Is .68 cal on the way out?

[onasilverbike]

Having witnessed the .50 GI Millsim show at Cup I have one or two hesitations on the subject.

The size and weight of the markers is reduced from the current .68s we are used to, will this lead to an unstable firing platform, the mass and bulk of the set-up being too small to hold firmly enough for an accurate shot?

The amount of associated equipment that individual players will need to change to fall in line with .50. This not only includes the equipment associated with a .50 marker but some things many might not have thought of, goggles for instance.

We took a bag of fresh .50 calibre paintballs and they pushed straight through the vents in the faceplate of my JT Proflexes, admittedly these have the older and a little more flexible IZE faceplate (especially when they have been out in the hot sun all day) but then did the same with a pair of Flex 8s that had been in the shade all day, and replicated the effect with Grillz too, it was not only an issue with faceplates but ear protection too.

I for one would feel uncomfortable stepping on to a field where .50 was being shot with what I thought was inadequate protection. As for the ASTM safety standards for paintball goggles, this only applies to the eye protection and does not cover face and ear protection.

 

[Padrao]

The ballistics tests are out and they only confirmed what physics already were hinting. Check the ballistic tests and see for yourself. .50 cal looses all around... And will be less reliable in the field. If they allow the use of both 0.50 will not win the market simply because folks will prefer to shoot accurately instead of shooting the double and fail and pay the same.

Also... new tournament rules already lead the game to a more exciting, tactical and less expensive game, with the reduction to 10 bps in the millenium for example. This .50 sounds... it really does like a way to get some extra $$$ in someones pockets!!!!

 

[Robbo]

The ballistics tests are out and they only confirmed what physics already were hinting. Check the ballistic tests and see for yourself. .50 cal looses all around... And will be less reliable in the field. If they allow the use of both 0.50 will not win the market simply because folks will prefer to shoot accurately instead of shooting the double and fail and pay the same.

Also... new tournament rules already lead the game to a more exciting, tactical and less expensive game, with the reduction to 10 bps in the millenium for example. This .50 sounds... it really does like a way to get some extra $$$ in someones pockets!!!!

padrao, you talk cr@p and I see you used a new user account to make your post ... I wonder why .....

Wanna come back on and post this under your real name???
Nah, thought not ...
Ingrate !!!!

Guys, if someone, even an imbecile such as this padrao, posts something that is essentially true then apart from the guy's gutless streak in signing under a new name, I won't have too much of a problem with it.
It's when they post fecal material like this, I get pis$ed off.

 

[k4p84]

Having witnessed the .50 GI Millsim show at Cup I have one or two hesitations on the subject.

The size and weight of the markers is reduced from the current .68s we are used to, will this lead to an unstable firing platform, the mass and bulk of the set-up being too small to hold firmly enough for an accurate shot?

The amount of associated equipment that individual players will need to change to fall in line with .50. This not only includes the equipment associated with a .50 marker but some things many might not have thought of, goggles for instance.

We took a bag of fresh .50 calibre paintballs and they pushed straight through the vents in the faceplate of my JT Proflexes, admittedly these have the older and a little more flexible IZE faceplate (especially when they have been out in the hot sun all day) but then did the same with a pair of Flex 8s that had been in the shade all day, and replicated the effect with Grillz too, it was not only an issue with faceplates but ear protection too.

I for one would feel uncomfortable stepping on to a field where .50 was being shot with what I thought was inadequate protection. As for the ASTM safety standards for paintball goggles, this only applies to the eye protection and does not cover face and ear protection.

Pete, you know what that hadn't even passed my mind that they might have to make .50cal goggle sytems !

As per the proposed accuracy issues.
I have played the odd game of airsoft here and there and the biggest issue I have with it, other than not marking the darn player, is that the pellets are too light and after a certain distance they wobble and go wherever the hell they please. This is only due to the weight of the pellet.
You can get heavier ones that do work better.

Is it not true to a certain extent that a round will perform better if it is heavier. Simply due to it's momentum been greater than the other forces, wind, rain... being exerted on it. Yes other factors such as the shape or the round (pun intended) and whether it is gyroscopically stable etc so we are just discussing a spherical object that can deform.

Would this not be the case here. Would each calibre have a sweet spot for best performance? I know you have issues such as the round may, not in our case, exceed 12 foot pounds but in my thinking a heavier round would outperform a lighter one.
A light round at a high velocity, to achieve 12 foot pounds, would be very unstable.

So since from the limited stuff I have heard about .50 cal they are a small and heavy round so I can see them performing well.

Now I know paintballers love to talk sh*t about things we have not seen but I am totally open minded about this.
Piper is coming down to show to show the site manager it so he can decide whether to buy .50 cal kit in the new year. If I'm free I plan to pop down to see it too.

Ed

 

[Padrao]

padrao, you talk cr@p and I see you used a new user account to make your post ... I wonder why .....

Wanna come back on and post this under your real name???
Nah, thought not ...
Ingrate !!!!

Guys, if someone, even an imbecile such as this padrao, posts something that is essentially true then apart from the guy's gutless streak in signing under a new name, I won't have too much of a problem with it.
It's when they post fecal material like this, I get pis$ed off.

http://www.p8ntballer-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=128251 - Anything to say regarding it?

Ey Robbo it is a new account simply because I was not registered in this forum at all, so I created the acount not long ago. Anyone with the right access can verify my IP to be legit and only being used in one account

My real name? sure I'm Nuno Padrão and Im from Portugal. It is a pleasure to speak with you mate, and with everyone in this forum.

