NOTICE This document is provided to the Internet community courtesy of Airgun Designs, Inc. Airgun Designs has granted permission to electronically distribute this document free of charge. This document is copyrighted by Airgun Designs, Inc. and may not be reproduced in any other form without prior written permission from Airgun Designs, Inc. Any electronic redistribution of this document must retain this notice. This document is only to be redistributed as it appears here, whole and unedited. Any questions or comments regarding this document should be directed to Airgun Designs, Inc. 68AUTOMAG Operation, Maintenance and Parts Level 7 Airgun Designs, Inc. 804 Seton Court Wheeling, Illinois 60090 USA WARNING THIS PAINTBALL GUN IS NOT A TOY. THIS PAINTBALL GUN SHOULD BE TREATED AS A DANGEROUS INSTRUMENT AND SHOULD ALWAYS BE TREATED WITH RESPECT. IF MISUSED OR IMPROPERLY MAINTAINED, THIS PAINTBALL GUN CAN CAUSE SERIOUS BODILY INJURY, INCLUDING BLINDNESS, OR EVEN DEATH. THE PRESSURES EMPLOYED IN THIS PAINTBALL GUN ARE HIGH ENOUGH TO ENDANGER HUMAN LIFE. THE AIR SOURCE MUST BE REMOVED BEFORE DISASSEMBLING AND MAINTAINING THIS PAINTBALL GUN IN ANY WAY. READ ALL SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS AND DIRECTIONS IN THIS MANUAL BEFORE USING THIS PAINTBALL GUN. NOTES TO USERS 1. This manual is based on a stock 68AUTOMAG equipped with a back bottle adapter and a right hand feed into the breech. 2. WARNINGS emphasize an operation or procedure that if not strictly observed could result in injury or death. 3. CAUTIONS emphasize an operation or procedure that if not strictly observed could result in danger to or destruction of the equipment or loss of paintball gun effectiveness. 4. NOTES point out an operation or procedure that it is desirable to highlight. 5. Warnings and cautions precede the procedure to which they apply. Notes follow the items to which they apply. 6. Directions in this manual are based on looking forward over the barrel as if aiming the paintball gun. Front is the muzzle. Rear is towards the back bottle adapter. Right is the feed tube side. Top is the surface with the loader. Bottom is the surface with the grip. 7. O-rings are classed as either active or inactive. An active O-ring continuously seals and releases CO2. An inactive O-ring only continuously holds CO2 pressure. 8. Dry firing means firing the 68AUTOMAG without any paintballs being shot. Live firing means actually shooting paintballs. 9. The following abbreviations and symbols are used: a. Feet per Second fps b. Pounds per Square Inch psi c. Degrees Fahrenheit F d. Degrees Celsius C e. Outer Diameter OD 10. Comments and suggestions to improve this manual should be submitted to: Airgun Designs, Inc. 804 Seton Court Wheeling, Illinois 60090 USA TABLE OF CONTENTS PART 1 - FAST START 1-1 Intended Use 1-1 Getting Started 1-1 Common Problems 1-3 General 1-3 Poor Paintball Feeding 1-3 Bolt Stick 1-4 Air Venting 1-4 Total Shutdown 1-4 Velocity Drop Off 1-4 Liquid CO2 in the Paintball Gun 1-5 Cut Paintballs 1-5 Excessive Paintball Breakage 1-5 Double Feeding 1-5 Spontaneous Barrel Leaks 1-6 PART 2 - INTRODUCTION 2-1 General 2-1 Valve Body 2-3 Regulator 2-4 Power Tube 2-5 Bolt 2-5 Foamie 2-6 Bolt Spring 2-6 Back Bottle Adapter 2-6 Air Hose 2-6 Air Source 2-7 O-rings 2-7 Barrel 2-10 Nubbin 2-10 Loader and Elbow 2-10 Paintballs 2-10 Accessory Rails 2-11 Theory 2-11 Design Deficiencies 2-12 General 2-12 Using Pressure Regulators 2-12 Using CO2 2-13 Performance 2-13 Normal 2-13 Cold Weather 2-13 Rate of Fire 2-14 Updates and Upgrades 2-14 PART 3 - OPERATING THE 68AUTOMAG 3-1 Safetying the Paintball Gun 3-1 Disengaging the Safety 3-1 Inserting the Barrel 3-1 Removing the Barrel 3-1 Gassing up the Paintball Gun 3-2 Adjusting the Velocity 3-4 Unloading the Paintball Gun 3-5 Degassing the Paintball Gun 3-6 Field Stripping 3-7 PART 4 - MAINTAINING THE 68AUTOMAG 4-1 Viewing the Video 4-1 Cleaning 4-1 Lubricating 4-5 Replacing the Foamie 4-6 Adjusting the Nubbin 4-7 Disassembly of the 68AUTOMAG 4-8 Disassembly of the Regulator 4-9 Disassembly of the Power Tube 4-10 Disassembly of the Valve Body 4-11 Assembly of the Valve Body 4-13 Assembly of the Power Tube 4-15 Assembly of the Regulator 4-15 Assembly of the 68AUTOMAG 4-16 Safety Summary The following are safety precautions not necessarily related to any specific topic in this manual and therefore they may or may not appear elsewhere in this manual. These are precautions that users must understand and apply whenever operating or maintaining this paintball gun. DO NOT POINT OR SHOOT THIS PAINTBALL GUN AT ANIMALS. DO NOT POINT OR SHOOT THIS PAINTBALL GUN AT PERSONS NOT ENGAGED IN PLAYING PAINTBALL. While engaging in paintball, you and your target must wear proper safety gear including goggles, masks and pads. FOLLOW ALL MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. Do not attempt to repair this paintball gun by yourself. If you are unsure about any aspect of the maintenance procedures, contact your local dealer or Airgun Designs, Inc. at (708) 520- 7507 or Fax (708) 520-7848. ALWAYS USE THE SAFETY LOCATED BEHIND THE TRIGGER ON THE FRAME WHEN AN AIR SOURCE IS ATTACHED. This paintball gun is always armed and cocked when an air source is attached. Disengage the safety only when absolutely necessary for play or testing. The safety is off and the paintball gun will fire when the red ring of the safety pin is showing. ALWAYS CHRONOGRAPH THIS PAINTBALL GUN BEFORE USING. NEVER SHOOT THIS PAINTBALL GUN WHEN THE CHRONOGRAPH READING EXCEEDS 300 FPS. ALWAYS RECHRONOGRAPH THE PAINTBALL GUN IF VENTING OCCURS FROM THE REGULATOR NUT AT THE REAR OF THE PAINTBALL GUN. The 68AUTOMAG is designed to vent off overpressures that cause unsafe shots, but, it is possible to fire over 300 fps before the overpressure vents off (See Part 2, Para 11.). Liquid CO2 in the paintball gun at a normal pressure also can cause shots over 300 fps (See Part 1, Para 11.). If problems persist after adjusting the velocity, contact your local dealer or Airgun Designs, Inc. ALWAYS REMOVE THE AIR SOURCE FROM THE PAINTBALL GUN AND DRY FIRE IN A SAFE DIRECTION BEFORE DISASSEMBLING THE PAINTBALL GUN. The pressures in this paintball gun are dangerous and must be vented before any servicing. Unloading and degassing the paintball gun (See Part 3, Paras 7. & 8.) are required for safety. DO NOT FIRE A PAINTBALL GUN THAT HAS EXCESSIVE TRIGGER PULL. The regulator allows gas under pressure to push the trigger forward after shooting. An excessively hard trigger pull shows an overpressure in the system. Contact your local dealer or Airgun Designs, Inc. immediately. DO NOT PUT YOUR FINGERS INTO THE BREECH AREA OR DOWN THE PAINTBALL FEED TUBE WHILE FIRING THE PAINTBALL GUN. PART 1 - FAST START Intended Use 1. This part of the manual is intended for players familiar with the operation of paintball guns. It presents a quick overview of the 68AUTOMAG. Getting Started 2. To ready the 68AUTOMAG for play: a. Insert the Barrel into the Main Body then twist the Barrel 1/4 turn clockwise. b. Push the Safety Pin located behind the Trigger from right to left to disengage. Check that the RED ring on the Safety Pin is showing. c. Hold the paintball gun upwards. Squeeze and hold the Trigger. WARNING Introducing CO2 pressure to the paintball gun will charge and cock the system. CAUTION Do NOT use a siphon type constant air tank. Liquid CO2 will damage the seals. d. Attach the CO2 source to the Back Bottle Adapter by turning the Air Source clockwise. NOTES 1. It is recommended to lubricate any air source O-ring with a little Lithium Grease (White Grease) before attaching the Air Source to the Back Bottle Adapter. 