Tippmann A5
The Tippmann A5 is several years old at this point and there are too many visual and performance modifications to list. There are almost no parts on this marker that cant be upgraded.
The Tippmann A5 is very easy to disassemble and clean, is very comfortable to hold and remains reliable under heavy use.
It’s unfortunately very common for people to spend money on the cosmetic upgrades, which effectively do nothing to improve the performance or reliability of this marker. I’m very much all in favour of a sweet looking milsim marker, but there’s so much more you can do with your money to make an A5 a powerhouse of muppet mowing.
The stock barrel on an A5 is much like the stock barrel on any other Tippmann marker, good but not great. Being a larger bore size, you wont have any problems with barrel breaks, but you wont have the increased accuracy you could gain from having a variety of bore sizes to choose from. To replace the stock Tippmann A5 barrel I almost always recommend a J&J barrel kit, even their high end Elite kit is affordable and comes with 5 back sizes (.682, .685, .688, .691, .693) and 3 fronts ranging from 8″ to 16″. If however you’ve been sold on the concept of a Flatline or Apex barrel, id go with the Apex barrel. The Apex barrel works just as well as the Flatline barrel, the Apex is less picky on which paint you use and in the case of a barrel break the Apex is infinitely easier to clean.
There aren’t many internal parts to this in-line blow-back marker, and 2 of the 3 major parts inside should be considered for upgrading. Stock, the powertube and frontbolt for the Tippmann A5 are a basic black plastic. The only real concern you should have about that fact is if your powertube cracks from the stress of use, which it very well might, you cant play again until you replace the powertube. Dead on Paintball makes a very popular upgrade consisting of an aluminum powertube and delrin front bolt, for approximately $60. With this, you will never ever have to worry about the need to replace your powertube in your lifetime.
The cyclone feed is very much the reason you should be looking at a Tippmann A5 or its newer relative the X7. Stock, the parts that make the cyclone work its magic are also basic plastic. After about 1 & 1/2 years of use, the internals to my cyclone were mangled. Fortunately the pioneers at TechT have made replacement parts for all 3 areas on the cyclone that could use improvement. The Vortex Mod, The Lightning Rod and The Quick Exhaust Piston Housing. The only upgrade you can justify through wear and tear is the Vortex Mod, which consists of teflon coated aluminum parts for smoother lower pressure operation. I have yet to buy the piston or the q.e.p.h. so i cannot testify to their greatness.
Here is an excellent resource for A5 owners http://www.a5-tippmann.com/
8229707120974010552 
