Best Barrel for 98C?
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=187880
Printed Date: 20 August 2025 at 5:06am
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Topic: Best Barrel for 98C?
Posted By: WhiteWolf828
Subject: Best Barrel for 98C?
Date Posted: 06 March 2011 at 11:14pm
| Okk so I just got a new 98 Custom and Its a great gun. Ive been wanting to do a couple upgrades to it, main one being a new barrel. Buuuuut Im stuck on several different barrels to choose from. The idea I kinda I want is a gun that aint a mega far-shooting sniper but has the ability to shoot far and be hella-accurate(and somewhere around 14"-16" and around $50). Which barrel do you think can help me achieve this? Right now Im thinking about the 98 Flatline Barrel, 98 Sniper 14" barrel, and the 98 Sniper 16" barrel. I know theres alot more but these are the main three Im looking at. Please help me find the right one! |
Replies:
Posted By: jerseypaint
Date Posted: 07 March 2011 at 9:42am
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Go for a 12" or 14" Lapco Bigshot or JJ Ceramic, but note that there is little difference in performance between barrel sizes 12-16". I would go with a 12" since it has a lower profile.
And Sniper barrels are a load of crock. ------------- 
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Posted By: FreeEnterprise
Date Posted: 07 March 2011 at 10:04am
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------------- They tremble at my name... 
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Posted By: SSOK
Date Posted: 07 March 2011 at 12:34pm
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+2 for Jerseypaint. ------------- 
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Posted By: WhiteWolf828
Date Posted: 07 March 2011 at 8:58pm
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Okk soo the price definitly won me, both sound very promising and the reviews sounded awsome too. im still leaning towared the 14" barrels but now im stuck on these two(three couse now im thinking bout the Lapco BigShot Assoult barrel). Whats the difference between the JJ and the BigShot barrels? Which one is smoother and more accurate? And Is there any Differance/gains between the normal BigShot and the Assault version? Heres where I found it. (and thanks for the recomendations!)
http://www.hustlepaintball.com/Lapco-BigShot-Assault-14-inch-0-687-Tippmann-98-p/24271407.htm - http://www.hustlepaintball.com/Lapco-BigShot-Assault-14-inch-0-687-Tippmann-98-p/24271407.htm
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Posted By: FreeEnterprise
Date Posted: 08 March 2011 at 8:57am
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Seriously, buy an apex 2. It is way better than any normal barrel.
Paintballs are not round, no matter what paint you buy, all of them have imperfections. (slap a micrometer on the best paintball, and you will see what I mean).
Because of this, no matter how polished your barrel is, or how accurate your barrel is to your paint, they all will shoot with an arch.
going up and coming down, in a short distance... So the differences between traditional barrels is minimal. (and I have used a ton).
You want to buy a barrel that ads spin to the paintball. The apex and flatline are the only two that do this.
The reason you want this is because the spin on the ball will help negate the inconsistancies in the paint as a bump on a paintball flying through the air shot from a traditional barrel will be affected by that bump. But, if you spin that same paintball with the bump in it, the affects of that bump will be much less noticable as the spinning will even out the flight path. We are shooting paint that is huge, with relatively low speeds, so any inconsistancy in paint makes a HUGE difference in accuracy. My experience with a flatline showed me that the little bumps inside the barrel that help create the top spin are very hard on paint, and if you break a paintball then you are stuck trying to clean your barrel, not something easy to do with a flatline. In the cold, everything is worse. Plus the rubber inside the barrel wears out after so many shots.
And you can't turn off the flatline. It is the same amount of ramp all the time.
Next is the Apex or Apex 2. which is a traditional barrel .710 down to .690 at the end where the tip is located. This tip creates a backspin, which just like in ping pong, when you add backspin to the ball, it will sail much further in the air. I can shoot consistantly at 325 feet with the apex 1 fully ramped. A distance that regular barrels can't touch.
Plus that spinning will even out the inconsistancies in paint, helping your accuracy.
So if you want accuracy, and ability to shoot far, as well as around or over obsticles. Then you should buy an Apex. Then find paint that works well with your barrel, as they are all different. Even from box to box, based on the age of the paint, the way it was stored, and the temperature of the paint.
http://www.empirepaintball.com/battle-tested-woodsball/empire-battle-tested-apex2-14/ - http://www.empirepaintball.com/battle-tested-woodsball/empire-battle-tested-apex2-14/
with the model 98 threads for your custom.
------------- They tremble at my name...
