From: henryc@panix.com (Henry Chan)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.paintball
Subject: Re: TIPPMANN   PRO/AM   TIPS
Date: 13 Oct 92 17:23:01 GMT
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix & Internet, NYC

In article <gt1158.1uz0@terapin.com> gt1158@terapin.com (Guillermo Talamantes) writes:
>
>
>Wazzup!
>
>     Hey guys (and gals), I've just ordered a Pro/Am from  SKAN-LINE and am
>expecting it this Friday or next Thursday.  If anybody else out there has one
>or is well familiar with it... got any tips? I'm asking for any tips or tricks
>to make it shoot straighter and operate smoother. Also, any maintenance or

Check now and then for the rear sight loosening up.  I noticed the rear sight
tends to loosen up under play (observed on at least 3 Pro-Ams).  One Pro-Am
rear sight loosen up and promptly fell off.  The rear sight holds down a linkage
arm connecting the front and rear bolts so they move in unison.

The maintanence video is very informative with Dennis Tippmann Jr tearing down
and reassembling a Pro-Am.
I found the Pro-Am to be very complete, it comes with its own carrying case,
12 oz tank and butt plate (in the two flange style :), sling (for those long
range accurate shots), and tools.  Other people tell me that I tend to buy
tons of needless accessories for paintball (the ALICE frame for the Bulk
CO2 tank might have been over doing it a bit. )  For the Pro-Am I can't think
of much to upgrade except to get a Smart Parts or Armson barrel and a red
dot sight, and replace the 40 round loader with a Viewloader or Indian Springs.

Two of my friends, who used to have SL-68 IIs, commented that the Pro-Ams are
more accurate.

With the regular barrel and proper paint (try out as many different brands as
possible) the Pro-Am throw out nice tight groups.  I didn't conduct any 
scientific tests but I had no trouble tracking and repeatly hit empty 2 quart
gatorade bottles at 40'.  I think the bottomline helped out in aiming, almost
effortless to bring the sights in alighment.  With the right paint I was 100%
confident about hitting static targets (I was ready to take bets ).  I had great
luck with Pro-ball and R.P. Scherer paint.  My other friends with Pro-Ams didn't
like Zap, and found Traccer and Bullseye Turbo to be okay.  Bullseye Turbos are
definitely an improvement, they didn' break in the gun as much as the old Bulls-
eye.  Don't know if the Turbo still suffer from the freshness problem, stale
Bullseye aren't as accurate as open-the-box-fresh Bullseye.  On a related note
Cal Mags also seem to suffer the same problem, now I understand why Cal Mags are
packed in sealed boxes of 200.

The trigger pull is heavy and crisp and my trigger finger started to tire out
despite the .25" wide trigger.  I'm looking into getting a trigger shoe or
consider polishing up the trigger-sear engagement (if the job isn't too expensi
ve or dangerous).  Hey, I'm used to the light trigger pulls of pump guns.

If you use a Siphon tank on the Pro-Am, the velocity fluctuations lessens by
a lot.  I routinely seen siphoned tanked Pro-Ams shooting over the chrony
register differences in the low single digits.

As far as looks go, I still crave for an M-16 grip and the gas line cum trigger
irks me a little (back of the mind phobias of the line breaking and spraying
liquid CO2 on my fingers and hand) but the Tippmann service and customer friend-
ly additions won me over.

-- 
" I am from the planet Larson on the far side of the Galaxy" said the
space cow invading St. Canard -Dark Wing Duck

HenryC@Panix.Com