[whyuuucockin]

What is a free flow cocker

[tacxplosion]

A 'cocker made by the company named "Freeflow", late 90's to 2004(?) when the machining went to hell, or was that air challenger in Taiwan? I've always liked their millennium and rhythm series (also the boxxer and lotus to a lesser extent). Not a fan of tungsten hammers though.

[Darkapollo]

They out sourced in the early 2000's to china/taiwan and their reputation went down the toilet.

In other words, FreeFlow was just a company that made custom Private Label autocockers.

[original_WilD]

Originally Posted by Darkapollo

They out sourced in the early 2000's to china/taiwan and their reputation went down the toilet.

In other words, FreeFlow was just a company that made custom Private Label autocockers.

I'm pretty sure it was just the later production Lotus bodies that were Chinese crap, right? The earlier models, the Fulcrum and Millenium in particular, are good stuff and highly regarded.

[Darkapollo]

Yeah, thats why I said in the early 2000's they outsourced. Their earlier stuff through the 2k's were fantastic. I think they started shipping over seas in 03.

[Kanadian-Kaos]

50% of the way through the Lotus/Rhythm line they outsourced to Taiwan (still available on this site-- look at the quality of the rest of the products and you may see what went wrong).

The Fulcrum, Millenium, and Boxxer series had no problems. Anything with a wire detent is solid too.

[Drewbie613]

Originally Posted by tacxplosion

A 'cocker made by the company named "Freeflow", late 90's to 2004(?) when the machining went to hell, or was that air challenger in Taiwan? I've always liked their millennium and rhythm series (also the boxxer and lotus to a lesser extent). Not a fan of tungsten hammers though.

The company was actually "Pro Paintball" out of New York. It was ran by members of the old professional NPPL ten man team, Lockout. They, much like Shocktech/Aftershock, ran a custom shop for aftermarket Autocockers that were meant for their teams.

The Fulcrum was their first custom gun that debuted in 1999 and the Millenium was their second that debuted the following year. They also made the Dark Autocockers for Warped Sportz during this time frame as well.

[DefTone]

Originally Posted by Drewbie613

The company was actually "Pro Paintball" out of New York. It was ran by members of the old professional NPPL ten man team, Lockout. They, much like Shocktech/Aftershock, ran a custom shop for aftermarket Autocockers that were meant for their teams.

The Fulcrum was their first custom gun that debuted in 1999 and the Millenium was their second that debuted the following year. They also made the Dark Autocockers for Warped Sportz during this time frame as well.

Drew has it right...Pro Paintball was based out of NY State and was the home of Lockout back in the day. They built some great guns, some of my favorite cockers to date came out of Pro. Bunch of cool guys that built some damn nice guns back then....The world was a happier place when everyone shot cockers.

[backblock]

Originally Posted by DefTone

The world was a happier place when everyone shot cockers.

Amen

Just getting back into paintball again a bit, and it is a strange place.

[Oldandsneaky]

Originally Posted by backblock

Amen

Just getting back into paintball again a bit, and it is a strange place.

I'd rather play with a marker that has some kind of history, than any of the new "space guns". New stuff has no soul.

[DefTone]

Originally Posted by Oldandsneaky

I'd rather play with a marker that has some kind of history, than any of the new "space guns". New stuff has no soul.

This is true, clockers had soul,,,,The new machine guns don't , guys bonded with clockers and loved them....Not so much now days.

[MoNoFx]

Cockers now a days, all the old school guys are skooping them up as they can get them. I know Im one of them .
I do miss the millenium freeflows. Waiting for one of those to come my way to add to my collection

[backblock]

I do remember when the freeflows started to hit the field. They were nice cockers but there was alot of hype.

The advertising was something like "OMG we reinvented the autococker to make it impossible to chop balls". The rest of the paintball comunity skilled in the art of autocockers had of course been setting up their markers the same way, for low cocking force, for years.

Heavy hammer and light valve/mainspring............duh

[Oldandsneaky]

Originally Posted by backblock

I do remember when the freeflows started to hit the field. They were nice cockers but there was alot of hype.

The advertising was something like "OMG we reinvented the autococker to make it impossible to chop balls". The rest of the paintball comunity skilled in the art of autocockers had of course been setting up their markers the same way, for low cocking force, for years.

Heavy hammer and light valve/mainspring............duh

I know I should just put "DUMB***" in my user name, but I thought the lighter valve and hammer springs allowed lower operating pressures (to avoid chopping paint). How does a heavier hammer contribute?

[Reddawg]

Most chopping problems are from short stroking trigger. The lower pressure bolt bounced off ball instead of breaking it.

[paintballedbackin88]

Originally Posted by Oldandsneaky

I know I should just put "DUMB***" in my user name, but I thought the lighter valve and hammer springs allowed lower operating pressures (to avoid chopping paint). How does a heavier hammer contribute?

"A heavier hammer will slow down over a longer time and reverse travel in a longer time so overall a heavy hammer holds the valve open a touch longer." -Railgun 09/08

[backblock]

Originally Posted by Oldandsneaky

I know I should just put "DUMB***" in my user name, but I thought the lighter valve and hammer springs allowed lower operating pressures (to avoid chopping paint). How does a heavier hammer contribute?

The whole idea was to get your cocking pressure down, not the operating pressure. Lighter valve and main springs just meant that the ram required less force to activate the hammer. Loaders werent all that great "in the day", they could feed about 12 bps but the closed bolt nature of the cocker made them less effective. If a ball got caught from the feeder not keeping up or short stroking the bolt would simply pinch the ball.

It is debateable if the heavy hammer helps. The idea is it can open the valve easier than a lighter hammer. However, it will be traveling with lower speed do to the light mainspring and since it has more mass it will take a bit more cocking force to accelerate back.

I think freeflow also honed the bolt bore and maybe used an oring less bolt to reduce friction as well.

[Rancid1845]

I remember people with the FreeFlows and DM3's were all about low cocking pressure. They would shock and awe people by cycling the gun with their tongue in breech.

[Kanadian-Kaos]

The heavy tungsten hammer caused wear in the lower tube (more noticeable with an electro and high cycle rates). Nowadays, people mainly use them in their pumps so they can use a light main spring and prevent the main spring holding the valve open.

The "Lockout Edition [LOE]" arbor honed the upper tube. All their bolts including the metal, delrin and Nylatron have orings. The Nylatron bolt I have has "swelled" in the heat before so much so that my marker would not cycle correctly because it was getting stuck (desert condtions). No problems with the delrin.