[Cap'n Kim]

Seeing as how the Tippmann forum here is full of threads about A-5's and X-7's breaking, I figured I would do something different and post a review of my new marker.

I'm pretty new to the game of paintball, but it seems like I started at a good time. Tippmann just recently released the new Alpha Black marker, sponsored by the U.S. Army. Debates about the ethics of this move by Tippmann can be taken to another thread because I really don't care. What really appealed to me about this new marker were:

1. Reliability--The general consensus on these and other paintball forums is that the 98C is the AK of the paintball world. Since this was my first ever marker, I wanted something that I knew wouldn't break down and constantly need repairs or parts.
2. Price--I went with the Alpha Black Tactical, which is basically the dressed up version with the M4 Carbine shroud and stock. It cost $130. Despite any negative thing you could come up with, that price is unbeatable. If you bought a 98C without ACT ($10 cheaper than the ABT) and modded it to look like a M4 Carbine, you could easily be looking at several hundred dollars.
3. Looks--As mentioned above, you could mod out the 98C to look like a M4, and not only would it cost way more than the ABT, it wouldn't look nearly as clean.

So I went ahead and bought it.


The first thing I thought when I held it in my hands was, "this gun is not for little kids," because they wouldn't be able to hold it for extended periods of time. Then I attached my 72/3000 tank that I bought along with the ABT, and my first thought then was, "crap, this is going to be heavy."

Well I filled up and played with it for the first time last Saturday, and it was heavy. A remote line is a definite must if you're going to combine a big tank with this marker.

Here are some negative impressions I have about the marker:

1. Size--The marker is a little bit long for tight quarters maneuvering. But this isn't different from any other mil-sim marker so I guess I can't hold the ABT at fault.
2. Stock--Installing/Uninstalling the stock is a pain, because there is a screw that holds it in place, meaning you have to screw it in and unscrew it every time. Maybe I should just get a bigger bag so I don't have to undo it.
3. Future Modability--The barrel shroud is held in place by one screw. This means that the barrel is essentially holding the shroud steady, and the screw keeps it from sliding out. I have read another ABT owner that said he replaced the stock barrel with a longer one, but it is not a perfect fit, and the shroud is wobbly. Hopefully I will be able to find a barrel that fits, or I might have to just stick some foam or cardboard in between the barrel and shroud to hold it still.


Well that's about it. I know it's a long read, but I remember when I was shopping around a lot of people were also considering an ABT, and hopefully this can help them make a more informed decision and not be disappointed in their purchase later on because of an unforeseen drawback of the product.

One last pic to give you an idea of the rough size of the marker, next to a 140-rd pod.

[Curly Fry]

i must say, its a unbeatable deal for new players looking to get a remote gun setup

[Yomillio]

I still can't get over how hideous that hanguard is, it looks so ridiculously disproportional.

[oerllikon]

it does seem like its really good bang for your buck. you can store stuff in the magazine too

[asdffdsaasdf]

great review from a new player

im impressed

[Shodan561]

Hes diffenetly right about those points, i did a review also here at this link

http://www.pbnation.com/reviews/prod...a_black_basic/

[Gutless]

Why the hell hasn't somemade a REALISTIC looking paintball gun that isn't over $300. I mean seriously, take a look at this airsoft gun http://www.airsoftgi.com/product_inf...oducts_id=2355 can anyone honestly say that that gun isn't cool looking. That airsoft company sells them for $160. Tippmann has made a blowback horizontal action paintball gun, so why don't they make an m16 or an m14 or a friggan ak47, and it's not like they couldn't sell it for <200 dollars. you know what, I am going to make the first ever realistic looking m16 paintball marker; and when I say realistic, I mean like no hoppers, it is going to be clip fed.

[Curly Fry]

wow, rap4 beat ya too it, such a surprise

[BenoitOWN]

Originally Posted by Curly Fry

wow, rap4 beat ya too it, such a surprise

nah rap4 make nothing, the manufacturer in china do

[Cap'n Kim]

Originally Posted by Shodan561

Hes diffenetly right about those points, i did a review also here at this link

http://www.pbnation.com/reviews/prod...a_black_basic/

Good review. However my ABT did not come with a strap. I think you only get it if you purchase the Tactical kit separately for $50. Did you get one? Because that would make me mad if you did.

Originally Posted by Curly Fry

wow, rap4 beat ya too it, such a surprise

I think you missed the >$200 part. But honestly I think any mag-fed marker would be at least complicated, if not expensive.

[Orpackrat]

Originally Posted by Cap'n Kim

I think you missed the >$200 part. But honestly I think any mag-fed marker would be at least complicated, if not expensive.

The Gen4 is a bit spendy but looks so much better:



The magazine fed system is not that complicated, this is what the magazine looks like disassembled:

[The Gvna]

^^ That grip and trigger looks so rediculously uncomfortable. Not to mention akward looking.

Edit: and the more I look at it, the worse it looks. The barrel sticks out way to much and makes the whole front piece look way too small. The grip is too small compared to the overall size of the marker, and the magazine and magazine feeder are HUGE! I understand thats the zsize the magazine should be because it has to feed the balls through that, but its so dis-proportionate (?).

[thaster]

Originally Posted by Gutless

Why the hell hasn't somemade a REALISTIC looking paintball gun that isn't over $300. I mean seriously, take a look at this airsoft gun http://www.airsoftgi.com/product_inf...oducts_id=2355 can anyone honestly say that that gun isn't cool looking. That airsoft company sells them for $160. Tippmann has made a blowback horizontal action paintball gun, so why don't they make an m16 or an m14 or a friggan ak47, and it's not like they couldn't sell it for <200 dollars. you know what, I am going to make the first ever realistic looking m16 paintball marker; and when I say realistic, I mean like no hoppers, it is going to be clip fed.

