Tippmann A-5

The A-5 is one of the most reliable mechanical markers on the market today. While it is not as light or as fast as many more expensive electro-pneumatic guns, its dependability, upgradeability, durability and lower price make it a favorite among many paintball enthusiasts.

Pros

Cons

Looks and Feel

The stock A-5 (compare prices) comes with a bottom line, fore grip and the patented Cyclone^TM Feed System. The gun's body is noticeably longer than many other guns, but it fits well in your hands and has a solid, comfortable feel. The A-5 is a true mechanical marker and has a front cocking rod on the left side of the gun and on the right there is a plunger to manually advance the feeder.

Upgrades

The A-5 is designed to be upgraded and personalized. Whether you want to add a Flatline barrel system (compare prices), an after-market stock(compare prices) or an electronic trigger frame (compare prices). You can get countless customized shrouds to make your A-5 look like almost any military rifle as well as attach sights, scopes and straps for more useful improvements.

Performance and Accuracy

Straight out of the box I was able to load up and fire the A-5 similarly to many other mechanical guns, though it had a slightly stiff trigger pull. Where it differs form other guns, though, is its method of loading balls to shoot. A star-shaped loader inside the cyclone feeder is advanced after each shot with the same air that fires the ball, forcing the next ball into the chamber. This allows for extremely rapid rates of fire without needing an electronic loader and virtually guarantees against missed shots by failing to load a ball.

The A-5 is more accurate than many mechanical markers but it really is not as accurate nor nearly as fast as a good electro-pneumatic gun. At forty feet using compressed air I was able to shoot a hundred balls into a circle with a spread of about six inches on both sides of my target - good enough to shoot a player but not good enough to really need a sight or scope.