For the sake of introduction let me say, even though this paintball marker does not need an introduction in the paintball world: Tippmann A5 is one of the most selling and trusted paintball guns ever.
The market is always welcoming new paintball markers. These markers are faster, lighter, and prettier, but nothing beats the durability of Tippmann guns, which is one of the reasons behind their never ending popularity.
A5 is one of those guns that have been on the market for years and are working tirelessly. And… durability is not the only reason behind their popularity.
Read further, and count all those reasons with me.
Trust me, there are many!
The Basic A5 Marker
Though Tippmann A5 is a relatively newcomer in the market as it came out in 2002, still, Tippmann has been making it better and better by making changes now and then.
#1 Pick
Checkout the Latest Price of Tippmann A5 Paintball Gun here for 2024
For example, the new version has a selector switch on them, instead of the safety button they had on older models. There are also a few more changes in the design of the gun which I will discuss in detail further in the article.
| Color | Black |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Caliber | .68 |
| Hopper/ Magfed | Hopper Fed |
| Propellent Gas | HPA and CO2 |
| Semi/ Full Automatic | Semi Automatic |
| Firing Rate | 8 to 15 Balls Per Second |
What Comes in the Box?
The marker comes in a sturdy cardboard box. In there, you will see a manual, a basic marker with the cyclone feed attached to it (it will be discussed later), and an 8 ½ inch barrel.
You will also get a packet of extra parts, like a few O rings, Allen keys, a ring mount to hang the gun on a sling, and a tube of lubricant that you need to use now and then to keep your gun working smoothly.
Apart from these, this marker also comes with a hopper, which is usually not the case with most paintball markers as they do not include a hopper in the box. But, this is just one of the things that make A5 a special marker.
Design
This paintball gun comes in black color and the main body is made of aluminum which makes it better resistant to breakage.
The main marker is the same as it was when it first came out, there are only a few changes in the design of the frame and the selector switch.
This selector switch allows the players to use the gun in three settings. Here is what the three settings are meant to do.
- Safety: where the gun does not shoot even if the trigger is pulled by any mistake.
- Fire: where the gun shoots one ball at one trigger pull.
- Full Auto: where the gun can fire at full auto mode.
The selector switch makes it easy to handle and also gives it a more realistic look. The gun also has a foregrip to allow for better grip and handling.
Another worth mentioning feature of the design of the gun is its push pins. This gun can be opened and reassembled without any tools simply with the help of some push pins. There are no screws on it, so you can open this gun up and reassemble it in a matter of minutes if the need arises.
The Cyclone Feed
The inside of this marker, and the main is quite close to Tippmann 98 Custom but what makes this gun stand apart is the cyclone feed it comes with. So you do not have to go through all that trouble to install it on your marker.
The cyclone hopper makes this gun far better at the BPS rate and this is the reason this gun is super easy to be upgraded to a full auto system. You can install a double trigger on this marker and have a blast shooting with great speed. Read further for the step by step guides for these installations.
How Does It Work?
The cyclone feed neck uses gas to agitate the paintballs inside it so they do not get stuck in the feed neck or hopper, resulting in an inconsistent supply of rounds to the marker.
As you might already know, gravity hoppers do not perform the job as quickly as rapid firing requires. To resolve the issue, the cyclone feed system by Tippmann uses gas agitated hoppers instead of using batteries. These hoppers are easy to maintain and budget friendly.
Pro Tip: Give attention while you are closing the lid of this hopper because the lip it tightens on can be sometimes a bit tricky. If you have not closed it properly, the balls can spill over and you certainly do not want that.
Durability
When it comes to the durability of these A5 markers, you can almost trust them blindly. These guns can keep on working for years in the roughest scenarios imaginable. Players use them in mud, rain, and dust and yet they continue to work like nothing else.
Accuracy and Range
These guns can shoot accurately to around 50 feet as they come out of the box with the stock barrel. And the effective range is somewhere between 80 to 90 feet.
