc.

If it don't have that jank it don't get my stank.

[Jonnydread]

Riot you’re extra sensitive ever since I called your janky-ass pump mag janky

[Lt. head-shot]

I recently came to this realization as well. I took a trip out to my range a few weeks ago and brought along 4 guns. My Necro-cocker, Dukie DRV, P90'd Tippmann A5 and a JCS MkX8. I had more fun shooting the sub $200 guns than I did shooting an $1800 autococker. The cocker went up for sale the next day. The DRV is a great piece but I'm almost scared to shoot it in case anything breaks or starts leaking. I am finding that simple, reliable guns make my experience far more enjoyable than having anything cutting edge. In the past 3 weeks my group has all acquired A5's and X7's because having gear that WORKS means we actually get to play.

Now with that being said, I do believe the place to spend money is on *some* gear. Having a mask that fits well and doesn't fog is the #1 priority for me. Cause if you can't see, you can't play. Having a good tank or two will make sure you play all day. As much as I like collecting interesting gear and guns... getting to the field and finding something doesn't work right just completely kills my mood. So I'll take a "bad" gun that works any day....

[The Jayster]

For me a gun that works is one that not only is reliable, but also shoots straight and doesn't break paint. Nowadays we're really in a golden age where we can all that at a fair price. Thankfully gone are the days when you had to sink in $1,000+ to get a decent shooter.

I was one of the early adopters of the Phenom when it came out in 2009. I really, really wanted to like it. While it shot ok, it was a blender. I was also concurrently using an SP-1, which was vastly superior to the Phenom where shot quality and paint handling was concerned. So I sold the Phenom. Then bought another one... sold it, and yet bought later on a mechanical Phenom. After three attempts, I just couldn't convince myself to like the Phenom. Well, at least I tried!

[Lt. head-shot]

The Jayster - Just to clarify, the X7 we have is the mechanical/non-phenom version, to which I'm told just means its a fancy body kit A5. Reliable, shoots straight and doesn't break paint is absolutely what I would look for in any gun. Totally agree with you. And you're right you can get an Emek that does those things for a fair price. But I do have to say that for me personally, the Emek just doesn't have... soul? I'm not sure entirely how to describe it. But something about the classic mechanical blowback action just makes the enjoyment factor shoot through the roof for me. I've sold both Emek's and the MG100 I had. I kept convincing myself that having one around was the safe/good option. And they did shoot well. But to go along with the point of this thread... if I can get a "bad" gun that does those things even remotely well... I'll take it with me to the field every single time.

[pghp8ntballer]

Lt. head-shot Yes they use Spyder springs. I think I get "usable" velocity out of mine... maybe 260ish but they are all over the place because of the atrocious bore size. I've only taken it out once... and got mad double/triple feeds because by detent was worn out. But I certainly remember low velocity. I did a teardown/write up of it on the old forum.

[XEMON]

I spend more time tinkering and making fun than I do playing ... And get most fun playing with said tinkers ...

I like odd and wired, everyone has an emek or a space dildo ... But there are a lot more guns that can keep up the 10.5bps most field limit have ...

[Cdn_Cuda]

I spend way more time tinkering than playing. Getting to the point where next time I play I'll have to use a different gun every time just so I get to actually play with them. I've got 4-5 guns at the moment I've never played a game with. Needs to change!

[Chuck E Ducky]

It depends what do you mean by bad guns? As long as it’s functional I’m all about it. Nothing is worse then getting to the field only to have stuff not work. The markers I enjoy to shoot the most are my Phantom and Stick fed CCM. I wouldn’t consider them bad guns nor a Splatmaster. I do value reliability over all. I want it to work. Old or new it’s got to work.

I feel like a fun day has very little to do with equipment and everything to do with the field and the people your playing with. My favorite days are messing around in the woods cracking 12g with the boys and teaching local walk ons that ROF isn’t important.

[Toestr]

It depends. If I'm with a crowd that will absolutely spank me if I'm using anything less than a mech probably not. Otherwise I'd say that's probably true.

