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98 custom or A-5?

Printed From: Tippmann Paintball
Category: Paintball Equipment
Forum Name: Which Gun is Best
Forum Description: Need Advice? Ask the pros.
URL: http://www.tippmannsports.com/forum/wwf77a/forum_posts.asp?TID=183856
Printed Date: 22 December 2024 at 4:33pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.04 - http://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: 98 custom or A-5?
Posted By: motoxdude218
Subject: 98 custom or A-5?
Date Posted: 07 December 2009 at 7:56pm
Hey guys, im new to paintball and im thinking about getting a new tippmann.  Should i get the 98 and get upgrades or get  the A-5.  Also, i was going to order it from dicks and was wondering if u knew if it (which ever marker i decide to get) came with a hopper and a tank? 

Thanks!



Replies:
Posted By: buhju1
Date Posted: 08 December 2009 at 1:34am
The 98/A5 power-pack comes with a hopper, a 9 oz CO2 tank and a mask.
The gun only option will have a hopper. 
I think you get a basic allen wrench kit and a barrel sleeve with both options too.

The 98 and A5 have very little difference in performance. The major difference between the two guns is the cyclone feeder. The A5 is also a little easier to maintain and take apart. 
Look into the Alpha Black paintball guns. They are 98s that look like M16's. They are cheaper too.

I love my 98. My first paintball purchase was a 98 Custom Power Pack in 2000. The durability of the 98 is unmatched. I left my 98 in the woods for about a week once. There was ants in it and the bolts were all rusted but it still works just fine. 


Posted By: motoxdude218
Date Posted: 08 December 2009 at 4:14pm
Ok thanks

I just got done looking at the Alpha black 98s and i would like to know if they chop paint easily? the regular 98 i was looking at has the act built in.  if the Alpha Black is known to not chop paint then ill probably go with that, but i would like to know because the few times ive been the paint chops bad on sum of the off brand names. (i know thats the problem with the no names but im just making sure so i dont waste my paintballs)


Posted By: motoxdude218
Date Posted: 08 December 2009 at 4:15pm
Originally posted by motoxdude218 motoxdude218 wrote:

Ok thanks

I just got done looking at the Alpha black 98s and i would like to know if they chop paint easily? the regular 98 i was looking at has the act built in.  if the Alpha Black is known to not chop paint then ill probably go with that, but i would like to know because the few times ive been the paint chops bad on sum of the off brand names. (i know thats the problem with the no names but im just making sure so i dont waste my paintballs)


Posted By: buhju1
Date Posted: 10 December 2009 at 2:57am
In my experience, the ACT has very little to do with your gun chopping. Chopping almost always has to do with the quality of your paint. Make sure you have good paintballs and you will almost never have a problem. The ACT is more about keeping your gun from jamming than preventing chops in my opinion.

A guy on my team has an Alpha Black with an e-grip and he hasn't had a problem with chopping. 

I don't believe the Alpha Black has the ACT but I'm not completely sure. It would be like the old 98's. The Alpha Black has the exact same internals as the 98. I had my 98 Custom for 9 years. I haven't had any problems with chopping. 


Posted By: oldpbnoob
Date Posted: 10 December 2009 at 11:46am

Just a quick warning on buying "power packs". 9 oz tanks are next to worthless and the masks that come with the packs are typically not very good. Spend the money on a good thermal mask and get a 20 oz CO2 tank.

If you get a good electronic hopper, or a cyclone, you won't have chopping issues with any of the Tippmann markers you have mentioned.


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"When I grow up I want to marry a rich man and live in a condor next to the beach" -- My 7yr old daughter.


Posted By: buhju1
Date Posted: 11 December 2009 at 1:43am
Originally posted by oldpbnoob oldpbnoob wrote:

Just a quick warning on buying "power packs". 9 oz tanks are next to worthless and the masks that come with the packs are typically not very good. Spend the money on a good thermal mask and get a 20 oz CO2 tank.

If you get a good electronic hopper, or a cyclone, you won't have chopping issues with any of the Tippmann markers you have mentioned.

9 oz CO2 tanks are cool. They are small, light, and... OK FINE, they aren't very good but c'mon, they aren't worthless. 

The regular Tippmann mask may not be the best but it is cheap and doesn't fog up. If you actually want a good mask you better get out the checkbook. A good mask is $70 or more. Some examples are the V-force Grillz, (which I own), the Empire E-vents, or anything made by Dye. 

If you want a good hopper, I would recommend the Invert Too. It's $70 and it keeps up with any other hopper on the market. The Invert Too is designed just like the Halo B. I personally have the Pinokio ($150). I got it because it holds 400 rounds and is very fast, durable, and reliable.