But, the best part is, these guns are super customizable. There are tons of options available in the market to upgrade these guns and increase their effective range as well as accuracy of these guns.
If you are interested, just keep on reading. I will be discussing all these upgrading options along with their purposes.
Calibers and Velocity
This is a standard .68 caliber paintball gun that shoots .68 caliber paintball rounds. The velocity is adjustable that you can tweak between 250 to 300 FPS.
Propellent Gas
Tippmann A5 runs not only on CO2, it can also function on HPA. This is also one of many reasons that make it a favorite among the players.
Tippmann A5 With Response Trigger
Tippmann A5 is now available with a preinstalled response trigger on it. A response trigger allows you to fire in fully automatic mode without inserting batteries in it.
Difference Between Semi and Full Automatic Mode
In case you are new to paintball and having trouble understanding the difference between these terms, here is a clarification. A semi auto paintball marker shoots one paintball at one trigger pull, whereas a fully automatic marker keeps on firing as long as you keep the trigger pulled.
Electronic markers are known for their full automatic system but many Tippmann markers can also be upgraded to fully automatic mode and they do not even use batteries like the electronic guns.
Customizations of Tippmann A5 Paintball Gun
Tippmann A5 can be customized and upgraded to many levels. And this is one of the reasons behind its popularity. You can make all the changes you want and turn them into something you absolutely adore because it has your personal touch to it.
Here are a few things that you can install on this marker to enhance its functions.
Pro Tip: Whenever you are going to disassemble your gun for any reason, do it on a clean, light colored surface. That will eliminate the chance of misplacing things and spending hours to find them again.
1. Double Trigger Kit
If you are playing some highly strategic games in the woods with this marker, this is absolutely fine with the trigger it comes with. You can fire 8 to 15 balls per second with the stock trigger. But if you are interested in rapid firing and want to increase your BPS rate, this is the solution for you.
Purpose of a Double Trigger
A double trigger allows you to fire rapidly without getting tired while you try to pull that stock trigger with all your might to achieve a certain rate of BPS.
Steps to Install
Installing a double trigger on your Tippmann A5 is not a difficult task at all and the credit goes to its push pins opening system.
So let us get started.
- Degas your gun and remove the gas tank for an easy and safe operation.
- Put your gun on a light colored, flat surface and locate the two push pins above the receiver.
- Push these pins from the backside of the marker and take them out.
- Remove the ASA connector from the bottom of the receiver with the help of a screwdriver.
- After removing the ASA screw and the two push pins on the receiver, the grip or receiver of the gun should come out.
- Now you need to take the trigger assembly out. The easiest way to do it is to pull out the selector switch. And the trigger assembly will pop out from the top of it.
- You cannot change the trigger without changing the trigger guard. So now you need to take the three screws out that you will see around the trigger guard.
- Once you have taken out the screws, open the receiver in two halves. Take out the smaller trigger guard and replace it with the newer one.
- Put the receiver cover back and screw it on again.
- Time to get back to the trigger itself where the trigger is assembled in two plates. Wriggle the upper plate up and take care that the pins holding it do not come out with it. Put them back to their place if they do to avoid losing them.
- Locate the trigger spring inside it and take it out of its place. It will free the trigger so you can remove it and replace it with your double trigger.
- Place the spring back to its place. Put the plate back on and check the trigger works.
- Insert it back in the frame from the place you took it out.
- Put in the selector switch and check it functions properly.
- Take the main gun and align the receiver with it. Set it to its right place and put in all the push pins and screws you took out.
- You are all ready to rock!
2. Tippmann A5 E-Grip
Tippmann A5 is often modified to an electronic system by installing an E-grip in it. That gives you a system that is fully automatic, and runs on batteries, yet has the durability of a Tippmann gun.
Installation
Installing an E-grip on your A5 marker is one of the super easy modifications. Here is a step by step guide you can follow to upgrade your marker to a whole new level.
- Degas your gun by removing the gas tank from it.
- Locate the two push pins above the receiver of your gun.
- Push these pins from the backside of the gun and take them out. The grip of your gun will easily slide off the main body.