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Posted By: Reb Cpl
Date Posted: 08 March 2011 at 10:09am
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At the normal shooting distance of a paintball, the average imperfections on a ball at its maximum (allowed) velocity don't really matter. If they did, the game would have failed a long time ago, or straight barrels would have been scrapped in favor of pricier pieces like the Flatline or APEX. I've been using a J&J ceramic on my markers since I started playing. I've had NO trouble with it despite the fact that it doesn't 'spin' or 'curve' the balls. Its a great barrel, and extremely affordable, and right out of the box without having to jerk around with any adjustments or gizmos, it'll be about as accurate as you need it to be given normal and realistic shooting conditions. I think of it this way. If I'm shooting far enough away that my current barrel isn't doing the job- I'm wasting paint on a shot that even if landed- may lack the velocity needed for a break. I can't think of a single instance in the decade I've been paintballing where I've been 'picked off' by someone using a barrel like the flatline or apex at a range where I couldn't get him back with my ceramic. Are they nice? Sure, if that's your cup of tea. Are they worth it? I've never thought so. ------------- ? |
Posted By: jerseypaint
Date Posted: 08 March 2011 at 1:55pm
The assault just has fancy tip to make your marker look more mil-slim from what I can tell. No performance difference between the regular Bigshot or Assault. Between the JJ and BigShot, the only real difference is JJs are better at shooting through breaks. I've heard some say that BigShots have a better ability to shoot more types of paint, as in you can pretty much shoot any paint size through the barrel, but that could just be hype from people loving their barrels a little too much. Other than that they both shoot great and I can guarantee you won't be disappointed with either. Just figure out which one you like the looks of better (I went the BigShot route a few years back). -------------
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WhiteWolf828 wrote:Posted By: WhiteWolf828
Date Posted: 08 March 2011 at 8:30pm
| Thanks man(and everyone else for the help). That dude above me got me thinking about those Apex barrels but then I stopped when it started talking bout buying better paintballs and stuff. Im only gonna buy walmart balls since our local shop closed down, and it looks to complicated for my begginer mind. So yeah choose by looks, and Im guessing Ima go with the BigShot becouse it looks like a bit of a supresser at the end :P so thanks! |
Posted By: FreeEnterprise
Date Posted: 10 March 2011 at 8:38am
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No problem, when you get tired of the balls flying this way and that... Then you can get an Apex too. Many people doubt the difference an Apex brings, as they haven't used them and think they are gimmicky.
Then they play a game where accuracy matters, and they face someone with an apex. They get shot out, right away and then order an apex for themselves.
It really changes your game. Proof is in the video.
And I buy my paint from from a big box store as well, Dick's sporting goods. Xball Scenario woodsball camo paint $39.99 a case. ------------- They tremble at my name...
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Posted By: jerseypaint
Date Posted: 10 March 2011 at 3:06pm
First: Stop being butt hurt Second: He bought a BigShot, his balls will not be "flying this way and that". Third: The Apex is gimmicky. A scenario in which an Apex will prove useful over other barrels is rare; rare enough that it doesn't constitute buying one. Just because you have one doesn't make it the best. The guy was thankful for your opinion but went another way, so you can stop hassling him/shamelessly promoting your gear. -------------
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Posted By: Reb Cpl
Date Posted: 11 March 2011 at 3:07pm
That about says it. "A game where accuracy matters?" What does that mean? Whose ever walked onto a field and is told, "Don't worry guys, accuracy doesn't matter this round." haha. You've basically said that any barrel that ISNT an APEX is a piece of junk. Well, you're mistaken of course. 10 years playing this game of ours and I've never been beaten by a barrel. ------------- ? |
Posted By: hybrid-sniper
Date Posted: 13 March 2011 at 1:20am
| Bigshots are amazing. End of story. |
Posted By: Ceesman762
Date Posted: 14 March 2011 at 12:26pm
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Other barrel considerations: Proto and Smart parts (if you can find them). ------------- Innocence proves nothing FUAC!!!!! |
Posted By: ordep
Date Posted: 15 March 2011 at 2:01am
| i just got the flatline barrell and is a big diffrence in distance, it seem to go straighter for far longer than with my 14 cp barrel i recomended flatline $79 |
Posted By: Reb Cpl
Date Posted: 15 March 2011 at 12:14pm
Indeed they do, but the velocity they're leaving the barrel is exactly the same as that of a straight barrel. They may go further, but they've lost effective velocity by the time they get out that far. I've seen those long balls shot from flatlines merely bounce off players more times than I can count. They'll always break on wooden targets, which is what the tests are all done with, but on softer targets, your chances for breakage is dropped dramatically. They're not USELESS by any means, but personally I'd rather not trade added range for decreased effectiveness due to loss of velocity at increased distance. ------------- ? |