2. If the Air Source is a pin valve constant air tank, rotate the tank at least one full turn after initial gas up. 3. If the Air Source is a constant air tank with an on/off valve, open the on/off valve fully after attaching. e. Release the Trigger. NOTE At this point, the CO2 pressure within the paintball gun will push the Trigger Rod forward against the Trigger with a loud click. The paintball gun is now cocked and armed. WARNING Only fire the paintball gun in areas where firing is permitted. WARNING An excessively hard trigger pull shows overpressure in the system. Do NOT fire a paintball gun that has excessive trigger pull. f. Dry fire the paintball gun several times in a safe direction to seat the Regulator Piston and Regulator Spring Pack properly. g. Push the Safety Pin located behind the Trigger from left to right to engage. Check that the RED ring on the Safety Pin is NOT showing. h. Attach the Elbow to the Ball Feed Tube, then insert the Loader into the Elbow. Load the Loader with .68 calibre paintballs. i. Chronograph the paintball gun velocity to meet the field safety speed limits. Adjust the velocity by turning the Regulator Nut with the Allen key supplied. Turning the Regulator Nut clockwise increases the velocity; counterclockwise decreases the velocity. Common Problems General 3. The 68AUTOMAG, like any other paintball gun, can have problems during play. Some problems are common to any paintball gun while some are unique to the 68AUTOMAG. Solutions to any of the common problems are not difficult. 4. Simple problems that can occur are: a. Poor Paintball Feeding; b. Bolt Stick; c. Air Venting; d. Total Shutdown; e. Velocity Drop Off; f. Liquid CO2 in the Paintball Gun; g. Cut Paintballs; h. Excessive Paintball Breakage; i. Double Feeding; and j. Spontaneous Barrel Leaks. 5. Each of these problems is discussed and the solution(s) underlined in the sections that follow. Poor Paintball Feeding 6. Poor paintball feeding is usually caused by one or more of: user technique, bolt blowback, elbow hangups or nubbin depth. Explanations and solutions are: a. The 68AUTOMAG lacks recoil to shake the Loader and help feeding. Occasionally shake the paintball gun gently during play. b. The Loader provided can only feed at most 7 paintballs per second. Control your rate of fire. c. Bolt Blowback helps feeding if the Loader is full but can blow the paintball up the Ball Feed Tube when the Loader is near empty. Keep at least 20 paintballs in the Loader. d. Paintballs may hang up on edges or corners in the Elbow. Make sure there are no sharp corners or edges in the Elbow. Sand the inside of the Elbow if necessary. e. The Nubbin is adjusted to prevent two paintballs from feeding into the breech. If the Nubbin is in too far, oversize paint will not feed. Adjust the Nubbin outwards. Bolt Stick 7. The Bolt can stick forward causing the Trigger to lock. Bolt Stick is due to either paint chips wedging between the Bolt and the breech or, when degassing the paintball gun, firing the last few shots with no CO2 pressure. When the Bolt sticks forward, the Trigger will not come forward. To clear Bolt Stick: a. Unload the paintball gun; b. Remove the Barrel; c. Push the Bolt back with a wooden rod until the Trigger clicks forward. Air Venting WARNING Air venting out the back of the Regulator Nut shows that the internal Blow Off Valve is venting an overpressure in the system. 8. Air Venting can occur from the rear of the Regulator Nut due to an overpressure in the system or liquid boiling off in the Valve Body or Regulator. The paintball gun is shooting at approximately 340 fps. ALWAYS check the velocity any time the Blow Off Valve vents to prevent injuries to players. Total Shutdown 9. Total shutdown is caused by an empty Air Source. The 68AUTOMAG gives little indication that it is running out of gas. When a noticeable velocity drop occurs, only 20 to 30 shots remain till total shutdown. Change the Air Source. Velocity Drop Off 10. Velocity drop off can be caused by the Regulator being unable to fill completely between shots, insufficient CO2 flow or a near empty Air Source. Slow your rate of fire. Ensure the Air Source is fully open. Change the Air Source. Liquid CO2 in the Paintball Gun 11. Liquid CO2 can enter the Air Chamber and, when expelled into the Barrel behind the paintball, the CO2 boils instantly to 30 times its volume. The resulting shot will be above the velocity setting. Depending on the volume of the liquid, the speed may exceed 350 fps. The rapid boil off is known as supercharging . The Blow Off Valve will NOT prevent supercharging because the liquid is at normal pressure when it enters the Air Chamber. Liquid CO2 also will cause all the active O-rings to leak resulting in no velocity control. To prevent liquid in the paintball gun: a. Never shoot at the ground because this allows liquid CO2 to run straight into the paintball gun. b. Never overfill a constant air tank because a higher than normal liquid level will drain liquid CO2 into the paintball gun. c. Keep the paintball gun at a warm temperature because a cold Valve Body will stop the liquid CO2 entering from boiling into a gas as designed. d. Never put a warm Air Source on a cold paintball gun since the CO2 may condense into a liquid when the CO2 enters the Air Chamber. Cut Paintballs 12. Paintballs in the breech being cut by the Bolt shows a feed problem (See Para 6.). Excessive Paintball Breakage 13. A properly set-up 68AUTOMAG, using quality paintballs, will break approximately 3-4 paintballs per 1000. Paintball breakage is due to one of the following; physical impact of the BOLT, CO2 blast or poor paint quality. Check the Foamie located on the front of the Bolt for damage or debris. Reduce the velocity to reduce CO2 blast. Try a different batch of paintballs by changing the colour or the brand of the paint. Double Feeding 14. Double feeding occurs when two paintballs feed into the breech simultaneously. The size and shape of paintballs may vary. Temperature and humidity will affect both size and shape. The Nubbin is designed to prevent double feeds. Adjust the Nubbin inwards. Spontaneous Barrel Leaks 15. Spontaneous barrel leaks are usually short lived but are an annoyance on the field. Poor lubrication of the Power Tube O-ring or ice crystals on the Power Tube O-ring are the cause. An unlubricated o-ring will usually seat itself after a few shots. If ice is causing the leak, continued firing will only prolong the problem. Pause long enough to warm up the Power Tube O-ring. NOTE If the Barrel continues to leak and the action of the game prevents repairs, hold the Trigger down to stop the leak and allow the Power Tube O-ring to warm up. When ready to fire, release the Trigger and fire quickly. Expect lower paintball velocity since the Air Chamber will not have time to fill fully. PART 2 - INTRODUCTION General 1. The 68AUTOMAG can be broken down into pneumatic components and mechanical components. Pneumatic components are explained fully in this manual since they relate directly to function and maintenance. All mechanical components are listed for identification. Most mechanical components are not explained since they are not critical to proper functioning of the paintball gun. Those mechanical components that need explanation are detailed. 