Tippmann A-5
 Tippmann A-5 | |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Type | Mechanical |
| Action | Semi-Automatic some versions also Auto |
| Barrel | 8.5 in (216 mm) ported barrel |
| Rate of fire | 15+ balls per second |
The A-5 is a semi-automatic pneumatic gun made by Tippmann for playing paintball. It was first produced in 2002 in the USA. It utilizes a revolutionary new loading concept called the "Cyclone Feed System." This enables the gun to have a high rate of fire without the addition of aftermarket loaders. It is known to be tough, rugged, affordable, and hugely 'moddable'.
Appearance
The Tippmann A-5 is matte-black and is modelled after the Heckler & Koch MP5K in appearance. It is extremely popular in MILSIM scenario games due the multitude of aftermarket parts which can make it resemble many real-world firearms. With modifications, it can be configured to appear similar to small arms such as:
Features
The standard A-5 is a semiautomatic open-bolt sear-trigger paintball marker. Its inline blowback gas system can utilize both CO2 and HPA propellants. Standard marker includes single-finger trigger, 8.5 in (216 mm) ported barrel, front and rear sights, tournament-legal velocity adjuster, opaque black 200-round wide-mouth hopper and Cyclone-Feed System.
Cyclone-Feed System
Tippmann A-5s utilize a revolutionary concept called the Cyclone-Feed System. It aims to do away with expensive agitating hoppers and electric loaders.
Whereas most markers have a feed tube attached to a hopper/loader that either drops paintballs one-by-one or force-feeds (in the case of loaders, such as the Odyssey Halo) into the chamber. The Cyclone-Feed System is a housing on the right side of the marker. Contained within the housing are two star-shaped sprockets. Paintballs fall from a wide mouth hopper into the gaps between the spokes.
As the operator fires, some gas from the trigger pull is routed to a cylinder, which holds a piston. The gas pushes the piston forward, rotating the position of the spokes and feeding paintballs into the chamber simultaneously. This effectively means that the rate at which paintballs are being fed into the marker is dependent on the rate at which the operator pulls the trigger.
Modifiability
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3005842
The A-5 is one of the most modifiable paintball markers in existence. Some products are performance upgrades, while others are purely aesthetic. Kits available at many stores and websites can allow the A-5 to resemble many real-world firearms (see Appearance)
Some of the many upgrades include:
- Barrels
- Regulators
- Expansion Chambers
- Compressed Air Low-Pressure Kits
- Camouflage Kits
- Electronic Upgrades
- Triggers
- Tactical Shrouds
- Foregrips/False Magazines
- Stocks
- Body Kits
- Drop Forwards
- Hoppers (due to the unique Cyclone-Feed System, very few hoppers [the stock hopper, Ricochet hopper, TAC-Cap loader, and a 240 round ammo box version] are available).
The upgrades available from Tippmann specifically for the A-5 include the CAR Stock, Response Trigger, E-Grip, Low-Pressure Kit, Expansion Chamber, Universal Mount, 98 to A-5 Barrel Adaptor, Remote Line, Sniper Barrel (12", 14", 16" lengths), Camouflage Graphics Kit, Double Trigger Kit and Flatline Barrel System.
Flatline Barrel System
The Flatline barrel is a curved paintball barrel. The slight "S"-shaped curvature, in addition to a roughly honed surface at select points in the barrel, creates backspin on the ball which increases its range by 100 feet over a standard barrel. Because each paintball is spun differently, is not quite as accurate as many other paintball barrels. Another disadvantage is its tendency to break paintballs more easily. This can be remedied with higher quality paint, however. It is also quite loud, due to lack of porting.
Unfortunately, Flatline Barrels are notoriously difficult to remove and clean. They do not screw into the adaptor on the muzzle of the marker; three bolts must be loosened before the barrel can be removed. It also cannot be oiled, as paintball gun oil would smooth the sandblasting of the barrel, rendering its effect useless.
