Advice on Flatline vs. 18’’Sniper Barrels
Printed From: Tippmann Paintball
Category: Paintball Equipment
Forum Name: Upgrades and Customizing
Forum Description: Trick it out!
URL: http://www.tippmannsports.com/forum/wwf77a/forum_posts.asp?TID=141412
Printed Date: 10 February 2026 at 2:21am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.04 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Advice on Flatline vs. 18’’Sniper Barrels
Posted By: JamMasterJ
Subject: Advice on Flatline vs. 18’’Sniper Barrels
Date Posted: 08 September 2005 at 1:16am
I've just bought an A-5 and would like to upgrade my barrel. I've heard the Flatline is good for accuracy and range. However it doesn't fare well cosmetically and I've heard of range accuracy issues. 
I haven't seen as many reviews for the 18'' interceptor sniper barrel and was wondering what anyone here thinks of the genuine sniper barrels 14-18 inch. I've heard they are accurate with an average range of 150 feet and can be combined with some kewl shrouds to look like real firearms. So how does it compair? Thanks for your advice. I appreciate it. 
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Replies:
Posted By: RedLion56
Date Posted: 08 September 2005 at 9:21am
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Flatline will have more range but will not be as accurate if you want a accurate barrell then get a lapco bigshot 12" which most people reccomend and think that it's the most accurate barrell in the world.As for the tippy works barrell on the pic DON'T get that it's rubbish compared to other barrells for the same price.You might think that the longer the barrell the longer raneg an greater accuraccy but that is NOT the case (BELIEVE ME before you make a mistake and buy a crap barrell) the lapco bigshot is probably the most accurate barrell in the world and it costs around $40-$50 USD or £30-£40 UKP ------------- A5 12"Bigshot Pure energy 20ozCo2x2/AntiSyphon 32 degrees Black X_chamber Pen spring mod Polished Internals |
Posted By: Sargent Duck
Date Posted: 08 September 2005 at 10:57am
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There is no such thing as a sniper. Pretty much what RedLion said. The
Flatline does give more distance, but it's not very accurate. Get a
Lapco, or J&J Ceramic, or a teardrop/AA.
------------- Ref: I want a nice clean game player: but it's paintball! |
Posted By: whack-a-mole
Date Posted: 08 September 2005 at 1:52pm
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Get the Lapco. The J&J is good too. ------------- NASA and the Americans spent millions of dollars and hundreds of hours to develop a pen that would write in space.....The Russians used a pencil. |
Posted By: rossy11223
Date Posted: 08 September 2005 at 3:12pm
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The Tippmann "sniper" barrel as the call it, is just a longer stock barrel. |
Posted By: SuzukiRider987
Date Posted: 08 September 2005 at 3:53pm
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Get a 12/14" Bigshot. Best bang for the buck. ------------- http://www.macdev.net - MacDev Militia http://www.alienpb.com - Alien - Because winning is more fun. |
Posted By: pooperscooper
Date Posted: 08 September 2005 at 4:28pm
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I have no expirience with the Bigshot, but I have a Warped Sportz Lucky 15 and my gun is fairly accurate. ------------- Chuck Norris doesnt read books, he stares them down untill he gets the information he wants. |
Posted By: bluemunky42
Date Posted: 08 September 2005 at 7:58pm
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good god...if you get an 18" barrel...just go home. ------------- 
http://www.freewebs.com/hazedinsanity - http://www.freewebs.com/hazedinsanity |
Posted By: You Wont See Me
Date Posted: 08 September 2005 at 8:19pm
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Length of the barrel does not affect accuracy or range after around 6-7". Get the flatline. |
Posted By: JamMasterJ
Date Posted: 09 September 2005 at 1:43am
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This is link to the rifle I was thinking about.
http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.322764/sc.14/category.834/.f - http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.322764/sc.14/category.83 4/.f Thanks everyone for your advice. I wanted to see if the flatline is all its cut out to be. I guess the Bigshot or J&J is a good choice. Thanks again!!! :) |
Posted By: Halo
Date Posted: 10 September 2005 at 1:43am
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A very nice looking scenario gun, but no more accurate than any other.
Okay, I use and have used various barrels and lengths. 16" Armson Stealth, 18" Empire Barrel Kit, 14" Dye Excel, 21" Thunder Pig, and now the FLat Line. Now as anyone that has played for any length of time will tell you a 21" shoots the same distance as an 8 inch barrel. Accuracy is all about barrel to paint match. A longer barrel just uses more air per shot. A general rule, is that 12-14" is as long as you want your barrel. The Flat Line shoots futher. But it can be picky on paint and weather plays into it a bit. It doesnt really like the damp and cold that much. Now with that said, the Flat Line's draw backs can be minimized by doing a few things. 1. use the correct paint. It needs small bore paint, like Marbilizers and Pro Ball. It also needs a good shelled paint. Clean paint is also important, no busted paint balls. 2. set the velocity up correctly. Most people see successfull results with the Flat Line from around 250 to 270 fps, some people go a little higher but mostly 250 to 270 or so. You just cant jack the velocity up to 280 and go for it. You have to play around with it a bit. 3. And you have to keep the gun straight up/level when you shoot it. Having it leaned over the slightest bit, will make you shots curve all over the place. This is a big reason for it's inaccuracy issue. Now if your paint is dimmpled or dirty, this also plays in to it. It takes a little bit of time to set up and get it working right for you. It isnt just a slap on barrel and go. Trust me, I found out the hard way, on that one. My first go with the FL was a disaster. I only played a third of the scenario and had to go to my back up marker. ------------- Halo CDPaintbal.com One of the oldest running scenario fields in the southeast. |
Posted By: Dead_George52
Date Posted: 10 September 2005 at 1:50am
| Iv got a 14 inch Progressive, it does just fine for me. |
Posted By: untouchable 98c
Date Posted: 27 September 2005 at 6:19pm
| Is it possible to put an A-5 flatline on a 98 custom without modificaton? |
Posted By: Mehs
Date Posted: 27 September 2005 at 6:58pm
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No, you'd have to modify it a lot for it to fit, just buy a 98 custom flatline.
