Viper-M1 Hyper FAQ
V1.1
1/1/98 by
Bill Mills
I call this FAQ a hyper FAQ. It serves the same function as the FAQs
for other paintguns, but it's designed as a multimedia document (i.e. with
pictures). Click on any of the pictures to see full screen versions. Its
purpose is to provide information about the Viper-M1 semi-auto paintgun,
and hopefully answer many of the questions that people are now asking me
in e-mail.
Feel free to print and store this document for your own personal use.
This document may not be distributed without direct written permission
from its author.
If you have any questions about the Viper-M1 that are not addressed
by this FAQ, or you have experience with a Viper-M1 and have material to
contribute to this FAQ, please use the WARPIG feedback form.
INDEX
1.0 What is a Viper-M1?
3.0 What are some of the features of the Viper-M1?
4.0 How do I strip down Viper-M1?
5.0 Trouble shooting
6.0 The article in APG said that the Viper-M1 has
a foamy. Why doesn't mine?
7.0 What accessories are available for the Viper-M1?
8.0 What aftermarket barrels are available for
the Viper-M1?
9.0 How can I tell if I have a pre 1997 Viper M1?
10.00 What differenced between 1997 and prior model
Vipers?
1.0 What is a Viper-M1?
1.1 General Description and history
The Viper-M1
is a semi automatic paintgun. Its predecessors are the Lazer and the Lazer-II.
In many ways the Viper-M1 can be thought of as a Lazer-III. The manufacturers
of the original Lazer redesigned their paintgun into the Lazer-II, incorporating
many of the features of the Viper-M1, including the integrated expansion
chamber. Unfortunately, there were some problems with the Lazer-II, and
the manufacturer ran into financial troubles, eventually turning over the
rights and inventory to Micro-Tool, the company that had been manufacturing
for them.
US Amateur Sports, looking to get into the paintball market as
well as other amateur sports markets, bought the rights and Lazer-II inventory,
and set their production business unit, USA Performance Products, to the
task of refining the Lazer-II and producing this new paintgun. Thus the
Viper-M1 was born. The Viper-M1 differs greatly from the Lazer-II in that
it uses a bore drop barrel. Having the balls drop directly into the barrel
eliminated a seam and dramatically reduced ball breakage. The gas path
and valving of the Viper-M1 has also been re-designed for increased efficiency,
and consistency.
1.2 US Amateur Sports
US Amateur Sports is a company formed for promoting and marketing amateur
sports. Their goals include building a "sportsplex" from which to televise
paintball, softball, indoor rock climbing, and other amateur sports tournaments.
They are also marketing sports products for these various activities. For
more information read the company profile in the April issue of Paintball
Industry magazine. The Viper-M1 is produced by their sports products business
unit, USA Performance Products. USAmateur Sports can be contacted at:
(888) 622-3622 (toll free)
USAmateur Sports
3970 RCA Blvd., Suite 7010
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
Web Site:http://www.viperm1.com
Investor/Stockholder web site:www.ecomecom.com
Over The Counter Stock Symbol: ECEC
3.0 What are some of the features of the Viper-M1?
3.1 Specifications
-
Caliber - 0.68
-
Action - Blowback Semi-Automatic
-
Feed System - Power feed
-
Feed tube size - 7/8"
-
Safety - Standard Cross-block
-
Barrel length - 9" (6" and 12" also available)
-
Barrel release - 1/4 turn quick release
-
Grip - Lonestar M-16 style
-
Length with standard barrel - 17-1/2"
-
Weight - 2-3/4 lbs
3.2 The Mag Chamber
One of the features I really like about the Viper-M1 is the very stable
velocity - even on straight CO2. When my wife Dawn played in the Zap Amateur
Open, the velocity stability was so solid that the chrono ref was pointing
it out to people. In my experience, I've been running less than +/- 3 fps.
I think one of the main reasons for this stability is the Mag Chamber,
the expansion chamber that is integrated into the Viper-M1's receiver.
A lot of people view an expansion chamber as providing "room for CO2 to
expand". I've never really understood that explanation, as the pressure
on a gas is dependent on its temperature, more than anything else. It follows
that an expansion chamber that can exchange heat with the outside environment
the best, will do the best job of consistently maintaining the temperature
of the gas, and thus maintaining an even pressure. The more even the pressure,
the more consistent the velocity can be from shot to shot. If I were to
go shopping for an expansion chamber, I'd want one that had heat sink fins
on it, to maximize the area in contact with the air. Well, the Viper-M1
goes a little further. The expansion chamber is actually a part of the
receiver, so it gets to use the entire receiver of the paintgun to exchange
heat. I think that is one of the main reasons it is so consistent at the
chrono. In addition, 1997 and later Vipers include a pressure compensating
valve. This valve stays open longer at lower gas pressures and closes faster
at higher pressures, resulting in an even more stable velocity.