- Take a ranch and remove the ASA line from the bottom of your gun.
- Take the E-grip and align it with your marker.
- Insert the push pins in the gun and lock them in.
- Attach the ASA line back to the gun.
- The last thing you need to do is to open the back cap of your e-grip and insert in the batteries.
- Get ready to rock with the fully automatic electronic marker that will last you a long time.
3. Tippmann A5 Flatline Barrel
There are a slew of barrels in the market that you can attach to this gun. Some serve only to change the look, while others can affect the functionality of the marker.
Here is a flatline barrel that I recommend you to install on your A5.
What’s the Purpose?
A flatline Barrel is used to enhance the effective range of your marker.
Flatline barrels start at a lower point and gain some height at the end of the marker. This gives a little push to the paintballs which is required to take them to a farther distance.
A flatline barrel can increase the range of an A5 marker to almost 100 feet farther.
Installation
Installation of the barrel is super easy and here is the step by step guide to get it done. Just get your Allen keys and that is all you are going to need for it.
- Look at the gun closely where the barrel starts. You will find two bolts there that you need to loosen up.
- A little back from this point, you will see two more screws on your gun that need some loosening up.
- After you have done that part (all you need to do is to loosen the screws, there is no need of taking them out because we are not going to open the gun), you need to hold that stock barrel tightly and twist it a little counterclockwise.
- Just a little push and the barrel is out of the gun. Now take the flat line barrel and hold it where the little no at the end of it is facing upwards.
- Insert it in the gun and give it a little twist, this time clockwise.
- The barrel will settle in its place with a click, so you cannot twist it anymore.
- Pick up the Allen keys one more time and tighten all those screws you loosened before.
- You are ready to shoot at distances you only wished for earlier!
4. Tippmann A5 Sniper Barrel
Here is another choice for the barrel upgrade of Tippmann A5 but this one is for a different purpose.
What’s the Purpose?
Where a flatline barrel can enhance the range of a paintball marker, a longer sniper barrel is used to increase the accuracy of a marker. This 16” barrel can considerably increase the accuracy of your marker.
According to stats, A5 can shoot accurately to 50 feet with the 8 ½ inch stock barrel, but with this barrel attached to your gun, you will be able to shoot accurately up to 80 feet.
Installation
This barrel is also made for Tippmann A5 so you can simply thread it on your marker.
5. Air Through Adjustable Stock
Tippmann A5 does not come ready with a back stock but most players prefer to have one. There are many stocks available that fit on this gun and you can attach to it.
What’s the Purpose?
A stock allows you to set the gun against your shoulder and take better aim using a comfortable position. An adjustable stock is even better because it gives you the freedom to set it according to your physique and personal preferences.
This one is an air through design so you can insert your gas tank in it to avoid carrying a gun that has a huge tank attached at the bottom of it.
6. Tippmann A5 MP5 Stock
If you do not want to have a big stock at the back of your gun, here is another option for you.
This stock comes in two designs, one sits straight at the back of your gun whereas the other one has a collapsible design that can be folded when not in use.
7. Drop Forward
Another good addition to your Tippmann A5 can be a drop forward but that is only if you think you need one. If you have no idea what a drop forward is, let me explain.
What’s the Purpose?
A drop forward is used to change the place of your air tank on your gun. Most paintball guns come with an ASA or Air Source Adapter attached to the bottom of the gun’s receiver. This position of the tank on your gun is considered the best, unless it is not.
If you are a player with a shorter stature, you might find the tank making the gun too long and thus difficult to hold and shoot. This is where a drop forward comes into the game.
A drop forward takes the position of the tank a little bit forward and makes the gun taller instead of longer.
8. Tippmann A5 Parts Kit
One of the best things about Tippmann guns is their easily available parts. You can easily get all the parts from your local or online stores.
Do you get another reason for the popularity of these guns? They hardly require maintenance, and even if they do, you will not have any issue whatsoever in finding the parts kit. Here is the link to one of the best available kits in the market.
