[Locknpump]

Like the title says, im either going to get a VSC Phantom soon or look into getting a nice barrel kit, HPA tank and some other upgrades for the superstock, thoughts?

[Legato]

Two different flavors. This is a personal choice. Which setup do you like more. The nelson based phantom, lighter, more efficient (how are you setting it up? Stock class feed? 12 Grams?). the Sniper will be heavier but will run on bulk tanks and hoppers. So it is an easier transition to pump play. Everyone has their own tastes in PB. Your best bet is to try out a phantom and see how you like it. I thought i'd love Phantoms and hated mine, too light for me. But i love my Carters (also nelson based pumps). Just cause they are super heavy. I was never that good with a sniper based pump but normal sheridans i love. Phantoms are great pumps markers. No doubt, very effecient. Most people love em. But like i said, everyone has different tastes. Try one out first before you drop money on it.

[Locknpump]

Legato, on 16 January 2011 - 11:03 PM, said:

Two different flavors. This is a personal choice. Which setup do you like more. The nelson based phantom, lighter, more efficient (how are you setting it up? Stock class feed? 12 Grams?). the Sniper will be heavier but will run on bulk tanks and hoppers. So it is an easier transition to pump play. Everyone has their own tastes in PB. Your best bet is to try out a phantom and see how you like it. I thought i'd love Phantoms and hated mine, too light for me. But i love my Carters (also nelson based pumps). Just cause they are super heavy. I was never that good with a sniper based pump but normal sheridans i love. Phantoms are great pumps markers. No doubt, very effecient. Most people love em. But like i said, everyone has different tastes. Try one out first before you drop money on it.

I already have the sniper, its got a nice pump action and shoots perfectly fine but I am worried using co2 will eventually tear through the reg, and having HPA where im at would be a pain to get refilled it seems. I like the stock class and 12 gram design of phantoms but i've never used one myself and have to go off other's experiences but overall they sound like very fun markers and would be extremely easy to use w/ 12 grams and paint. The only drawback is the price difference, if i get a phantom ill get an acid wash which puts me around 320$ w/ the stock class feed and 12 gram exchanger. So the real question is, are phantoms worth their cost? (id say yes but im also a bit ill informed) mind giving some advice from experience?

p.s. trying one out really isn't an option since I play mainly with friends at my house and only occasionally make the trip to an actual field.

This post has been edited by Locknpump: 16 January 2011 - 09:25 PM

[Legato]

Anyone who has held one will all agree Phantoms are wonderful pieces of craftsmanship and worth every penny. Just make sure to get all the fixings you want right away if you are getting an acid wash, so they all match. IE Don't try to buy a vert feed body or other piece later, as even if you get the same anno of say green black, it won't be a perfect match.

But as to the marker itself. They are great markers. Smooth to shoot. Light as can be. You can change out the grip frame to M16, 45, pistol, 86*, and a few other grip variants. (The pachmayr vindicator pistol grip is godly) And changing from vert feed body to SC takes only a minute. They are very user friendly and very very effecient. They are relatively unchanged over the last 20 years because there is little to improve on.

one of My wife's phantoms


Both of them...yes she does interesting setups on them

[Locknpump]

Id definately get the 45 grip and put my dye grips on it, im having troubles deciding on the wash tho, the purple is really tempting. Are they quiet? I actually think ill love their weight because I enjoy pressing the front pretty hard when I play, and having something small and mobile would be sick. And is the stock worth investing in? If so L or telescopic T stock?

and is the stock pump that comes with the phantom worth upgrading or is it already pretty smooth?

This post has been edited by Locknpump: 16 January 2011 - 11:03 PM

[Legato]

Check out the pump pics thread here. Go on www.mcarterbrown.com/forums and check out their CCI Sections Pics thread in the Armory too. You will see hundreds of acid washes. Get you an idea of how stuff will look. The dust will cost you an extra $40 over the gloss. Other then that all colors will cost you the same. They are quiet i guess. Phantoms make a pop like any other pump. Is it hush puppy quiet? No. But can someone tell where you are off one shot alone? No. They need a few to triangulate you. So don't be too worried, as long as you don't hose, you will be ok. Stocks are a personal preference thing. Some people love em, some hate em. If you used to shouldering a marker via the airtank then it makes for an easier transition and helps you keep your aim steady. L stock is a single fixed length. T is adjustable. I like both, don't really prefer one over the other.