2. Pneumatic components are: a. Valve Body with: (1) Valve Body Hole with: (a) Valve Body Hole Large O-ring, (b) Valve Body Hole Small O-ring, (2) On/Off Valve Assembly consisting of: (a) On/Off Top, (b) On/Off Pin, (c) On/Off Bottom with: i. On/Off Bottom Large O-ring, ii. On/Off Bottom Small O-ring, (3) Air Chamber; b. Regulator with: (1) Regulator Body with: (a) Regulator Body Detent Pin, (b) Regulator Body O-ring, (2) Regulator Piston with: (a) Regulator Piston O-ring, (b) Blow Off Valve, (3) Regulator Nut, (4) Regulator Seal, (5) Regulator Valve with: (a) Regulator Valve Spring, (6) Regulator Spring Pack; c. Power Tube consisting of: (1) Power Tube Insert with: (a) Power Tube Insert O-ring, (2) Power Tube Spring, (3) Power Tube O-ring, (4) Power Tube Bumper; d. Bolt with: (1) Foamie, (2) Bolt Spring; e. Back Bottle Adapter; f. Air Hose; and g. Air Source. 3. Mechanical components consist of: a. Frame with: (1) Trigger, (2) Safety Pin, (3) Safety Spring, (4) Safety Detent Ball, (5) Front Frame Screw, (6) Field Strip Screw; b. Rail with: (1) Sear with: (a) Sear Pin, (2) Trigger Rod, (3) Z-shaped Slot, (4) Accessory Rails, (5) Barrel Lock Pin; c. Main Body with (1) Ball Feed Tube; d. Barrel with: (1) Nubbin, (2) Barrel Detent Slot, (3) Barrel O-rings; and e. Loader with: (1) Elbow, (2) Paintballs. Valve Body 4. The Valve Body is a critical component of the 68AUTOMAG. The Valve Body is easily identified by the Air Hose attached to it. Installed correctly, the Valve Body screws into the Regulator so that the 68AUTOMAG logo on each part lines up. 5. The Valve Body Hole is on the bottom of the Valve Body. The On/Off Valve Assembly fits into the Valve Body Hole. At the bottom of the Valve Body Hole, placed in before the On/Off Valve Assembly, are two o-rings pressed within each other. The two o-rings prevent CO2 escape past the On/Off Pin and through the On/Off Valve Assembly. The inner of the two o-rings, the Valve Body Hole Small O-ring, is an active o-ring made of teflon. The outer of the two o-rings, the Valve Body Hole Large O-ring, is an inactive o-ring made of urethane. 6. The On/Off Valve Assembly is used to control the flow of CO2 between the Regulator and the Air Chamber. The On/Off Valve Assembly consists of the On/Off Top, On/Off Bottom and On/Off Pin. Located in the Valve Body Hole and moved by the Sear, the up and down movement of the On/Off Pin seals the Regulator from the Air Chamber. To prevent CO2 escape, the On/Off Valve Assembly uses two o-rings. The On/Off Bottom Large O-ring is an inactive o-ring made of urethane. The On/Off Bottom Small O-ring is an inactive o-ring made of white teflon. 7. The Air Chamber receives the measured charge of CO2 from the Regulator. When the Air Chamber vents, the CO2 gas expands through the Power Tube and pushes the Bolt forward. Level 7 paintball guns have slightly larger air chambers than previous models to decrease the pressure within the chamber and reduce paintball breakage. In Level 7 paintball guns, the Power Tube is welded to the Air Chamber. The Air Chamber cannot be opened. Regulator 8. The Regulator is the heart of the 68AUTOMAG. The Regulator, as the name implies, controls the pressures within the 68AUTOMAG and therefore the velocity. 9. The Regulator Body is at the rear of the paintball gun and screwed into the Valve Body. The air seal is maintained between the Regulator Body and the Valve Body by the Regulator Seal and the Regulator Body O-ring. The Regulator Valve with the Regulator Valve Spring is used to close the Regulator from the Air Source. Located on the bottom of the Regulator Body, the Regulator Body Detent Pin is a small metal pin which slides into the Z-shaped Slot in the Rail. The Regulator Body Detent Pin is designed to prevent the Valve Body and Regulator from springing back clear of the Rail when the Field Strip Screw is removed. 10. The Regulator Piston is inside the Regulator Body. The position of the Regulator Piston is adjusted by turning the Regulator Nut which compresses the Regulator Spring Pack. By moving the Regulator Piston, the pressure of the CO2 in the paintball gun and thus the velocity is controlled. 11. The Regulator Piston also contains the Blow Off Valve. The Blow Off Valve vents off any overpressure in the Regulator or Air Chamber. The Blow Off Valve is factory set for approximately 550 psi and is not user adjustable. If fired when venting, at the factory pressure setting, the paintball gun is firing at approximately 340 fps, an unsafe speed. Power Tube 12. The Power Tube delivers the blast of discharged CO2 from the Air Chamber to the Bolt. The Power Tube contains the Power Tube Spring and the Power Tube O-ring. The Power Tube Spring holds the Power Tube O-ring in place to seal the Air Chamber. 13. The Power Tube Insert is made of brass and screws into the Power Tube. The Power Tube Insert is open on the end which allows the central shaft of the Bolt to slide into the Power Tube, through the Power Tube Spring and against the Power Tube O-ring to complete the seal on the Power Tube. Bolt 14. Held in place by the Sear, the Bolt sits overtop the Power Tube and blows forward when the paintball gun is fired. The central metal shaft of the Bolt slides into the Power Tube to seal the Power Tube from the Air Chamber until the paintball gun is fired. Because replacing a bolt is easier than a sear, the Bolt is made of a softer material than the Sear. Eventually, the Bolt will wear along the edge where the Sear rests. A worn down edge will prevent the Bolt from locking in place and the paintball gun will go fully automatic. Foamie 15. The neoprene rubber Foamie is designed to cushion the paintball as it is pushed past the Nubbin into the Barrel by the Bolt. The Foamie is the only part of the paintball gun that will require regular replacement (generally once a season). The Foamie is glued to the front of the Bolt using a commercial super glue. Bolt Spring 16. The Bolt Spring is made of high tensile square spring steel. A squared spring was chosen to help in seating the Bolt Spring onto the Bolt. Installed over the Bolt, the Bolt Spring compresses as the Bolt moves forward. When the CO2 escapes the Bolt, the Bolt Spring expands and pushes the Bolt back to where the Sear can catch the Bolt. Back Bottle Adapter 17. The Back Bottle Adapter is attached to the rear of the Rail by two screws and is the attachment point for the CO2 source. It is also used to deliver lubrication to the internal components of the paintball gun. Air Hose 18. A braided metal Air Hose delivers CO2 from the Back Bottle Adapter to the Valve Body. An external hose was chosen so that the design of the 68AUTOMAG did not require an internal CO2 delivery passage. An internal CO2 delivery passage would require constant resealing when the paintball gun was broken open for maintenance. The Air Hose is connected by brass fittings that remain sealed during normal maintenance. This limits the chances of a leak from the Air Hose. Air Source CAUTION Do NOT use a siphon type constant air tank. Liquid CO2 will damage the seals and o-rings. 19. The 68AUTOMAG can be used with any standard source of CO2 either constant air tank, 12 gram or back bottle pack, provided the source can be attached to the paintball gun. The Air Source used must be able to feed CO2 fast enough into the 68AUTOMAG to support rapid firing. O-rings 20. The O-rings used in the 68AUTOMAG are all made from either high quality 90 durometer urethane or teflon. The O-rings are designed for long life and abrasion resistance. The O-rings were selected for easy access and interchangeability. 21. O-rings are classed as either active or inactive. An active O-ring continuously seals and releases CO2. An inactive O-ring only continuously holds CO2 pressure. 