a stacked tube blowback semi-auto with an expansion chamber, lp chamber, cast aluminum trigger frame and aircraft grade aluminum body and parts. top cocking bolt and 3d milled.
Kingman Group Spyder TL-XAlright so you might be looking at the stars, so let me explain. I bought this as my first gun back in '04 when they had just come out. I knew close to nothing about paintball so I figured I'll buy...
Alright so you might be looking at the stars, so let me explain. I bought this as my first gun back in '04 when they had just come out. I knew close to nothing about paintball so I figured I'll buy what looks nice. The Bang for your Buck is not bad. For a cheap, low end Spyder it performs pretty well.
Appearance - The first thing that I like about the marker is the design. Thats what caught my eye as a newbie and thats probably what a lot of other new players will look at. They wont care for regs or kick or anything like that. Its a good looking gun with a 12" polished aluminum barrel, a shiny blue body and a steel braided macroline which makes it look pretty badass. At the time of its release I believe that it was one of the "prettiest" Spyders, with all the other ones in these odd green colors.
Maintenance - I find that it is a very easy marker to take care of. One pull of a pin and the bolt and the valve slide right out like most guns. Lube those up and you are ready to play again.
Durability - I have had this gun for 4 years now and I have never needed to repair it. Its like a 98 custom. The thing is like a rock and nothing is gonna happen to it.
Performance - Hey, what do you want me to tell you? Its a cheap blowback marker. It'll shoot the 300FPS limit and accurate enough for you to hit a guy maybe 50ft away but there isnt much besides that.
Upgrades - As far as how much you should invest into the marker, I would say close to nothing. Most of the components of the gun are not standard, so anything you would want to buy has to come from spyder. A gravity/shake'n'shoot hopper is fine and a 12-20oz CO2 tank should last you a couple hundred shots. The one upgrade that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you get is the Spyder Rocking trigger. Its an electronic trigger that will change your world. Since its been out for a while you can pick a new E-trigger for anywhere from $60-80. Its a great buy and its just a nice thing to have.
Price - Back in '04 you werent going to be able to buy this gun if you weren't willing to pay the 150 price tag. Today in the middle of '08 please make sure you dont get fooled. This gun retails, and this is from my local shop, for no more than $85. This is new with all the bells and whistles, like the manual and tool kit (just a few O-rings and allen keys).
Overall - I recommend this gun to a new player who doesnt want to spend a ton of money right from the get go. The gun plus the tank and hopper should cost you around $120 which is a good price. Its a great gun, and I suggest you get the E-trigger. Its the best 60 bucks you can spend on your gun. I still shoot it around today just for fun or up in the woods (not woodsball).
This review has been rated:
Currently 5/5 stars.
Kingman Group Spyder TL-XThis is the first gun I have purchased, after I played for one day and knew for sure I was hooked to the sports.
I spent $140 just to buy the gun. It included 2 bags of paint and a free day's pass...
This is the first gun I have purchased, after I played for one day and knew for sure I was hooked to the sports.
I spent $140 just to buy the gun. It included 2 bags of paint and a free day's pass at a field, but don't fall for that like me. $85 is about the right price for a new one alone.
The gun itself is fine. It is basically the same as the Xtra of the same year. The Xtra at the time had a rear cocking bolt with beaver tail while the TL-X had a top cocking bolt. Which cocking style you want is up to you: it does not affect performance. Some like the added mechanical look of the rear cocking knob and beaver tail, but I prefer the top cocking method so I can get my face closer to the back end of the gun, thus I chose the TL-X as my own very first gun.
Also, I may say that the milling on this Spyder is pretty nice. It is simple but smooth. Its back has a smooth curve to it like a saddle, unlike the angled looks of some of its sister guns.
Everything on the TL-X is standard. It accepts after marker Spyder threaded barrels, Spyder no-holes (aka "tabs") feed neck, top cocking bolt upgrades, slim strikers, Spyder valves, main and valve springs, and 45 degree panel grips. The grip frame can be upgraded to a Spyder e-frame made for classic Spyders. The bottom line holes are offset like almost all the other Spyders of its time. It does accept regulators and expansion chambers as fore grips just fine without needing to replace the vertical adapter like you would have to on a Pilot ACS. As a result if you are trying to skimp on money while converting to low pressure, all you really need to do with the vertical adapter is to drill it out correctly.
It's a mechanical gun so you are not likely to be shooting very fast. A Viewloader Revolution should be fast enough to keep up with you. As with most older Spyders I would also recommend a barrel upgrade. It may quiet down the gun as a side effect. The gun will recoil a bit compared to the high end guns, as expected.
This is a very simple and standard Spyder. Keep it well-maintained and it will keep working.
Appearance: It doesn't look like anything special, but IMO it is one of the better milled stock bodies.
Performance: It performs like you would expect a low end mechanical blow back to perform. Do not expect ball-on-ball accuracy with this thing, but with good upkeep and decent barrel you can get a tight shot grouping. (let's not forget aiming skills too )
Reliability: It's so simple that most problems are easy fixes. I have never had problems that a clean-up, new o-ring, or teflon tape couldn't handle. The stock valve cup seal that came with this gun is still working in it.
Value: You are lucky enough to find review websites like this one before buying your first gun. That's plenty luckier than me. Don't be a noob like me paying $140 for this gun. $60 to $90 new would be what I expect. As with the Xtra, get a used one for a good bargain if you have the know-how to deal with the potential problems of the previous owner not maintaining the gun enough.
This review has been rated:
Currently 4.5/5 stars.
Kingman Group Spyder TL-XAwesome gun for the money. Kingman has been around for years. Their guns are built to last. 2 fields around me use them for rental guns. All the o-ring in gun are the same size. BN70-015. I would...
Awesome gun for the money. Kingman has been around for years. Their guns are built to last. 2 fields around me use them for rental guns. All the o-ring in gun are the same size. BN70-015. I would recommend this marker to anyone!
Accuracy (With Stock Barrel): 4-10
Durability: 7-10
Reliability: 7-10 (Keep clean & you will have no problems)
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