3.3 Balance
This is one of the reasons I really like the Viper-M1. It has great
balance. Since the CO2 tank screws into the bottom of the Mag Chamber,
and angles back, it places the center of balance (when running a 12 oz.
tank) right at the trigger. This makes it very usable, even one handed,
and the Mag Chamber also makes a great fore-grip as well.
3.4 Ease of use and dependability
My experiences with the Viper-M1 have proven it to be extremely reliable.
It, along with my Minimag the only marker I have used that has never
failed to operate. Never. From getting it in February of '96 through August
of '96, I experienced one, count that, one, ball break. That is using the
original foamy style bolt both with and without a foamy installed. In the
fall of 1996, I switched to the factory foamiless model, and experienced
a couple of ball breaks while using some really old paint (what can I say,
I was desperate to play - and the only good paint I had on hand I had to
use for reviewing another marker for APG). Further use determined
that the paint was the culprit. I have not had any problems with bolt stick,
seal failure, re-cock problems, double feeding, or any trouble setting
velocity.
3.5 Ease of velocity adjustment
The
velocity adjustment on the Viper-M1 is very simple. There is a hex screw
on the side of the receiver that is adjusted with an allen wrench (included
in the parts kit). There are no springs to swap, no parts that need to
be removed, then replaced after the adjustment, and the adjustment can
be made while the marker is still connected to its gas supply. The position
of the velocity screw indicates wether the Viper is a pre 1997 model or
not. 1997 and later models have the velocity adjuster on the left hand
side, while first release models have it on the right. This simple step
while it seems pretty silly reduces production costs and errors because
the receiver does not have to be flipped over on the mill.
3.6 Quick release barrel
The barrel on the Viper-M1 releases with a 1/4 turn. The concept is similar
to the release on an Automag, only different. It differs in where the friction
lies. On the Viper-M1, there are no o-rings to cause drag when the barrel
is sliding in and out. One o-ring is compressed between a lip on the barrel,
and the front of the receiver. Within the first 5 degrees or so of turn
on the barrel, the o-ring is de-compressed, and the barrel turns smoothly,
and it slides out with almost no resistance.
3.7 Lifetime Warranty
USA Performance Products warrants the Viper-M1 for life, for the original
owner. Also, they upgrade Lazer-IIs to Viper-M1s free of charge.
4.0 How do I strip down the Viper-M1?
4.1 Twist and remove the barrel
If you have a pre 1997 Viper M1, you must leave the ball stopper knob
in the "on" position while removing the barrel, or it will catch on the
breech. This is not a problem in 1997 and later production runs, so you
can easily switch it to the off position, preventing balls from pouring
out the receiver when the barrel is off.
4.2 Remove the CO2 supply
4.3 Remove the valve
Removing the Viper-M1's valve is quick and easy. Unscrew the knob below
the barrel, and it will slide out with the valve spring guide, valve spring,
and the valve cup seal. Be sure to inspect the cup seal for any nicks or
foreign object damage from debris that may have gotten in through the CO2
supply. When re-assembling the valve, a light bit of Snake Oil on the spring
and the valve stem is a good idea. Snake Oil is the paintgun oil that USA
Performance started shipping with the Viper in the winter of 1997. If you
can't get ahold of Snake Oil, any of the paintgun oils from Gold Cup (Gold
Cup, Autlube, Indian Creek) are approved by USA Performance. You shouldn't
have any problem with light machine oils like 3 in 1, but using a paintgun
oil you know you will have something that won't break down, or gum up under
the temperatures involved. You'll want to make sure the hammer is either
out, or cocked, so that the valve will seat fully when you put it back
in.
4.4 Remove grip frame
The two screws that hold in the grip frame are simply unscrewed, and
the grip frame lifts off. Under the heads of the screws on pre 1997 models
are thin rubber friction washers that keep the screws from slipping loose.
On 1997 and later models, an o-ring in a groove in the screw provides locking
friction. While USA Performance says this o-ring is a different size than
the others used in the marker, I have tested it, and it's worked as a replacement
for the valve knob and the bolt o-ring. They don't recommend it, but these
o-rings should work as emergency replacements if you get in a pinch. If
the grip frame screws are too tight to release by hand, use a quarter in
the slots on their face to loosen them.
