A5 Vs ION

[Strawb]

I've had got/both and have to say that an A5 with flatline shoots farther than anything else i've seen/used.
I did have a demo from someone with an Apex barrel and was really dissapointed with the results compared to the flatline. Seemed very inacurate and had nothing like the flat trajectory of a flatline. It may have been the paint, the marker or the barrel but on that day there was no comparison.

You mention a palmer reg and if you use Co2 then their's nothing better but if your using HPA then any decent reg will be fine.

What you need to understand with a flatline is that your spinning the ball so unless the ball is very round, there is no wind, your velocity is consistant and your holding the marker dead upright then you'll have no chance of hitting anything you point at.
Under the right conditions with good paint you'll be able to hit things out of range to anyone else especially when shooting under branches which prevent a lob shot.

As for the ion, their a resonable entry/mid range tourney marker with great speed and consistancy for the price.
But the build quality is pretty shocking.

 

[Trems]

Anyone looking to buy a gun should consider waiting a month or two when the Eteck will inevitably be gracing the classifieds...

Those things are what, £400 new? second hand with a few tournies worth of paint through you'll probably pick a std one up for 250-300 notes....

Thats alot of gun for not alot of quids....think about it.

 

[yngndrw]

Well I'm on HPA and I use cheapish paint, so I guess there's not an aweful lot of useful upgrades that I can do with my A5 in that case, unless I get better paint and the weather starts being perfect.

But the build quality is pretty shocking.

Hmm, that is something I havn't heard before. Can you explain why please ?

Cheers.

Edit:

Anyone looking to buy a gun should consider waiting a month or two when the Eteck will inevitably be gracing the classifieds...

Those things are what, £400 new? second hand with a few tournies worth of paint through you'll probably pick a std one up for 250-300 notes....

Thats alot of gun for not alot of quids....think about it.

Well, it's all about funding mate. I don't think even in a few months I'll be able to get that kind of cash.

 

[Strawb]

My comment on build quality is based on seing a few boards with buttons breaking/falling off, the LED falling off one.
Having to repair stripped threads on a ex-team mates ION's, yes he broke 2 of them .

My first ion had about a 10% chance of working after re'assembly, for some unknown reason it would either refuse to turn on or randomly rurn off. After taking the frame off and back on several times it would work without fault until the next time a took it apart to grease the bolt and i'd have the same issue getting it working again.

Then there was the time when i grabbed my ion (backup marker at the time) out of my kitbag for a mate who was having issues with his ion (stripped feedneck threads) and he couldn't get it working, when i took it apart later the trigger had snapped. Not the part you pull but inside the marker where the magnet locates.

They also seem to have a few issues with air leaks on the internal hoses.

And before anyone starts i'm NOT an ION hater, i'm now shooting one as my primary(although it's built entirely out of aftermarket and custom made parts) and have sold my EGO which was never being used.


edit* Just to add, i think the main reason for ion's breaking so often it the fact that they require a complete strip down to lube the bolt, this is where high end markers come into their own.

 

[yngndrw]

Well, that's food for though. If an ION can hold it's own untill I get some money to upgrade, that would be fine. Electronics wise I can solder so I'd have no problems fixing that.

Airlines and triggers can be replaced with better aftermarket ones, so that is not a problem as long as they last a while untill I get some money.

The only thing that worries me with the issues that you just said are the stripped threads.

Where did they strip ?

I'm unsure now, do you have any problems with your rebuild / upped ION ?

Cheers.

 

[Strawb]

The stripped threads were where the bajo (air hose) fitting screws into the frame, due to the design it has to be removed every time you want to lube the bolt.
I've had no unexpected issues with mine, except for a duff reg which isn't from smart parts anyway. Mine is however a completly different beast to a normal ion so i don't need to take it apart to lube the bolt.
It's also a work in progress but is perfectly usable (apart from the reg ).

 

[Trems]

show them some pics steve, show them some pics!!!

(its awesome!)

 

[Game]

Well as I said - I'm limited by funding. This has started off from an £80 flatline and has gone upto a £135 ION and a £35 Q-Lock. I can't really afford anymore, infact I'm not sure if I can afford that yet, I'll have to see.

for that sort of money you can pick up a nice 2nd hand cocker/angel

 

[yngndrw]

Ah okay, it gives me something to be careful about. Can we see some pics of your modified ION please ?

for that sort of money you can pick up a nice 2nd hand cocker/angel

Well I found a second hand ION for £110, which is closer to my price range. I also need to buy a new mask and some other stuff. (I'm not happy with my JT nVader, it keeps slipping down my face. )

Edit: Where can I get the grease that IONs need ? I havn't found anywhere upto now.

Cheers.

 

[Strawb]

show them some pics steve, show them some pics!!!

(its awesome!)

LOL

Vid is from a while ago, it shoots a lot better now (I know it's slow but that's my slow ass fingers for you)
WMV/Windows Media Format:
http://media.putfile.com/EION-23

MP4/Quicktime/iPod Video Format:
http://media.putfile.com/EION-iPod-Video

Still got the rear to sort out and improve the air hoses inside.

It's an 05 EGO star frame, lucky stage 2 and 3, lucky eyes, firebolt, NDZ feedneck, trinity asa, SP 360 QEV, orange detents, lucky ego board and DM5 virtue chip.
The tray and vertical adapter are custom made for it.

The only stock bits are one banjo fitting(the one on top of the doughnut) which is going to be replaced by something when i get round to it and the solenoid's stock.

Thread that shows a bit more on PBNation:
http://www.pbnation.com/showthread.php?t=1603167