Posted By: Daemien
Date Posted: 15 March 2011 at 1:54pm
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This is useful to me as I'm getting a Carver One, Just about the same as a 98C, the only thing I'm wondering about is maybe upgrading the barrel to a 16 inch Straightline barrel. From what I've seen it looks like a decent barrel plus it's rifled. |
Posted By: jerseypaint
Date Posted: 15 March 2011 at 8:59pm
Rifling on paintball barrels does absolutely nothing to the paintball. Also 16" is a little big; something most don't notice until they're playing and they keep hitting the tip of your barrel on obstacles when ducking back in. -------------
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Posted By: ordep
Date Posted: 15 March 2011 at 11:27pm
| i think i heard somebody say rifling makes the barrelquiet i wouldnt go no bigger than 14 inches though on lenght |
Posted By: Spider287
Date Posted: 21 March 2011 at 6:04pm
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I'm in a bit of a spot with this decision too. I've been looking at barrels of all kinds, and I just can't seem to find enough information to make a good choice. I have a 98 Custom Pro (with the double trigger and 11" barrel). I've pretty much narrowed the size down to 14", but I still have questions. I'm looking at a Bigshot and the 14" Apex 2. Would there really be that much of a difference between the two if the Apex is switched off? They'd both be straight 14" barrels at that point. My goal isn't really to have incredible range. I just want good accuracy at medium range so I can confidently pick people off through windows rather than spray paint and hope that one of the balls decides to go through the window when his head is sticking out. I figured that if there isn't really that much of a difference between a switched off Apex and a Bigshot (or some other solid-piece 14" barrel) that I'd go with the Apex just so I have it should I ever decide to go for a shot around the corner or something.
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Posted By: stevemastema
Date Posted: 17 April 2011 at 2:01pm
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Honestly whatever you do don't get a 16" or higher! they may look cool and stuff but when you'll be out in the field you'll regret it... i played with 16" Trinity Tactical barrel and i always smacked it on things... not only that but in close quarter fights it'll make you slow because you don't want to hit it on things. if you're going to be a "sniper" you'll still have to be able to move efficiently because the best range for being accurate, no matter what the barrel, will be 70 ft. to 150 ft. that's not too far and people will still be able to tag you as well. so... I think the JJ ceramic 14" is your best bet.... accurate and affordable... |
Posted By: keckhanded
Date Posted: 21 April 2011 at 7:11pm
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im new to all this i recently bought a 98 second hand with a smart parts 14" teardrop barrel. I noticed no improvement over the stock one. In fact it seemed the balls weren't breaking on the target. It was then I realized the muzzle velocity is the same so all the longer barrel is doing is slowing down the ball. IMHO! ------------- Tree Hugging Dirt Worshipper! "certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of a man and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter" E H |
Posted By: keckhanded
Date Posted: 21 April 2011 at 7:17pm
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Whoops if the velocity is the same there's no slowing. what I meant was it seemed with velocity at a constant the longer barrel did'nt seem to be an improvement on distance, accuracy or breaking on target. ------------- Tree Hugging Dirt Worshipper! "certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of a man and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter" E H |
Posted By: JEFFERSON STATE
Date Posted: 26 December 2013 at 6:55pm
After watching the reaper's first vid on the thread, i would have to conclude that the Apex, while surpassing the other barrels tested, just doesn't show enough performance past the smart parts barrel. Granted, anything is better than stock, but at 170, it was simply 2 shots better than the rest. A small enough margin to be shooter luck or error. I would also conclude that I love being a Trails of Doom subscriber and that he has a lot of talent and knowledge. And his equipment works splendidly for him. But theres just enough room after testing for any decent barrel to pass the finish line first.  ------------- FLATLINED TIPPMANN A-5 FACTORY TIPPMANN A-5 SPYDER VICTOR II SPYDER AMG LCD PMI PIRANHA WARSENSOR WSF MY PRIMARY: TIPPMANN US ARMY ALPHA BLACK ELITE W/ E-TRIGGER AND VIEWLOADER ROTO-HOP. |
Posted By: Jairman
Date Posted: 26 December 2013 at 11:37pm
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I have a flatline on my 98 custom I really like it, it is accurate and really does add some extra range, the only downside, is that you can really adjust the curve of the ball like an apex 2, but its still a great barrel and i would highly recommend it, just make sure you screw it in all the way because i didn't and add some big ball explosions. :) ------------- Living life at 15 balls per second! |