4.5 Remove the cocking knob
The cocking knob should be able to be removed by hand. If it is too tight
for that, you can use the allen wrench from the parts kit to loosen it.
Once it is removed, it becomes a tool to take out the link pin. The link
pin connects the bolt in the upper receiver to the hammer in the lower
receiver. Looking through the hole in the top of the sight rail, you can
line up the link pin with the hole. Then the cocking knob will screw into
the top of the link pin, and you can slide it out. When you put the link 
pin back in later, you will need to be careful to align it properly in
the hammer. It has an indentation that the cocking knob fits into. Once
the link pin is back in, you can see if it is aligned by looking at the
hammer, in the threaded opening where the cocking knob goes. It will be
readily apparent whether or not the link pin is properly aligned. When
replacing the cocking knob, the collar on it will act as a lock washer,
so as tight as you can get it by hand is good enough. While I haven't had
a cocking knob loosen and fall out on field, it's a good idea to be in
the habit of checking and tightening it while on the field.
4.6 Removing the bolt.
The bolt will now slide easily out of the upper receiver if you tilt the
receiver forward. You can also remove the top receiver back plug, which
has a rubber bumper attached to it, and slide the bolt out the back of
the receiver. I find it is easier to remove the bolt from the front, and
replace it through the back, due to changing diameters in the upper receiver.
It's a good idea to lightly oil the o-rings on the bolt before re-inserting
it. Also, it is important that you note the bolt alignment. There is a
gas hole in the bottom center of the bolt. If the bolt goes back in upside
down, the gas will not flow properly through the bolt, and you will end
up with a surprisingly low velocity.
4.7 Removing the hammer.
Remove the bottom receiver plug, and with it will come the hammer spring,
and the hammer spring guide. When re-inserting the hammer, the two o-rings
it rides on should get a light coating of oil. You may notice some wear
on the bottom of the hammer. Some of the nickel plating has worn off where
the sear contacts the hammer on Dawn's Viper. This has not been the case
on other Vipers I have seen (including thecustomized Vipers we now have). 
According to USAS and my experience, this has no effect on performance.
Check to make sure that there are no dings or pits in the hardened steel
that is beneath the nickel plating. That is the only wear that could cause
any problems. Also, when you have put the lower receiver plug back in,
make sure to align the mark on its back vertically. This aligns the opening
for the rear frame screw to lock the lower receiver plug in place.
5.0 Trouble Shooting
5.1 Low velocity.
-
Make sure your CO2 / Compressed air supply is full (duh!)
-
Adjust the velocity adjuster (duh!)
-
Make sure the bolt is not installed upside down.
-
Make sure the o-rings on the bolt and the hammer are intact and lightly
oiled.
-
Make sure the valve is clean and free of debris.
5.2 Double firing, or not re-cocking.
-
Make sure your CO2 / Compressed air supply is full (duh!)
-
Make sure the o-rings on the bolt and the hammer are intact and lightly
oiled.
-
Make sure the valve is clean and free of debris.
5.3 Gas is leaking down the barrel.
-
Make sure the valve is clean, does not have any nicks in it, and is free
of debris.
5.4 Gas is leaking at the front of the receiver.
-
Check to make sure that the o-ring on the valve plug is in good shape.
5.5 Gas is leaking near the bottom of the Mag Chamber.
-
Check to make sure that the o-ring on your CO2 bottle or remote connection
is in good shape.
6.0 The article in APG said the Viper-M1 has a foamy. Why doesn't
mine?
The foamy style bolt was replaced by a newer design that does not use
the foamy, which eleminated the maintenance problem of foamy replacement.
Viper-M1s which shipped with the foamy style bolt included replacement
foamies in the spare parts kit. They can be installed with a bit of cyanoacrylate
"superglue". In my experience this is not really necessary. I have used
the foamy style bolt without the foamy and experienced no problems.
7.0 What accessories are available for the Viper-M1?
The following are available from USA Performance Products:
-
6 inch aluminum barrels
-
9 inch aluminum barrels
-
12 inch aluminum barrels
-
The VXT dual finger trigger assembly.
I thought this wasn't amazing, until I tried one at the Pittsburgh
Amateur Open. It isn't just a double finger trigger. The trigger springs
are lightened, and the sear is adjusted for a shorter and lighter trigger
pull. Basically it's like a trigger job in a box. You just bolt it on.
-
VXT .45 grip frame.