22. All active O-rings are accessible without tools, still, removing the O-rings without a tool may be difficult. If a particular active O-ring starts to wear and a replacement is not available, the active O-ring can be exchanged with an identical inactive O-ring from another portion of the paintball gun. It is highly unlikely that inactive O-rings will ever wear or leak, but, they can be traded with their identical active counterparts on the field if necessary. Swapping a leaking inactive o-ring into an active position is not recommended since active o-rings are critical to the paintball gun working correctly. Barrel 23. The standard Barrel on the 68AUTOMAG is made from aluminum stock. The Barrel Lock Pin is a stainless steel detent pin mounted in the Rail. The O-rings on the Barrel serve to give the Barrel a friction fit. The Barrel O-rings do not seal air pressure. Nubbin 24. A wire Nubbin prevents double feeding. The Nubbin is woven in a machined channel on the barrel upper surface and held in place by the Barrel O-rings. A properly installed Nubbin protrudes about 1-1/2 to 2 thicknesses of a matchbook cover into the breech of the Barrel. The Nubbin will automatically compensate for all size paintballs and should give long life if not abused. Loader and Elbow 25. Included with the 68AUTOMAG is a 90 round VIEWLOADER and Elbow. Under ideal conditions, the Loader provided can feed paintballs at a maximum rate of seven per second. The plastic Elbow connects the Loader to the Ball Feed Tube on the Main Body. To permit maximum feeding, the Elbow should be smooth on the inside and without sharp edges or corners. Any obstructions will cause the paintballs to hangup in the Elbow and Loader. Paintballs 26. There are many brands of paintballs on the market; all with different specifications. Differences in shell thickness, shape, fill colour and fill density will result in performance differences. Low quality paintballs will work poorly in the 68AUTOMAG. With a properly set up paintball gun using quality paint, users can expect to break only three to four paintballs per thousand. Low quality paint will break one in 50. 27. Paintball breakage is caused two ways: poor feeding or impact. Poor feeding will result in the paintball not being fully in the breech and the bolt cutting the paintball during firing. Impact comes either from the bolt or from CO2 blast. When the Foamie is damaged or missing, the Bolt will break the shell of the paintball. Blast from the CO2 will break thin shelled paintballs. 28. A good test for paintball shell strength is to drop a few paintballs, one at a time, from a height of six feet. Paintballs that consistently survive six or seven bounces are considered fresh. Paintballs that break within three bounces are either stale or have weak shells. 29. If the Foamie and the Nubbin are in good shape and the paintball gun still experiences breakage problems, switching paintball brands or colors within a brand may solve the problem because the paint batch has changed. Experimenting with different type of paintballs and colors will decide the best paintball for each individual 68AUTOMAG and playing conditions. Accessory Rails 30. There are two Accessory Rails molded into the side of the Rail for mounting various accessories. The Accessory Rails can hold anything that would bolt to a regular sight rail. Theory 31. The 68AUTOMAG is a semi-automatic paintball gun using the design idea of blow forward from an open bolt. The action takes place in three stages: Regulation, Chamber Fill and Chamber Dump. 32. Regulation begins when an Air Source is connected to the paintball gun and the pneumatic system builds up pressure. At a predetermined pressure, set by the Regulator Nut, the Regulator Valve closes and seals off the Air Source from the remainder of the paintball gun. The pressure in the paintball gun is now approximately 400 psi though the air source pressure may vary from 600 to 1000 psi under different temperatures depending on the air source used. 33. Chamber Fill, the second stage, happens when the Trigger is released. The On/Off Valve Assembly opens and allows the Air Chamber within the Valve Body to fill from the Regulator to a regulated pressure of 400 psi. To prevent flow into the Power Tube, the forward seal of the Air Chamber is created by the Power Tube O-ring and the central shaft of the Bolt. 34. Stage three, Chamber Dump, is the critical phase. The air chamber design is like a champagne bottle with a cork stuck in the opening. The Bolt, like a cork, wants to pop forward, but the Sear holds the Bolt in place. Pulling the Trigger pushes the Trigger Rod which tilts the Sear. The Sear first closes the On/Off Valve Assembly shutting off the Air Chamber from the Regulator. This gives the paintball gun a precise amount of regulated CO2 charge within the Air Chamber. The Sear next releases the Bolt. The CO2 pressure pushes the Bolt forward and breaks the forward seal of the Air Chamber. Like a cork moving out of the bottle, the Bolt starts moving forward into the breech area. The Bolt pushes the paintball past the Nubbin into the Barrel. As this has been happening, CO2 has been entering the Power Tube, expanding and moving through the Power Tube Insert and the front face of the Bolt. The escaping CO2 blows the paintball down the Barrel and out into the atmosphere. As the Bolt moves forward, it compresses the Bolt Spring located in front of and around the Bolt. After all the CO2 escapes the Bolt, the Bolt Spring expands and pushes the Bolt back into the starting position where the Sear locks the Bolt down again and reseals the Power Tube from the Air Chamber. Releasing the Trigger begins the process again by opening the On/Off Valve Assembly and filling the Air Chamber from the Regulator. Design Deficiencies General 35. As with all designs, the design of the 68AUTOMAG is not perfect. There are inadequacies in this design caused by using regulators and using CO2. Airgun Designs, Inc. is investigating using alternate technology and power sources. Using Pressure Regulators 36. All pressure regulators, by the nature of their design, cannot fill a chamber instantly. Regulators must fill most of the chamber quickly then taper off to reach the desired pressure. Chamber Fill on the 68AUTOMAG takes roughly 1/3 of a second. Because of the Regulator tapering off, when firing the paintball gun faster than three shots per second, the Air Chamber will not fill fully and the average velocity will drop by 10 to 20 fps. Using CO2 37. The other problem revolves around the CO2 itself. Usually thought of as either a gas or a liquid, in reality CO2 takes the form of steam. Like water, CO2 boils when heated and becomes a steam. The CO2 steam will still exist in a moist form until its temperature is above 87 F (31 C) at normal atmospheric pressure. Boiling temperature of any liquid is affected by the pressure; higher pressures raise the boiling temperature, lower pressures lower the boiling temperature. Firing rapidly lowers the pressure in the Air Source and causes the CO2 to boil at a lower temperature than normal. The CO2 steam then enters the Air Chamber. The Air Chamber empties when the paintball gun fires and lowers the pressure yet again. The steam in the Air Chamber boils into a gas and expands its volume by 30 times. The result is velocity variation in firing the paintballs. Placing a warm Air Source onto a cold paintball gun will allow warm CO2 steam into the paintball gun where the steam will condense into a liquid in the Air Chamber. When the Air Chamber empties, the liquid rapidly boils off and results in a dangerous overspeed shot (See Part 1, Para 11.). Performance Normal 38. Using the 11 inch barrel, the 68AUTOMAG will get an average of 400 good shots from a 7 oz. constant air tank under normal conditions. Using a twelve gram source will usually give 20 good shots if time is allowed between shots for pressure recovery. Firing 5 paintballs per second using a 12 gram will give 10 to 13 good shots. Using a longer or shorter barrel will affect the gas efficiency and change the number of good shots from any CO2 source. Cold Weather 39. 