Empire Invert Mini Vs Tippmann A-5 with upgrades
Last year when I was getting back into the sport of paintball I went out and bought a Tippmann A-5 paintball gun. These weapons are purely mechanical and are very durable and easy to maintain. I thought this would be the best type of gun to use while playing paintball in the woods, especially since I had been using an older Tippmann, the 98 Custom.
I used this gun for a little over a year and had a few ups and downs. Throughout that year I bought and installed many upgrades with the most frequent being a stock air. This adds a stock to the gun and allows a remote air line to be used so you don’t have to carry the air tank on the gun. Instead, he wears it on his back with a vest or harness.
Most of the time I was struggling with this A-5 breaking up the paintball while it was still inside the gun. This made subsequent paintballs fly less straight and accurate. Not to mention, it would require immediate cleaning, so the barrel would need to be removed and cleaned. I installed some “cyclone” updates thinking this would help. I archived the feeding guide and this helped a bit. Eventually the slice on the ball lessened, but it kept getting in the way of my game.
I eventually reasoned that this paintball gun was too heavy and unreliable in the field with every ball accuracy. I started looking for a replacement. I asked a few of my teammates and found the Invert Mini to be an acceptable replacement. The Invert Mini uses electricity along with compressed air to function. I reasoned that the benefits of the Mini were better air efficiency, more compact, lighter weight, gentler on paintballs, and faster rate of fire.
I’m not too concerned with rate of fire so I bought and used the Invert Mini with rate of fire semi instead of full auto. I found the Mini to be an immediate improvement. Although I used the air tank on the mini, it was extremely lighter than the A-5 and much quieter. I have taken opponents by surprise because they couldn’t hear my shots. Not only were these benefits impressive, but to date I have never broken a paintball in that gun.
Overall I am very impressed with the Empire Invert Mini and have just purchased the second one. The Tippmann line of paintball markers are great for beginners, but I think the more experienced you are in the sport of paintball, the less likely you are to use the Tippmann line. I always thought I would stick with mechanical markers because electronic ones were too complicated and not durable enough for the woods. The Mini changed its mind and I doubt I’ll ever need a different weapon while playing the game.