------------- [IMG]http://i27.tinypic.com/1538fbc.jpg"> Squeeze Box ☣ |
Posted By: Cheetos3254
Date Posted: 27 September 2005 at 7:45pm
| Dont get the "sniper" barrel. Get the flatline for increased arange and accuracy. But if you decide to get something else dont get a 18" at the most get a 14" anything longer will just use up your air more quickly. Remember just because a barrel is longer doesnt mean that it gives you more range. It gives you better accuracy. The only way you can get more range is if you get the apex barrel, or the flatline or if you turn the velocity up. But dont go past 300fps most fields only allow 280fps |
Posted By: You Wont See Me
Date Posted: 27 September 2005 at 8:11pm
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Sniper barrels do not work. Barrel length has nothing to do with accuracy or range. |
Posted By: untouchable 98c
Date Posted: 27 September 2005 at 8:17pm
I don't like the 98c flatline barrel looks.  ------------- YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CANT HIDE!!! |
Posted By: ninety8freak
Date Posted: 27 September 2005 at 9:24pm
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untouchable 98c wrote:Posted By: County
Date Posted: 27 September 2005 at 10:09pm
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Whether or not the flatline is right for you, we can't say. Some people love it, some hate it.
However, I can say for certain that you do NOT want an 18" barrel. Any barrel that long will do nothing except increase the amount of friction on the ball and cause an increase in barrel breaks. As mentioned above, you can't beat a Lapco Bigshot. ------------- http://www.EZOfficePool.com - Free NXL and NPPL Office Pools, pw: 'gogged' http://www.CountySports.com/shop/news.php - Newsletter - Coupons |
Posted By: Halo
Date Posted: 28 September 2005 at 2:34am
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I stil use my 18 inch Empire kit. Very accurate, but it uses a little more air. And it can be a pain trying to get through trees and vines and stuff in the woods.
It would be great for Airball. ------------- Halo CDPaintbal.com One of the oldest running scenario fields in the southeast. |
Posted By: Bruce A. Frank
Date Posted: 28 September 2005 at 12:22pm
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First let's get rid of some of the wives' tales. I would guess that claims of Flatline inaccuracy come from people not holding the marker the same shot after shot. Off a bench rest (just like sighting in a firearm) with sand bags used to support and maintain exact position the Flatline will shoot a 6 inch group at 150 ft. Let it tilt to the side ever so slightly so the spin starts to effect side to side disbursement of the paint and the group can open up to 3 feet at the same range. Longer standard smooth bore barrels do not increase range, BUT with proper port design can reduce muzzle noise dramatically in Tippmanns. I have switched back and forth between the Flatline, a 17" Stone Cold II and a 12 inch Hammerhead Pro. Number of shots per fill was about the same. I could find nothing to indicate that longer barrels are gas hogs. Acceleration of the paintball takes place in the first 6 to 8 inches of barrel. It is hard to see how a longer barrel that is polished on the inside would significantly slow the ball. The implication has been that the longer barrel requires more gas to keep the ball velocity up for its time of flight through that longer barrel. There is another advantage to a longer barrel. Though most of us do not really use the sights, the longer sight radius of a long barrel make on-target instinctive shooting easier for most people. Some of the most accurate shots I have ever seen were from barrels that had a 3 ft long piece of plastic water pipe slipped over a stock barrel. The plastic pipe was dramatically oversize for the ball diameter, so analysis by most people was that the long sight radius aided in on-target shooting. |
Posted By: Scotchbroth
Date Posted: 28 September 2005 at 12:52pm
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Flatlines are the way to go! I find them dead accurate and the advantage of that added range is phenomenal. Although i would say that you need to get used to the barrel and practice with it for best results. ------------- 
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Posted By: Intowishin.net
Date Posted: 28 September 2005 at 1:31pm
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nothing beats the flatline. let me tell you my experience. my first marker was a torridx, which shoots 20 bps. after getting in a shootout with someone on the other team who had a flatline (and losing miserably), i made the decision to purchase a tippmann with a flatline. i picked one up with a response and i added the low-pressure kit for compressed air. now, everyone i play with fears my marker. i shoot further than anyone else and more accurately at the further distances (because i do not have to arch my marker to get there). here is an example of when/why the flatline is the best barrel. we decided to play a game of center flag. my team was comprised of all tippmanns with flatlines, while the other team had only one flatline. we were able to push the other team back far enough that they couldn't hit us with their markers and capture the flag. the extra distance means the difference between winning and losing EVERY time. ------------- 98 custom Apex AK-47 Barrel SUPER response trigger |
Posted By: Bruce A. Frank
Date Posted: 29 September 2005 at 10:55am
| BUT, if you have yet to buy the barrel and like the Flatline, take a good look at the Apex! |
Posted By: Scotchbroth
Date Posted: 29 September 2005 at 2:26pm
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do you think 18" of ugly sticking out the front of your marker fares well cosmetically? -------------
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Posted By: darkmaster
Date Posted: 09 October 2005 at 5:23pm
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Most people must play in small fields, Because for me the added range of the flatline was devastating to my oponents. And even if it was half as accurate as it is ( which is pretty mailto:!@#$ - !@#$ good) I would still use it. Maybe i just play on huge fields comparatively ------------- Dopa mi la tempesta (After me, The storm) |