Tac Caps and Side Arms my TPX story/review

With the Economy tanked, I found myself this year driving less to Big Games across the country and playing more with Friends Locally in my days off. Now since all my Local Fields are opened Saturday-Sunday and I work those days I found myself going Old school. Yep I been playing in Private games in Private land.

Since most of the people I am playing with are recreational players who play for fun a few times a week during the summer. Not the hardcore Scenario/Big Game establish Teams players that I am used to playing with and against. I had to change the way i play so that i have more challenge and I am not mowing down people with the X-7 Egrip at 20BPS.

This year i started to play with the Marker that has become a real Favorite of mine the Alpha Black. It's no secret that this Marker has really grown on me and now most of the people I play with have taken to the Alpha Black, for it's price, reliability, It's factory Tactical ready features and out of the Box, Gas Up, Load Up and Play. I always been a fan of the Tac Cap but never really have gotten really hardcore about using it. This year to handicap myself and to keep from spending $60 a week on a case of paint I decided to limit myself to a Tac cap and 200 rounds per game.

Of course when battles turn heated I found myself hunkering behind what cover I could reloading. While it was pretty awesome and adrenaline pumping fun, It's never fun when someone decides to make that Bold Charge and eliminate you and your defenceless. Of course this year everything changed...

I got my TPX, while most players and me included where never really one to see the use of Sidearms in Paintball. Specially since past pistols such as the PT Enforcer and Extreme really left a bitter taste in players mouths with leaks and awkward reloading mechanisms. The Tippmann TPX has delivered on all counts, making the Tactical Aspect of a Sidearm a Real Practical one.

Since I got mt TPX I like a fanboy have been in my time working with my current limited paint load out. Have been hitting the Transition drills just like if I was back in the Grunts. Just because your not in the field doesn't mean that you cant go over scenarios and drills at home. I have adjusted my reloading drills to allow me to be able to draw and engage players who are charging me with Sidearm or if I am in a heated game to drop my Alpha Black onto the Custom snap link sling rig I made and draw and engage with the PTX. I have to admit it feels John Woo Bad Ass and makes that elimination just that more rewarding. I tell you after that I could had "hive fived" God how awesome that was.

The Tippmann Holster after i modified to correct a first run Manufacturer's mistake its perhaps my favorite part of the Kit, even thou I really wish it came in OD green or Tan. Black just crashes with everything around it. Thou being as small as it is I have yet to be told "dude i spotted your holster". The drawing motion is smooth, the Holster can be adjusted perfect to sit there at your finger tips should the game situation turn from a reload or a engagement to a Do or Die situation. The Extra Mag pouch fits the magazines well. I don't use extra 12 grams on the given utility pouch but I had a barrel blocking device and two of those 25cent gas station mini slim jims.

So to players who are having problems affording Paintball this summer of really bummed about the price of fresh Quality Paint. think into spending a few dollars more on Quality paint your TPX will thank you for it and when your game is on the line is that really the time that you want a chop due to crappy quality paint? I'm using RPS mid grade paint with a nice dry shell and they work just awesome on my Alpha Black and my TPX. I have yet to have any Breach or Cyclone breaks this summer and I'm having a Blast all over again. Even with a bunch of recreational walk-ons.

(will posts pics up ass soon as I get them emailed to me)

Yeah, since i made the switch to my ghetto longbow, 37 rounds with two 15 round tubes on my belt, it can get intense.  And besides, its more realistic only having 50 or less rounds before you have to reload...

Also, you should try just playing with the pistol, i've been doing that more often this year just to get alot more comfortable with it, but that is a HUGE rush, more so when its two pistols against 4 guns, and the pistols win.

Mack, how are you all that outgunned running pump?  Don't you still have the full hopper on top like most every other gun which you can reload with a regular tube.  I know you can't do 20bps with that, but it still has a fair ROF. 


Edited by panhead4411 - 09 July 2009 at 10:21am

oldpbnoob wrote: . . .  everyone targets him after one of his jokes.

While I suspect that in some cases, the players we get at our field tend to have either stereotypical speedball guns or highly upgraded Tippmanns.  Either way when I pop out of cover and squeeze off a shot the most common response is a hail of full auto fire.  The comparative rate of fire issue means that I don't have the firepower to keep someones head down in the same manner they can suppress me.  In other words they can rip off a dozen shots and hope one hits while I really need the one snapshot I make to be on target.

The last pump game I played I stuck an old 9v Revolution and a 68 cu. in. tank on my Sniper just to give myself a better chance* on the field and was still barely holding my own against two opponents with electros towards the end of the game. 

*I was running 50 round hoppers and either 6 oz CO2 or 13 cu. in. air tanks before that.

Edited addition: 

panhead4411 wrote: Mack, how are you all that outgunned running pump?  Don't you still have the full hopper on top like most every other gun which you can reload with a regular tube.  I know you can't do 20bps with that, but it still has a fair ROF.

Trust me; 2-3 bps is in no way equal to 15 or more bps.  The difference in rate of fire requires some major changes in one's approach to the game.


Edited by Mack - 10 July 2009 at 1:17am