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Kenneth MacDowell | profile | all galleries >> My Paintball Markers >> Cockers, Cockers, Cockers, >> ANS Gen-X Autococker tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

ANS Gen-X Autococker

What could I say that the infamous Ravi Chopra himself didn't say when this beauty was first released. To see his original go here http://www.p8ntballer.com/techroomcontent/genxautococker.shtml
The first picture below is the one posted with his review (pic not up yet).

And I quote

"Customized Autocockers are all the rage these days. So what sets this baby apart from the rest?

Trigger
The Gen-X’s trigger is very different from most other custom Autococker triggers, with lots of very non-standard and controversial modifying and tuning.
The trigger is built into an industry-standard Benchmark .45 frame. Adjusting the timing is easy, given the now stock sear-access hole in the top of the gun and ANS’ own stainless steel threaded timing rod. The trigger plate itself is meticulously polished for a very smooth action, and since current Benchmark frames do not have back trigger-guide screws, ANS bends up the back of the plate to take up vertical slack. The result is a trigger action that is as smooth and slack free as you can get. In play, the trigger was easy to snapshoot and rapid fire. It has a unique feel, quite unlike any other Autococker. It will definitely appeal to those who like short, smooth, tight triggers.

Pneumatics
Driving the system is a Jackhammer regulator. It’s shorter than the stock Sledgehammer and is easy to tear down and repair if it fails at the field. The only problem with this reg is that the adjustment knob fits a bit loosely and can work its way out with use. Subsequently, every couple of games, the delivery of pressure won’t be strong enough to cock the gun. Unfortunately, it will be enough to feed another paintball. The result is that you suddenly stack four or five paintballs up in the barrel before you realize what’s happening. The fix is easy: just turn the knob back in until the gun cycles correctly again. Despite the rather innocuous nature of this problem, it is a particularly irritating and common occurrence. To avoid this problem, ANS recommends a drop of loc-tite on the threads of the knob to help hold it in place. ANS is at work on the problem and is planning on adding a Teflon insert in the side of the adjusting knob to hold it tightly in place while still leaving it easy to adjust.

The 4-way valve is ANS’ popular short-throw unit. The valve is a one-piece aluminum design that eliminates the end-caps and C-clips of the stock valve. ANS’ stainless steel Mini-Ram occupies the spot above the Jackhammer. This ram is just about the shortest, smallest ram on the market. It has a stainless steel front-end with a forward-facing front nipple and an aluminum base that threads into the front block. Due to its very small diameter, this ram will require a bit more pressure to deliver the same force as a larger ram, but its small volume minimizes gas expenditure. This ram has a very smooth and quick action. Like their 4-way, the Mini-Ram had a reputation of sometimes having an out-of-the-box leak. Also like the 4-way, this problem has been corrected and the ram now functions in a perfectly trouble-free manner. Rounding out the components that drive the cocking system is a stainless steel pump-rod and ANS’ own custom-look cut block.

Internals
Starting at the front, ANS has come out with their own low-pressure chamber. Moving further along the gas-path is the ANS Phase II Xtreme exhaust valve. This valve has an aluminum body and stainless steel pin. The ANS Phase II valve has the valve seat in its body, making for much improved reliability and less expensive replacement should it ever fail and start to leak. Last in line is the superb 15 hole Phase II venturi bolt. This popular bolt has 15 small holes leading straight out to its concave face. This is among the freest flowing bolts on the market and works very well. The hammer is the relatively standard ANS Nelson-style kit. In one nice addition, ANS has printed directions for use on the back of the unit so newer players can tell at a glance which way to turn it to increase or decrease velocity.

The performance of this whole system is a mixed bag. On the positive side, the gun operates at an impressively low pressure of about 250 psi. Velocity consistency is truly exceptional, falling within a 3 fps range with fresh paint and a clean barrel. The downside is that it doesn’t offer much in the way of efficiency improvements, providing only 800 or so shots from a 68 ci 3000 psi nitrogen system. This falls right in the same efficiency range as a stock Autococker. ANS is currently at work on a new spring and hammer system, which they claim will drastically improve efficiency.

Accessories & Extras
This gun has a relatively standard chromed ball-bearing style detent. The bolt-retaining pin is a durable, stainless steel, four-ball bearing unit. The rubber wrap-around grips offer a good, comfortable grip; even the trigger-shoe gets ANS’ preferred treatment and is an aluminum unit that is far more durable than the stock Autococker’s plastic piece.

All Gen-X Autocockers come with a full air system, including a 20 oz CO2 tank, standard duck-bill bottom-line ASA, hose with disconnect, and ANS’ Generation X-2 pressure regulator. Anyone familiar with Air America’s Uni-Reg will likely find a lot of very familiar features in the half-stainless steel, half-aluminum Gen X-2 regulator, which is almost exactly identical.

The final extra that ANS includes is their stainless steel 3D Phase II barrel. This 12" barrel has a three step design: 0.6865" near the breech, 0.6870" in the middle, and 0.6875" at the barrel end which also has four straight rows of ports and a four slot muzzle break. It shot really nicely, was dead-nuts accurate and cleared out really well when the Jackhammer drifted low and paint got broken. At this ID it will be too tight for larger paints like Nelson, but smaller paint shoots through it quite nicely.

Finishing the package is a foam-padded gun case and VL200 hopper. As with all Autocockers, you’ll likely want to discard that hopper in favor of one of Viewloader’s popular moto-loaders. The only really significant omission is a beavertail, required on all Autocockers for tournament play. We doubt you’ll be surprised to hear that ANS is working on their own beavertail and will be including it on all Gen-X Autocockers very soon.

Cosmetics
At $769.95, this paintgun had to give somewhere and cosmetics was the one. The Gen-X Autococker has a very stock-looking body. Even their custom back block barely diverges from the stock look. The only real indications that this is an ANS gun are the words "Generation X Cocker" engraved in the right side of the gun body, and a pair of large "X"s on the sides of the back-block.

Final words
At an out-the-door price of only $769.95, the ANS Generation-X Autococker is awfully hard to dislike. This is a HUGE amount of kit for your wedge. The gun is definitely a value leader in Autocockers, and ANS is working hard to get the price down even further! The ANS Gen-X Autococker is a work-in-progress. By the time you read this article they will likely already have updated the Jackhammer and may very well have changed a host of other parts. 805-527-5661

Ravi Chopra
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When I got it
When I got it
When I got it
When I got it
Gen-X benchmark right
Gen-X benchmark right
Gen-X left benchmark
Gen-X left benchmark
when I got it., Ebay picture!!
when I got it., Ebay picture!!
Pic from Ravi's review
Pic from Ravi's review