68AUTOMAG performance at temperatures below 40 F (4 C) will be poor because gas pressure is affected by temperature of the gas. Since the paintball gun is designed to function at a predetermined pressure, temperatures below freezing will not generate sufficient air source pressure for adequate velocity. Some method of keeping the Air Source above freezing will be necessary, but this increases the risk of warm CO2 condensing in the cold paintball gun and dangerous overspeed shots. Rate of Fire CAUTION Rates of fire higher than 6 shots per second may result in feeding problems. The standard VIEWLOADER supplied with the paintball gun can only feed 7 paintballs per second under ideal conditions. 40. The average person can fire 4 to 5 shots per second due to the 68AUTOMAG trigger mechanism. The trigger mechanism was designed for the highest rate of fire possible. Trigger takeup, the distance the Trigger is pulled before moving the Trigger Rod, has been kept to a minimum. Charged with adrenaline in a game situation, a person may increase their rate of fire to 6 shots per second. Updates and Upgrades 41. Airgun Designs, Inc. is constantly pushing the leading edge of paintball technology and making refinements in their paintball guns. As a service to the customer, the company offers updates and upgrades to keep the customer and the paintball gun at the forefront of paintball technology and firepower. 42. Updates are changes that improve the original design or function of the paintball gun. For one year from date of purchase, Airgun Designs, Inc. will provide to registered owners free updates. 43. Upgrades are options that add new features to the original design. A few examples are specialty barrels, differing air hose lengths, front bottle adapter kits, left feed main bodies and power feeds. Upgrades are available from the company at a reasonable cost. 44. Contact Airgun Designs, Inc. at (708) 520-7507 or Fax (708) 520-7848 for information on the latest updates and upgrades available. If sent a self addressed stamped envelope and the serial number of the paintball gun by the owner, Airgun Designs, Inc. will return a complete history of that particular 68AUTOMAG. PART 3 - OPERATING THE 68AUTOMAG Safetying the Paintball Gun 1. To safety the paintball gun: a. Push the Safety Pin located behind the Trigger from left to right to engage. b. Check that the RED ring on the Safety Pin is NOT showing. Disengaging the Safety 2. To disengage the safety: a. Push the Safety Pin located behind the Trigger from right to left to disengage. b. Check that the RED ring on the Safety Pin is showing. Inserting the Barrel 3. To insert the Barrel into the Main Body: a. Slide the Barrel, Nubbin on top, into the Main Body to line up the Barrel Lock Pin with the Barrel Detent Slot. b. Push the Barrel gently straight in until the Barrel stops moving. c. Turn the Barrel 1/4 turn counterclockwise to line the feed hole with the Ball Feed Tube. Removing the Barrel 4. To remove the Barrel from the Main Body: a. Turn the Barrel 1/4 turn clockwise. b. Pull the Barrel gently straight out of the Main Body. NOTE Hold the paintball gun up to prevent paintballs from falling out of the paintball gun if the Loader is still attached. Gassing up the Paintball Gun 5. To gas up the paintball gun: a. Safety the paintball gun. b. Hold the paintball gun upwards. Squeeze and hold the Trigger. WARNING Introducing air pressure to the paintball gun will charge and cock the system. CAUTION Do NOT use a siphon type constant air tank. Liquid CO2 will damage the seals. c. Attach the CO2 source to the Back Bottle Adapter by turning the Air Source clockwise. NOTES 1. It is recommended to lubricate any air source O-ring with a little Lithium Grease (White Grease) before attaching the Air Source to the Back Bottle Adapter. 2. Rotate pin valve tanks at least one full turn after initial gas up. 3. For constant air sources with on/off valves, open the on/off valve fully. d. Release the Trigger. NOTE At this point, the CO2 pressure within the paintball gun will push the Trigger Rod Forward against the Trigger with a loud click. e. Disengage the safety. WARNING Only fire the paintball gun in areas where firing is permitted. WARNING An excessively hard trigger pull shows overpressure in the system. Do NOT fire a paintball gun that has excessive trigger pull. f. Dry fire the paintball gun several times in safe direction to seat the Regulator Piston and Regulator Spring Pack properly. g. Safety the paintball gun. Adjusting the Velocity 6. To adjust the velocity: WARNING Only fire the paintball gun in areas where firing is permitted. WARNING An excessively hard trigger pull shows overpressure in the system. Do NOT fire a paintball gun that has excessive trigger pull. a. Dry fire a few shots in a safe direction, if the paintball gun has not been fired, to seat the Regulator Piston and Regulator Spring Pack properly. NOTE To prevent paintballs from firing, either remove the Loader and empty the Ball Feed Tube and breech OR hold the paintball gun upside down with the Loader below the paintball gun and the Barrel pointed up, then shake gently to move the paintballs back into the Loader. b. Live fire over a chronograph to find the initial velocity. c. Adjust the velocity by turning the Regulator Nut with the Allen key provided. Turning clockwise will increase the velocity; turning counterclockwise will lower the velocity. d. Turn the Regulator Nut counterclockwise to lower the velocity if CO2 begins venting out the rear of the Regulator Nut. e. Repeat live firing and turning the Regulator Nut as necessary until the desired velocity is set. NOTES 1. Start at a low velocity setting and screw the Regulator Nut clockwise up to the desired velocity. 2. A complete clockwise turn of the Regulator Nut will increase the velocity from approximately 200 fps to 300 fps. 3. If CO2 vents from the rear of the Regulator Nut, the Blow Off Valve has opened because of an overpressure. The velocity will likely be over 300 fps. 4. Airgun Designs, Inc. has found that the best performance of the 68AUTOMAG is in the 270 to 280 fps range. Unloading the Paintball Gun 7. To unload the paintball gun: a. Safety the paintball gun. b. Turn the paintball gun upside down. c. Shake the paintball gun gently to roll all the paintballs from the breech and Ball Feed Tube into the Loader. d. Remove the Loader and Elbow while still holding the paintball gun upside down. e. Set aside the Loader and Elbow. Degassing the Paintball Gun 8. To de-gas the paintball gun: a. Safety the paintball gun. b. Unload the paintball gun. c. Unscrew the pin valve constant air tank one full turn counterclockwise or fully close the on/off valve of the on/off valve constant air tank. d. Disengage the safety. WARNING Only fire the paintball gun in areas where firing is permitted. e. Dry fire the paintball gun until the paintball gun no longer fires. f. If the paintball gun continues to fire, unscrew the pin valve constant air tank another full counterclockwise turn and repeat the dry firing. g. Repeat unscrewing the constant air tank and dry