At the time we received our .45 grip frame they were shipping with
Hogue .45 wraparound grips, but other grips may be shipping with the frame.
The grip on the Viper-M1 in most of the pictures in this FAQ is the VXT
.45 grip frame with Full Bore Products flat grip panels installed. Since
the Viper-M1 is made to accept a standard M-16 style grip, most after-market
grips and grip frames will fit, like other .45 grip frames, or the PMI
eurogrips.
-
Bottom line, and bottom line with drop forward adaptor
-
VXT "L" style stock
-
Collapsible AR-15 style stock
-
Raised sight rail
This raised sight rail not only makes a good sight on its own, but
also a handy carrying handle.
8.0 What aftermarket barrels are available for the Viper-M1?
At the time of this writing, no aftermarket barrels are in mass prodiuction.
At a customer request J&J made a single prototype hardchrome Viper
M1 barrel. They later made 6 hard anodized ceramic J&J Barrels for
the Viper M1, but never produced them for market. Knowing that Dawn
and I had a couple of Vipers, Joe West hooked us up with the barrels.
To my knowledge no other manufacturer has produced aftermarket barrels
for the Viper M1. The "VXT" barrels that USAPP sold for the Viper
M1 were made under contract for them by a well known aftermarket barrel
manufacturer, and side by side with that maker's brand barrels about the
only difference is the logo laser engraved on the barrel. The accuracy
difference between these barrels and the stock barrel is noticable.
9.0 How can I tell if I have a pre 1997 Viper M1?
The surest sign that you have a pre 1997 Viper M1 is that the velocity
adjusting screw is on the right hand side. Does this matter? In most cases
no. The original Viper we tested (and still use) continues to operate trouble
free. If you are ordering replacement, or internal upgrade parts, it is
important, if you have a pre-1997 Viper that you give the serial number
to USA Performance so that you get the correct part. Mixing and matching
new components on some of these 1995 and 1996 production models can cause
physical damage to the parts and or the receiver.
10.00 What differenced between 1997 and prior model Vipers?
-
Slightly shorter Hammer bumper allowing the bolt to come back further after
each shot.
-
Longer cocking knob slot in the receiver to allow the bolt and hammer to
come back further after each shot.
-
Shorter hammer back knob to allow the hammer to come back further on each
shot.
-
Pressure Compensating Valve.
-
Change to a powerfeed ball stoper that is one single piece like on the
Automags and Indian Creek paintguns. The new stopper is easier to turn.
Both the Automag and Indian Creek ball stoppers also work in the power
feed.
-
The Power feed has been raised slightly from the barrel so that the ball
stopper no longer interferes with barrel removal.
-
Replacement of the flat rubber lock washers on the grip frame screws with
o-rings that fit into milled slots in the screw heads.
-
Smaller Viper logo graphics are smaller and re-located to allow for stickers
or laser engraved team and field logos on the sides.
-
The velocity adjusting screw is on the left hand side rather than the right.
-
The interior surfaces are bored to a precise diameter. In the earlier models,
these surfaces were left as originally extuded (as they are with most paintguns
using extruded bodies), which was discovered was not always true (100%
round) leading to inconsistencies.
-
A Cross Block safety was added to the trigger frame.
| Copyright © 1992-2019
Corinthian Media Services.
WARPIG's
webmasters can be reached through
our feedback form. All articles and images are
copyrighted and may not be redistributed without the written
permission of their original creators and Corinthian Media
Services. The WARPIG paintball page is a collection of
information and pointers to sources from around the internet
and other locations. As such, Corinthian Media Services
makes no claims to the trustworthiness or reliability of
said information. The information contained in, and
referenced by WARPIG, should not be used as a substitute for
safety information from trained professionals in the
paintball industry.
|
| Copyright © 1992-2019
Corinthian Media Services.
WARPIG's
webmasters can be reached through
our feedback form. All articles and images are
copyrighted and may not be redistributed without the written
permission of their original creators and Corinthian Media
Services. The WARPIG paintball page is a collection of
information and pointers to sources from around the internet
and other locations. As such, Corinthian Media Services
makes no claims to the trustworthiness or reliability of
said information. The information contained in, and
referenced by WARPIG, should not be used as a substitute for
safety information from trained professionals in the
paintball industry.
|
Home
The Viper-M1
is a semi automatic paintgun. Its predecessors are the Lazer and the Lazer-II.
