biggest step in PB tech??

an94 wrote: What do you think the biggest step in paintball technology? Ill startI think its between the Tippmann 98 custom or the electric hoppersTalk

Not even close to being the biggest step. The two biggest steps that ever occurred in paintball technology wer the creation of constant air systems and semi-automatic markers. C.A. completely changed the name of the game, the competitive side of the sport got faster, games got shorter, and players had to re-think strategy. It used to be that you waited until the other guy had to change out his 12gram co2 cartridge before moving on his position. When you heard the hiss of the 12 gram being ejected, you ran up to the bunker and shot them point blank while they were helpless. The advent of Constant Air also ushered in the age of semi-automatic paintball markers as it allowed a high-volume semi-auto system to be used practically on the field. These two systems allowed for almost every other progression in paintball to occur.

tallen702 wrote: an94 wrote: What do you think the biggest step in paintball technology? Ill startI think its between the Tippmann 98 custom or the electric hoppersTalk Not even close to being the biggest step. The two biggest steps that ever occurred in paintball technology wer the creation of constant air systems and semi-automatic markers. C.A. completely changed the name of the game, the competitive side of the sport got faster, games got shorter, and players had to re-think strategy. It used to be that you waited until the other guy had to change out his 12gram co2 cartridge before moving on his position. When you heard the hiss of the 12 gram being ejected, you ran up to the bunker and shot them point blank while they were helpless. The advent of Constant Air also ushered in the age of semi-automatic paintball markers as it allowed a high-volume semi-auto system to be used practically on the field. These two systems allowed for almost every other progression in paintball to occur.

yeah agreed completely

electric hoppers and the tippmann 98 are both great but not even close to the biggest step in paintball

tallen702 wrote: an94 wrote: What do you think the biggest step in paintball technology? Ill startI think its between the Tippmann 98 custom or the electric hoppersTalk The advent of Constant Air also ushered in the age of semi-automatic paintball markers as it allowed a high-volume semi-auto system to be used practically on the field.

Bingo. (Semi auto would have been pointless without constant air.)

im agreeing with that maybe add electros too

i think it was tippmann with the SMG-60...someone correct me if im wrong

vm68? it is really old and is semi auto.

No, the first semi-automatic paintball marker was designed and manufactured by Dennis Tippmann, it was the SMG-60. Budd Orr's Autococker didn't hit the market until 1990. Prior to Orr's Autococker, Glenn Palmer worked on converting pump-markers to semi-auto starting in 1988 with "Camille" (which was stolen out of his truck several years ago). Orr's Autococker design borrows heavily from the Hurricane and Palmer's original 4-way valve design. Palmer in turn admits that a lot of the timing and automation aspects of his first markers were improvements on designs created by David Craig of TASO.

CA came out in 1983/84 But I'm pretty sure Tom Kaye wasn't the one who created it. Kaye DID create the six-pack speed changer for 12 gram cartridges and also produced some of the first HPA/N2 bottles.

SSOK wrote: Another innovation is masks.....

Good point. I remember wearing shop goggles at the field we played at in the UK in 1985. We used Splatmasters and it was a blast . . . until some one-eyed guy got it shut down.

Constant Air was banned in tournament play by 1983/84 before tippmann was even in the sport. The inventors of CA were indeed Gramps and Grizzly. Source

Full face protection goggles would definitely be in there too, good point!

how about the use of electronics in PB guns? thats prob a very big step. & the fact that PB guns can fire double & sometimes tripple the speed of REAL firearms..
standards in cal. is really a good one.
um lets talk about standards for a moment. lets say all manufacturers have a standard bolt, standard barrel, standard speed. that would be a good advancement.. it would get rid of all the "my gun is better than your gun!" why dont they do this??? like ALL go with AC barrel thread, etc.