The final word on the tippmann response trigger

November 24th, 2006
By Jamie Innes



I'm going to get a lot of hate mail over this article. I'm going to get mail from people telling me I'm irresponsible, incorrect, wrong, and so on and so forth. I'll be getting this mail because it's a debate I've had more times than I care to recollect, on the NZPB forum, and I'm absolutely sick to death of beating into submission, ignorant people that do not look at the facts and are all too interested in jumping to conclusions. Don't laugh, it happens.

The question always gets asked, are tippmann response triggers legal in New Zealand?

The short version: Yes, they are. But let's expand on that by explaining why they are, and why people will argue that white is black, and black is white.




Part 1: How the response trigger works

The response trigger uses excess gas from the tippmann CVX valve, the CVX valve is the heart of the 98 or A-5. There is an air fitting on the right side of the powertube (which houses the CVX valve), which connects to a piece of hosing (microline), which travels down the exterior of the gun, near the trigger grip. At which point, it re-enters the gun, and connects directly to a piston seated behind the standard tippmann mechanical trigger.

As the gun cycles, gas fires the ball, and pushes back the rear bolt to be recocked, some of that gas travels though the microline, and into the piston, the piston extends outward, pushing back on the trigger. This has the same effect as the trigger spring, except with a great deal more force and speed.

This is ALL the response trigger does. It uses air or CO2 (Whatever you have powering your gun) to reset the trigger quicker, and with more force, than what the trigger return spring is capable of.




Part 2: How does the law in NZ define automatic and semiautomatic?

The NZ Police define semi automatic as 1 shot per trigger pull. And Automatic as more than 1 shot per trigger pull. This includes burst modes, and triggers that fire 1 round on trigger pull and 1 on release. this also includes paintball guns which have electronic chips calable of 'ramping'. Ramping is another name for burst mode (More than 1 shot per trigger pull)

Owning firearms (and airguns) capable of automatic fire require a firearms license with a restricted weapons endorsement. Without this, ownership of restricted weapons is illegal.




Part 3: Is it automatic?

No. No tippmann response triggers are, or have ever been automatic. Automatic, as defined by the NZ police, implies more than 1 shot (either a continuous string, or a burst) PER trigger pull. The response trigger is not capable of this. The tippmann E-grip on the other hand, IS auto/burst capable, since it uses a solenoid and chip to control the release of the sear.




Part 4: Why do people think it's automatic?

People make assumptions without having enough of the required information to come to an accurate conclusion. Be very wary of what people say on paintball forums, when it comes to technical issues, many people are not sufficiently informed. The ways people jump to this conclusion are all too common, they include...

• People see the gun in action, and assume it must be automatic.
• People are told the gun is automatic, and believe this as gospel without looking into the facts.
• People hear that the gun has 'trigger bounce' and assume it is ramping capable.

Part 5: So if it CAN shoot 'a lot of paint', why is that NOT automatic?

As stated in part 1, the piston resets the trigger. Now when it does this, it does so very quickly and with considerable force. Now when you apply consistent pressure with your trigger finger, the trigger can AGAIN be pulled very quickly, the marker cycles, and the piston resets the trigger... and so the cycle continues. The practical effect is, a high rate of fire is achievable (around 15bps) with the response trigger. The trigger is moving in and out for each shot, resulting in 1 shot per trigger pull. The nickname for this process is 'sweetspotting'.

Now it's important to note, the trigger remains semi automatic at all times. The trigger moves in and out for 1 shot, and if you fully depress the trigger, the gun will only fire 1 shot, because the piston is not powerful enough to fight the strength of your trigger finger fully depressing the trigger. Full depression of the trigger (and how the gun fires) is how the police define what consitutes automatic, and semi automatic.




Part 6: So the trigger uses an air assisted reset, is THAT legal?

Yes. Until such time as the NZ arms act is changed. What's important to bear in mind, is the arms act is written with firearms in mind, the entire document uses firearm terminology, airguns/paintball guns are only a small part of it. Now because rifles, pistols and shotguns do not use an air assisted trigger reset, there is nothing in the act stating that such devices change the definiton of the firing mode... from semi automatic, to automatic.

It's for this reason, that tippmann response triggers are semi automatic, and thus legal for NZ players to use.




Supplementary Info:

Ramping: Ramping is a form of burst mode, some peintball guns have electronic chips, which will increase the number of shots fired from 1 per trigger pull, to more than 1 per trigger pull. What triggers this increase can vary, from things like how many shots have been fired, to how quickly the gun is being fired etc.

Trigger bounce: Trigger bounce is what happens when the trigger is so sensitive, that the gun can actually discharge without the trigger being pulled. A negative side effect of manufacturers making ever sensitve triggers. Commonly, such triggers can be activated by minor vibrations, such as a sudden physical jolt to the gun, hopper or air tank.