Action Markers AM-P Illusion Pro 2003- pump
Review
Jan 31, 2003
Life Is Merely An Illusion-Pro
My last new marker purchase was a 1995 PGP, so I saw
it was time to upgrade to something more competetive.
A few phone calls, PM's, and a bank deduction later,
my new Action Markers Illusion Pro was at the door.
Everything was well packaged, with no damage to the
outside of the box or contents. I called Crash stp to let him know it
arrived - it was late due to the holiday. He went
through everything with me to make sure it was all
there. Action Markers has scored huge customer
service points throughout my whole
purchasing/receiving process. I read through the
owner's manual, and off we went. The fit and finish
is very good on the gun and parts, with the black to
dark red "Sunburst" finish being a real head-turner.
After playing with the different configurations, it
was time to hit the field.
Friday night was debut time for the Illusion at
Compete Paintball, and everyone had to get a look at
it during the assembly process. Most couldn't believe
that a "pump" could look that nice! Testing
conditions were a little on the extreme side, as the
indoor field temperature was only 40 degrees. The
first few runs were done using the bottomline and 9oz
tank w/vertical feed and 100rd hopper. The Illusion
had a very balanced feel with this setup, and the 3
o-rings inside of the vertical feed gave the hopper
rock-solid stability. Zap paintballs were used for
the evening,and had an excellent paint/barrel match.
First shot at the chrono - 387 fps *BEEEEEEEP!*
Adjusting the velocity is a mixed bag at best.
Velocity adjustment requires no dissassembly - just
insert the supplied hex wrench into the opening at
the front of the pump grip and turn clockwise to
reduce the speed. The adjustment opening is wider
than the wrench, and the screw is inset towards the
back of the grip, so inserting the wrench correctly
into the screw turned into a very hit-and-miss lesson
in frustration. After taking a while to line up the
wrench, the speed was brought down around the 240 fps
mark (indoor limit).
With the 9oz tank, temps barely above freezing, and a
good paint match, the numbers were
244-243-243-247-244. Using CO2 without a reg, these
numbers were awe-inspiring! Using a new pump, and a
vertical feed tube in my line of sight, I remarked
that I wasn't expecting anything special for the
first few games. By the time the first game ended, my
stomach was full from eating so much crow!
Between the stock Hogue grips, and the excellent
balance, the Illusion Pro almost felt like a natural
extension of myself. The whistle blows, a run and
slide to a '40 bunker, and here we go! A quick
right-side 30' snapshoot, and the ball went just
above the other player's head! Two more quick shots,
and the other player walks by my bunker with his gun
up in one hand, and a thumb-up for me in the
other.
I re-chambered another round, moved, and started
taking some heat. Without thinking, I pumped a second
ball into the chamber before firing, and had a break
in the barrel, (my own stupidity). I pulled the
quick-strip pin off, removed the bolt, ran a
pull-through squeegee, and put the bolt back in with
the pin, ready to fire. The entire process was
approx. 8 seconds, start to finish.
The only fly in the ointment with the cleaning stage,
is that the bolt can be put in upside-down, rendering
the gun useless until corrected. The large hole on
the side of the bolt MUST be facing DOWN when
replaced.
The next game found me 7ft up in a tower to check the
ROF. Enemy sighted at 50ft! 2 shots, and a crouch as
he rips 14 balls at my position. Pop up - and pump a
string of 9 his way. I sent him walking, with 3 hits
before I stopped. My bad. At the staging area between
games, one of the players remarked that "I completely
owned that kid with my auto-trigger!" I looked up and
remarked "no auto-trigger on this one". 4 seconds of
silence later, and someone else remarked "you really
shot that fast with a pump?!" A few more rounds of
1-2 elims per game, and it was time to change the
setup.
The 15rd horizontal feed and 12g CCI quick-changer
went on in almost no time. The horizontal feed
performed flawlessly, and is now my personal
preference. 12 gram efficiency was less than stellar
in the cold. With the field temp at 39 degrees, I was
getting only 15-17 shots per 12gram. Ouch. Back to
the bottom-line with horizontal feed, the gun was
fantastic. End of the night, and after the breakdown,
here's the deal.
GOOD:
-
- Well balanced, and easy to aim without a sight
-
- consistant velocity with a decent paint match
-
- no cutting/shimming/disassembly needed for
velocity adjustment
-
- liquid-smooth pump stroke and good return spring
make for an impressive, possibly game-saving ROF
-
- pump handle allows for solid grip, even when
covered in paint
-
- field stripping/cleaning is quick and easy
-
- gun feels solid without being heavy
-
- stable shooting platform with/without a stock
-
- easy to change paint/air configuration
-
- stock barrel is smooth, and works well with most
types of paint. No upgrade necessary.
-
- well built; everything stayed tight during play
-
- it looks great, on and off the field
-
BAD:
-
- some sharp edging on the back of the pump grip
and beavertail. When using gloves, these become
negligable.
-
- velocity adjustment wrench hard to line up with
adjustment screw
-
- bolt can be inserted upside-down, causing the gun
to not fire
-
- base for 12gram changer is hard to remove once
screwed in place
-
- poor 12gram efficiency in above-freezing temps
-
- back block makes a metal "clink" sound during
chambering
-
Honestly, I was trying to be as critical as possible
with the Illusion Pro, so as to save face with my
Sheridan arsenal. It now looks like after 11 years,
my PMI1-DF will be taking a well-deserved rest. The
Illusion Pro not only looks very trick, but far
surpassed my performance expectations for a new
product from a young company. Action Markers also has
excellent customer service, and will immediately
address any problems or concerns you may have. In the
end, I feel I've gotten far more from the Action
Markers Illusion Pro than I paid, and see it as more
of a well-made investment in my game, than just
simply "a new gun". Purchase one of these, and you
will not be dissappointed.
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