I wanted to share some pics of a possible paint breakage fix I'm testing for Part-time Tech
This is a 3D-printed TPU detent replacement that seeks to stop the bolt from breaking paint at the moment of firing. Tech's initial thought was that by using the rounded, flexible detent arcs you could ensure that each ball is positioned as far back as possible, in the hopes that the bolt will be moving slower when it first makes contact with the ball, and that ball and bolt would move together for a short distance before it's shot. I've tried using them in a different way and nestled the balls as far forward as possible in an attempt to prevent the bolt from contacting them at all. My results have been mixed- no improvement with larger ~.684 GI paint but maybe around 50% breakage with some smaller .678 Empire paint. Certainly not enough to make the gun usable, but maybe an indication he's been on the right track.
Installing the detent inserts is not trivial- the hand sprocket and factory detent insert must be pried out and then each detent channel extended all the way back with a hobby knife, which isn't particularly easy given the tight confines of the cylinders.
Anyway, still working with this in the hopes of fixing the design. I do wonder if what would be more effective are cylinder cups that would hold the paintballs farther forward and out of reach of the bolt but I'm not even clear on how far forward the bolt intrudes into the cylinder wells during each cycle. Does anyone know?
This is a 3D-printed TPU detent replacement that seeks to stop the bolt from breaking paint at the moment of firing. Tech's initial thought was that by using the rounded, flexible detent arcs you could ensure that each ball is positioned as far back as possible, in the hopes that the bolt will be moving slower when it first makes contact with the ball, and that ball and bolt would move together for a short distance before it's shot. I've tried using them in a different way and nestled the balls as far forward as possible in an attempt to prevent the bolt from contacting them at all. My results have been mixed- no improvement with larger ~.684 GI paint but maybe around 50% breakage with some smaller .678 Empire paint. Certainly not enough to make the gun usable, but maybe an indication he's been on the right track.
Installing the detent inserts is not trivial- the hand sprocket and factory detent insert must be pried out and then each detent channel extended all the way back with a hobby knife, which isn't particularly easy given the tight confines of the cylinders.
Anyway, still working with this in the hopes of fixing the design. I do wonder if what would be more effective are cylinder cups that would hold the paintballs farther forward and out of reach of the bolt but I'm not even clear on how far forward the bolt intrudes into the cylinder wells during each cycle. Does anyone know?
so I was poking around on MCS today, and I see they made a design change on these magazines. Not only does it offer an airsoft conversaion utility, but it also adds a potential venturi for the balls? 
Comment