Empire has incorporated a unique, patented valve and flow technology design into this high performance tournament-grade marker. The single tube poppet system is innovative, and delivers incredible velocity, consistency and accuracy. The Mini is small, but ergonomically designed to fit right and exceed your expectations.
Empire MiniPros:
Very small- (Get a 20$ bill, and line it up with the body. That is how big the body is).
Very easy to maintain- (There is one screw on the back of the gun under the bolt guide. Unscrew it,...
Pros:
Very small- (Get a 20$ bill, and line it up with the body. That is how big the body is).
Very easy to maintain- (There is one screw on the back of the gun under the bolt guide. Unscrew it, the bolt comes out. You wipe the bolt off with a cloth, relube it, and your done.)
Quiet- (Once you have the right settings, the gun is just as loud as the solenoid click. Well, maybe not THAT quiet, but you get the point. )
Not much kick- (Like I said above, if you have the right settings, this gun will have very little kick.)
KEE Action sports customer service- (If your Mini breaks down for some reason, call KEE at 1800-220-3222 and they will help you out. They have GREAT customer service.)
No macroline - (There is no macroline on the Mini. The air goes through the grip frame.)
VERY efficient- (The Mini is AMAZING, in how efficient it is. Stock, I would say about 1400-1500 shots with the right settings. However, if you get an aftermarket bolt, and maybe a spring kit, *Cough* NDZ V2 bolt and spring kit *Cough* and you have the right settings, you can get a box of paint off a tank.
Fast- (Even though the stock board is capped at 20, with an aftermarket board, and the right settings, you can reach up to 28 bps.)
Consistent- (I get about +-2 on the chrono.)
Stock barrel- (The Mini stock barrel is an amazing one. Of course its not better the most aftermarket barrels such as Stiffis, Dye ULs and such, but if your low on funds, the stock barrel is perfect for you.)
Cons:
Trigger- (Some say the trigger is sloppy, and that it has too much side to side movement. That can be fixed by getting an aftermarket trigger. However, with the right adjusting, I think that the trigger is perfect.
Trigger Magnet glue- (I think the glue keeping the magnet on top of the trigger is weak. I have not had a problem with it coming off, but other people have. If it comes off, just superglue it back on.)
No on/off ASA- (There currently is no on/off asa for the Mini. Some people may think that this is very annoying. However, there are two on/off adapters that you can buy, and it will work the same as an on/off. Its called the NDZ thread saver, and the Smartparts on/off adapter.)
Conclusion:
Okay. I got the Invert Mini on 6/12/07, for 300$ Brand new. In my opinion, this gun is the best bang for the buck that you can buy. You may have heard that it chops alot from other people, but that is because they arent up to date, and dont know that the poppet problems KEE (Invert) USED to have are fixed. Its a great gun, and if you get one, im sure you will be very happy with it. I know I am.
This review has been rated:
Currently 3.9/5 stars.
Empire MiniCleaning and maitenence is very simple with the Mini. All the tools, O-rings, misc screws and lubricant to keep you marker running at optimal performance are included with the Mini, as well as the...
Cleaning and maitenence is very simple with the Mini. All the tools, O-rings, misc screws and lubricant to keep you marker running at optimal performance are included with the Mini, as well as the Mini tags, a 12" auto cocker threaded stock barrel ( wich is one of the best stock barrels i have ever used), barrel plug and a easy to follow manual.
Removal of the rear grip frame screw alows you to remove the bolt guide, bolt and spring for fast on the spot cleaning and lubrication. Removal of the back cap/velocity adjuster gives you acces to the pessure controlled popet for lubrication.
The Mini has no external macro line (air transfer hose), the ASA (air source adapter) and pressure guage are mounted on the bottom of the grip frame and suply air to the Mini via the air tranfer tube inside of the grip frame wich also houses the solonoid.
The foregrip houses the control board and the 9v battery, I recomend using a Duracell to power the Mini. the Minis features include, capped max rate of fire of 20 BPS (balls per second) Semi, PSP ramping, NXL full auto and Milennium ramping fire modes. Changing the max ROF (rate of fire) and ramping points are easy to do and are clearly spelled out in the Mini manual.