9. Tippmann A5 Complete Starter Kit
Tippmann is not selling the guns alone, you can also get a complete starter package if you are interested in buying the whole kit.
This kit will make you the owner of your marker, a tank, a paintball mask, and all the other basic necessities for starting out as a paintball player.
Now let’s see the Pros and Cons of Tippmann A5 Paintball Gun.
Pros
- Extremely Reliable because of the Tippmann stamp it comes with.
- Super durable as it works in mud, rain, water, and snow without getting damaged.
- Crazy customizable with tons of options available to make it function and look better.
- Cyclone Feed system that helps you shoot faster.
Cons
- You cannot find any con in this marker except that it is a bit more expensive than Custom 98 but it is also providing some extra features that Custom 98 does not.
Ratings and Reports of Players
This marker is one of the most loved paintball markers. Most players are using it with its Egrip to have an amazing fire rate and that too with the reliability of Tippmann.
People love the endless possibilities with this gun and there are seldom players who are actually using it as it comes. They have modified it to many levels to enhance its looks as well as its functionality.
The only complaints you might find about this marker are by the customers who received their marker mishandled or broken in the package and that can happen with any product out in the market.
It has been rated 4.8 out of 5 stars by the thousands of players who have been using it.
Steps to Clean Your Tippmann A5
In order to maintain your gun and keep it in its best form, you need to give it a deep clean from time to time.
Yes, I am talking about the deep cleaning here, supposing that you wipe your marker after every time you have used it in the fields.
Here is the step by step process of getting it thoroughly clean.
- The first thing you need to do whenever you are about to open your marker is to dig it.
- Make sure it is decocked and has no ammo inside it.
- Take out the push pins from your marker. If you are using an old marker, the pins will come out super easily. But if your marker is a new one, you might need to use a screwdriver to give them the push they need.
- Once you have removed the pins, give the grip a little wriggle and it will come out of its place.
- Now you can easily open the back cap of your marker and take out the spring with the guideline inside it. (If you had not decocked the gun in advance, here you would have seen the back cap with the spring inside flying across the room.)
- Pick up the gun vertically with the open end facing down and give it a push. As a result, the rear bolt, the valve assembly, the linkage arm, and the front bolt will slide out of the marker super smoothly.
- Now use a soft rag, preferably a microfiber cloth, and give everything a good wipe.
- Put everything back just the way you took them out.
- Close the back cap and put the receiver back in its place.
- Insert the push pins back and you are done!
Related: Best Magfed Paintball Markers
Tippmann A5 Troubleshooting
If you own a marker, it is always a great thing to be able to resolve its minor issues on your own. And, most of the time, it is nothing more than a change of an O ring or a little bit of required cleaning that is causing problems.
Sometimes it can also be some misplaced spring or part that simply needs to be rearranged. Take a look at this diagram to know what the inside of your Tippmann A5 looks like and get ready to be the master of your gun as it is certainly going to make you a far more confident paintball player.
Here are some common issues that your A5 might be facing along with their solutions.
1. Tippmann A5 Firing Issues
First of all, let us see how to troubleshoot your marker if it is showing any kind of firing issues. These issues may include your gun not recocking, double firing, or firing in full-auto mode.
Step-by-Step Process
- Ensure that your gun is decocked, degassed, and free of ammo.
- Take out the push pins and remove the receiver from the main marker.
- Take the safety switch out and this way the trigger assembly will drop out from the top of the receiver.
- Remove the upper plate of the trigger assembly and here you will see the internals that include two springs and a sear.
- If your gun is firing in full auto you might find the problem here. If you ever tried to change the sear of your gun, you might have replaced it with a sear that works with Egrip and that will cause issues if you are using the gun without an Egrip installed.
- The other fault may lie in the placement of your springs. The sear spring comes in a bluish hue whereas the front spring has a red color to it. Make sure both springs are placed in the right order to function properly.
- After we have gone through the trigger assembly, we will move forward to the upper parts and for that, you need to remove the tombstone from the marker.
