The x-7 was it built to replace the A-5 ? Or was it built to sell expensive add ons? It is a cool looking gun, heavy, but will it ever reach the level of the old reliable A-5? And why so pricey? Where and when will the trigger be released? I better stick with my old A-5.
Thought?

IMHO, the X-7 exceeded the A-5 when it was released. The ease in which cosmetics and functionals can be added, combined with the much improved 4 channel exhaust valve and the speedier Cyclone feed system, make it worth the extra hundred or so bucks more you pay for them. The e-grips are coming available as we type. The reason they were so long in coming could brobably be answered by anyone that has one of the newer WAS equipped A-5 grips. I don't believe Tippmann wanted a repeat there. I have people come into the shop literally begging for the old style rotary pot boards. Tippmann's attempt to do double duty there couse a lot to players to go response or nothing at all...

My choice and my observation has been that the X-7 is a more advanced and better choice.

(Great discussion questions, Boss! )

honestly i dont think right now it will replace the a-5 maybe over time yea. but it is lighter stock than an a-5. its all the add ons that weigh it down. me personally i stripped everything i dont need off both my a-5's there very minimal in add ons ones an egrip the other an rt. but the x-7 is based off an a-5 most of the styling even the feed system are from the a-5. in fact its pretty much an a-5 with a new name where 2 companies can make money off it. that leads right to the price of it and all the add ons and the 2 triggers when you buy an x-7 there are two companies that collect money on it.. as far as the x-7 being more advanced i dont see it most of the stuff like exhaust ports on the feeder you can buy after market for the a-5. but yes you can attach more crap to the x7 to make it look like the real deal but i dont like lugging around all of the weight for a 24hr game

agreed, also get a lot of call on how to program the wass board (another topic in its self) the old tippmann boards to me are still the best for ease of use, I try to pick them up every time someone comes to the shop to get a rampage board or something similar. I feel the x-7 will make a good gun, but it should of came out with a e trigger option upon release of gun I think it would have went over bigger . At our shop first question we get from buyers is how fast does it shoot what can i do to it what accs. are available ? Then I get the response I don't care about body mods I want firepower!!!! I think sales will boom again when trigger is released i just hope its not a programing nightmare like wass. Some people love and swear buy them I am among the other group I hate the thought of programing them and try to send customers to a different board.

Man ... trying to own at least one of every gun on the market is realy expensive these days. I only had to ork one job in the late 80s now I work 3 just to support my PB Junkie habbit.

Jersey

It's fun but it's expensive I have a guy on a team I sponsor who buys everything that comes out new. I think he has more guns than I do and I own a field and store . but he started buying used lately and saved much money, the economy is slow in Florida right now a lot of people are out of work so there are [plenty of deals on nearly new guns out there lately. But we got sunshine and plenty of good fishing who could ask for more.

Ops Gear has an A-5 builder, was in the new issue of PB2X....
IMO the X-7 is a furtherance of the technology of paintball markers. What Tippman learned from the A-5 has gone in to the production of the X-7.
Like comparing the original Stoner AR-15 to the M-4...
Technology like time marches on....

Sorry, but I have to constructively disagree on some points, Tank. There are two completely different exhaust valves in the guns. Again, the new X-7 valve is made to be more efficient, handle the gas accessory takeoffs with no reduction in performance and give excellent performance. Notice there is no low pressure kit even mentioned for the X-7? No more velocity nightmares because certain HPA tank regulators can't come up to snuff on output pressure.

Instead of two valve gas channels, there's four. This eliminates the pressure problem. It's such an excellent improvement, we've seen that Tippmann has taken to installing the same valve in new A-5's from the factory now. No more clipping Prolite springs to use HPA... We have them in stock to install in A-5's as an upgrade. And the "exhaust ports on the feeder" is about a $30-35 A-5 aluminum ratchet housing upgrade that comes stock with the X-7, unless you're mechanically inclined and are good with a drill press.

I'd love for Jim Walton to get in here and comment on the E-Grip loopy lowdown, but he's in the hospital and I don't feel confident posting the rumor poop on that here. But I venture to say it has more to do with just moolah...

And Rampage boards kick ass as replacements for factory E's. Before Jim got sick, we were getting e-grip shells, magnets and actuator rods from Tippmann and assembling them with APE boards and installing them for the same price as the OEM. MUCH better performance and ease of programming. They were RTF at safety off, just like the original E's. (In other words, JIM, get yer butt well soon!)

Most every gun manufacturer has an evolutionary process. If you look at what Tippmann started with many years ago and where they're at now, it is a pretty good transition. And to think that A-5's sold for the same price that X-7's are selling for now just a little over a year ago...

Rod said it best... Something about marching...

no no disagree thats what a discusion forum is about. ok i do agree some very minor advances with exhaust porting but ive shot both and got the same air usage out of my a-5 as the x-7 and im shooting a dye throttle 91ci 4500. the biggest thing is stripped down the x-7 is lighter ill give it that but not by much. but yes every company has to advance there tech usage but i thought they tried that with the triump. i havent even seen one of those in person. now dont get me wrong im a big tippmann fan i shot one a while back and when i got back into the sport i picked up another tippy. like i said before ive got 2 a-5s 1 with rt the other with e. as far as diferences between the two i shoot maybe a half pod less of paint with my rt then with the e if that. anybody who knows me that my rt a-5 screams and out of the 2 i prefer that one. i just dont see a reason to rush out and buy an x-7 i still see it as being relitivly the same marker as an a-5. with an egrip the gun is also 100 bills more just like the a-5 was a year ago. (yes i know that the a-5 e is still 100 bills) and as far as the w.a.s. board is concerned its trash. go with the ape.

Well said, Bro... The new valve is an option for you to get even more from your A-5's. 'Bout $35 each and will kick. I've found that the triple combo of X-7 valve, JCS Red Hot Powertube and Supafly bolt make for incredible performance...