The Minis operating pressure is under 200 psi and a HPA tank with a low pressure regulator is highly recomended but not nececery.
Do not use Co2 with this marker!
Weighing in at just under 2 lbs the Mini is one of the lightest markers on the market today. Out of the box the Mini requires no upgrades to be able to compete with any high end marker, however there are several aftermarket upgrades for the mini that are available now for purchase.
This is a multi use marker for speedball tourneys, recball and woodsball play. The Mini boast some of the most advanced tecnology on the market. Dollar for dollar the Mini is unbeatable in quality and value.
Easy maitenence, no plastic parts, and reliable performance.
As for Customer service or trubble shooting if you should have a problem, Kee, the Invert forums Mega sticky, and the majority of the people in the Invert fourum will provide you with any other information you will ever need on the Mini.
This review has been rated:
Currently 3.8/5 stars.
Empire Minithis is a excellent marker for the rec player or for someone that is just getting into paintball. It will require some love from time to time but its fairly easy to work on. there were some issues...
this is a excellent marker for the rec player or for someone that is just getting into paintball. It will require some love from time to time but its fairly easy to work on. there were some issues on the first runs but now most of the bugs are worked out. the axe is based on this design and it is a pretty solid platform.
This review has been rated:
Currently 3.8/5 stars.
Empire Minithis is by far the best poppet on the market for about 300 or less, on the gen3+ ive yet to see a problem due to the gun itself. the stock barrel is a must go asap, but other then that there isnt...
this is by far the best poppet on the market for about 300 or less, on the gen3+ ive yet to see a problem due to the gun itself. the stock barrel is a must go asap, but other then that there isnt much to change. wasnt a fan of the trigger either, but that is all preference and irrelevant. there is next to no maintenance on this gun, and for as small as it is its decently smooth.
the only big problem with this gun is it isnt the best on air, and if your hands are larger then average; you may struggle walking the trigger.
This review has been rated:
Currently 3.5/5 stars.
Empire MiniI love my Mini. Its a great marker for someone that doesn't want to spend the cash on a super high end marker but wants something more reliable then the low end markers.
The mini is very small. It...
I love my Mini. Its a great marker for someone that doesn't want to spend the cash on a super high end marker but wants something more reliable then the low end markers.
The mini is very small. It is also very comfortable to hold. I am a bigger guy about 5' 11" and 200 pounds and i love the way it feels also my girlfriend 5' 6" and 120 pounds said that its the most comfortable marker she has used. She doesn't play regularly so she uses my equipment and has used my shockers, etek ego and my low ends when we play in the woods(tippman, spyder, ect). So big or small its a great feeling marker.
Only downfall i would say is that it is spring return. I just like having an LPR or having an air return because I feel it alows me to fine tune the marker a little better and reduce the kick.
Great marker and would suggest this to any player that wants a reliable easy to work with marker.
This review has been rated:
Currently 3.5/5 stars.
Empire MiniI got into playing paintball last summer, and before I even stepped onto the field, I engaged in a ton of research to find a paintball gun that would meet the following criteria:
Price - under...
I got into playing paintball last summer, and before I even stepped onto the field, I engaged in a ton of research to find a paintball gun that would meet the following criteria:
Price - under $500
Presence/Absence of a macro line (preferred without)
Aesthetic appeal (according to Fernando, you must not only perform well, you must also look marvelous doing it)
Reputation - reviews of the marker & the manufacturer, tech support
I chose a polished silver/blue anno Mini from ANS, and was very pleased with its performance out of the box. I had none of the issues a lot of owners did with the V1 and V2 editions, being a V3 Mini, but this gun treated me very well! Lot of compliments on its appearance, but I got asked a lot of times if I found the Mini to be too small for me (I'm 6"1" and 260lbs). I didn't find the Mini to be difficult to handle for my size, since I didn't own another marker to compare it to. I bought about 4 or 5 more Minis in the past year, some for myself, and others for family members that I'm introducing to the sport.