I have been following this debate without taking sides untill now but being someone who knows something about math I found some theories weird to say the least. Now Robbo tell me you certainly saw the balistic tests posted in PBNation and recently posted here aswell. Is there something wrong with them? Obviously in the field there are several other factors coming in, but theoreticaly that is it.

I have also seen some folks who actually tried the paint giving feedback, and even though it is not a consensus most of them found hard to see where the paint was hitting, had a hard time to see the paint break and confirm that even though shooting a target showed a simillar mark (size wise) in the jerseys it doesnt mark so well. The fact that .50 paint was not so acurate at long range and had troubles to keep the pace with .68 was also mentioned.

These to me sound like some downsides on the comp side of things where people will go for the more deficient paint (I guess), since it makes no sense to be able to carry more paint, but then you need to shoot more paint to hit the target, which in the end makes you spend the same...

Robbo don't get me wrong. I am still waiting to be able to test it first hand AND, mate, if the claims are confirmed IM ALL for .50 cal, I don't like spending loads of $$$$$ in paint to get a practice day, and would surely love to spend half as I do right now.

And if it is true in the long time the paint difference will pay for the costs of a new marker, I also think it is a bit unfair to look at my newly acquired Luxe and think I'll have to ditch it in one year. Because it is inevitable that .68 gets more expensive as the .50 takes the market.

So here are my thoughts, and I hope paintball goes on and finds a way to survive. But being the owner of a field, I can also tell you replacing 40 markers and extra equipment needed like masks, is impossible to me right now and that will get my place shut down, same if the paint starts costing more in a few months.

As to saying someone is aiming to get some money in their pockets, lets not ilude ourselves, passion, love for the sports bla bla bla in the end people needs a car, food in their table and $$, and MilSim suddenly comes out being a new and revolutionary company, then Im told Rich sold his stakes at Procaps, signed a contract where he could not compete with them making a new brand of paint, and the .50 is born. Ey is it true? I do not know... but it does sound weird.

Also no need to offend anyone or get personal everyone is entitled to their own opinion, you defend .50 with your heart you must have your motivations, be it the love for the sport and truly believing this will save it, or whatever, but you can also be wrong, and others can also express their opinions. Cheers.


Forgive me any spelling or grammar mistakes English is not my native language obviously.

 

[Robbo]

And so, let me get this right, you wait all this time (we been going now for nigh on 8 years or whatever it is) for this thread and then you register as a member?


And your first ever post is to take a negative position toward this new idea?

Now, I got no problem with people posting negative points, none at all.
I do however have a problem with people who are agenda-ridden and use anonymity to shield their true identity and go on to try and undermine something because of an agenda.
Let's hope you are not one of those.

Still, I have read your post a few times and you say things that are just not true or at least, take up a negative position for the sake of it and not because there is any rational conclusion to be made.

If I am wrong about you, then I duly apologise and look forward to further posts from yourself ..... I have been wrong before about people coming on as first time posters (not many though) and so let's hope this is one such occasion.

 

[DJForbes]

wouldnt it be better if back players stayed with 68 for range and front players use the 50 so they aint stuck down with pods ?

hopefully they can play side by side if not i recon ill stick with 68 as amnot a tourney player and play alot of diffrent types of feilds and games. altho i do want to try the 50 out just to see if its as bad or good as i hear.

 

[Padrao]

And so, let me get this right, you wait all this time (we been going now for nigh on 8 years or whatever it is) for this thread and then you register as a member?


And your first ever post is to take a negative position toward this new idea?

Now, I got no problem with people posting negative points, none at all.
I do however have a problem with people who are agenda-ridden and use anonymity to shield their true identity and go on to try and undermine something because of an agenda.
Let's hope you are not one of those.

Still, I have read your post a few times and you say things that are just not true or at least, take up a negative position for the sake of it and not because there is any rational conclusion to be made.

If I am wrong about you, then I duly apologise and look forward to further posts from yourself ..... I have been wrong before about people coming on as first time posters (not many though) and so let's hope this is one such occasion.

No I was not waiting for 8 years... I simply did not registered before, and wasn't even aware of the forum, found it recently, some people do not spend great lengths of time in the Internet, or should i say I didn't used to, now with a new job things changed unfortunately...

But for someone who doesn't have a problem with negative points your reaction was... not the best.

I have no agenda and i hope to participate more in the forum, even though I think what our sport needs is more people acting out there, instead of making thousands of posts that will lead us and the sport nowhere.

Reball for instance, is a great way to push our sport to another level in terms of training, and fun, but yes... that will not give the industry a direct income... Im not sure how is the situation in the UK, but here... we totally lack reball centers, and theres people looking for such kind of places, just not the funds and the iniative from those able to got such a project going.

Its a sad truth.

 

[Gee Tee]

I'm reserving judgement until .50 get's more 'real world' testing. From what I've seen and read so far it appears the jury is out. A lot of tests leave it falling short of .68 caliber performance in many ways. If it proves to be a poorly designed product nobody will buy it regardless of any cost savings.

Until I see unbiased back to back tests, demonstrating that .50 consistently beats the performance of current tecnology, I'll stick to shooting .68

 

[Biscuit]

we all have our opinons but the only guy,s that will make a differance are the sites if these guys,don,t like it ,it won,t happen
if they do,this will be the next big thing.
in the meantime shops are up in the air as people are not buying products,as they are not sure about the future of pb