Tippmann guns are very customizable. Someone could make their tippmann into almost any milsim gun they want with the right kit of course. check out the tippmann x-7 - named the most customizable paintball gun in the world.

[Orpackrat]

Originally Posted by The Gvna

^^ That grip and trigger looks so rediculously uncomfortable. Not to mention akward looking.

Edit: and the more I look at it, the worse it looks. The barrel sticks out way to much and makes the whole front piece look way too small. The grip is too small compared to the overall size of the marker, and the magazine and magazine feeder are HUGE! I understand thats the zsize the magazine should be because it has to feed the balls through that, but its so dis-proportionate (?).

It is actually rather comfortable and works great for the way you hold the marker.

Mabe in pictures but in person, I've had a number of people be unable to tell the difference between the Gen4 and the real thing.

The Magazine may be a little big but I'm waiting for the 150 round drum magazine to come out .

[The Gvna]

Originally Posted by Orpackrat

It is actually rather comfortable and works great for the way you hold the marker.

Mabe in pictures but in person, I've had a number of people be unable to tell the difference between the Gen4 and the real thing.

The Magazine may be a little big but I'm waiting for the 150 round drum magazine to come out .

They definitely need to have a 150 round drum. or can you swap out the magazines like a real weapon? That would be sweet.

Back on topic: Since the Army guns are made by tippmann, can you put a cyclone feeder on these?

[Whiteyboy]

Originally Posted by The Gvna

Back on topic: Since the Army guns are made by tippmann, can you put a cyclone feeder on these?

The adapter piece has to be slightly modded for it to fit but Tippmann is supposed to be working on an adapter that will bolt right up.

It was discussed here and there are a few pics with a cyclone mounted on a Alpha Black.

[Supertrooper202]

i think the rap4 marker looks ugly. the grip looks uncomfortable and the trigger looks weird or broken in the picture.

as for the alpha black gun, it looks cool, but looks dont compete with performance. The weight of it seems to be a issue so why not just go for a model 98 c??? The creator of this thread, one reason why it may be so cumbersome is bc of the tank your using, steelys are heavy on their own.

[Shodan561]

Originally Posted by Cap'n Kim

Good review. However my ABT did not come with a strap. I think you only get it if you purchase the Tactical kit separately for $50. Did you get one? Because that would make me mad if you did.



I think you missed the >$200 part. But honestly I think any mag-fed marker would be at least complicated, if not expensive.

ah, you are correct, it so happens that when i bought it, the store owner gave me it thinking the package was missing it, its not supposed to come with the strap, nice find!

[Mayvik]

Originally Posted by Supertrooper202

i think the rap4 marker looks ugly. the grip looks uncomfortable and the trigger looks weird or broken in the picture.

Totally off topic hijack about the RAP stuff, but I'll bite. One thing you need to realize is that RAP4 markets specifically for LE/Military training, and want their markers to be AS REALISTIC in terms of size and weight as possible. I've got a RAP5LE and it's disturbing how much it resembles an MP5, to the point where it won't ever come out of the bag/case unless I'm in mh house or at a field. That's an M16 grip on there, which is a pretty standard piece of paintball equipment if you look at markers made in and before the mid 90s. Unfortunately, M4/M16 is also 5.56mm, or roughly .22 caliber. So obviously some things need to scale up to be able to fire .68 ammo, and therefore you end up with some wonky geometry. The older RAP models that used .43 ammo tended to look much better, IMO, because the scaling wasn't as prominent. Unfortunately, catering to the recreational crowd has made them starting switching over to .68 which is causing their markers to end up looking like all the other Armortechs, Ariakons, A5s, MRs, BTs etc etc out there with mil-sim body styles. The firing mechanism between a real gun and a paintball marker is also completely different, so there are changes that need to be made.

As for the Alpha Black, nice review! It's a moderately interesting marker at a great price, but nothing revolutionary from Tippmann unfortunately. They've gone from one of the most innovative companies in paintball to thriving on their M98 cash cow and cranking out something new only very rarely. It's also an obvious shameless plug by the military to "pre-recruit" people, which pisses me off to no end and I won't support it by buying one of these.

[Supertrooper202]

if you read any of this thread, people brought up the rap 4 marker. looks hideous. the guy did do a good review of the new alpha marker.

[Cap'n Kim]

Originally Posted by Supertrooper202

i think the rap4 marker looks ugly. the grip looks uncomfortable and the trigger looks weird or broken in the picture.

as for the alpha black gun, it looks cool, but looks dont compete with performance. The weight of it seems to be a issue so why not just go for a model 98 c??? The creator of this thread, one reason why it may be so cumbersome is bc of the tank your using, steelys are heavy on their own.

Well I am definitely with you there...I personally don't like all show and no go.

However, the ABT comes with a better barrel stock than the 98C does, plus it has all the mil-sim mods built in. Not as customizable, but will save you a pretty penny over what opsgear will make you pay (aka rape you for ).

Once you add a cyclone feeder and maybe a 14-16" barrel, I don't see why the ABT can't compete. That is where my future plans lay for this marker, and probably not much else (I figure anything beyond that I might as well work from a better platform to begin with).

I personally think it's hilarious (not talking about anyone in this thread) that people see a 98C that has $300 worth of cosmetic modifications and think "nice," but see an ABT that costs a fraction of the price and is essentially the same gun and think "it's just a 98C." I actually overheard someone say that about my gun last Saturday. Thanks for letting me know buddy, I really spent $130 without even thinking about it or researching the product at all!

BTW Supertrooper, it was hidden somewhere in my first post, but I'm planning on a remote and vest of some sort.