Let me start with a short review of the Smart Parts SP-1 and L7 ION bolt:

I'll upload pictures of the S-1 later this week. I got it just in time for the Hitman game. The box is pretty cool; a window box inside a slip cover box. My S-1 is number 241 if I remember correctly. The box includes the S-1, barrel, barrel sock, and instructions. No tools, spare parts, or lube are included. The marker comes ready to fire with a battery installed. I wonder if there might be an issue with batteries leaking if stored too long. The marker has a nice feel; the pistol grip is on the smaller side. The front grip is a little uncomfortable due to the warning label cut-out but you won't notice this if you wear gloves. The barrel inserts into a 4-5 inch tube that will limit barrel compatibility. There is enough room for a standard freak back if you remove the stickers on the sides of the barrel. The barrel muzzle break fits well inside an Apex tip, a little electrical tape and you're set.

The end cap on the back of the marker is not compatible with any Tippmann stocks despite several rumors floating around the forums. In fact I doubt the cap retaining screws will make a solid attachment for any stock. You'd definitely run the risk of stripping out the threaded anchors from the body if you install a stock. Side by side with no hoppers the S-1 weighs about the same as a stock A5. It definitely weighs more than a stock ION. The feed neck is not compatible with aftermarket ION\Impulse replacements. I haven't had time to break it down yet. I did try it out at the CPX game; unfortunately I blew an internal air line using 850psi HBA on a remote line after about 10 shots. That sucked but I don't think this is a common issue. The few shots I did take were louder than an ION but a nice medium report with noticeable, but light recoil. Pics and internal break down will be available soon.

I also installed an L7 ION bolt on my tactical ION the night before the Hitman game. I estimated the dwell and ROF settings based on an online guide. No instructions were provided but a quick search on Google and I was set. Aside from breaking down the ION it was fairly easy to install; the hard part is tuning the dwell. The recoil and noise levels were reduced quite a bit; I thought my ION was crazy quiet to start with. I had a hard time identifying when I was low on air because it was so quite. The reduced noise level was a huge advantage! I did have consistency and shoot down issues when running 850psi HBA but the issues went away when I switched to C02. I'm sure it’s just a matter of getting the right dwell setting. I didn't see a noticeable increase in air efficiency, though this might also be dwell related. Great upgrade though not entirely necessary.

Now to the Hitman Game Report:

I had been planning on attending the Hitman scenario at CPX for several weeks. I even cancelled game plans in late September to ease the tensions at home but inevitably my wife and oldest son started laying on the guilt trip as the game day neared. Sunday mornings are a fun time for my boys and me. We usually watch cartoons together in the morning and I usually make a special breakfast while my wife sleeps in a little. Then we make a trip to the gas station to get the news paper and my oldest is allowed to pick out a snack. I tried my best on Saturday to explain why I wouldn't be home on Sunday to my oldest son Adam. First he asked if he could come. Then he asked if my paintball friend loved me. I said no and he responded by saying, I love you so you should stay home and watch cartoons with me.

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Well the website improvements are coming along...slowly but surely. I have a few minor improvements before submitting the site for search engine indexing and announcing the new site on my favorite forums. I finally figured out how to work the Mambo banner component so my affiliate advertising is nearly complete.

More importantly, after a few years of dreaming up ideas I finally have serious plans for developing my own line of paintball products! All of my other projects are on hold at the moment. I prefer to keep the details to myself for now but I plan on selling a variety of aftermarket ION and Tippmann upgrades. Many will be based on my personal preference for keeping my marker as light as possible. For example, a light weight M4 carry handle; rather than the rather heavy metal version that is so commonly used. The most significant items will be complete upgrade kits for the ION and X7 unlike anything currently available. I must admit many of my plans were inspired by the great ingenuity of several forum members. I'm still working on a way to recognize those individuals for their influence.

On a personal note, I'm starting down the long path towards a career change from IT Systems to Insurance Agent. The next fewer years of my life will be focused on learning the insurance and financial services industry, best practices for running a small business, raising capital, and personal development. I'm hoping to leverage off of paintball sales and National Guard recruiting to raise some of the money I need. Anyway, I highly recommend everyone read Dale Carnegie's book "How to Win Friends and Influence People". I wish I had read this 10 years ago!