firing as necessary. NOTE Firing the last shots when degassing the paintball gun may cause bolt stick. h. Stop firing once the paintball gun has been degassed. i. Safety the paintball gun. CAUTION Tightening the Air Source back onto the paintball gun before all gas is vented from the Back Bottle Adapter will damage the Air Source O-ring. j. Unscrew counterclockwise the Air Source until all gas vents from the Back Bottle Adapter and the Air Source is free of the paintball gun. Field Stripping 9. To field strip the 68AUTOMAG: a. Safety the paintball gun. b. Unload the paintball gun. c. Disengage the safety. d. De-gas the paintball gun. e. Hold the rear of the Regulator and remove the Field Strip Screw. f. Hold the Trigger down and guide the Regulator and Valve Body back along the Rail until the Regulator Body Detent Pin reaches the stop in the Z-shaped Slot. g. Press down on the Air Hose to rotate the Regulator Body Detent Pin free of the Z-shaped Slot. h. Draw the Regulator, Valve Body and Bolt back until free of the Main Body. PART 4 - MAINTAINING THE 68AUTOMAG Viewing the Video 1. A video tape on maintaining the 68AUTOMAG is included in the purchase of this paintball gun. It is highly recommended that users read the manual, then view the video for explanations. Cleaning 2. To clean quickly: a. Safety the paintball gun. b. Unload the paintball gun. c. Remove the Barrel CAUTION Keep the paintball gun fully pressurized to prevent water entering the internal workings of the pneumatics. If water enters the internals, break the paintball gun down completely and thoroughly dry all parts. d. Swish the complete paintball gun in a bucket of clean warm water. e. Swish the Barrel in the bucket of water. f. Dry the paintball gun with a clean dry cloth. g. Dry the Barrel with a clean dry cloth. 3. To deep clean after hard use: a. De-gas the paintball gun. b. Field strip the paintball gun. c. Slide the Bolt off the Power Tube and set aside the Bolt. d. Remove the Power Tube Bumper from the Power Tube. e. Unscrew the Power Tube Insert using a coin. f. Remove the Power Tube Spring. g. Remove the Power Tube O-ring. (1) Examine the Power Tube O-ring for cleanliness and wear. (2) Clean the Power Tube O-ring or replace if necessary. NOTE The Power Tube O-ring is an active O-ring. It is the o-ring most likely to require replacement due to wear. If no spare is available, the Power Tube O-ring may be swapped with other o-rings. CAUTION Lubricants other than the AUTOLUBE supplied may break down the Foamie on the Bolt. h. Lightly lubricate the Power Tube O-ring with AUTOLUBE . i. Drop the Power Tube O-ring into the Power Tube. j. Place the Power Tube Spring into the Power Tube. NOTE The flattest end of the Power Tube Spring should rest against the Power Tube O-ring. CAUTION Do NOT strip the threads by over tightening the Power Tube Insert. k. Screw the Power Tube Insert into the Power Tube. l. Slide the Power Tube Bumper down over the Power Tube to rest against the front face of the Valve Body. m. Slide the Bolt over the Power Tube. NOTE The Bolt sits just slightly above the Power Tube Bumper when the Power Tube is assembled correctly. n. Unscrew the Regulator from the Valve Body and set aside the Regulator. CAUTION Do NOT damage the Regulator Valve Spring on the front of the Regulator Valve. The Regulator Valve Spring must fit into the centre passage on the rear face of the Valve Body to seal the Regulator from the Air Source. o. Pull the Regulator Valve with Regulator Valve Spring gently from the Valve Body. p. Clean the Regulator Valve and the Regulator Valve Spring thoroughly. NOTES 1. The Regulator Valve Spring will catch particles of debris that come from the Air Source. 2. Pay particular attention to the edge of the Regulator Valve that touches against the Regulator Seal. q. Remove the Regulator Seal from the front face of the Regulator. (1) Examine the Regulator Seal for cleanliness or wear. (2) Clean the Regulator Seal or replace if necessary. WARNING Do NOT disassemble the Regulator Nut while the paintball gun is under pressure. r. Unscrew the Regulator Nut. s. Remove the Regulator Spring Pack. t. Remove the Regulator Piston by either pushing the Regulator Piston out using a straightened paper clip through the front face of the Regulator Body or by hooking the Regulator Piston from the back. u. Clean and lubricate the Regulator Piston with AUTOLUBE. v. Slide the Regulator Piston, solid face down, into the Regulator Body. w. Slide the Regulator Spring Pack, large washer first, into the Regulator Body. x. Screw in the Regulator Nut until snug. WARNING Debris on the Regulator Seal may cause the Regulator to leak slowly or cause the paintball gun to shoot at a high velocity. The higher than normal velocity of the paintball may injure other players if hit. y. Snap the Regulator Seal into the face of the threaded end of the Regulator Body. NOTES 1. The Regulator Seal is cut with the edges slightly bevelled. The slightly larger face snaps into the Regulator Body to hold the seal in place. 2. The Regulator Seal can be reversed and carefully assembled if a problem develops and no replacement is available. Lubricating 4. Lubrication plays a critical role in maintaining the 68AUTOMAG. Lubrication is required for the Power Tube O-ring, the Regulator Piston, the Regulator Nut, the Regulator Spring Pack and the metal parts of the paintball gun itself. 5. Lubricate the Power Tube O-ring as follows: CAUTION Lubricants other than the AUTOLUBE supplied may break down the Foamie on the Bolt. a. Once every two playing days: (1) Drip 4-6 drops of AUTOLUBE into the Back Bottle Adapter. (2) Remove the Barrel. NOTE Removing the Barrel will prevent a build up of oil in the Barrel. (3) Gas up the paintball gun. (4) Dry fire several dozen times to distribute the oil. CAUTION Lubricants other than the AUTOLUBE supplied may break down the Foamie on the Bolt. b. During deep cleaning: (1) Clean the Power Tube O-ring. (2) Lightly lubricate the Power Tube O-ring with AUTOLUBE . (3) Reinstall the Power Tube O-ring in the Power Tube. 6. Lubricate the Regulator Piston as follows: a. During deep cleaning: (1) Clean the Regulator Piston. (2) Lightly lubricate the Regulator Piston with AUTOLUBE . (3) Reinstall the Regulator Piston in the Regulator Body. b. During reassembly of the Regulator: (1) Clean the Regulator Piston. (2) Lightly lubricate the Regulator Piston with AUTOLUBE . (3) Reinstall the Regulator Piston in the Regulator Body. 7. Lubricate the Regulator Nut with graphite grease occasionally. 8. Lubricate the Regulator Spring Pack as follows: a. During disassembly of the Regulator: (1) Remove the Regulator Spring Pack. (a) Do not adjust. (b) Lubricate the Regulator Spring Pack with AUTOLUBE. 