Updates!!

Holy smokes! It's been a long time since I posted anything on the blog. I apologize to anyone who may have been following my posts that were looking for updates, but I have been focusing more on my YouTube video content lately.  I'll try to make an effort to post periodically as well. There are some things that just go over better in print. I fully admit that I'm a much more organized presenter when I type out my content rather than trying to do a video presentation.

A lot has happened since February. I won't cover every single detail since a lot of this could be split off into other posts, but things have been moving along nicely.  I've had the chance to use my TiPX at the field a couple of times now including during one magfed only event back in April.  The marker has been performing beautifully. I also now have my sights on getting a rifle/carbine style magfed marker later this summer.

My main goal has been to try and hit the field at least once per month this year, but I'll have to skip this month, unfortunately.  The weekend that I had planned to go is Father's Day weekend, and I think I would rather spend that time with my wife and kids instead. I won't skip July though no matter how hot or humid it gets!  I can't let a little sticky weather keep me from enjoying what I'm passionate about.

Another significant event that happened since my last post is that I was finally made a full member of Team SAS.  I had been trying to get on the Wisconsin SAS chapter roster for almost a year, but I wasn't able to meet with any recruiters until the big game came around in April.  SAS is a great community and group of players who share my passion for the game. The only change is that my callsign will be Mongoose now, so look for that on my posts.

That just about wraps it up for what I want to cover in this blog though, so look for some more posts to come. I'll try to keep updating this site regularly, but that's often more difficult than it would seem.  Having the kids out of school for the summer tends to make things a little more hectic around home sometimes.  Other times, I simply just don't feel like blogging. I'm still dealing with some major writer's block the likes of which I've never experienced.  Maybe I need to take a cheap writing class online or something to get the juices flowing again.  Until the next time!

Mongoose, out.

TiPX Tips

Two posts in one day!? That's a rare thing for me, but I have been pretty amped about this coming paintball season. The ideas are just flowing in, and I thought I would share a video that I posted a couple of weeks ago on my new paintball channel.  The channel is called Mongoose PB, and I will be posting any video content that I produce there going forward. Here's the video that I posted which highlights some of the TiPX tips that I found online, and some that I came up with on my own. I hope you enjoy!

~Kalen

Marker Project 2016 - TiPX Loadout (Work in Progress) Part 1

I've decided to do a series of blog entries as I build my first mag fed loadout for the upcoming paintball season.  My objective is to help others learn from my research as I go into this as a newcomer to the world of mag fed paintball.  I spent some time in my last post going over my rationale for choosing the Tippmann TiPX for my first marker, so I won't spend much time reviewing that. Instead, these posts will serve to mark my progress as I buy kit pieces to form my new loadout.

Let's start with the marker itself.  There are two main choices to consider when shopping for a TiPX.  There is a standard package which includes the TiPX marker with two 7 round true feed magazines, a spare parts kit, and a hard carrying case. This package sells for $219.00 (U.S.) from most paintball retailers.  The second option is Tippmann's deluxe TiPX package which substitutes the hard case for a drop holster and an extra magazine. Tippmann sells this second option for $249.00 (U.S.). Each of the standard kits features a black TiPX, but buyers are also able to purchase the same package with a TiPX in Coyote Brown or OD green for an additional $20.00.

TiPX - All Stock

I personally opted for the black TiPX with the deluxe kit so that I would have a carrying option and a spare magazine.  I'm not entirely sure if I will continue to use the standard magazines once I have all of my kit components assembled, but that has yet to be determined.  After adjusting the drop holster that Tippmann provided, I have some reservations about using it as a viable way to carry the marker if I use my TiPX as a secondary on the field.  The fit and overall size of the holster make it feel somewhat unwieldy and bulky when worn on the upper thigh, but perhaps the fit just needs some more fine tuning.

The only other accessory that I have purchased for the marker at this time is an after market barrel.  I must admit that my initial reason for buying the barrel was for use on my Tippmann A5 rather than for the TiPX specifically.  I originally purchased an 8 inch Lapco Bigshot Assault barrel in their 0.690" bore size.  The 8 inch barrel is actually designed for the TiPX, as it has a smaller outer diameter than Lapco's other barrels to fit into the marker's barrel shroud.  I like the length of this barrel for the A-5 as well as I tend to prefer getting up close into CQC distances where having a smaller marker length profile is necessary.

Having a better after market barrel for the TiPX also means improved efficiency and accuracy as a primary marker, and all of the reviews that I found for the Lapco Bigshot Assault indicated that it was a very good barrel for round balls. This barrel is a bit on the pricey side with an MSRP of around $57.00, but the gains in performance are substantial enough to justify the upgrade.  

I did also buy a Lapco Apex 2 adapter which is compatible with the Bigshot Assault.  I'm not sure if I will end up using an Apex tip with the TiPX, but mounting it to the marker gives it a very cool, stealthy aesthetic.  I'll have to test out the practicality of the attachment before making my final verdict. My original plan was to use the adapter for my A-5 as I found the original barrel that came with the Apex 2 tip to be too long and heavy.

Aggressively Cool (TiPX with Lapco Bigshot Assault Barrel, and Apex 2 adapter)

That's all I have for this first part of my marker project series, but I have quite a few kit and marker upgrades in mind for this marker and for my loadout.  I will continue to post updates as updates are added. Until next time.

See you on the field!

~Kalen

Going Mag-Fed?

It has been a long time coming, but I was finally able to put in an order for my new Tippmann TiPX yesterday (01/13).  I’ve been looking to try out mag fed for quite a while now, but didn’t really have a good idea of where to begin. There were a lot of variables to consider because going mag fed is a big commitment. Playing with limited paint is very different from what I am used to, and I wasn’t too keen on the idea of getting a full blown mag fed marker only to find out that I didn’t like the play style.

Most of the entry level mag fed markers that I researched included parts allowing them to be converted to accept a hopper, but the utility of attaching a hopper is somewhat of an afterthoughtwith a rifle-sized marker that is built around a magazine feed platform.  The whole point of eliminating the hopper is to open up the sight line along the top of the marker, but I’m sure there are those who use the conversion to suit various situations. 

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I didn’t want to commit so fully right off the bat.  What I needed was something that would help ease the transition to mag fed.  The TiPX seemed like the obvious choice, and I knew that the TiPX could always be used as a secondary marker if I fully buy into mag fed as my primary play style and add more markers to my collection in the future.

For now, I plan to use the TiPX to supplement the A-5 woodsball loadout that I have pieced together for the coming spring.  I plan to finally implement some of the pacing limitations that I had talked about using last year, and I may eventually develop a TiPX primary loadout if I build up my proficiency with the marker.  Stay tuned for a follow up entry in the coming weeks as I’ll try to post some pictures of my full loadout once all of the pieces are in place.

I may even make a short video on the TiPX and the different things I have planned for the marker for this year.  That’s all I have until next time, though.

Play on, everyone! 

~Krimmit