98C problems

There's been a problem with the 98C since about 8-10 months ago. The rear bolt and sear are made out of materials that are too soft. This causes the marker to have problems recocking every so often. Everyone at my field that has purchased a 98C within the past 8-10 months has had the same problem. I've also seen people on other web sites discussing this problem. After about 3-5 thousand shots this problem arises. We've sent my friends 98C to Tippmann 3 times and they just keep replacing the rear bolt and sear and shipping it back to us. My questions is--Has Tippmann acknowledged this problem and if so are they taking steps to correct it? I've got an older 98C and it still works like the day I bought it.

I agree with NJnets5...I've never heard of this problem before. I've heard if you do the straw mod it can wear the sear and hammer out quick than normal use but other than that...notta.

call tippmann

I'm talking about 3-5 thousand shots fired. We play evey other Sunday and clean the markers after each game day. I've been playing paintball for 19 years and I grew up in a machinme shop and I'm a technition by trade. I host private games and all the new 98Cs at our field start having this problem after 3-5 thousand shots. The marker we've shiped to Tippmann 3 times belongs to my friend. Each time it starts doing this I take it apart and the wear on the rear bolt is so bad it actually has a sharp edge across the bottom of the bolt that starts dragging against the inside of the reciever halves. We play in normal woods with no sand. The markers I'm talking about are standard 98Cs with no R/T or electric triggers. My 98C is 5 years old and still works great. The markers in question are new. I'm a Tippmann fanatic. I've been asking guys on SpecOps about this problem and alot of them are having the same problem also. As we keep playing we're keeping an eye on my friends marker. If, after 5,000 rounds fired, this problem doesn't come back I will assume Tippmann has corrected the problem. I'll let you know.

not everyone is as handy as u

u are so wise

Best way without a heat treating furnace is possibly an oil bath quench . (A lot will depend on what alloy of steel was used to make the sear and rear hammer , very risky business , but if all else fails , why not ?)

I've got a Titanium hammer which is near impossible to heat-treat and the wear, or deformation on it is minimal for the time being (estimated 7K shots of use on it ) , the only caveat I can offer on heat treating is this , you "WANT" one of the metals to be a little "Soft" ,,, Two hardened metals striking each other will lead to chipping or shattering one or the other metal part . the method above is a form of case hardening which may, or may not be suitable for the part...

As you mentioned you've been around machine shops for quite some time , dress out the burr you have on the rear hammer and hand finish the sear engagement groove back to a 90 Degree surface ,or if you have access to a small surface grinder , indicate the bottom of the groove so its flat , and dress off the engagement surface with the side of the wheel , from what I've seen and experienced , the rear hammer isnt case hardened or hardened steel of any kind .

If you were to remake the rear hammer , I might consider using an "A" series tool steel stock , and leave it unhardened , it will work harden some as it is used , an advantage to that would be in that it would be a one piece hammer and you could drill it out to lighten it and make the marker cycle faster (see the Dark Horizons Ti-Lite hammer for exactly what I mean there) .

Tippmann did change its ownership structure a while back (18 months or so ?) , so its entirely possible they sought out new suppliers for their materials in the name of cost savings (thats usually not a good thing for the consumer , us ) .

Good luck , hope you find a fix to the problem , I for one would be interested in hearing what the final outcome is !

If the sear is exhibiting wear after so few a number of rounds through the marker , them there's definitly a problem . You should NOT be able to do anything to the metal of the sear with a normal file , its that hard (or should be) !

The Machinist Handbook outlines a good procedure for case hardening steel in oil . the materials are pretty basic , and the method is primitive , but effective .

There are a number of other ways to case harden steel , depending on what  materials you have available Ie. Coke for a blacksmith's forge , Ground Bone chips , torches (propane or Oxy-acetylene) etc .

If you do decide to harden the sears (that is , if they fail the file test) , I would carefully examine the fit of the sear to the hammers ,after the hammer engagement surfaces have been reconditioned of course , and file or grind the sear to fit exactly parallel to the notch in the hammer . I've noticed the sear from Tippmann doesnt fit perfectly , and the angle the sear does engage at , once it begins to wear the hammer , it will contribute to the rapid fire problem you are experiencing .

 DIY fixes arent for everybody , but the distances and expenses involved may make it a bit more attractive while you are waiting for your parts to arrive from Tippmann .

Tippmann has a Toll free number you may be able to contact them at , 1-800-533-4831 . I dont know how the time zones differ or international dialing work for you , but its worth a try .

BUFFALO GROVE, IL - August 10, 2006 - It has come to our attention that some 98 Customs and 98 Custom Pros made earlier this year (serial numbers for 98 Custom are 978,401-1,091,000; serial numbers for 98 Custom Pro are 32,601-49,400) may have been manufactured with a sear spring that was not within normal performance standards. A marker with a sub-standard spring may experience pre-mature wear of the rear bolt and sear mechanism causing the bolt to continuously actuate (sounds like your tank is out of air). We believe this performance issue is primarily found in markers with response triggers (RT) and electronic grips (E-Grips), but the issue may arise in markers with a stock trigger.

Tippmann has a long history of manufacturing high quality, reliable products and we truly apologize for any performance issues and inconvenience players may have encountered. Our goal is to repair any marker that may have experienced this situation and get you back on the playing field as soon as possible. Please contact Tippmann's customer service department at 1-800-533-4831 if you are experiencing this problem for appropriate handling of your repair.

 

 

I think this will solve all of your problems