Metadyne Thumper/Phoenix Redux

[Chuck E Ducky]

Possibly, I haven’t and probably won’t ever put a force fed hopper on it. Its stick feed works well so I doubt I will ever even use the hopper attachment. I got other better open
class pumps for that.

Are you guys getting barrels breaks or is it clipping or breaking in the breach?

Johnny try removing the detents and putting dummy detent between the barrel and body. See if that solves anything for you. Maybe the detent spring pressure is too much pushing the ball up and clipping?

Next time we play bring it and we can compare them side by side maybe figure out what it is.

[TF_Aloha]

After watching the Peculiar Paintball video, I wonder if the paint breakage might be due to the sleeve that comes back into the breech acting like a guillotine if the paint is too far off in size, or oddly-shaped. That sleeve seems pretty thin and, if a ball is too small, the next ball could get clipped pretty hard because it might be sitting lower than expected. They clearly wanted to make a nice cup for the ball to sit in with the way they used those detents, but if paint is sized too far out of the expected size or if it's not very round (basically, most modern paint) then it might just be holding a ball in the way of the actuating sleeve.

I also wonder if force-feed loaders vs agitating/gravity loaders (or the modified stock-class tube) might affect this. A force feed with small paint might hold the next ball in a very uncomfortable spot.

[Chuck E Ducky]

Interesting any idea what your input pressure was. I wonder if that is making a difference. I’m going to bring my Phantoms bottle I got that’s higher pressure see if that changes how it operates. They don’t state what operating pressure they are supposed to run at anywhere do they?

[Jonnydread]

I find it perfectly comfortable in the stock configuration too. I think the breakage was made far worse by the cold, but if I didn’t use a tight bore barrel I wouldn’t have been able to get anywhere close to 280 FPS. I tried a .689 and couldn’t get above 240fps

[Chuck E Ducky]

This is how I hold it and it feels very natural. Nothing to get pinched due to its design. You can pump it one handed. You could totally use two at the same time. Or thumb cock it on the back and put your other hand in right in front of the trigger guard. Plenty of room under the front to keep your hand out of the way from the moving barrel. I can’t get the mussel memory down cocking it by the barrel because it’s opposite of everything else. But I guess you could do that as well. It points nicely I can shoot it accurately just picking it up. I don’t think it needs a VASA to hold it. I’m hopeful the VASA will allow it to work on 12g. If it’s going to only be an HPA marker I may still get one as a 9 ci off the front might be a fun setup. But then I would need to figure out a stock mount option that would require a grip change .

It’s a unique design so it’s not for everyone. I’m not seeing the breaking paint issue with mine so far. I’m running 450psi input pressure to it with my powerhouse reg. I’m overboreing it letting the detents do their job. I haven’t played in the cold with it tho. Just plinking in the backyard I am using good paint that shot really good last time I played in the Mid 40’s.

[TF_Aloha]

I'm really confused by the lack of a fore-grip. I mean, how did they test this thing without realizing everyone is constantly trying to find a home for their other hand? It just seems like an easy thing to add in the design phase.

I know everyone keeps on saying that a VASA is coming, but that really doesn't make sense either. How many people really want a VASA on a marker that can't use CO2? Maybe a few people like to do some weirdness with a vertical HPA tank, but for the most part, the VASA seems to only make sense when you can use 12g's.

Fore-grips don't need to be part of the air path to do their job, we just need a good place to put a second hand besides grabbing a narrow barrel and trying not to push forward at all and affect the shot.

[XEMON]

I'm sad to see it is looking like a similar situation as the thumper: it's more a prototype than a production marker.
it's a shame as the form factor of the thumper is absolutely amazing

[RuleOfSines]

Yep. The return mechanism seems to get kinda crunchy during that last bit of travel. I was considering trying to swap the pump and hammer springs

[Jonnydread]

Yeah that was the drag I was referring to in my post.

[screwloose45]

Is anyone else's pump stroke really heavy the last 10% or so? Like the cocking action itself.

[RuleOfSines]

Is the ball breakage from:

Air pressure from piston to high?

The capturing/loading of the next round?

The double detent being too stiff?

Temp plus back pressure?

Or a mix of a few things?

I’m away from mine at the moment to test, but I think the sticky piston opening too slowly is forcing me to raise the pressure higher and higher until the shot becomes too violent. My thumpers did this too, completely disassembling the marker and oiling the piston rings helped dramatically. Silicone orings also helped, but they tore too easily with the thumpers operation.

[Timefreak17]

Is the ball breakage from:

Air pressure from piston to high?

The capturing/loading of the next round?

The double detent being too stiff?

Temp plus back pressure?

Or a mix of a few things?

[dozernaut]

I had the same experience with mine this past weekend. Weather was in the 40s all day. Broke 2-3 balls in Chrono. Maxed out the velocity at 270 fps and good paint bore match. Pinched a ball in my first game and couldn't fix it on field. Switched to my empire sniper and had zero issues for the rest of the day. Same barrel, same tank, same paint.

[RuleOfSines]

I can’t even get a single tube of rounds before it breaks paint, and velocity is garbage. I believe that is from the orings sticking. Running oil through it clears that up, but damages the clippard valve. Same problem as the Thumper.

[Chuck E Ducky]

Mine were a lil loose I had to re tighten them they moved on me and touched at that point and bound a lil.