Posted By: oldpbnoob
Date Posted: 11 December 2009 at 8:18am

Unless you are playing pump or a 10 year old that needs the lighter weight, 9 oz tanks are pointless. And I will strongly disagree with you on the stock Tippmann mask. They fog like crazy. As mentioned, spend the extra money and buy a good thermal lense mask. Proto Switches and VForce profilers are about $60.00. Nothing is more aggravating on the field than having a fogged up mask. You can't shoot them if you can't see them.



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"When I grow up I want to marry a rich man and live in a condor next to the beach" -- My 7yr old daughter.


Posted By: mr 400
Date Posted: 11 December 2009 at 7:02pm
agreed with oldnoob. you get what you pay for especially with cheap entry level masks.  i would rather have all stock tippman with a gravity fed hopper and a good mask instead of the latest and greatest and not be able to see very well. but thats just me. some people do like to spray and pray and a fogged lens is no biggie lol! also as i have mentioned in other posts i have an ABT w/e-grip and a gravity fed hopper. other than a couple of shakes every once in a while i do quite fine. if money is no problem then get the cyclone and a good mask. if your budget is tight go with the mask first. and in my humble openion stock internals on my AB, x-7, 98, and a-5 have NEVER failed me. basic cleaning, lubing and good paint keeps things running very nicely.


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mr400


Posted By: Mr. Dr. Prof. Cade
Date Posted: 24 January 2010 at 9:07pm
                  Well the 98 was my first paintball gun I bought it used off a friend for $100 before I started high school which was a good 4 or 5 yrs ago and I got a good deal too and I have never been happier with it. It's a good simple reliable marker easy to clean too. But I also got a full cover mask,14oz tank & a $60 to $70 dollar barrel when I got mine plus I got a stock for it last year.


Posted By: Mack
Date Posted: 24 January 2010 at 9:24pm
Originally posted by buhju1 buhju1 wrote:

In my experience, the ACT has very little to do with your gun chopping.

ACT has nothing to do with your marker chopping, it has a lot to do with it not chopping.

Chopping almost always has to do with the quality of your paint.

Incorrect, chopping is almost always related to feeding problems.  Such problems are generally a result of either restrictions in the hopper or feedneck or trying to use a hopper that can't feed fast enough for the marker.  The only time paint quality leads to feeding problems is when it has been exposed to moisture so that it becomes either swollen or sticky.  (Both of which are something that experienced players can usually recognize before it goes in the hopper.)

Make sure you have good paintballs and you will almost never have a problem.

This is good advice.  Not necessarily to prevent chopping but because poor quality paint can do annoying stuff like not fly straight or not break when it impacts the target.  Both of which can really take the fun out of a day of paintball.

The ACT is more about keeping your gun from jamming than preventing chops in my opinion.

Your opinion would be wrong.  Its called Anti Chop Technology (ACT) for a reason.  While a chop can jam up a gun in certain situations they usually just cause a mess which includes paint in the barrel really messing with ones accuracy.

A guy on my team has an Alpha Black with an e-grip and he hasn't had a problem with chopping.

If he's using a hopper that can keep up with the E-Grip he shouldn't have a problem.

I don't believe the Alpha Black has the ACT but I'm not completely sure.

It doesn't.

It would be like the old 98's. The Alpha Black has the exact same internals as the 98.

No, it has similar internals that operate on the same basic principals.  There are sufficient differences that some parts are not interchangeable.

I had my 98 Custom for 9 years. I haven't had any problems with chopping.

Ditto . . . and I've never needed a hopper more advanced than a 12 volt Revvy or a Ricochet AK.


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Posted By: BDogg
Date Posted: 25 January 2010 at 8:22pm

The Alpha does not come with ACT, but it can be added very easily for around $30. It is probably one of the best upgrades for it. It will help with chop. I run the Alpha with ACT and every other upgrade out there. The Alpha is a nice gun. Fun to use and looks cool out of the box.

Also the internal parts in the Alpha are identical with the same part numbers as the 98 custom. And the only difference to the 98 Platinum is the power tube. The only thing you can’t carry over from either 98 is the response trigger without some big mods. External parts are a different story. You can get the Cyclone and some cosmetic stuff, but you can’t get the double trigger or the rocket cock.

With that said, I am actually going to trade up to the A-5. I like the idea of being able to field strip it in 30 seconds if there is a problem. And the H.E. grip is nice. Also there are a ton of mods and upgrades for the A-5. If you are thinking of a 98 or Alpha with a cyclone, get the A-5 which comes out to pretty close to the same price and the A-5 comes with the Cyclone standard.