You may have noticed some changes to the website navigation, colors, etc. I'm only a few weeks away from redirecting the entire site to a new Mambo website. I wanted to better integrate the blog and galleries. I'm also working on a paintball storefront for selling my gear and services. I apologize for any navigation issues or outages over the past few weeks. For an early look at the new website visit the following link:

www.crewchiefpb.com/main

Since my last update I've only been able to play twice. I got out for a day over Memorial Day weekend and this pervious weekend was the Fall scenario game at Sudden Impact. This was the second or third scenario hosted by the ISU paintball team that I've played. They always put on a great game! We had around 100 players with 5 hours of in field action (not bad for a one day scenario). Our side had several small groups of experienced milsim players and we dominated most of the game. The sides were still reasonably matched; it's not like we walked all over the other team. I have to say that I was kickin tale most of the day with an estimated 45 kills and was only shot out 6 times.

There was an X-ball field where most of the heavy fighting took place. I spent most of the day avoiding the major fire fights and defending key positions in less active areas of the field. I think a big reason my kill count was so high is that I played more of a supporting sniper role. I also made a last minute decision to use my SITH ION with a stock and freak barrel rather than my 98 Pro-E. The marker is crazy quiet, accurate, and with virtually no recoil. Up till now I only considered using my ION's as conversion markers but I think I have a new primary. The marker was so quiet! Combined with the cover of nearby gunfire I was almost silent at times which proved to be a huge advantage. I also shot through 2,500 rounds without a single break. I might have a hard time going back to my Tippmann.

I wanted to take a few minutes to rant on a common forum topic: cheating. Every time I play there are one or two people who are clearly cheating and one or two people who seem consumed with a deep suspicion that everyone else is cheating. I'm undecided on which is worse. Most accusations of cheating on the field are usually misconceptions on the part of the shooter. Here are some pointers on dealing with cheaters and playing smart without breaking the rules.

Why do people cheat?

This is quite obvious, we have been taught through years of competition in life and other sports to break the rules in order to come out ahead. Speedball players seem to be even more prone to cheating because they only call themselves out if the hit is obvious or in site of a referee during a competition. Not to say that speedball players are cheaters; just that old habits die hard.

Why do people get accused of cheating?

Most accusations of cheating are hard to prove on the field. A ball breaking on a branch or other obstacle can create the false perception of a break. Sometimes a player feels that after hammering a bunkered player’s position with 200 rounds that something must have hit home. You also have players with gear or clothing that might prevent the player from feeling or seeing the hit. Of course there are steps that can be taken to prevent or reduce cheating or the perception of cheating.

How to deal with a cheater?

All cheaters are innocent until proven guilty. Give the other guy the benefit of the doubt. If you're certain that another player is cheating call a paint check on them or talk to a ref between games. In most cases you didn't do a good enough job; glancing hits and limbs are tempting for a wiper. Focus on hitting the other player center mass if possible and try for 2-3 breaks. Communicate with the other player by calling out to check themselves or their equipment. If you get shot out do a casual paint check on the other player if possible. I don't recommend threatening, insulting, over shooting, or accusing other players that you feel are cheating. Make them a primary target for the next game and remember that you're there to have fun.

How do I prevent others from accusing me of cheating?

Accusations or suspicion are almost unavoidable. Not cheating is a good start. If you do need to wipe off splatter or rub-off from a bunker try to be discrete. Communicate with your opponent by calling out bounces. Call a paint check on yourself if needed but more on this later. Have a buddy look you over between games. This can help you identify areas where you're not feeling hits and prevent you from getting called on an old hit in the next game. Chat with the other players between games to establish a little trust.

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I'm working on some site changes over the next few weeks to convert my marker\project pictures to Coppermine. Here are some cool links:
 
Paintball Shots Per Tank calculator
http://www.scubatoys.com/paintball/paintballshots.asp
 
World Statistics Clock
http://www.poodwaddle.com/worldclock.swf
 

I managed to spend a little time in the basement this past week. Between playing conductor for my son's Thomas the Train set I realize that at least 80% of my markers need some maintenance or repair. For the sake of my marriage and personal sanity I'll not say how many markers are currently on the wall of shame. Anyway, it dawned on me that I need a way to inventory and track my markers to keep track of repairs, cleaning, and other information. I provided links below to the inventory sheet that I came up with and an example. I may do something similar for my masks to track frequency of use, replacement lenses on hand, etc. Maybe this will come in handy if anyone else has problems keeping tabs on their markers. Microsoft Word required. Enjoy!
 
