The Ion paintball gun is a popular model, made by Smart Parts. When it was released, this marker was the first one to target players who were just getting into the game, while still being fully electropneumatic. Before this, the lower price ranges were made up of Spyder paintball guns and other mechanical types. The Ion has been given credit for making electropneumatic markers with a high rate of fire more popular and readily available. While these guns used to be considered out of the price range of players on a budget or those who just played occasionally, they're now quite affordable.
The first model of the Ion paintball gun was released in 2005. However, it was known for being hard to disassemble. Despite this, the Ion quickly became very popular. In 2007, the Ion XE was released to address concerns about disassembly. It's possible to take the bolt out of the back of this marker.
The Ion is made from aluminum. The receiver is made up of the firing chamber and the breech, both of which are hard-anodized. The ASA and grip frame are both constructed of die-cast aluminum, which has been powder-coated for a shiny finish. The outer shell is made of polymer. To reduce the number of balls damaged by firing when a ball hasn't been properly loaded, the Ion paintball gun has an infrared receiver and emitter, which sense the presence of a paintball.
Since the shell of this marker is made of polymer, it can be exchanged for others, in different colors. This makes it easily customizable. You can even buy aftermarket kits to help you change the appearance of your Ion paintball gun. Replacement parts like feednecks and triggers are also available as needed.
Two different types of the Ion are made, depending on the country where they're intended to be distributed. In the UK, the board doesn't have full-automatic or bust modes. It has a green power LED that makes it easily identified. The version of this paintball gun made for use in the US, however, includes all firing modes. Its LED is red. Some people choose to replace the board in their Ion paintball guns with one from a third party manufacturer, in order to get better control over firing action timing. This marker can be used for both woodsball and speedball, depending on the mods involved.
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