9. Lubricate the metal parts as follows: a. During general cleaning: (1) De-gas the paintball gun. (2) Field strip the paintball gun. (3) Clean all exposed metal surfaces. (4) Lightly lubricate all exposed metal surfaces with light weight gun oil. (5) Reassemble the paintball gun. CAUTION Lubricants other than the AUTOLUBE supplied may break down the Foamie on the Bolt. b. Monthly: (1) De-gas the paintball gun. (2) Field strip the paintball gun. (3) Spray AUTOLUBE into the two holes on the bottom of Valve Body marked OIL. (4) Reassemble the paintball gun. Replacing the Foamie 10. To replace the Foamie: a. De-gas the paintball gun. b. Field strip the paintball gun. c. Slide the Bolt from the Power Tube. d. Scrape all residue of the old Foamie with a Knife from the front of the Bolt. e. Clean the Bolt front with alcohol or acetone to remove old glue. NOTE Many brands of nail polish remover contain acetone. f. Glue the new Foamie to the front of the Bolt using a commercial super glue according to the glue manufacturer s instructions. Adjusting the Nubbin 11. To adjust the Nubbin: a. Safety the paintball gun. b. Remove the Barrel from the Main Body. NOTE Hold the paintball gun up to prevent paintballs from falling out of the paintball gun if the Loader is still attached. c. Slide the Barrel O-rings out of barrel grooves and off the Nubbin. NOTE It is not necessary to remove the Barrel O-rings completely from the Barrel. d. Gently remove the Nubbin from the Nubbin groove on the upper surface of the Barrel. e. Bend the Nubbin in or out as required; In if the paintball gun is double feeding or Out if the paint is not feeding. NOTES 1. When adjusting the Nubbin, maintain the V-shape by bending both sides of the V with needle nose pliers. 2. A properly adjusted Nubbin protrudes about 1-1/2 to 2 thickness of a matchbook cover into the breech. f. Weave the Nubbin back into the nubbin groove. g. Slide the Barrel O-rings down into the O-ring grooves to hold the Nubbin in place. h. Install the Barrel into the Main Body. Disassembly of the 68AUTOMAG 12. To disassemble completely: a. Safety the paintball gun. b. Unload the paintball gun. c. Disengage the safety. d. De-gas the paintball gun. e. Remove the Barrel and set aside. f. Field strip the paintball gun. g. Slide the Bolt off the Power Tube and set aside the Bolt. h. Unscrew the Regulator from the Valve Body and set aside the Regulator. CAUTION Do NOT damage the Regulator Valve Spring on the front of the Regulator Valve. The Regulator Valve Spring must fit into the centre passage on the rear face of the Valve Body to seal the Regulator from the Air Source. i. Pull the Regulator Valve with Regulator Valve Spring gently from the Valve Body and set the Regulator Valve and Regulator Valve Spring aside. j. Unscrew the two screws holding the Back Bottle Adapter to the Rail and remove the Back Bottle Adapter. k. Unscrew the Front Frame Screw from the Frame. l. Lift the Main Body off the Rail. CAUTION Do NOT lose the Safety Spring or Safety Detent Ball from Frame. If either is missing, the safety will be ineffective. m. Remove the Frame from the Rail. n. Remove the Sear with Trigger Rod attached out of the Rail by lifting the Sear Pin free from the channel in the Rail and pulling upwards. Disassembly of the Regulator 13. To disassemble the Regulator: a. De-gas the paintball gun. b. Field strip the paintball gun. c. Unscrew the Regulator from the Valve Body. d. Remove the Regulator Seal from the front face of the Regulator. WARNING Debris on the Regulator Seal may cause the Regulator to leak slowly or cause the paintball gun to shoot at a high velocity. The higher than normal velocity of the paintball may injure other players if hit. (1) Examine the Regulator Seal for cleanliness or wear. (2) Clean the Regulator Seal or replace if necessary. WARNING Do NOT disassemble the Regulator Nut while the paintball gun is under pressure. e. Unscrew the Regulator Nut. f. Remove the Regulator Spring Pack. (1) Do not adjust. (2) Lubricate the Regulator Spring Pack with AUTOLUBE . g. Remove the Regulator Piston by either pushing the Regulator Piston out using a straightened paper clip through the front face of the Regulator Body or hooking the Regulator Piston from the back. (1) Examine the Regulator Piston for cleanliness. (2) Clean and grease lightly the Regulator Piston every few months with AUTOLUBE . NOTES 1. Dirt on the Regulator Piston will cause the Regulator Piston to wedge in the Regulator Body and give erratic performance of the paintball gun. 2. The Blow Off Valve is not adjustable. The Blow Off Valve is set to vent automatically at 550 psi which translates into a paintball velocity of approximately 340 fps. Disassembly of the Power Tube 14. To disassemble the Power Tube: a. De-gas the paintball gun. b. Field strip the paintball gun. c. Slide the Bolt from the Power Tube. d. Remove the Power Tube Bumper from the Power Tube. (1) Examine the Power Tube Bumper for cleanliness and wear. (2) Clean the Power Tube Bumper or replace if necessary. e. Unscrew the Power Tube Insert using a coin. (1) Examine the Power Tube Insert O-ring for cleanliness and wear. (2) Clean the Power Tube Insert O-ring or replace if necessary. NOTE The Power Tube Insert O-ring is an inactive O-ring and unlikely to require replacement. If no spare is available, the Power Tube Insert O-ring may be swapped with the other o-rings. f. Remove the Power Tube Spring. (1) Examine the Power Tube Spring for cleanliness and wear. (2) Clean the Power Tube Spring or replace if necessary. g. Remove the Power Tube O-ring. (1) Examine the Power Tube O-ring for cleanliness and wear. (2) Clean the Power Tube O-ring or replace if necessary. NOTE The Power Tube O-ring is an active O-ring. It is the o-ring most likely to require replacement due to wear. If no spare is available, the Power Tube O-ring may be swapped with other o-rings. Disassembly of the Valve Body 15. To disassemble the Valve Body: a. De-gas the paintball gun. b. Field strip the paintball gun. c. Turn the Valve Body over so that the bottom is facing up. d. Pull the On/Off Valve Assembly out of the Valve Body Hole. NOTE Normally the On/Off Top, the Valve Body Hole Large O-ring and the Valve Body Hole Small O-ring will remain in the Valve Body Hole. e. Tip the Valve Body over and shake the On/Off Top gently from the Valve Body Hole. NOTE It may be necessary to pull the On/Off Top from the Valve Body Hole if shaking will not remove the On/Off Top. f. Pull the Valve Body Hole Large O-ring and the Valve Body Hole Small O-ring gently from the Valve Body Hole using a hooked object. (1) Examine the O-rings for cleanliness and wear. (2) Clean the O-rings or replace if necessary. NOTES 1. The Valve Body Hole Small O-ring is an active O-ring. It is likely to require replacement due to wear. If no spare is available, the Valve Body Hole Small O-ring may be swapped with other o-rings. 2. The Valve Body Hole Large O-ring is an inactive O-ring. It is unlikely to require replacement due to wear. If no spare is available, the Valve Body Hole Large O-ring may be swapped with the other o-rings. g. Pull the On/Off Pin from the On/Off Bottom. h. Pull the On/Off Bottom Small O-ring from the On/Off Bottom gently using a hooked object. (1) Examine the On/Off Bottom Small O-ring for cleanliness and wear. (2) Clean the On/Off Bottom Small O-ring or replace if necessary. NOTE The On/Off Bottom Small O-ring is an inactive O-ring. It is unlikely to require replacement due to wear. If no spare is available, the On/Off Bottom Small O-ring may be swapped with the other o-rings (See Figure 2-7). i. Pull the On/Off Bottom Large O-ring from the On/Off Bottom gently using a hooked object. (1) Examine the On/Off Bottom Large O-ring for cleanliness and wear. (2) Clean the On/Off Bottom Large O-ring or replace if necessary. NOTE The On/Off Bottom Large O-ring is an inactive O-ring. It is unlikely to require replacement due to wear. If no spare is available, the On/Off Bottom Large O-ring may be swapped with the other o-rings (See Figure 2-7). Assembly of the Valve Body 16. To assemble the Valve Body: a. Slip the On/Off Bottom Large O-ring into position on the On/Off Bottom. b. Lay the On/Off Bottom Small O-ring on a flat clean surface. c. Press the On/Off Bottom gently over the On/Off Bottom Small O-ring to seat the O-ring. d. Insert the On/Off Pin upward through the On/Off Bottom and the On/Off Bottom Small O-ring. NOTES 1. It