Here's a good write up on the differences
http://tippmannparts.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/paintball-gun-review-tippmann-a-5-vs-tippmann-98-series/ - http://tippmannparts.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/paintball-gun-review-tippmann-a-5-vs-tippmann-98-series/


Posted By: gunsn88
Date Posted: 26 January 2011 at 1:08pm
i have aproject salvo wich is build just like the alpha black, i installed a ACT in it and its amazing, i also have a aluminum power tube and an TIPPMANN VENTURI STAR ALUMINUM BOLT plus a medium spring kit, all from rap4, my guns works pretty darn good.

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Slip To The Void


Posted By: oldpbnoob
Date Posted: 26 January 2011 at 1:12pm
Upgraded internals are not necessary and in some cases can actually cause issues. There are no proven benefits or performance increases other than fattening the vendors wallets with such "upgrades".

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"When I grow up I want to marry a rich man and live in a condor next to the beach" -- My 7yr old daughter.


Posted By: gunsn88
Date Posted: 26 January 2011 at 1:31pm
i do have a question about my aluminum bolt though, it might be the o ring on the front but whent i dry shoot it with out air it sounds silenced, but when i take the barrel off it sounds how it should, it shoots great, but im just wundering

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Slip To The Void


Posted By: Armitage
Date Posted: 30 January 2011 at 5:27pm
A5 does never meet the technical correctness that is needed in paintball!
ballnbreaks, airleaks around the tombstone and a hundreds of more issues.

go and get a nice sport marker. tippmann is cheap and buggy.

got my a5 three weeks ago, leaks air, ballbreaks, waaaay too expensive for such a stressy gun.
will sell it for 50% off to get it out of my sight after tippmann repaired that piece of crap.

done with tippmann. forever!


Posted By: Famous14
Date Posted: 01 March 2011 at 2:35pm
The entry level power pack masks suck!!!!!! I have one and they fog like crazy. I played for 15 minutes and it was completely fogged up. I personally am gonna buy one next week after using it five times. Also, get a HPA tank if you can afford it. It uses air faster but is way more reliable.

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https://sites.google.com/site/nochoppaintball/home/DSC05109.JPG?attredirects=0


Posted By: Famous14
Date Posted: 01 March 2011 at 2:42pm
Armitage! It was probalby the cheap crappy paint you probably bought. I dont care if it was Marbalizer paint! Freshness is huge factor. Or you were just one of the few buyers that got a malfunctioning gun. Usually tippmanns never do what you complained about so shut up and don't loose hope right away and have a period all over the page!!!!!!!!!

JK but still have some faith in Tippmann, you just got the luck of the draw put against your favor.


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https://sites.google.com/site/nochoppaintball/home/DSC05109.JPG?attredirects=0


Posted By: Famous14
Date Posted: 01 March 2011 at 2:45pm
Gunsn88, that's because most of the noise is traveling down the barrel. Hence why when you took it off it sounded like it should. When you have air in it, the air is forcing the bolt at a higher speed than without which is why it sounds the way it does.

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https://sites.google.com/site/nochoppaintball/home/DSC05109.JPG?attredirects=0


Posted By: tacogood
Date Posted: 06 April 2011 at 11:02am
A5 is my favorite tippmann.  I have a hard time breaking it (not that ive tried or anything)  98C is much bigger than the a5.  I held my friends 98 after i held my a5 and it almost seemed like it was hard to get my hand around the grip.  just get the a5 it has better upgrades and an be easily taken apart and reassembled.

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Its not that i think stuipidity should be punishable by death, i just think we should take the warning labels off of things and let the problem handle itself.


Posted By: Yequan
Date Posted: 01 June 2011 at 10:19pm
Chopping paint is almost always associated with quality. Make sure you have a good color, you almost never a problem. Blocks to prevent interference with the law than I think your gun cut.


Posted By: JIMMY1988D
Date Posted: 06 September 2011 at 5:27am
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Posted By: kindy
Date Posted: 23 September 2011 at 6:30am
I don't believe the Alpha Black has the ACT but I'm not completely sure. It would be like the old 98's. The Alpha Black has the exact same internals as the 98. I had my 98 Custom for 9 years. I haven't had any problems with chopping. 
The regular Tippmann mask may not be the best but it is cheap and doesn't fog up. If you actually want a good mask you better get out the checkbook. A good mask is $70 or more. Some examples are the V-force Grillz, (which I own), the Empire E-vents, or anything made by Dye. 


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