30 yr old FNG..

I'm new to the sport of PB, and I've got a few ?'s about some of the gear I bought.

Tippmann A-5: Seems to be a bit contraversial, but according to the reviews I've read the only real complaint is the stock barrel is inaccurate. I'm told that this is easily corrected by adding just about any 14" barrel.  How long has the A-5 been in service? Does the Cyclone feed really have to be rebuilt after a couple years?

CMI 14" tru-flight sniper barrel: Got it dirt cheap on ebay. Has anyone heard of CMI? Are they any good? Regardless, a 14" barrel has got to be WAY better than a 8". Right?

3A Paintball HPA+remote coil: Is this OK? I sorta got the feeling that they are all just about the same.

Well, how did I do? Good? Bad? Fair? Any recomendations? I don't yet know what game type I'm going to play, probably woodsball. I would appreciate any imput. Thanks.

The A-5 has been around for at least 2 years. It is getting closer to 3 years at this point.

Yes, the stock barrel needs to be replaced, but not nessiscarily with a 14 inch barrel. There are some shorter ones that will do the trick, just as well. I am not formiliar with all the specific brands and sizes, but dont limit yourself to just the barrels that come in 14 inches.

Also, on early batches of A-5's cyclone feeder it came with a part that wore down over time if the marker was fired at a high rate for a period of time. Tippmann will mail the updated part to any owners of these markers for free. Markers with high serial numbers already have the upgraded part installed before purchase.

I dont have the same barrel as you, but my 14 inch barrel easily out performes the stock barrel.

Since you are playing woodsball, you might think about the flatline barrel as a future investment for your marker.

Most remote coils are all the same, some just come with fancy shut off valves, that make it a little easier. Some will complain they snag on branches and other objects, but I have never had that problem. Shirts on the other hand are a different story.

I think you made a good choice. Tippmanns are knoew for being very durable and fun to play with in the woods.

Good Luck and Welcome to the Forums.

Thanks for the advice! dtfastj, can you tell me what problems I should expect from my 3A HPA tank?

As far as barrels go I'll have to work w mine and see what I think. I'm sure that at this point in time, the marker w 14" brl will be more accurate than I am. However, I am a competition high power rifle shooter, so my shooting skill should improve exponentially. After about a year, I'll probably look into a flatline.. That $100+ price tag is all that's keeping me away.

OH! Another ? on barrels.. At least on firearms.. rifleing in barrels is a BIG part of acheiving accuracy. So I am a bit confused... Smoothbore is BETTER for baintball? I don't expect a 5000 word essay, but why?

Ah, now I see the light. What you say makes perfect sense! I never stopped to think that the paintball would never seal a rifled barrel. Or the low-velocity thing..

But what about that 3A HPA tank? What's wrong with 'em? Is it gonna rupture and blow me in half? J/K Seriousely, what problems should I expect?

Well welcome to ther forum, and i see Some forumers already have helped you. good choice with the A-5.

Coming into the discussion a little late...
I picked up a CMI 14" for my son a few years ago. Their quality seems to be hit-or-miss. If you've got one that your gun and paint like, that's all you can ask. The rifling grooves will make it a little tougher than a smoothbore to clean if a ball breaks in there. Best thing to do is get it out there and put rounds through it, and see how it all goes.
The A-5s I've seen on the field have all seemed to be good guns. No complaints heard from here... although I don't own one myself. Same goes for 3A. I suspect they're the "budget" line of a larger company, but I don't have any solid proof of that.
One thing I can definitely recommend is a GOOD mask. The best you can find. I like the V-Force line, because they refuse to fog, it's easy to change lenses, and they're comfortable. The Shield offers what is probably the best protection available, but doesn't have the "bounce" materials that other masks have.
Other items to remember are a squeegee for cleaning your barrel on the field; a pack and pods for extra paint; gloves, because hand hits suck; kneepads, because we're not as young as we used to be (I'm 31 ); and a cup, for obvious reasons.

Have fun on the field!!

I also would recommend a V-Force mask.