- Open the back cap and take out the drive spring along with the guide pin.
- Now make sure that the guide pin is inside the drive spring, if it is not, the spring is going to collapse inside the gun once the trigger is pulled.
- Check the O rings, if any of them is broken or swollen, you need to replace them.
- A swollen O ring can also cause your gun to shoot full auto, so if you are facing this issue and the problem was not in the sear, it must be in here.
Pro Tip: If you don’t know how to check if the O ring is swollen or not, run your finger and a thumb around the O ring, gently applying pressure and pushing it towards one end. Once you bring it to an end, check how much of the O ring is bulging out from its place. If it is a big bulge, it is time to change it.
- Check for any cracks on the power tube, if you find any, time to replace the power tube.
- And, before you end, give the internal parts a good clean up because that ensures a better functioning gun every time.
- Hopefully, you have diagnosed the problem till now and made it right. Put everything back from where you took it out. Refer to the images if you are confused about the order of the things. And check if the issue has been resolved.
- But, if you are not lucky enough to do it with that much, you will have to proceed further and open up the gun in two halves. For that, remove the bolts at the front of the gun and one in the foregrip.
- Now, open the gun in two halves, and see if you have a lot of paint and debris accumulated there. Give it a good wipe because that might be causing problems.
- Once you are done with the cleaning, make sure that the all detent is sitting in the right direction. Refer to the image to confirm its position.
- Also make sure that you are not mixing the two springs you took out of the gun. The shorter spring is the drive spring that you need to insert in the back of the gun, whereas the longer one goes in the front. The difference in the length is minor but exchanging their position makes a lot of difference.
- Reassemble the gun, and now you must have solved whatever the issue was with your marker. If the problem still prevails, you better get it checked by a professional.
2. Gas Leaking Issues in Tippmann A5
Another common issue you might face with your A5 marker is gas leakage. It often happens because of some misplacement of an internal part of the marker.
So, if you are facing a similar problem, let us troubleshoot it together.
Step-by-Step Process
- Take out the push pins of your marker and remove the receiver by wiggling it down.
- Take out the gas line connection, or you may know it as the tombstone of your marker.
- Now examine the part of the tombstone that gets inside the valve assembly. You might find some paint or dirt on it and that might be the only reason your gun is leaking gas. Because if there is any dust or debris, it will not let the valve seal properly.
- The next thing you need to do is to open the back cap of the marker and take out the drive spring with its guideline, the rear bolt, and with that hold the linkage arm and pull the valve assembly with the front bolt out.
- Take the valve assembly and shake it to bring out all the tiny pieces residing inside it.
- Check for any paint or dust inside it and clean it.
- The next step is to get everything you took out of it back in again in the right order. And here is how they must be inserted.
- Look inside the assembly and you will see an O ring lying inside. Above that O ring, you need to drop the golden washer you see. Throw it in so its cylindrical end sits downwards.
- Once the washer is in, use a long tool like a screwdriver and press it lightly to make it seal.
- Next take the valve plunger and throw it in. in case it does not sit in the right place, just give the assembly a gentle shake and it will sit correctly.
- Insert in the spring followed by the washer and the O ring. Make sure you add everything in the correct order.
- Take a flathead screwdriver and press the O ring gently so that it seals in its place.
- Now that you have assembled everything, insert it in the power tube and put everything back in the gun just the way you took it out.
- Connect your marker with the air source and check. Hopefully, you have resolved the leakage issues and your marker is ready to rock with you in the fields.
3. Cyclone Feed Not Spinning
The cyclone feed system is the distinctive feature of Tippmann A5 markers but sometimes it can cause problems by not spinning and thus not providing the required supply of paintballs to the marker.
Again, like most A5 problems, this too is caused by the misplaced pieces of the marker.
If you are facing a similar issue, here is what you can do to resolve it.
Step-by-Step Process
- Start by decocking and degassing your marker for safety reasons.
