Smart Parts' Vibe
by Bill Mills - Photos by Dawn Mills - Aug 2008

Testing

Features HowItWorks Disassembly Adjustment Testing Data

Testing of the Vibe was performed both for general operation, in which no unexpected problems came to light. Using an agitating hopper, ball-chopping did not occur. In an attempt to cause a jam or chop, an un-powered loader was used, and occasionally the marker would dry-fire due to paint jamming in the loader (which was freed by shaking) but no paintballs were broken or chopped. In an additional test of the low-force bolt anti-chop system, a paintball was lowered halfway into the breech, and the marker cycled. The bolt simply bounced off the paintball, rather than breaking it.

Objective testing was done to determine velocity consistency, and compare shot grouping size with the stock barrel to that with a standardized test barrel.

All testing was performed with compressed air as the power source, delivered via a Crossfire 800 psi output compressed air system, with the Vibe set to its HPA dwell setting. Ovjective testing utilized a VLocity loader with Boost rechargeable battery system, and DXS Gold paintballs. While we endeavor to keep all WARPIG Ballistic Labs marker testing as consistent from test to test as possible, the discontinuation of DraXxus Hellfire paintballs has lead to a new choice test paint. Made in the same factory, on the same machines, DXS Gold appears directly comparable in performance to the previously used Hellfire grade paint.

To test for velocity consistency and shoot-down, the Vibe was adjusted to fire at approximately 285 feet per second, then thirty shot strings were fired over a recording chronograph at microprocessor controlled rates of both 1 bps and 10 bps. The 12 bps rate typically used in WARPIG Ballistic Labs testing was not performed, as it exceeded the marker's rate of fire limits.

To test for velocity consistency and shoot-down, the Vibe was adjusted to fire at approximately 285 feet per second, then thirty shot strings were fired over a recording chronograph at microprocessor controlled rates of both 1 bps and 10 bps. The 12 bps rate typically used in WARPIG Ballistic Labs testing was not performed, as it exceeded the marker's rate of fire limits.

At a steady 1 bps, the Vibe had an average velocity of 274.8 feet per second, with a standard deviation of 5.8. The 95% figure, a wantification based on throwing out 5% of the least consistent shot (this allows for odd, inconsistent paintballs to be discounted) was at ±2.0. Full chrono data is available here.

Twenty-shot strings were fired at paper targets at a distance of 75 feet, at a microprocessor controlled rate of one ball per second. One grouping was fired with the stock Vibe barrel, and the other with the standardized barrel used in WARPIB Ballistic Labs Testing, a Smart Parts All-American front, a .687 insert matched to the paint, and a Freak Smart Parts threaded back. This setup allows for the same barrel to be moved from marker to marker, regardless of thread type, for a baseline comparison. Grouping size and general distribution with both barrels was comparable. Individual target photos are available here.

With the Vibe, Smart Parts has parlayed the success of their Ion platform into a simplified marker that performs well, is very easy to maintain, and gives the fast, quiet firepower of an electropneumatic marker to players who previously had only blowback or pump paintguns as an option in their price range. For the new player they have removed the technical challenges typically found in paintgun maintenance by offering a valve system that consists of only three parts, with no small items to get lost in the staging area.