Marker Inventory Sheet Example
 
Marker Inventory Sheet Template
 

Little to report for the last few months. I played two days of walk-on games at my local field but nothing too exciting. My kids are taking most of my free time these days so most projects are on hold for a few months. I did get rid of two A5's recently but picked up two Pro-Lites that need a little love. My project list continues to grow in my head...I have three model M72 launchers that I want to convert now as well. I did make some minor updates and photo links to the SPPL launcher page. Anyway, here is the Cyborg Name Generator, enjoy!

Get Your Cyborg Name
  
I recently updated my Wall of Shame pictures as well:
 Can you find the 5 IONs?
 

Microsoft Tech Ed was a huge blast! I was up to my eyeballs in techno jargon and all the information about Windows Server 2008 a geek could ever ask for. At night the free food and alcohol helped clear the mind of the previous day's mental overload. I also got to see the shuttle launch and a few other spectacular sights while I was there.
 
What? You weren't able to make it this year you say? Checkout my Tech-Ed 2007 Overview for the low down on the cool new changes coming in Server W2K8.
 
I arrived in Orlando a day early so I decided to grab a rental at Orlando Paintball for the day. Due to poor planning on my part and a very useless hotel travel guide I climbed into a taxi on Sunday morning headed to the field. I was prepared to pay a hefty fee for the ride but to my total shock it cost me $75 one way! The cabbie was kind enough to meet me afterwards to pocket another $75 off the meter...what a nice guy! (I was actually very appreciative, I could have been stranded on the other side of town)
 
I was a little disappointed by the turnout and that I forgot to bring a 98 barrel adapter for my rental. I had an Apex barrel in my travel bag but the A5 threads did me no good. The rental appeared to be very poorly maintained but being Tippmann it performed very well considering. I think I spent about $80 on paint and equipment (1100 rounds). Steep but not crazy expensive.
 
Despite the low turnout, about 12-16 players throughout the day, we still had a great time. I had my usually highs and lows...death dealer one moment and cannon fodder the next. The two indoor warehouse fields were great but after a few games they kicked us out due to the heat. The rest of the day was spent on 4-5 outdoor speedball fields. We only played one game on with 10-15 minute breaks in between. It felt like a snails pace at times but I finished the day with enough leftover paint to hook a small group of noobies up with enough for a small 2 on 2 game. Just another day at the field though I wasn't prepared to spend the day in the hot Florida sun; I still have the farmer's tan to show for it.
 
Overall, Orlando Paintball has a good setup for the location. The ref was actively involved though he seemed disinterested in player's field or game requests. The field rules are all hits count and no elimination matches (must have a theme). The speedball fields are on the other side of a busy street. Lots of kids crossing back and forth with loaded paintball markers seems a little reckless. One of the indoor fields had a staging area with an open view of the parking lot, no barrier or netting. Safety still wasn't a big issue. I'd give it a 6 out of 10 (8 for the location). Great place to walk on but I wouldn't make it my home field.
 
BTW: Click here for a fun article in NY Times about scenario paintball. 
 

Custom Marker Conversion Tips:
 
I've had several people contact me with questions on how to perform a marker conversion. Hopefully this will save us all little time.
 
Plan the design and choose quality parts.
 
Your best chance for success is to have at least a general plan in mind. Research the gun you're trying to copy and try to find others who have done similar mods. More importantly, choose a solid marker base and conversion model to work with. It isn't worth the time and effort to convert a crappy marker or to use poorly made plastic airsoft marker parts. Sometimes you need to be able to physically size up the base marker and conversion model to be sure of how well they will work together.
 
I recommend using a Tippmann Pro-Carbine, 98C or A5 for the base. The Smart Parts ION is also a popular base marker. I especially recommend the ION or eGrip Tippmann if you need to move the trigger a considerable distance. The conversion model and parts should be real firearm or mid-to-high grade airsoft parts. Careful shopping and finding used parts can cut down on costs. I also recommend picking up a cheap spring powered airsoft backup. You may find some useful parts on the cheaper models or use for mock up purposes. I highly recommend buying full working conversion airsoft guns. Don't get bogged down buying individual parts; it can become an expensive and time consuming hunt for parts. If you carefully remove the unused internals and other parts you can resell them to recover some of the costs.
 

