First strike

[aaron66666]

Hi All

I am thinking about getting some first strike but I am wondering is it worth it and do a lot of people use them, I know that are more for seat back and sniping.


cheers

 

[Tom]

Hi All

I am thinking about getting some first strike but I am wondering is it worth it and do a lot of people use them, I know that are more for seat back and sniping.


cheers

There are few places that you can use them at the moment
In the US there have been issues with site insurance and in the U.K. it's been highlighted about their POTENTIAL legality (they are not deemed to be illegal or banned, but it has been considered within the ukpsf that they may not be 'frangible' and therefore could be found to be a problem if something happens)
You won't be able to use them on any ukpsf accredited site / event and a sites insurance or personal accident insurance may fail to cover you if something happened
There are sites and events that continue to allow first strike and a key magfed company in the U.K. is organising formal testing

On the viability of first strike, they are used by people for sitting back - however you don't need first strike to be a 'longballer' or for accuracy
They are consistent in size as the fin is solid rather than a filled gelatine ball, but at the price of first strike you can also get high end paintballs with consistency
The consistency makes the flight of the first stirke predictable. It does not fly in a perfectly straight line (it does fly straight before dropping off)
To get the best from first strike, as with any shooting, is to practice with it a lot.

If you have a dual feed system such as the dam with a magazine and a hopper then you can decide when to shoot standard paintballs and when to shoot first strike (though you have to decide one ball ahead before switching as the next ball is always fed as you shoot)

 

[aaron66666]

thanks tom, I didn't know about the legal side of it. so would you say its a "gimmick"

 

[Tom]

thanks tom, I didn't know about the legal side of it. so would you say its a "gimmick"

Not totally a gimmick. We have a guy who is a proper marksman / ex competitive shooter
He has put in the time and quite a few boxes, so he can deliver a first strike to problem player on the opposition

If people are just using it for long range so they can stay further back, or to be 'more sniper' then they are using the gimmick element
If using it to enhance your play then they have advantages / disadvantages

Don't totally rule them out, if you play a magfed event then they may be allowed and things will get clearer one way or another when the testing etc is done
But do avoid buying a box full and discovering you can't use them!


Other ways of getting some of the effects of a little extra range are backspin tricks of the Apex barrel, or just arcing by shooting upwards instead of straight ahead
(there's also a secret trick to allow you to fire arcing shots underneath trees as well, to some people it's obvious)

 

[aaron66666]

cheers, are you magfed player?

 

[Tom]

cheers, are you magfed player?

I identify more as a 'paintballer' rather than any specific form of paintball, primarily in scenario, but all paintball is fun

I have often played with magfed pistols, dye dam & a hammer, but as the fun of using those / limited paint rather than as the magfed category.


Technically I can't currently define myself as a paintball player as in the last 12 months I played for about half a day at the Ambush Xmas walkon last year, and about half an hour at paintfest this year.

I've either been photographing, running things or chilling in the atmosphere

 

[aaron66666]

I have been playing for a few years, trying a bit of everything to see which one I enjoy playing the most.

 

[Missy-Q]

you cant switch back and forth between paintballs and FS in the same gun/game. First strike will shoot 70fps hotter, so if your at 300 with your paint, your way too hot with your FS and will hurt people. The instances you read about/see online , where someones bleeding etc, are from people that failed to adjust velocities accordingly.

 

[Tom]

Up until the hold was put in place, in the U.K. Events were allowing dual paintball/first strike - but chronographed against the first strike
So for a 280fps event, switching back to paintballs would be in the region of 200fps

It should also be noted that a first strike maintains its velocity for more of its flight.
When a paintball is fired it drops velocity quicker.

If two players side by side were firing first strike and paintballs at 280fps then at a specific distance the fs will still be flying faster than the paintball

Add to that that a fs shell is 'tougher' than a paintball shell, and has a back piece then it will appear harder
Don't chrono properly or use a fs at close range then people can get hurt and grumpy

 

[aaron66666]

I have heard of it hurting people, I would never use FS at close range.