Automag (paintball marker)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Automag is a paintball marker designed by Tom Kaye and produced by Airgun Designs Inc. (AGD).
Contents |
[edit] History
The first Automag was released in 1990. As one of the first generation of semi-automatic paintball makers, its blow forward design was unique. Made mostly from stainless steel, the valve system was the first to incorporate a pressure regulator directly into the marker. The design also allowed for disassembly in the field without tools. The marker also introduced other innovations including a quick release twist lock barrel and the Power Feed, which was an angled feed system that prevented balls from being blown back up into the hopper.
The Panther was the first prototype semi-automatic marker designed by Tom Kaye of Airgun Designs in 1988. Since it was only a prototype it was never offered to the public. The design was sold to Direct Connect, but was never manufactured. AGD bought the design rights back in 1989 through a non-performance clause in the original contract. The blow back design was deemed to be too primitive (because pump guns changed in 1988, they got removable barrels and quickstrip pins) so a second generation prototype "P2" (for Panther Prototype Two) was developed. This second design was also a blow back, and had many problems. It was decided to give up on blow back technology and reverse the whole system to blow forward, because in cold weather, with low pressure gas, you can't get a blow back to recock. This hearalded the beginning of the Automag design which went through two revisions; P3 and P4. The P4 design was released to the public in 1990.
The Automag had several problems when first introduced and the company fixed them through free updates called Level 6 through Level 7. This inspired a loyal customer base and the gun rose to become the most popular tournament marker in the mid-nineties. The Minimag and the Sydarm were introduced as variants with the Sydarm targeted specifically at police training. Later came the RT which incorporated an all new regulator that made shootdown impossible (it could recharge 25 times per second), and had reactive trigger technology. The Level 10 bolt was designed to eliminate ball-chop during high rates of fire. AGD now sells the X-valve, which is the RT valve combined with the Level 10 bolt.
The paintball market has evolved into fully electronic markers and the Automag today retains its reputation as one of the most reliable mechanical markers ever made. Airgun Designs is known for its good tech support, and the Automag enjoys a small following of loyal customers who customize and maintain their markers.
Airgun Designs briefly produced the X-Mag to compete in the electric dominated tournaments, though they have since discontinued its production. Mechanical Automags have had a resurgence in popularity with woodsball and scenario players due to their reliability, compact design, and water resistant qualities.
[edit] Operation
The Automag's blow-forward operation is unique among paintball markers on the market. It is also relatively simple:
- The trigger is pulled, the sear releases the bolt and closes the on/off valve
- Compressed air in the dump chamber overcomes the force of the bolt spring, pushing the bolt forward. As the bolt travels forward it seals off the feed port and 'uncorks' from the dump chamber. The compressed air from the dump chamber passes through the bolt and propels a paintball down the barrel.
- The trigger is released
- Once the dump chamber pressure is vented down the barrel, the bolt is returned by a spring, and the sear catches the bolt
- The on/off valve opens and repressurizes the dump chamber
- The gun is ready to fire again
[edit] Variants
[edit] 68 Automag Classic
Through the many years of its production there have been a few variants of the Automag, such as the "TKO Automag" or the Minimag. The TKO Automag was no different than any other Automag, except it came preconfigured with some non-stock accessories, such as a barrel, vertical ASA, and bottomline adapter.
The Minimag functionally is the same as an Automag. Cosmetically, it has a longer stainless steel powerfeed body with some venting on the front end. In addition, the stock barrel was a bit shorter, and a vertical ASA with a braided stainess steel line from the ASA to the A.I.R. (Advanced Integrated Regulator) valve. The Automag is ruggedly built, the mainbody and A.I.R. valve being manufactured out of stainless steel. The body rail is a black anodized aluminum extrusion and the grip frame manufactured of a carbon composite.
While the original Classic Automag isn't in production anymore, there is a new version called the Pro/Classic, which has an RT barrel, powerfeed, forgrip, black mainbody, vertical asa, and bottomline ASA.
[edit] E-Mag
The E-Mag is an electric Automag. Like other Automags is has gone through different versions corresponding to advances to the Automag platform like the RT valve, the lvl 10 anti-chop system and the X-valve. Unlike most electronic markers, the E-mag is capable of firing in both electronic and mechanical modes.
[edit] FN303
The original Automag design has evolved into other products and is the heart of the FN303 Less Lethal Weapon System deployed by police and military all over the world.
[edit] Other AGD Innovations
[edit] Warp Feed
AGD's Warp Feed is a force feed system used to feed paintballs into a marker. It is fed by a hopper set on the top of the actual warp feed system. The main purpose is to give a player a lower profile, while maintaining extremely high feed rates. This was the first commercially produced under-the-barrel force feed system on the market. The warp feed isn't really a loader but rather a ball accelerator. Paintballs are fed from a loader, and when the Warp Feed senses the sound from the marker firing, the Warp Feed begins turning disks inside, and accelerates the paintballs into the elbow of the paintball marker.
[edit] Ultra Light Trigger (ULT)
The Ultra Light Trigger was designed by Tom Kaye in order to evolve the Automag. It reduced the trigger pull from nearly 6 lbs to a mere 16 oz trigger pull. This allowed mechanical markers to have the light feel of an electronic marker giving players an alternative. This innovation of the ULT also allowed players to pull the trigger at a higher rate than what they could before. Realistically players can reach speeds of 1-14 balls per second depending on how fast they can pull the trigger.
[edit] Level Ten Bolt
The Level Ten, or Level X bolt is AGD's answer to the ball breakage issues that plague players. This drop-in upgrade eliminates the need for the powerfeed design on older body styles and was ushered in with the Ultra Light Engineered vertical feed body. Most modern electronic markers rely on electronic "eyes" to prevent chops, consisting of either an Infra-red sensor or an LED/Light Sensor combination. When a paintball enters the breech, the eyes complete the firing circuit and allow the firing cycle to continue. The Level X upgrade, however, does not rely on electronics, and is thus not susceptible to problems associated with dirty or uncalibrated eyes.
When installed correctly, the bolt accelerates with minimal force through the first part of the breech. Upon reaching a certain point, it goes to full speed to seal the breech and fire. If it comes upon an obstruction while accelerating, the bolt releases the blow-forward gas in a chuffing sound, allowing the ball to settle while resetting into a ready-to-fire position. Because of the gentle initial acceleration, if a ball is half-fed, it will never be broken by the bolt's impact.
[edit] Ultra Light Engineering
One of the products of the Ultra Light Engineering from Tom Kaye was the aluminum vertical feed bodies. These ULE vertical bodies gave players a tighter profile when playing paintball. These bodies use Autococker threaded barrels and Angel threaded feednecks and ball-detents. This made the powerfeed tube design obsolete since chopping was no longer a problem with the help of the level ten bolt and agitated/force feed loaders. The use of aluminum instead of stainless steel dropped the weight of the automag significantly, allowing players a tighter as well as lighter marker setup.
[edit] Six Pack +
One of the original products designed and introduced by AGD, the 6Pak+ was a lever and cam operated 12-gram changer capable of holding six 12-gram gas cartridges in a spring-operated magazine and another in the gun adapter (seven cartridges total and the reason for the '+' in the name). Offered as an effective alternative to pump gun players who were unwilling, or prevented by tournament rules, to make the switch to 'constant air' (large capacity air tanks), the SixPak+ sold out its initial run upon being introduced at the Lively Masters national event. Today, this system is very expensive to buy and can rarely be found new.
