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View Full Version : Sentinel TS Review


ChiefBowman
12-21-2002, 07:10 PM
Here's my take on this marker.

I bought my marker from Gator Joe's paintball, which was having a close out on their stock. After I bought it, I learned that they were having troubles with these guns, and so chose not to carry them anymore. That made me a little apprehensive.
And rightly so.
I took it out to play today, along with my Phantom VSC. I bought a bag of PMI Premiums, which were not the freshest I've seen, but were round and in good shape. I stuck a 12oz CO2 tank on the gun, and loaded a Virus 140 round hopper I had lying around. I went to the chrono station.
First shot. 272. Second shot. Blew up. Third shot. Blew up.
Clean out barrel.
Fire a three shot string.
Straight, break, break UP THE FEED TUBE!
Paint had splattered all the way up into the hopper. I removed the hopper, and just shot with three balls in the feed tube. The one ball corkscrews out, and the other two fly TWO FEET INTO THE AIR!
Talk about blowback. Jeez.
So fine. I decide, what the hell. I'll just limit myself to shoot and shake.
That wasn't enough. I still broke one in five.
Then hyperball. I try and make a run up the snake, and my gun fires ONLY BROKEN BALLS! It was PATHETIC! My friend, using my Sidekick mod, bunkered me, because I could only spray him with a mist of paint. He was laughing the entire time.
Then I look down at my gun, and I noticed that the gripframe is 1/2 an inch from the body, because a screw had worked itself loose. I retightened it. I came loose halfway through a game five minutes later. So then I threw it in the gear bag and went back to my trusty Phantom, which wasn't performing well because the *******s at the CO2 fill didn't know how to properly fill a 4 oz tank, and were thus underfilling it. It ran out after about 50 shots, when it should last for about 400.
Also, don't try and tell me it was the poor paintballs. A friend of mine was shooting these balls fine with his field Pirahna. Another guy was shooting fine with his Black Dragun. My Phantom didn't break a single ball all day. My sidekick didn't break a ball all day.
I dunno what the deal is with this thing, but I'm going to call action markers this monday, and see if they can help me out, because right now this Sentinel TS is worthless.
Oh, some girl said it was pretty. That's a positive. And, I could make the marker cycle really fast, even though all the balls were blowing up.

Ni-cD
12-21-2002, 09:25 PM
Dude, sounds like you got a lemon. I feel for ya! I'm sure AM will fix your senti up as good as new (because yours just flat out sucks:(). I dunno, mine has given me nothing but joy and stuff.

jawpaul
12-21-2002, 11:10 PM
Sounds like someone at the pro shop might have dis assembled it and put it back togerther improperly.
You should completely disassemble the marker. And then inspect every part for wear(o-rings the main thing) then care fully reassemble being sure to properly lubricate it as you re assemble it. Then try the marker out again and see how it performs.

xpbjunky65x
12-22-2002, 01:59 AM
Yeah sounds like a fluke. I've got one of the first TS's and there's nothing wrong with it at all. Check her out and if there's still probs talk to AM.

Crash STP
12-22-2002, 06:05 PM
Chief bowman - if you can email me a pic of the sentinel in question.
First it sounds like the bolt o-rings are either incorrect or have been treated w/ a lube that has shrunk the o-rings.
Second - I've yet to have a grip frame screwback off like you describe. Are the screws stainless allen heads?
third - as someone else said - it really sounds like it was already twisted up when it was sold to you. Give Ernest a call at the shop monday after 3pm CST or drop me a e-mail w/ your ph# and I'll call you back.

ChiefBowman
12-24-2002, 03:11 PM
The screws are stainless steel.

I stripped the marker and cleaned it and reassembled it. Blowback is still there, but the insane ball chopping seems to be remedied. I shot a hopper of balls, and one did chop, along with the next three balls, but that was it. Why does that happen?

I examined the bolt o-rings, and they're not in good shape at all. Too small, and one has a sizeable chunk missing. Does actionmarkers sell spares?

Crash STP
12-24-2002, 03:39 PM
Chief bowman - I've got plenty here - for your info a full oring kit should have been in the box w/ the marker. if their real torn up look from the back of the marker forward to the barrel in the upper bolt tube look for a "peening" on the bolt pin slot in the receiver. I've seen this when people have really shortened their hammer spring or the rear cap wasn't tight on the receiver. Your best bet is to send this marker back to the factory and have Ernest go thru it. Drop me a PM and I'll smooth the ways on it. or drop me a PM and I'll get an O-ring set off to you