I must admit, these things look like a pretty pathetic attempt by Tippmann to muscle in on a Spyder/Brass Eagle controlled area of cheap plastic paintball space guns. I mean, they look pretty ridiculous.



Now, many people may see this as a re-hash of the Triumphs, but I see it as a new modding possibility. I mean, it has 98-ish internals (I can tell by ta snapshot of the internals from the official Tippmann video (see below), as well as a quick visit to TippmannParts.com to confirm my hypothesis ), and it already is a center feed. I can already think about the endless possibility of this marker combined with some airsoft shells, or some milled-to-the-extreme-ultralight-super-duper-speedball marker. And for 99 bucks, it may present some different opportunities than the similarly priced Carver One. We'll see, but until then, I shall stay skeptical.


For more on the topic: Tippmann: Product Guide: Gryphon Paintball

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Personally to me it looks like an attempt to make it look like a "speedball" marker, and a sorry one at that. It resembles a Dye Nt or DM. I think its being marketed towards new ballers who want the look of the "speedball" marker without the price tag.

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I work at the local paintball store and we got these in as soon as they were released, and I wasn't impressed. They shoot decently, but the outer plastic shell feels really weak. The inner shell (which is also plastic :rollseyes: ) is pretty durable, but you wouldn't want to run it without the outer shell as it looks horrible without it. Theoretically, companies could mold their own outer shells for them, which I think would be really cool, but I don't see it happening. Another problem I saw with them is that the barrel is threaded into a metal adapter that mounts onto the inner shell, but it's attached fairly loosely. When you shoot you can see the barrel wobble up and down. Obviously that can pose some serious accuracy problems, as well as the potential for barrel breaks. The last thing is that you're stuck with it being mech. Taking it apart shows that there is literally no room for an e-grip.

Honestly, Tippmann has been going downhill since they were bought out in 2004, and this is just another example.

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Model98.org, Where Tippmanns Have No Limits

GONE TIL NOV 2013

This gun is not worth $99.00. It should be more $50.00 at the most. And it has unnecessary parts to it. So what i'm saying is this gun is

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meh, this is gonna be another walmart gun that newbies think look cool but will regret getting because they realise when they want to get a new marker, they could have used the money from the old one and bought something good in the first place, ofc im talking about the VL highvoltage. I got one, its actually not bad apart from the bolt, its easy to clean, its simple. The crapy bolt is completley plastic and open so that stuff can get stuck. The mr1 is built very similairly to the VL but much more reliable. So for all new players, the 98 or a us army marker is the best, because they wont need a new marker, ever...

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Yes, there is no getting around the fact that plastic guns really just don't cut it for paintball. What I was trying to visualize was some sort of machined metal body reinforcements and take advantage of the center feed.

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Plastic can work quite well if it's the right kind.

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Model98.org, Where Tippmanns Have No Limits

GONE TIL NOV 2013

I see these all the time in the hands of new paintballers. They played paint one day and liked it so they got their parents to get them a gun and what was the best deal and walmart. The Gryphon.

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Ya i wentover to paintball gear the other day after work
And they have the black one also it looks ten times better then the red with that weird fang grip

But when you cock it, it just feels like shooty worksmanship and thats just cocking it.
When you fire you feel the whole body shake, ots terrible
I shot about 5-6 times and i was scared thought the marker its self might break

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True, some higher class markers have better plastic, but you do get what you pay for, so for Tippmann, I think they should stay with aluminum.

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