- Now check the pole on the marker where your cyclone feed is connected. It must be the upper pole above the receiver of the marker and not the lower one. Connecting the gas hose to the lower pole will cause disruptions in the air supply and prevent the cyclone feed from spinning properly.
- Remove the cyclone feed from the marker to give it a close examination.
- The next thing you need to check is the bolt on the cyclone feed line. Remove the bolt, and don’t worry if you find a hole in it because that is where the gas goes in.
- The bolt has an O ring attached to it, check if it is not broken or swollen, if so, you need to change it and that will resolve the issue.
- Turn your feed system upside down and see if the screws at the back are not too tight. In case they are, loosen them a bit so they do not force the spinners to stop.
- And the last thing you can do is to see if the bolt holding the spinners is not too tight because that will not let them spin properly.
- Install the cyclone feed system back to your marker and check if it works now. Hopefully you have resolved the issue and your gun shoots just like it should.
Tippmann A5 vs Empire Axe
Both of these markers are quite popular in the paintball world and, to make a comparison, there are many differences between them.
To start off, where Tippmann A5 is a marker more popular with beginners and comes at a pocket friendly price, Empire Axe can be a bit heavier on the budget, to say the least. But, the features Empire Axe is offering are worth the price.
Yes, it is pricey compared to Tippmann A5 but definitely not over priced.
Here is a table of comparison between both markers to make things yet easier for you.
| Model Name | Tippmann A5 | Empire Axe |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Black | Comes in Various Different Colors |
| Material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Feed System | Comes with Cyclone Feed Hopper | Does not come with a hopper |
| Barrel Size | 8 ½ Inch | 12 Inch |
| Calibers | .68 | .68 |
| Propellent Gas | CO2 and HPA | HPA Only |
| Semi/ Full Automatic | Comes as both, semi and full automatic systems separately but semi automatic marker can also be upgraded to a fully automatic system with the installation of an Egrip | Semi and Full Automatic |
| Mechanical/ Electronic | Comes as both, mechanical and electronic systems separately | Electronic |
Tippmann A5 vs Tippmann 98 Custom
If you are not sure how to decide between Tippmann A5 and Tippmann 98 Custom markers, here is a little bit of comparison between both markers.
They are made by the same company and the internal parts and mechanism is almost the same in both guns. There are a few differences too but these are of a minor kind.
Firstly, if you buy Tippmann Custom 98 with the ACT, it will come with an extra spring that lends it the Anti Chop Technology. On the other hand, the Tippmann A5 comes with the pre-installed cyclone system and there is also a version that comes with a pre-installed E grip too.
These little differences contribute to the prices of the markers as well.
Below is a table to make things still easier for you to compare.
| Marker Model | Tippmann A5 | Tippmann Custom 98 |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Black | Black |
| Material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Propellent Gas | CO2 and HPA | CO2 and HPA |
| Barrel Size | 8 ½ Inch | 8 ½ Inch |
| Feed System | Comes with Cyclone Hopper | Works with Gravity Hopper but can be upgraded with a cyclone hopper |
| Caliber | .68 | .68 |
| Magazine feed Conversion | Compatible | Compatible |
| Semi/ Full Automatic | Comes as both semi and fully automatic models but the semi automatic one can also be upgraded to full auto with the help of an Egrip | Comes as a semi automatic marker but can be upgraded as full auto y installing an Egrip |
| Best For | Speed shooting because of cyclone feed system | Beginners and the durability and reliability which has no rival in the paintball world |
| Not For | Too Low a Budget | There is not a single thing this marker cannot do or become! |
Our Verdict
Nothing beats the reliability of Tippmann guns and the A5 is one the most popular guns by the company. It is the best all rounder mechanical gun found on the market today. It can be used in all types of paintball games like as a gun to play Woodsball to speedball and it works amazingly well in any field.
Its cyclone feed makes it more efficient and popular with the Egrip upgrade. It is not as popular with the rentals as Tippmann 98 because 98 is much more basic and easier to maintain, but this marker has got some even better features if you intend to own it.
We give it a 9 out of 10 on our scale.