I recommend buying 2 sets of detent rings for it. $5 a piece. They are easy to lose but necessary to have. Also invest the extra $4 into a trigger shoe, they will make things oh so comfy on your trigger finger

edit: the stock pump is fine. A little twist can be done and it isn't buttery smooth. But it is nice, The upgrade kits make it a bit smoother and just remove the chance of marring the barrel with your pump and sand. I love the rainman kit on my wife's phantoms. But they take some time to get right. If they are just slightly off they can bind and become harder to pump. But set up right and it is all buttery smooth the whole way

This post has been edited by Legato: 16 January 2011 - 11:09 PM

[cdrinkh20]

What I did for the detent rings: got one of those clips people have on water bottles and backpacks, put them on there in a baggie with my other parts. Haven't lost any yet!

[Krazy8]

I seriously love the Phantom.
We have a nice sniper and an S6 in the house along with my Super Stocker and I still find myself using the Phantom most of he time.

The pump stroke is easy when a Phantom is fresh of the line. And they only get softer and smoother as you use em. Mine is silky now.
If you seriously like the feel of the sniper, then starting with the CCI undercooking kit is a good start without making the commitment to the Rainman kit. I personally thought the Rainman kit was to bulky for my taste but others love it. The CCI lot is much smaller.

The difference between L and T stocks are pretty easy.
The L is a set 13" long with the shoulder seat being a single curve.
The T is adjustable from 11" to 16" with the shoulder seat being cresent shape.
I find the shoulder seat on the L easier to find a comfortable shooting position.
My long arms also find the fixed position of the L the most comfy. Shorter players (under 6') tend to prefer the T.

Barrel length is totally upto the player. 6", 8", 11", & 14" are all options when you build your own. But there is a reason 11" is the standard stock size. Turns out that most players find that length to be the best mix of sight line and maneuverability.
If you play CQB an 8" is a good way to go.

If you plan on stock class I suggest you get a 15 round feed tube. Typically it is a not too long for most players, bit it allows you cut it down to your own preferred length later.

I also suggest buying a matching open class breech with your VSC. The initial cost is small, and it gives you the chance to feel the real difference between the Sniper and the Phantom on the field during use. Feed direction is upto you. Left, right, and center feed all cost the same.
I use a right feed cause I like my red dot...alot!

Any other questions?
Ok. Here I'd what I would suggest.

[Krazy8]

Ok, try to read through my typo's. Predictive software on my phone are making me look moronic.

[Spades]

I traded my PM5 and all the stuff for it (68/4500, pods, pod pack, extra hardware etc;) in a straight trade for a stock VSC phantom with nothing fancy. I love it, it's lightweight because i always played front with my high end electro, and i still play front, i just do a lot more flanking and sneaking around now. Added a stock, an open reticle red dot sight by NCstar, and a pink trigger shoe, and I have my baby.

[Locknpump]

This is an off-topic ish question, but is the vendetta deluxe pump nice? And if I got one would I be able to use it for different pumps by just swapping the arm (don't know the technical term for the piece that connects pump to bolt.) And I think i'm going to put off getting the phantom, id rather get further into pump play with the sniper before commiting to the greater cost of the phantom (although I know I will have one before summer )

[Legato]

Vendetta pump kits are imitation CCM kits. They work fine. Though the CCM ones are better, and first.

Different pump handles? What do you mean by different pumps? The pump arm? On a sniper like you use you have the pump, the backplate to the pump that the pump attaches to, this connects to the pump rod (which runs from the front pump to the backblock) Then you come to the backblock which the bolt and cocking rod are attached to. If you want a different pump handle CCM kits allow you to do that. You sound like you want a new backblock, but i am not sure. Those are replaceable as well, very easy too.

[Locknpump]

Sorry should have been more clear there, decided to not worry about a new pump system and more on the necessary items. All I need right now is an HPA tank and a 200 round hopper, I like my 40 round hopper but I want something with more possibilities regarding longer games where amount of paint becomes an issue. And a wide variety of O-rings since they seem to cause most the issues on my marker