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

[Jonnydread]

but that's the perfect opportunity to show off your massive balls!

[pintbuster]

I want to play with the stuff I wanted to play with but couldn't afford. ANS level was a realistic dream for me if I cut beer and rubbers from my budget, but I never quite got there.
I don't want to compete, or even be relevant, just play with this old gear that makes me happy.

[Olsson]

When my previous home field was up and running, I regularly brought around seven guns to the field each time, most of them electros, some of them expensive. Most of them I loaned out to whoever needed it for the day, and I inevitably ended up playing with my trusty old Automag. I of course don't imply that the Automag is a bad gun. Still, barring the level-10 bolt, it was pretty much stock from 1995, so at least it was older than at least half of the players on the field.

To this day I find that I not only prefer the feel of the Automag, but actually play better. However, I don't think it has so much to do with the Automag as such, but is rather down to two reasons. One - I have played so much with the Automag, that it is pretty much an extension of my body. I would have reached the same result with any gun. Two - whenever I get a sweet electro in my hands I play more sloppy, simply because my brain tricks me into flinging more paint instead of playing smart. I know that it happens to me, but I can't seem to get around it anyway.

So, perhaps not having more fun with a bad gun, but at least having more fun with an old gun.

[Cunha]

A great way to experience the God - Power of a good electro is to start the day with an open class pump gun, like a centerfeed phantom. A good CCM is probably too much firepower. Something that the second shot is a bit of an effort to make accurately and quickly.

Then after playing like a quarter or half day with that, switch to your full electro rig and you feel like you have a paint lazer gun of doom.

[iamthelazerviking]

Not really, because I like my stuff to work and being able to spend more time on the field than off. Not to say you can't still have the older janky stuff to bust out a few times. But overall I prefer the finer things that I don't have to think much about when using.

[Grendel]

I'm with you, fun for me is playing not tinkering (especially at the field).

[Brokeass_baller]

So then, you guys like Tippmanns?

[lhamilton1807]

I definitely do. They just keep working and rarely need more maintenance than a few drops of oil and a new detent. Sure they’re “cheap” blowbacks, but it’s tough to break them.

[lhamilton1807]

I enjoy pulling out my Frankenstein BE Stingray from time to time. Some new to the sport thinks it looks cool. Others who know what it is laugh. I love it when I can point to the paint on someone’s lens and know my ‘Ray did that, even with its long creaky trigger pull and plastic feel and sound. It still flings paint 😋

[Brokeass_baller]

Dude, I gassed up my old alien-technology black plastic Stingray about two years ago, after it sat for literally 20+ years and survived a basement flood. I dropped 5 drops of Gold Cup into the ASA, cocked the thing back, and I'LL BE DAMNED IT FREAKING FIRED. And it KEPT ON FIRING. Unreal. Absolutely unreal. Like, my trusty Automag would've at least needed a rebuild, but not the 'Ray. What a beast of a gun.

[Grendel]

Nope, I enjoy playing paintball so want my tools to work well and reliably. If I have problems with a marker I fix it or if not fixable (reasonably) I replace it with something better. A master carpenter may use antique tools but they will be good condition, functional and reliable tools. I do not expect a master carpenter to enjoy using a hammer with a defective handle.

[glasscitymitch_02]

I’ve been using my Thunder Cat more than any of my other markers lately. I wouldn’t call it a “bad” marker, but it’s definitely cheap. The entire setup with the Cat, rebuild kit, revvy, rehydro on the 68ci, and barrel totaled less than $175 and is a blast. I was a Buzzard snob and Phantom abuser for 20 years, but that cheap semi is my go-to now

[William the Third]

I definitely seem to have more fun playing with a "basic" gun.

[scottieb]

I do, especially when I'm setting myself up against impossible odds. "You five guys that I don't know against me and my bone stock pre2k classic Spyder."

I have loads of fun doing that.

[JeeperCreeper]

I definitely agree with Jonnydread my stuff needs a certain amount of jank.

My problem is I take perfectly fine things and turn them into my ratchet ass experiments. I end up with some solid setups, but just about everything is an ongoing project.