From: anthrax@vax1.mankato.msus.edu
Newsgroups: rec.sport.paintball
Subject: Re: PMI-3 or AutoMag
Date: 26 Jul 92 16:15:51 GMT
Organization: Mankato State University

In article <eitzen.712138055@manning>, eitzen@cs.UAlberta.CA (Rob Eitzen) writes:
> Sorry if this has been covered to death already, but I've only just
> become serious about buying a gun.
> Which is the overall better gun, the PMI-3 or the AutoMag?
> The points I am considering are: accuracy, consistancy, maintenance,
> field maintenance, ease of use in the field (easy to wield, get caught
> on branches...) and ease of tweaking (PSI, air placement, ...)
> Thanks.
> 
> --
> 							+--------+\
> Judge Dredd                                             |        | |
> eitzen@manning.cs.ualberta.ca                           |   :)   | |
> DoD # 268                                               |        | |

Well I can tell you about the PMI-3 (My friend *just* bought an AutoMag so I
have yet to see it, but have heard about it)
 
The PMI-3 is an accurate and reliable gun.  Mine has seen *lots* of us between
pervious owner and myself (I bought it used).  Maintaining it is no big deal,
just take out some of the internal workings (not many parts so there isn't much
to go wrong) and oil them down.  
 
As far as field use, I have the CAR stock (which I highly suggest. It's around
50 or 60 bucks), it's certainly a two handed gun, because the CO2 cylinder is
in the front of the gun.  This makes it pretty front heavy and makes one-handed
use somewhat difficult for long periods of time.  I have had no problems with
it out in the field, you can run, crawl, whatever with it and you should have
no problems.  
 
It's a fairly accurate, I've had many "one shot stops" with it and I've managed
to nail people who 90% or so conceled by a tree or whatever. It's not the most
accuracte gun out there (Not like an Apex Elite or some of the newer guns) but
you will have no complaints with it.
 
It is somewhat of a gas hog.  Expect to go through two cylinders of CO2 during
the course of a day if you buy one.
 
Ball breakage is very minimal.  I'll maybe have one or two brake a day, and I
suspect that even some of that has to do with the quality of paint ball that
I'm using. 
 
My complaints are that it's a real bear to adjust the velocity. You have to
take the gun apart to do it and it's probably the worst design that I have ever
seen for velocity adjustment.  The good news is that you rarely have to do it.
 
My other complaint is that the grip isn't all that well designed, it makes
the area between my trigger finger and thumb rather sore during the course of
that day, but I guess that's actually a minor complaint.  It's nothing that
interferes with the enjoyment of the gun.
 
The PMI-3 is not a fancy gun nor is it the cutting edge of paintball
technology, but it's a reliable and accurate gun.
 
What I see as the PMI's fatal flaw is Sheridan's service department...four to
eight weeks to get it repaired (with a 30 dollar bench fee).  If you can afford
to not have your gun for one or two months, then this shouldn't be a big deal,
but if you can't take a couple months off, I'd suggest looking at another
company to buy from. 
 
Personally, I will probably never buy another Sheridan product again because
of this.  I have several big games next month with my team and I may not have
my gun.  I am unthrilled.  (The gun was damaged by the previous owner and I
just now decided to fix a slow leak that he caused by dropping the gun on it's
co2 cylinder...I don't see the problem as a reflection on it's reliablility but
rather the operator's screw up)
 
I have two friends on my team who just bought AutoMags, They have only used
them in one game since they bought them and I haven't gotten a report back from
them yet.  What they did tell me before they played is that they were really
nice guns and they said "It can fire like 5 or 6 paintballs a second, we just
have to figure out how to pull the trigger that fast".
 
Hope this was some help.
 
Eric Huber
Mankato State University
Law Enforcement Program