INTRODUCTION
Stock class is gaining in popularity. Still, there are players (even pump players) who do not want to give up their fast firing marker for a stockgun. I have a compromise, it is called Comp Class.
This is not a new idea. Paintball has had a Comp Class, just as it had Stock Class in its history. In fact, on some parts of the West Coast of the US, Comp Class has had a re-emergence. (In case you're wondering "Comp" is short for "competition".)
THE HISTORY OF COMP CLASS
In the late eighties, on the East Coast of the US of A, the compgun was born out of the tournament circuits. It was restricted by many physical parameters, much like the stock guns of today. While East Coast players still wanted fast paced tourneys, they did not want the hose fests they were having on the West Coast.
Comp gunners got to keep their direct feeds, but the technology was restricted to increase the challenge of the events of the East Coast Comp (tournament) Circuit.
You see, stock class came back because players were tired of the constant hosing and saw the average player's skill diminishing as they learned to depend on technology. These players took the technological restrictions of the sport's first markers (which made the game more challenging) and fashioned the stock class rules around them.
Comp Class follows suit. It was my intention of giving players technological limitations, but still give them relatively advanced technology.
Players who already have pumps, can easily convert them to Compguns with little time and hardly any money. (Which is better than shelling out another couple of hundred bucks on a new marker. Unless you want to anyways. In that case, pick one up for me too!) Also, players may find it hard to find a stockgun in their local store. Most stores always carry direct feed pumps.
The only stumbling block is that Compguns are fed by stick feeders, or small capacity bulk loaders. So players are going to have to relearn how to make stick feeders and small loaders again, I guess. (Like we learned in the old days.)
I did the rules from memory, there hasn't been a comp-level event played in this country for almost a decade now. For those of you who remember the old "comp days"; if I left something out, or embellished where I shouldn't have, let me know. (Luckily, any player who played in these tournies will be too old and too feeble-minded to remember, anyway.)
Here are the Official Durty Dan Comp Class rules.
COMP CLASS RULES
1. OPERATING AND FEED SYSTEMS
a. A compgun must be manually operated. Some manually actuated mechanical manipulation must be performed to load a ball and cock the paintmarker's action. No semi-automatics or double- actions.
b. The paintballs are gravity fed from a standard direct feed.
c. The compgun is fed by a feed tube (stick feed) whose capacity is not over 20 paintballs. The stick feed can have a modification where a ten shot tube can be placed in the top to increase the capacity to 30 shots. (Keep in mind that the longer the stick feed is, the more ungainly it becomes--DD.)
d. OPTIONAL FEED RULE: Stick feeds can be substituted for a bulk loader whose capacity does not exceed 60 paintballs. (Players can't use loaders of a greater capacity and only load 60 paintballs into it -- DD.)
2. POWER SYSTEM
a. A compgun can only be powered by a SINGLE 12 gram powerlet. There should be no provision on the marker to provide power by a second 12 gram (no dual ASA) regardless as to whether or not the second ASA is being used.
b. Quick changes can have drop out slots and can either be operated by a lever action or a threaded knob. (The standard Nelspot changing system is also acceptable.)
c. "Battlegrips" for the Nelspot (that have a drop out hole for the twelve gram) are permitted.
d. Sheridan-based markers can have a drop out slot. Sheridan- based markers are also permitted if their 12 gram changer is the standard, no drop out slot, factory style.
e. Quick changes can only hold ONE 12 gram powerlet at a time. There must be no provision in the quick changer to automatically load, or otherwise feed, another 12 gram into the changer. No Six Pack Plus, no PMI Turret Changers, etc.
f. For safety reasons, the knob of the quick changer must be turned at least one and one half full revolutions to remove it. The lever must have a solid and positive lock when fully engaged/closed with a 12 gram in it.
g. No check valves. Removing the CO2 must inactivate the marker.
h. Quick changes may be made integral with the marker's construction or can screw into an ASA. Rat-a-tac, Phantom stock class, Cooper-T 12 gram changer and other similar stock class/"bucket-type" quick changers are also permitted.
3. BARREL
a. The barrel may not be over the length of 10 inches. This measurement is taken down the bore of the marker, with the bolt in it's fully forward position. The muzzle cannot be past the 10 inch mark.
b. The barrel must be smoothbore and solid. This means - no holes, rifling, or muzzle brakes.
c. There can be one barrel addition/extension but it may not be so long as to make the overall barrel length exceed the maximum ten inches. The extension may not be drilled, rifled, etc.
4. OTHER EQUIPMENT
a. Autotriggers are permitted.
b. Any type of stocks, grips, and sights are allowed.
c. As long as the marker conforms to the above rules, it may have any internal or external modifications.
5. OTHER RESTRICTIONS
a. No matter what feed system a player chooses to use, they may not reload paint into the feed system with anything other than standard ten paintball-capacity tubes. The capping arrangement is up to the player.
b. Any player hitting another player three or more times in rapid succession will be disqualified from play.
CONCLUSION
So, if you can't get a stock game going, try getting a Comp Class game organized. Most players should have a "back-up" pump laying around somewhere.
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