E-Grip
The E-Grip is an aftermarket pistol grip and trigger for the A-5. It features five different fire selections which include:
- Semi-Automatic Fire
- Full-Automatic Fire
- Turbo Fire
- 3-Round Burst Fire
- Auto-Response Fire
The maximum firing rate of the E-Grip is 17 balls-per-second. Firing modes are selected by means of a screw which is rotated to toggle modes. But with modification, the rate of fire can be increased to 25 balls-per-second.
Response Trigger System
The Response Trigger System is a firing system available for the A-5. The system uses a series of parts that are added to the gun to greatly increases firing rate for the marker. The system uses excess carbon dioxide or compressed air from the firing process to reset the trigger and sear with a pneumatic cylinder. The system can reset the trigger, even with moderate pressure on the trigger. When this happens, the pressure of the finger immediately pulls the trigger back again, to fire again. This effectively gives the shooter the ability to fire fully automatic. As such, it has been banned at some commercial paintball fields.
A drawback to the Response Trigger System is that it is operated by waste gas (through the Cyclone Feed port). Therefore, it drains propellant quickly. Also, the gas is routed via external hoses which can be snagged on debris.
Construction
Continuing the Tippmann tradition, the A-5 is very durable and features a solid cast-aluminum receiver with a high-impact shock absorbing endcap. The A-5 can take much abuse as all parts are tough and industrially designed. The exceptions to this are the Cyclone-Feed System and the Response Trigger Kit, which both have lines that snake along the receiever and can be snagged easily.
The grip/trigger assembly, endplate and bottom-line hose (or direct Air Source Adapter) are held to the receiver by four push-pins that can be easily removed to allow easy field stripping. (see Field-Stripping)
Field-Stripping
Unlike previous Tippmann markers, the A-5 is very easy to field-strip and clean. This is done by removing four push-pins which hold the tombstone, endcap and grip frame in place.
To field strip an A-5 marker:
- Depressurize the marker by partially unscrewing the propellant supply and firing dry to rid marker of any latent gas.
- Remove barrel from marker.
- Remove four push-pins (#1, #2, #3, and #4). Use pliers and lubricate with gun oil if pins are difficult to remove.
- Depress tombstone latch and pull tombstone to remove it from marker. Remove endcap and grip frame; the valve and bolt assembly will now easily slide out the back of the marker.
- Clean chamber and bolt assembly.
- Lubricate o-rings with a few drops of gun oil.
- Reassemble marker and replace push-pins.
Operation
Propellant
Screw a propellant supply (CO2, N2 or HPA) tank onto receiver or remote coil. Operator should hear an audible sound as marker becomes pressurized.
Hopper and Loading
Press the manual-feed button (located to the right of the receiver, on the Cyclone-Feed System) and check Cyclone-Feed System for proper rotation of sprockets. It should be clean and free of debris.
Attach a compatible hopper to the marker by placing the mouth-end (male) of the hopper into the Cyclone-Feed housing (female) and turning hopper until tab on mouth locks into corresponding hole in feeder housing. Hopper should be parallel with marker.
Open hopper flap and fill with paintballs (up to 200 for standard hopper). Close flap until it snaps onto hopper mouth.
Preparing to Fire
Cock the marker by pulling back cocking handle. This pulls back bolt and allows access to chamber. A click should be heard. Release the cocking handle.
Press the manual-feed button to force a paintball into the chamber.
Disengage safety by pressing the 'Push Fire' button located above the trigger on the right side of the grip frame. A red line on the left side of the button indicates when marker is ready to fire.
Firing
Marksmanship is a complex and subtle art and is beyond the scope of this article. However, in general the marker is fired by resting the butt plate or propellant tank against the shoulder, aligning the eye of the firer, aperture of the rear sight, tip of the foresight, and aim to the target, take a breath, and at the end of the breath, squeezing the trigger as smoothly as possible.