may be necessary to stretch very slightly the On/Off Bottom Small O-ring to let the On/Off Pin through it. If so, insert the On/Off Pin down through the On/Off Bottom Small O-ring first, wiggle the pin gently and then remove the pin. 2. A properly installed On/Off Pin has the notched end sitting below the On/Off Bottom. The smooth end of the On/Off Pin projects up through the On/Off Bottom Small O-ring. CAUTION Do NOT change the size of the notches in the On/Off Top. The notches have been optimized for proper gas flow and paintball gun performance. Altering the size will not improve paintball gun performance. e. Place the On/Off Top, notched face down, onto the On/Off Pin. f. Place the Valve Body Hole Small O-ring onto the On/Off Pin. g. Drop the Valve Body Hole Large O-ring into the Valve Body Hole. NOTE There is an assembly diagram laser engraved on the Valve Body to show the proper assembly order of the On/Off Valve Assembly. h. Insert the On/Off Valve Assembly into the Valve Body Hole. Assembly of the Power Tube 17. To assemble the Power Tube: CAUTION Lubricants other than the AUTOLUBE supplied may break down the Foamie on the Bolt. a. Lightly lubricate the Power Tube O-ring with AUTOLUBE . b. Drop the Power Tube O-ring into the Power Tube. c. Place the Power Tube Spring into the Power Tube. NOTE The flattest ground end of the Power Tube Spring should rest against the Power Tube O-ring. d. Slide the Power Tube Insert O-ring into position over the threads of the Power Tube Insert. CAUTION Do NOT strip the threads by over tightening the Power Tube Insert. e. Screw the Power Tube Insert into the Power Tube. f. Slide the Power Tube Bumper down over the Power Tube to rest against the front face of the Valve Body. Assembly of the Regulator 18. To assemble the Regulator: a. Clean and lubricate the Regulator Piston with (???) lubricant. b. Slide the Regulator Piston, solid face down, into the Regulator Body. c. Lubricate the Regulator Spring Pack with (???) lubricant. d. Slide the Regulator Spring Pack, large washer first, into the Regulator Body. e. Screw in the Regulator Nut until snug. f. Snap the Regulator Seal into the face of the threaded end of the Regulator Body. NOTES 1. The Regulator Seal is cut with the edges slightly bevelled. The slightly larger face snaps into the Regulator Body to hold the seal in place. 2. The Regulator Seal can be reversed and carefully assembled if a problem develops and no replacement is available. CAUTION Do NOT damage the Regulator Valve Spring on the front of the Regulator Valve. The Regulator Valve Spring must fit into the centre passage on the rear face of the Valve Body to seal the Regulator from the Air Source. g. Slide the Regulator Valve with Regulator Valve Spring, pin first, into the centre of the Regulator Seal. NOTE The head of the Regulator Valve should be 1/16 of an inch above the Regulator Seal when properly assembled. Assembly of the 68AUTOMAG 19. To assemble the 68AUTOMAG a. Fit the Sear Pin into the channel cut in the Rail to place the Sear with Trigger Rod back into the Rail. CAUTION The Trigger Rod must be underneath the Safety Pin for the safety to function properly. b. Feed the Trigger Rod into the Frame, back to front, so that tip of the Trigger Rod pokes out just behind the Trigger. CAUTION Do NOT lose the Safety Spring or Safety Detent Ball from the Frame. If either is missing, the safety will be ineffective. c. Fit the Frame up to the bottom of the Rail. d. Line up the spot welded nut on the Main Body to the hole cut in the Rail to seat the Main Body into the Rail. NOTE Check that the Main Body is seated well down in the Rail with only small gaps between the Main Body and the Rail. e. Insert and tighten the Front Frame Screw into the Frame. f. Attach the Back Bottle Adapter onto the rear of the Rail using the two screws. g. Reassemble the Regulator. h. Reassemble the Valve Body. i. Reassemble the Power Tube. CAUTION Do NOT damage the Regulator Valve Spring on the front of the Regulator Valve. The Regulator Valve Spring must fit into the centre passage on the rear face of the Valve Body to seal the Regulator from the Air Source. j. Screw the Regulator and Valve Body together until the 68AUTOMAG logo lines up. k. Slide the Bolt over the Power Tube. NOTE The Bolt sits just slightly above the Power Tube Bumper when the Power Tube is assembled correctly. l. Guide the Regulator, Valve Body and Bolt forward on the Rail until the Regulator Body Detent Pin enters the Z-shaped Slot. m. Hold the Trigger down and guide the Regulator, Valve Body and Bolt forward into the Main Body. n. Release the Trigger. o. Push the rear of the Regulator forward and insert the Field Strip Screw into the Frame, Rail and Valve Body. p. Hand tighten the Field Strip Screw until snug against the underside of the Frame. q. Insert the Barrel. PART 5 - TESTING AND DEBUGGING THE 68AUTOMAG Testing and Debugging Problems 20. To test and debug continuous barrel leaks: a. Dry fire the paintball gun and hold the Trigger down for 15 seconds. b. Listen for CO2 spurting out of the Barrel. NOTE The sound is similar to that made by a pulsing lawn sprinkler c. If the noise is heard: (1) De-gas the paintball gun, (2) Field strip the paintball gun, (3) Remove the On/Off Valve Assembly, (4) Replace the Valve Body Hole Small O-ring, (5) Reassemble the paintball gun. d. Gas up the paintball gun. e. Release the Trigger. f. Listen for CO2 leaking from the Barrel. g. If the paintball gun is still leaking: (1) De-gas the paintball gun, (2) Field strip the paintball gun, (3) Remove the Bolt from the Power Tube, (4) Disassemble the Power Tube, (5) Replace the Power Tube O-ring or both the Power Tube O-ring and the Power Tube Spring, (6) Reassemble the paintball gun. 21. To test and debug CO2 leaking out of the Regulator Nut, overspeed shots or erratic shot velocity: a. De-gas the paintball gun. b. Field strip the paintball gun. c. Unscrew the Regulator from the Valve Body. d. Clean or replace the Regulator Seal. NOTES 1. The Regulator Seal is cut with the edges slightly bevelled. The slightly larger face snaps into the Regulator Body to hold the seal in place. 2. The Regulator Seal can be reversed and carefully assembled if a problem develops and no replacement is available. CAUTION Do NOT damage the pin on the rear of the Regulator Valve. The pin must fit into the centre passage of the Regulator Seal to seal the Regulator from the Air Source. e. Screw the Regulator onto the Valve Body. f. Reassemble the paintball gun. 22. To test and debug bolt stick: a. Remove the Barrel. b. Apply light pressure to the Bolt with a wooden rod. c. Dry fire the paintball gun. NOTE This will cause the paintball gun to misfire and create high residual pressure. If something is wrong, the Bolt will stick and the Trigger will not come forward. d. If bolt stick occurs and causes the Trigger to hang: (1) De-gas the paintball gun, (2) Field strip the paintball gun, (3) Remove the Bolt from the Power Tube, (4) Disassemble the Power Tube, (5) Replace the Power Tube Spring, (6) Reassemble the paintball gun. Adjusting the Trigger Takeup 23. To adjust the trigger takeup: CAUTION Do NOT adjust the trigger takeup unless required to debug the paintball gun. Altering the trigger pull may lower paintball gun performance. a. De-gas the paintball gun. b. Completely disassemble the paintball gun. c. Gently unscrew the Trigger Rod counterclockwise from the connection with the Sear. NOTE Move the Trigger Rod just enough to make the gap between the Trigger Rod and Trigger paper thin (See Figure 5-1). d. Reassemble the paintball gun.