Pros:
Light weight, under 2 lbs without hopper/tank
Price - at $325 new (avg. $180 used) is very attractive for a low- to mid-level gun that offers tournament-level capabilities
No macro line for a n00b to snag on bunkers
Carefree maintenance - if you got a V3, or upgraded parts for V1 & V2, this is an easy gun to maintain
Cons:
Control board upgrade - starting at $80 (APE Rampage), improved control boards are about 1/4 th to almost 2/3rds (Virtue OLED, $190) of a brand new Mini's original price tag
Design - while the Mini is still a tough competitor at $325, about the only thing differentiating one Mini from another is the anno scheme; Invert/Empire should offer Mini flavors like Planet Eclipse does with its ETEK line. Perhaps they could offer upgrade packages like the following ideas: Mini + TechT/NDZ/Lurker bolt; Mini + bolt + Virtue Laser eyes; Mini + bolt + eyes + your choice of control board. Wouldn't that be cool, to get all the ups you could afford right out of the gate?
CONCLUSION:
I love the Mini - as a first-time purchase, whether new or used. Though there are a number of markers priced well below the Mini that are suitable for new players, in my opinion the Mini offers the most splat for your buck. You get (a) an electro-pneumatic gun with (b) no macro line, with (c) a control board with programming for the major tournament modes, that (d) won't weigh you down. Hassle-free maintenance, and classy looks to boot, make the Mini a very attractive gun.
This review has been rated:
Currently 3.5/5 stars.
Empire Miniwhen i got this marker i was expecting a great paintball marker and it is true that GREAT THINGS COME IN LITTLE PACKAGES the marker shoots up to 20bps which is fast. The mini is fast, light and...
when i got this marker i was expecting a great paintball marker and it is true that GREAT THINGS COME IN LITTLE PACKAGES the marker shoots up to 20bps which is fast. The mini is fast, light and tight and rarely chops and is worth it
This review has been rated:
Currently 3.5/5 stars.
Empire MiniI had this gun for about 8 or 9 months and for the most part i was fairly surprised at how it was. I can not give a very accurate review of the stock gun as i upgraded the crap out of it immediately...
I had this gun for about 8 or 9 months and for the most part i was fairly surprised at how it was. I can not give a very accurate review of the stock gun as i upgraded the crap out of it immediately after buying it. The looks are definitely decent its very small so if you ahve big hands it might not work for you. I definitely recommend this gun to smaller kids
This review has been rated:
Currently 3.5/5 stars.
Empire MiniI have had the gun for a couple of years now and i absolutely love it. It is reliable despite the few little things here and there. I would strongly suggest this gun to anyone. I was playing the...
I have had the gun for a couple of years now and i absolutely love it. It is reliable despite the few little things here and there. I would strongly suggest this gun to anyone. I was playing the other day and I was threading the paint through cracks and crevices of the bunkers nailing people. Great gun a must buy
This review has been rated:
Currently 3.5/5 stars.
Empire MiniOk I'm going to make this short and sweet.
When I first got the gun, I noticed that it was light, small, and looked very nice. They also gave me some lube for the bolt that I...
When I first got the gun, I noticed that it was light, small, and looked very nice. They also gave me some lube for the bolt that I use.
Performance
-When I aired it up, I had no problems what-so-ever. Stock barrel was alright, in fact, it was really good for a stock barrel. Then I bought a stiffi so I could make the gun even more lighter, and it was great. This gun just shoots very well. I also have to mention that the Mini is very quiet, almost no kick, and a little adjusting to the trigger and this will shoot awesome for you.
Maintenance
-Easy. Simple as that. You unscrew one screw, twist out the back cap, lube the orings and bam your done. It takes me about 2-4 minutes to clean it.
Electronics
-This part of the gun is very simple as well. With videos on Youtube, and the manual, changing settings is very simple. You can change modes, ROF, Dwell, and Tourny caps. All you have to do is press two buttons, the power button for down, and the little button for up.
Appearance
-I rated this 4 out of 5 because we all know, that the Mini looks kind of dull. Maybe if they put some extra cool milling it would look nicer. Still, that's preference.
Value
-You can find the Minis now for 325$ new almost anywhere. And some sites even have discounts.
Reliability
-I have owned a mini for a descent amount of time and have yet to have a problem. Usually the only problems I see are people with low battery or if they have the first generation Mini.
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