Hi. I hope this is the right forum for this question; I have a Freak jr. with only the .693 insert, but I want a Flatline.

I've had my Freak jr. since only days after I got my A-5 for christmas going on two years now. Though I am aware you need inserts to make it accurate and such I recently played with for once, the near perfect bore size (if it wasnt as perfect as it could get already) and I was very displeased in the performance. I had a lot of crack shots I could have got but because of having to arc and such I couldn't get them before they got me. I realized with a Flatline my shots would have been easier to make and all thouse times I snuck around the bush I could have had a chance when I was shooting threw the trees.

I've read a number of reviews, half atleast at PBReview which by the way werent exactly all that helpful, people rating things as perfect even though they listed flaws, and their cocky like remarks werent so great either. I am sort of willing to give my Freak jr. anouther chance to prove itself it's worth but I hear a lot of good things about the Flatline and If I am to buy one this summer I would like to do it really soon, Paintball season around here in Canada is drawing to a close (outdoors atleast, and Indoors isnt the same so I don't play).

Could anyone suggest what I do? Is the A-5 Flatline really a lot better then the 98 Flatline? ( I have a friend who has the setup and he has lots of problems but I hear things that say the A-5 Flatline is better made) If I bought the inserts (which I know theres something like 10 of them at 20$ - 30$ a pop) would my play be better?

Sorry if I'm a bit vague, I can give better discriptions of the field if you would like.

But I'm just wondering, what should I do? Does anyone have any GOOD review sites? I find I have to dig threw PBReview to find anything good.

Thanks for your time.

The A-5 Flatline is very compact and convenient, unlike the 98 Flatline.

I have a Freak and a Flatline, and I generally prefer the Flatline.  It is not as accurate as the Freak, but the ease of aiming (=point) makes up for that in my book.  In the woods I can shoot THROUGH bushes and trees, and in speedball I can engage targets at different ranges without adjusting.

There are times when the wider shot spread can be frustrating, but most of the time I am simply thankful for the flat trajectory.  The distance advantage isn't that big of a deal, but the flatness is huge.

Ultimately it is a matter of preference, but it sounds like you might be ready for a Flatline.

Good luck.

ac600ccer wrote: well first off if your firing thru trees,no barrel is going to help you cuz the ball will break.

Au contraire - With the Flatline, you simply need a straight sight line.  If there are no twigs in your way you can shoot.  With other barrels you have to see if there are twigs along your arced - non-straight - trajectory.

The Flatline WILL help you shoot through trees and bushes.  Absolutely no doubt about it.

So the Flatline really isn't as accurate as all thouse hyped up kiddies tell me it is. This really changes a few things. But Really, thank you for the advice from both of you; You've been really helpful.

Im contimplating buying a Flatline and keeping my Freak jr. and probably buying a few inserts close to the bore im looking for. Though the flat thing is the real thing I've alwaysed wanted out of my marker.

I also have a Spyder Esprit (that I lent my friend a long time ago and should get back, It has a broken circuit board I think. Not firing correclty. I should fix it up) I suppose I could stick my Freak Jr. on and switch guns every game or such.

But are there any more thoughts or comments, Links to reviews?

Any are appriciated.

*Edit*

So what you're saying is that the paintballs generally won't actually fire threw brush; It just seems that way because you don't need to arc?

Wow I keep learning every minute :)

Keegan Penney wrote: So what you're saying is that the paintballs generally won't actually fire threw brush; It just seems that way because you don't need to arc? Wow I keep learning every minute :)

Correct, it isn't like the paintball is going to break right through tree branches, it is going to break. It is much easier to shoot in the woods because you don't have to compinsate the arched trajectory.

Thanks, All this info has really helped me and making of my dicissiouns. I have to work all day tomorrow but hopefully I'll get around to the local shop before it closes and see if they have one in stock. Anyone else have any more views?

I guess I might aswell keep the Freak Jr. but I guess I will buy the Flatline for sure now aswell. Though I went down to my local retailer today on my lunch break. Turns out he's out to vacation and has closed the shop until the 8th (Not a smart move in the retail business, I know, Camera retailers son here.) So, I guess I'll have to wait for a few more days until I get my Flatline. Though I could order online, but I'd rather support the business.

But thanks everyone who's given advice, I'm taking it in like a spunge, but does anyone else have any more advice? I'm still all ears.

Your point is true, though locally I only have one shop that sells equipment (Thats not Wal-Mart or Canadian Tire (BTW: is there an American Tire?)). The next place would be in Halifax (an hour drive) and the only shop i've been to there was Banshee paintball, I saw a year and a half ago that their Flatlines (and a lot of other equipment) was way over priced.

But online would be nice, though I'd preferbly like it soon so I could get as much use out of it as I can while it's still Paintball season here. And I know sometimes with online purchases it takes a week or two to get here, though it won't be for anouther week until I could buy it here anyways.

But any more info on this barrel, suggestions/advice is really appirciated. Thanks

Also what kind of warrenty is on the Flatline, or is there one?

You don't really have to worry about the warrenty. If there is something wrong with it, just call Tippmann and they will help you fix it or they will send you another one.

I've been trying to figure the same thing out for a few days now. I've sort of got this crazy theory of how it stays flat (which is pretty obvious, atleast if your like a pilot or something of that nature). The backspin on the ball of course as were told, creates an aerodynamic wing, sort of like on an airplane. The ball is trying to rise as gravity pushes it down, this would sort of explain why balls tend to arc if your shooting with the marker and barrel sideways.

I feel like you just said that I all I did was expand apon it. I don't know exactly what you mean by straight trajectory. Do you mean straight as in flat or straight as in something else?

This is what they mean by flat trajectory: