Planet Eclipse Gtek M170R

[Al Woods]

With the resurgence in the 'old-school' formats there's a Mech War raging, with a few serious contenders stepping into the ring to claim the title.

After the success and popularity of Planet Eclipse's GMek frame kit, they decided to go full bore and release a high performance mech marker that suited the modern mech baller.

So we have the Gtek M170R.

In simple terms, the M170R is a Gtek170R with a mech frame bolted to it. But the frame is quite some piece of kit. The trigger has 3 points of adjustability, is super smooth and as with everything PE makes, it's bullet proof, so it'll kick arse on any sort of battle field.

Now I use the 170R at the CPPS and think it's an incredible piece of kit at its price point. And no, it isn't a cheap CS2. The 170R is awesome, light and feels very capable but the CS2 has it licked in refinement, the added bells and whistles and that premium feel you always get with PE top end stuff. Throw this platform into the mech world and it's hard to see anything coming close to it in my opinion.

Talking point - With the nostalgia train well and truly leaving the station, do you guys think there's a place for this kind of marker? Or will Cockers still be the weapon of choice?

I won't go on, but here's the spec and video and link to the site for the full sausage.

+ Gamma Core Drivetrain
+ Spool Valve Operation
+ Quick-Release Bolt Mechanism
+ Hoseless Air Transfer System
+ 135PSI Operating Pressure
+ ST1 Bolt
+ 3-Point Adjustable Pivot Trigger
+ Twin Micro Ball-Raced Trigger Pivot
+ Toolless Detent Access
+ 6061-T6 Aluminium Construction
+ SL6 Inline Regulator
+ Shaft 4/5 Compatible 14.5" Two-Piece Barrel
+ POPS ASA
+ Low-Rise Feedneck

GtekM170R Full Specs / Pics

 

[James ECI]

Talking point - With the nostalgia train well and truly leaving the station, do you guys think there's a place for this kind of marker? Or will Cockers still be the weapon of choice?

New mechanical guns are on another level to mags / cockers

I've brought an EMek and shot a CVO - with both i could attain a higher ROF than with a standard cocker. Im sure with the trigger being more adjustable the M170R will be just as/if not faster.

These guns are also a lot more reliable and the EMek in fact is being used a site gun - modular design is great too.

It well and truly has become an arms race again and i dont know if this is really for the better.

Some guy in the US created a mod for the orignal GTek which meant you could walk the double trigger - yet this has been banned from classic events because it was "too fast" even though, essentially, it had won the arms race.

100% these markers have a place in paintball - its true semi which you will never get with an electro. But that being said Electro has its place too.

 

[ant290]

@James ECI just looked up that gtek mod. Daymm that thing is fast!

As for the talking point. Cockers are heavy! Why would anyone who wanted to be at a real advantage want to run such a lump? Single chamber markers offer a smaller profile, better mobility and currently better reliability.

Is there a need to have trigger sizing restrictions for events that cater for all abilities? If you are playing a tournament you are not a "beginner" so why not let people shoot mech as fast as they can walk a trigger?

But for walk on or big game events, you could restrict people to single finger triggers therefore somewhat levelling the playing field (and not making rentals feel as hard done by because they are not being absolutely beasted by someone ramping on them)

 

[James ECI]

@James ECI just looked up that gtek mod. Daymm that thing is fast!

As for the talking point. Cockers are heavy! Why would anyone who wanted to be at a real advantage want to run such a lump? Single chamber markers offer a smaller profile, better mobility and currently better reliability.

Is there a need to have trigger sizing restrictions for events that cater for all abilities? If you are playing a tournament you are not a "beginner" so why not let people shoot mech as fast as they can walk a trigger?

But for walk on or big game events, you could restrict people to single finger triggers therefore somewhat levelling the playing field (and not making rentals feel as hard done by because they are not being absolutely beasted by someone ramping on them)

Ant - how many people have Electro guns.... most

What you are talking about is stipulating those players must now buy guns with a single trigger... this doesnt grow the sport at all and i suspect, youll have player x out there who has just brought a £1000+ gun and now you tell them they need a new one as the one they got doesnt conform to a rule?....

The same applies for the classic rules - its either Mech or 5.5 BPS cap. You would be absolutely loopy if you played 5.5 against a modern mech.

I dont believe Ramping is a bad thing - if you have one player who is experienced and another player who isnt - who does ramping really help... it just levels the playing field.

*ninja edit - how about guns that dont below the 10.5 bps cap? Im sure i had to lend someone a gun so they could play

 

[Tony Harrison]

@James ECI is right - everyone who has been around for a while feels nostalgic about cockers, and the second hand price of them has gone through the roof.

But the new mech guns are smaller, lighter and far more reliable. I've bought a couple of EMEK's just to play classic events, and even Dynasty were using EMEK's as the recent ICPL.

A friend of mine has had several cockers from the 90's serviced ready for the GCC this month, so I'll let you know how he goes on.

 

[ant290]

Oups, I have 100% not put that point across well!!

What I meant was more like... We have existing tournaments with mill ramping, and we also have the reintroduction of mechanical tournaments... Its those mech ones that I don't think need a ban on how fast a mechanical gun can shoot.

However, if you wanted to go to your local site and play with Joe public, or have a big event at a smaller site which is hoping to introduce some of their regular punters to bigger games. Then maybe that site can just have a ruling of no double triggers. I remember many times when I just started, having some sites that were really good to us as kids. And some sites who understandably wouldn't let us use electro markers.

James you know I'm not intentionally going to go out and make someone buy something new every 5 mins!

 

[James ECI]

James you know I'm not intentionally going to go out and make someone buy something new every 5 mins!

That was my point - why should anyone need to?

 

[ant290]

Edit: useless comment pls delete