The second and latest Tippmann marker under the U.S. Army Paintball banner. I believe that the Sierra One is Tippmann's answer to the many woes expressed over their previous marker, the Alpha Black aka Bravo One, with greater customization options, and not to mention the fact that it already comes looking like the picture above. With the Bravo One, you had to actually buy the M4 Tactical Kit were you unfortunate enough to buy the basic kit:
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Me and my beloved Bravo One
The Project Salvo is its product name for the U.S. market, just like how Alpha Black was the product name of its predecessor in the U.S.. This is due to the products' association with the U.S. Army. For the international market, the Project Salvo and Alpha Black have been respectively named the Sierra One and Bravo One.
The Marker
The Sierra One (as I shall call it since that would be the product name here) has an AR 15 style stock that can slide up to 6 positions and is foldable and collapsible.
It also has and AR 15 style shroud with FOUR Picatinny rails for extensive customization. This means you can add pretty much anything from a foregrip to a tactical flashlight to even a laser sight.
It comes with an 11" quick thread barrel and adjustable front and rear sights (flashy but near useless features).
Just like the Bravo One, the Sierra One has its internals based on the Tippmann 98 Custom, which means it's reliable and durable.
The Sierra One probably comes with an option for a factory-installed E-Trigger. If not, you can upgrade it with the Bravo One E-Trigger Kit. It can also be upgraded with the 98 Custom Response Trigger.
Strengths
- It comes out-of-the-box with its own shroud and stock, which eliminates the need to purchase any after-market kits
- Much higher customization options due to the number of Picatinny rails: Four on the shroud and a long rail on top of the marker itself
- Upgradeable with an E-Trigger or a Response Trigger
- Can be upgraded with all 98 Custom parts, kits and barrels as it has 98 Custom barrel threads
- Has 98 Custom internals, which means it is highly rugged and durable, maintaining performance after numerous skirmishes
Weaknesses
- Having 98 Custom internals means that in order to service it, the marker has to be taken apart, contrary to Tippman models such as the A5 and X7 which have field-strip capabilities
- Although it is a new product, the only improvment Tippmann has made is the increased external customizeability, with no internal upgrades such as Anti-Chop Technology (A.C.T.) which is now available on current 98 Custom models.
As a conclusion, I think that this marker is still a pretty good buy. Based on my experience with Tippmann markers' price range, I would say that when the Sierra One does arrive in Malaysia, it would have a pretty decent price tag. Probably somewhere within RM1000.
As a Bravo One owner myself, I'm pretty satisfied with the performance of my current marker and I think it would be fair to say that the Sierra One can maintain that level of satisfaction.
Apam_Savior
