used dm9 or new axe?

madbored2010 · 02-18-2013, 10:46 PM

i get discounts on the axe so it $310 but i can get a dm9 for less then $500 but i would upgrade the barrel and bolt on the axe making it about the same price as the dm9 any help?

paintslanger · 02-18-2013, 11:08 PM

Axe is much better. Super simple and easy to maintain. I traded my dm11 for an axe and cash. Great trade.

SKI008 · 02-19-2013, 12:45 AM

If you can shoot them both I would recommend that. Both are great guns.

I think I would give the edge to the Axe, just barely though.

VSportsGuy · 02-19-2013, 01:29 AM

If you can get a new axe for $310 that's a steal. Used one's go for about 300. Most people will prefer an axe to a dm9

blueshifty · 02-19-2013, 07:25 AM

I'm was actually debating the 2 guns recently myself, but I looked at it like this:

DM9 necessary upgrades:
$60 - UL ASA (I hate non-centered outputs)
$50 - upgraded board, likely a hater (PSP on dye guns is a 2 round burst and that sucks IMO)

Axe necessary upgrades:
$28 - Eigenbolt
$30 - Virtue upper board/eyes (the stock upper board is prone to failure and virtue is cheap with a lifetime warranty)

For me, not only was the initial cost of the axe less, but the necessary upgrades were cheaper too. The other thing is that the noid on an axe is ~$30 vs the DMs $80, the lower board is $25 vs the DMs $50. I think the DM shoots a little better in stock form, but the overall benefits of the axe swayed me that way.

dps093 · 02-19-2013, 07:56 AM

Axe all the wayyyy. But the DM9 is pretty smooth and quiet. Just not air efficient.

[NA]WARLORD · 02-19-2013, 12:33 PM

I would towards the Axe between the two due to the reasons blueshifty mentioned, not to mention if something goes wrong with your Axe, the customer service from Kee/Empire is just plain awesome.

blueshifty · 02-19-2013, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [NA]WARLORD

I would towards the Axe between the two due to the reasons blueshifty mentioned, not to mention if something goes wrong with your Axe, the customer service from Kee/Empire is just plain awesome.

Indeed. There's not just a ton of lifetime warrantied guns on the market, in fact, they're the only one I know of. Since I post in the VS forum a lot I get a substantial amount of PMs about what I shoot so I'll give even a little more about my thoughts on the axe.

-Lifetime warranty for the original owner (I've heard Kee will take care of second hand owners too)
-Eigenbolt makes the axe silky smooth and dead quiet. Not to mention one of the easiest guns on paint since the LVL 10 automag.
-Parts, if not covered by warranty, are dirt cheap and abundantly available. The virtue upper/ eyes are nice and reduce the microswitch weight making a more pleasant trigger pull.
-I love enclosed bolt markers. This is the main reason I don't shoot a vice.
-Field strippable. I hate having 50 tools laying on a pick nick table while I try to get back in the game. The axe is toolless and a swab can be run through it and lube on the bolt guide in only a few seconds.
- Lube and go operation. It is seriously a pull it out and play week after week.
- No macroline. Not that it matters but it's one less thing to keep in the gear bag.
- Intuitive tuning. Even with a lurker bolt these can be tuned over a chrono in less than 5 minutes EASILY.

For my wants/ needs the axe is pretty nice and is a gun I'm not worried about wrecking. No need for an OLED or trigger upgrade so it's more money I can spend on paint.

blklight · 02-19-2013, 02:43 PM

Axe for sure

autocockerfreak227 · 02-19-2013, 03:28 PM

Dm9 is made by one of the most high end gun companies so you are getting the best. Plus most of my fields are semi only. ( I play wreck )

Weroliera (Banned) · 02-19-2013, 07:03 PM

Axe!!!

Paintball4Alex · 02-19-2013, 08:23 PM

Axe, pros use axes! Get a boss v2 and upgrade the barrel and a new feedneck

madbored2010 · 02-20-2013, 06:08 PM

after the debating im getting a new axe but ive heard it needs some upgrades one of my friends said a barrel and a new bolt is a must any help?

blueshifty · 02-20-2013, 06:10 PM

I agree with your friend. For the best overall deal go to lurker paintball and order the axe kit. If you want to make your axe a little better yet, get a virtue upper board/eyes.

bth9461 · 02-20-2013, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueshifty

I agree with your friend. For the best overall deal go to lurker paintball and order the axe kit. If you want to make your axe a little better yet, get a virtue upper board/eyes.

I have seen you mention this before. When I go to the Virtue site I see a listing for laser eyes for the Axe (red/green). They are 34.99. Is this what you are talking about? As a returning player with little experience with these electro guns, I get a little lost when you start talking internals.

Is the stock brd at a real disadvatage when compared to the Virtue mini/axe brd (114.99), Virtue Axe oled brd (189.99), or the Redline Brd 219.99? Are any of these a must for tourney play?

[NA]WARLORD · 02-20-2013, 08:10 PM

Virtue eyes are cool, but not needed for the function of the gun. Also, I wouldn't buy a bolt until you break in the reg as it won't make any difference nor will you gain much. A barrel is a must and with most of the bolts on the market, underboring is the key to best results from the bolts.

blueshifty · 02-20-2013, 08:41 PM

There's a lot I disagree with in the post above me, but I'll tell you why. On axes there is an upper and lower board. The eyes are mounted to the upper board as is the microswitch. The stock microswitch is like ~80 gram and the virtue is a 20 gram. That allows for a much more pleasant trigger pull. The second part of that is that the upper board (being integrated with the eyes) is prone to failure. It is also one of, if not the hardest parts to get to on the gun. My opinion is that for $30 on eBay you can get the virtue board and get a lifetime warranty on a board that will last. You really don't want this to go down mid day. The lower board (in the front grip) is fine and I run the stock shockwave. Even if it goes out you can fix it in a couple minutes and replacements are cheap.

You may want to download an axe manual before you buy, but they're incredibly simple.

Edit: I also forgot to mention on the Axe the aftermarket bolts offer immediate benefits. The eigenbolt works differently than the stock bolt because of the unique spacer.

Joe13750 · 02-21-2013, 01:22 AM

This thread is clearly over whelmed with axe fans vs dye fans.

As for axe vs dm9. You can pick up an upgraded dm9 for about 350-400. The dm feels much better in the hands and is the better shooter. Dm9 was released as a high end marker and still is that. The axe was released as a mid level gun, even though pros shoot them (paintball4alex)haha. But the dm if tuned properly will be smoother and quieter than a tuned axe.

blueshifty · 02-21-2013, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe13750

This thread is clearly over whelmed with axe fans vs dye fans.

As for axe vs dm9. You can pick up an upgraded dm9 for about 350-400. The dm feels much better in the hands and is the better shooter. Dm9 was released as a high end marker and still is that. The axe was released as a mid level gun, even though pros shoot them (paintball4alex)haha. But the dm if tuned properly will be smoother and quieter than a tuned axe.

Most of this is, in fact, true. DM9s are absolutely fantastic and are IMO probably the best guns Dye has put out. Again, it kind of depends on the OP's objective. A well tuned DM is smoother and quieter than a well tuned stock axe, I agree, however an axe with an eigenbolt is just as smooth if not smoother and is just as quiet if not quieter and is more efficient, macroless and cheap.