WGP Autococker
A closed-bolt semimechanized paintball marker produced by Worr Game Products (WGP) is the Autococker (also termed as the AutoCocker, or ‘Cocker). It is well- recognized everywhere in the paintball community because it is easily customized and it is compex.
Origin
In later part of 1986, the Autococker was designed. Bud Orr designed the first Sniper pump marker, by monumenting the works of a conventional and usual Sheridan PGP into an aluminum block. The Sniper was maneuvered in the same way as the pump-action shotguns where it needed to be crudely recocked after each shot so that paintballs will be reloaded for the next round. Orr founded Worr Game Products to on sale the products that he designed and in 1988 he was already concentrating on the said business. To stay alive in the industry of paintball markers and with the other semiautomatic markers coming out on sale in early 90s, Orr innovated a pneumatic system onto the Sniper. The pneumatics automatically re-cocked the marker after each shot and in 1990, the Autococker was discovered.
Operation
The Autococker is a pump marker that features a mechanized pumping mechanism. It is closed-bolt and is operated by doing two distinct phases, or cycles:
The Firing Cycle - The procedure that loosens the gas that pushes a paintball out of the marker is relatively easy compared to the re-cocking cycle. When not in used, the bolt rests forward, shutting the chamber. This disallows unwanted paintballs from clogging. A tug of the trigger drops the sear, which loosens the hammer. A coil thrusts the hammer towards the regulator to release gas upward into the bolt. The bolt reroutes the gas behind the paintball, thrusting it out the barrel.
The Re-Cocking Cycle – As soon as the paintball is fired, three things occur in order to return the marker to the initial position: 1) the hammer must be repulled for the re-engagement of the sear and for the re-compression of the spring, 2) the bolt must be repulled that the next paintball can take into position for the next firing, and 3) the lock must be pushed after the paintball is supplied to close the breach.
Both the Sniper and the Autococker features all these functions. The bolt is affixed to the block, while a cocking bar fixed to the hammer and designed to hold on the block, routes through it. When the block retreats, the bolt also is pulled backwards, letting a paintball to be in position in the breach, while altogether jerking the cocking rod backward, making the hammer to be pulled back when finally it re-engages the sear. When the block forwards, it moves the bolt forward, shutting the breach. The cocking rod rests pulled back, with the hammer on the position to fire.
A pump arm aligns from the marker’s front to the back block. It functions as a way through which the back block can be moved to and fro. The Autococker is apparent compared to other pump markers in because it causes the pump arm to cycle. In a pump marker, re-cocking is manually done through the pump handle. The pump handle,
which is designed beneath the barrel, is affixed to the pump arm. When the shooter tugs the pump handle back, it makes the pump arm to continue and push the back block backward. Once the hammer is cocked and the paintball is fed, the player then tugs forward the pump handle, pulling the back block forward. This cycle must be continual after every shot.
In the autococker, the pneumatic system takes the place of the pump handle to significantly function the recocking action. Most gas that thrust the paintball to be fired is re-pathed to this procedure. Htree compositions make the pneumatic, these are the LPR or the Low Pressure Regulator, the 4-way regulator, and the ram. These are termed as the front block.
• LPR is affixedinto the channel in a manner that air is supplied into the bolt. LPR brings down for the pneumatic system the force to be utilized.
• The 4-way valve is the second component, which is connected to the prompter or trigger through a turning stick and takes id action when the trigger is pulled. Because the valve or the regulator contains 3 ports that are visible, it is also commonly known as 3-way valve. Having said this, calling this 3-way valve is technically misinterpreted. The 4-way contains 3 barts on top (in which the two are linked through a small pipes to either end of the ram). Within the 4-way is a minute sliding rod that has 2-3 o-rings which connects the middle barb to any of the other barbs. The connection or link among the barbs do not exceed to more than 2 simultaneously.
• The third element is the Ram, which is linked to the pump and functions as the main pumping element. It has two barbs, one can be found near in front and the other at the back. These are where the gas gets in from the 4-way. The o-rings within the ram contruct compartments so that from them the entrance of the gas will depend whether the ram will extend or retract. At the tip or utmost in which the gas passes through the ram depends on which barb in the 4-way is connected with the barb, the ram will either extend or retract.
Timing
The cycle of the recocking is indeed complicated since it involves many separate elements that must altogether function or take into action so the marker will efficiently work. The process, of the elements working or activating altogether is termed as timing.
It is unique process and viewed as onerous. Expert users of Autocockers say that with continuous practice and mastery, timing then becomes simple.
Accuracy
Man believe that Autocockers are more accurate and efficient paintball markers compared to open-bolt markers because it is a closed bolt. This is presumed because autocockers do not have the mass of the bolt that forwards when the trigger is pulled because the paintball is already in position in the breech during the firing cycle. However, tests proved that the marker’s design is not a factor of successful paintball marking. The open-bolt markers have an open breach during the firing because it is in the back position. A rubber detent keeps the ball in waiting to be fired from dropping out of the barrel before the marker fires. On the other hand, the closed-bolt keeps the paintball in the chamber beyond the breach where the detent is found. Keeping the paintball from dropping out of the barrel is a good feature of this marker.
Criticisms
Realibility/Dependabilty
Because of the many movable parts, autocockers are well-recognized with tinterers. But in the age of electropneumatic markers are in the expense because of their high performance, the slower mechanical performance of the Autococker is considered a disadvantage. However, a British paintball manufacturer, Planet Eclipse, recognize this situation and so it manufactured a device that converted the autococker to a hybrid and more complicated paintball marker. The device augmented the marker’s performance to a speed of 20 balls per second.
Short Stroking
The mechanical autocockers has the trigger that both fires the marker and recocks it. This does not take place in the Autococker because re-cocking takes place right after the firing and the player needs to completely pull and loosen the trigger. In some points, pulling the trigger causes firing and re-cocking to be dissynchronized and this will result to short stroking, which then can result in chapped ball, leading it to the loss of accuracy and speed.