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I played in a small scenario at Sudden Impact on March 28th (pics coming soon). I think we had a little over 80 players to start with and another 10-20 walk-on players later in the day. We played six 30 minute battles between three teams with one reinsertion at the 15 minute mark. Even though the there was plenty of cover the woods were still rather sparse making for a lot of longball battles. I managed to go through 3500 rounds which is an all time high for me to use in one day. With the 25-30 player teams and single reinsertion I was able to rack up some major kill points. After the initial skirmishes died down at the beginning of each session I was able to hunt the remaining players with relative ease and find a good sniping position for the next reinsertion. I tried my best to conserve paint but the ample number of targets kept bleeding my hopper and wallet.
 
I started the day with a 98c Pro-E but switched to a stock A5 at lunch to conserve paint. I tried my tactical ION at the chronostation but realized very quickly that it would use too much paint. The gun can rip some serious paint! I've decided to add this marker to the chopping block to fund my new X7 later this year. I like the gun but I'm not interested in shooting that much paint or using an agitated hopper. I was able to play with some friends from work and teamed up with a coupe of forum members with some nice custom milsim mods.
 
Our team dominated the scenario. The one exception was a game where we captured most of the field prizes only to have them stolen by another team at the last minute. Near the end of the day players started running out of paint and dropping out. The last two games were between two teams made up of the remaining players. I was doing some major damage, counting 15 confirmed kills in one session alone. I also pulled out my Apex barrel later in the day which proved to be extremely useful. When I couldn’t hit them long range I was able to provide valuable long range cover. The final game was a let down though, for some reason the other team didn't advance at the break and we quickly cut them down.
 
Big News! I have had a lot of cancer in my immediate family history, specifically brain tumors. After about six months of unusual head aches I got an MRI. The results came back clean! It's a big relief for my family and I and the experience has been a big wake up call to take better care of my health.
 
Next game will be June 3rd in Orlando, Florida. I'll be in town on business and plan on visiting Orlando Paintball for a little rental-ball action.
  

My wife and I had our second boy Caleb late last month! We both agree that two is all we need. Paintball has been on the back burner so I don't have much to report.
 

 
I purchased several new items needed to complete my ION minigun project but I probably won't begin construction for a few weeks. The design is really falling into place now that I have three shiny new IONs and several other major parts. I plan on documenting the build with lots of pictures.
 
I seem to have gone a little pump crazy. I picked up 5-6 new pumps this year (mostly PMI Tracers) and another Sidekick pump pistol. I'm still in pursuit of some way to revive the Sidekick pistol design. I contacted one of the original designers a few weeks ago but haven't heard back from him yet.
 

 
I picked up two difference airsoft grenade launchers to get a good look at their design. A standard under barrel Mad Bull shorty and a CA G36 launcher (shown below). I have some new ideas now for my pod launcher V2 design for later this year. I also have a second grenade model to test as a launcher air source.

I finally released a new marker gallery with around 3,000 picture last month! I finally have a stable Coppermine gallery to maintain all the paintball mod pictures that I've collected over the years. I also updated my game picture gallery.
 
My new obsessions is a website that sells plastic molding materials. The applications for paintball are endless! My first project will be to make a mold for the perfect scenario launcher rocket. Basically an improved version of the Nerf Vortex rocket. This might be my first mod ever reproduced for sale...wait and see. www.smoothonsecure.com
 
Finally, my first game of the year is fast approaching and I'm chomping at the bit! March 28 is a one day scenario at my local field Sudden Impact!!
 
Later, Crew
 

Most of my time has been focused on remodeling my basement and holiday travel the last few month. I also had a promotion at work, pregnant wife who can't leave the house on her own, a toddler son with high needs, and a family illness to distract me. My new years resolution is to quit smoking for good and get back on the mod wagon. I'm gearing up for another round of gear sales including the JCS US-5, two Tippmann eXt's, and a old school Armotech WG-75. All of this is to finance the design below: three rotating warp fed Ions...my own little minigun with full auto and auto shotgun firing modes. I'm working on a Remington 870 pump for now. More info to come soon.
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Here are a few pic I took in my basement tonight. The first is a pile of markers and the second is a future G36C project.
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More to come....

Three spinning ION!!