In many ways the Viper-M1 can be thought of as a Lazer-III. The manufacturers
of the original Lazer redesigned their paintgun into the Lazer-II, incorporating
many of the features of the Viper-M1, including the integrated expansion
chamber. Unfortunately, there were some problems with the Lazer-II, and
the manufacturer ran into financial troubles, eventually turning over the
rights and inventory to Micro-Tool, the company that had been manufacturing
for them.
The
velocity adjustment on the Viper-M1 is very simple. There is a hex screw
on the side of the receiver that is adjusted with an allen wrench (included
in the parts kit). There are no springs to swap, no parts that need to
be removed, then replaced after the adjustment, and the adjustment can
be made while the marker is still connected to its gas supply. The position
of the velocity screw indicates wether the Viper is a pre 1997 model or
not. 1997 and later models have the velocity adjuster on the left hand
side, while first release models have it on the right. This simple step
while it seems pretty silly reduces production costs and errors because
the receiver does not have to be flipped over on the mill.
The barrel on the Viper-M1 releases with a 1/4 turn. The concept is similar
to the release on an Automag, only different. It differs in where the friction
lies. On the Viper-M1, there are no o-rings to cause drag when the barrel
is sliding in and out. One o-ring is compressed between a lip on the barrel,
and the front of the receiver. Within the first 5 degrees or so of turn
on the barrel, the o-ring is de-compressed, and the barrel turns smoothly,
and it slides out with almost no resistance.
Removing the Viper-M1's valve is quick and easy. Unscrew the knob below
the barrel, and it will slide out with the valve spring guide, valve spring,
and the valve cup seal. Be sure to inspect the cup seal for any nicks or
foreign object damage from debris that may have gotten in through the CO2
supply. When re-assembling the valve, a light bit of Snake Oil on the spring
and the valve stem is a good idea. Snake Oil is the paintgun oil that USA
Performance started shipping with the Viper in the winter of 1997. If you
can't get ahold of Snake Oil, any of the paintgun oils from Gold Cup (Gold
Cup, Autlube, Indian Creek) are approved by USA Performance. You shouldn't
have any problem with light machine oils like 3 in 1, but using a paintgun
oil you know you will have something that won't break down, or gum up under
the temperatures involved. You'll want to make sure the hammer is either
out, or cocked, so that the valve will seat fully when you put it back
in.
The cocking knob should be able to be removed by hand. If it is too tight
for that, you can use the allen wrench from the parts kit to loosen it.
Once it is removed, it becomes a tool to take out the link pin. The link
pin connects the bolt in the upper receiver to the hammer in the lower
receiver. Looking through the hole in the top of the sight rail, you can
line up the link pin with the hole. Then the cocking knob will screw into
the top of the link pin, and you can slide it out. When you put the link 
pin back in later, you will need to be careful to align it properly in
the hammer. It has an indentation that the cocking knob fits into. Once
the link pin is back in, you can see if it is aligned by looking at the
hammer, in the threaded opening where the cocking knob goes. It will be
readily apparent whether or not the link pin is properly aligned. When
replacing the cocking knob, the collar on it will act as a lock washer,
so as tight as you can get it by hand is good enough. While I haven't had
a cocking knob loosen and fall out on field, it's a good idea to be in
the habit of checking and tightening it while on the field.
The bolt will now slide easily out of the upper receiver if you tilt the
receiver forward. You can also remove the top receiver back plug, which
has a rubber bumper attached to it, and slide the bolt out the back of
the receiver. I find it is easier to remove the bolt from the front, and
replace it through the back, due to changing diameters in the upper receiver.
It's a good idea to lightly oil the o-rings on the bolt before re-inserting
it. Also, it is important that you note the bolt alignment. There is a
gas hole in the bottom center of the bolt. If the bolt goes back in upside
down, the gas will not flow properly through the bolt, and you will end
up with a surprisingly low velocity.
Remove the bottom receiver plug, and with it will come the hammer spring,
and the hammer spring guide. When re-inserting the hammer, the two o-rings
it rides on should get a light coating of oil. You may notice some wear
on the bottom of the hammer. Some of the nickel plating has worn off where
the sear contacts the hammer on Dawn's Viper. This has not been the case
on other Vipers I have seen (including thecustomized Vipers we now have). 
According to USAS and my experience, this has no effect on performance.
Check to make sure that there are no dings or pits in the hardened steel
that is beneath the nickel plating. That is the only wear that could cause
any problems. Also, when you have put the lower receiver plug back in,
make sure to align the mark on its back vertically. This aligns the opening
for the rear frame screw to lock the lower receiver plug in place.