English
In today's product test, we took a look at First Strike's new sniper rifle. The so-called SCOUT was introduced last year and has finally been available in German stores since April of this year. We were one of the first to hold the good piece in our hands and want to tell you about our experiences with the new one First strike markers report.
The first thing that strikes you when you pick up the First Strike Scout is its weight. The solidly processed full metal body, together with the long front shroud, the barrel and the air stick, weighs quite a bit. As with the well-known T15, First Strike also relies on authentic material for its Scout sniper rifle that is close to the original. The marker is not only used in paintball, but is also used by the police and military for training and education purposes, just like the other First Strike products do.
But let's start from the beginning. The First Strike Scout is delivered in a high-quality printed cardboard box. This includes the pre-assembled marker with barrel and the Air Stock System including a 0.2L HP bottle with 200 bar filling pressure. This is delivered empty and must be filled before the first use in the field. Furthermore, we find a large accessory box in the package. In addition to the two 11-shot replacement magazines for the V2 Baureine, this also includes a barrel condom, the operating instructions, some tools and a few upgrade rails that can be attached to the front shroud.
The final assembly of the marker is really very simple. As already mentioned, the barrel is already in the marker upon delivery. Thanks to the bayonet lock commonly used by First Strike, it can be easily released with just one hand and pulled out of the front of the shroud. Incidentally, the barrel is a smooth barrel without (!) trains and squares and with a length of 14". That corresponds to about 35.5 centimeters. Unfortunately, we don't quite understand why First Strike gave its precision rifle a smooth barrel instead of a rifled one. The manufacturer swears by the precision of its First Strike bullets in combination with rifled barrels. Maybe it was a question of cost, or is it because almost every player has different preferences when it comes to barrel selection anyway. Especially with sniper rifles, the degree of individualization among the players is quite high and so it makes perfect sense on the part of First Strike that they opted for a cheaper, smooth barrel for the basic Scout model. It should also be mentioned that the First Strike bullets rotate independently due to their twisted fin and are therefore not necessarily dependent on grooves and fields in the barrel. In any case, shooting tests with the smooth barrel of the First Strike Scout have shown a very good hit pattern with a really small grouping. If you want to get a little more out of this as a real sniper, you can of course improve it a little with a rifled barrel. Like the latest T15 models, the Scout is also delivered with the adjustable floating buttstock system. This adjustable air stick system no longer has a separate guide rail to make contact between the marker and the shoulder rest. The shoulder rest guide is simply glued onto the air system after the tank has been screwed into the marker and brought into the correct position. This saves material and is also much easier to maintain for the player on the field. After installing the shoulder rest, only the magazine is missing and the marker is immediately ready for use on the field.
When it comes to shooting, the loading lever is immediately noticeable. This is on the right side of the housing, roughly in the middle between the trigger and the magazine. Unfortunately, due to its design, the First Strike Scout can only be operated with the right hand. This fact is really a pity and from our point of view one of the biggest shortcomings of this marker. Since there is no upgrade either, the Scout remains inaccessible to all left-handers on the market. Incidentally, in order to cock the Scout, there must be air on the bottle or pressure on the system, otherwise the bolt will not engage at the back. Dry test shooting is therefore not possible.
The bolt mechanism of the Scout reminds paintballers who know a little about the pump action models of days gone by. Anyone who has ever played Hammer7 or Traccer will know a similar mechanism from back then. The tried-and-tested system has clearly been given a facelift, but it is simply so sophisticated and precise that it has proven itself to this day in terms of air consumption, performance and accuracy. This is exactly why First Strike resorted to this technique when choosing the bolt system for its sniper rifle. Details of the bolt system can be found in the picture gallery.
For maintenance, the Scout can be dismantled into its individual parts in just a few minutes using the tool provided. Everything is easy to reach and can be cleaned relatively quickly. The whole marker is, as you are used to from First Strike, designed to be very robust and user-friendly. You can neither accidentally break something here, nor is a repair particularly difficult or time-consuming. A clear thumbs up for that!
With an RRP of around 750 euros, the Scout is priced on the same level as the First Strike T15. As a player, you get a rock-solid paintball marker model for this price that does everything it promises. It's a large single-shot sniper rifle, and that's what the Scout behaves like. It's not the lightest, but it's solidly made. It doesn't fire bursts with its single-cocking automatic, but hits the bull's eye with one precise shot.
First Strike fans will surely enjoy the new model. So better keep an eye out, when the first Woodland Events start, it may well be that the first scout snipers are already waiting for you out there…
Like the latest T15 models, the Scout is also delivered with the adjustable floating buttstock system. This adjustable air stick system no longer has a separate guide rail to establish contact between the marker and the shoulder rest. The shoulder rest guide is simply glued to the air system after the tank has been screwed into the marker and brought into the correct position. This saves material and is also much easier to maintain for the player on the field. After installing the shoulder rest, only the magazine is missing and the marker is immediately ready for use on the field.
When it comes to shooting, the loading lever is immediately noticeable. This is on the right side of the housing, roughly in the middle between the trigger and the magazine. Unfortunately, due to its design, the First Strike Scout can only be operated with the right hand. This fact is really a pity and from our point of view one of the biggest shortcomings of this marker. Since there is no upgrade either, the Scout remains inaccessible to all left-handers on the market. Incidentally, in order to cock the Scout, there must be air on the bottle or pressure on the system, otherwise the bolt will not engage at the back. Dry test shooting is therefore not possible.
The bolt mechanism of the Scout reminds paintballers who know a little about the pump action models of days gone by. Anyone who has ever played Hammer7 or Traccer will know a similar mechanism from back then. The tried-and-tested system has clearly been given a facelift, but it is simply so sophisticated and precise that it has proven itself to this day in terms of air consumption, performance and accuracy. This is exactly why First Strike resorted to this technique when choosing the bolt system for its sniper rifle. Details of the bolt system can be found in the picture gallery.
For maintenance, the Scout can be dismantled into its individual parts in just a few minutes using the tool provided. Everything is easy to reach and can be cleaned relatively quickly. The whole marker is, as you are used to from First Strike, designed to be very robust and user-friendly. You can neither accidentally break something here, nor is a repair particularly difficult or time-consuming. A clear thumbs up for that!
With an RRP of around 750 euros, the Scout is priced on the same level as the First Strike T15. As a player, you get a rock-solid paintball marker model for this price that does everything it promises. It's a large single-shot sniper rifle, and that's what the Scout behaves like. It's not the lightest, but it's solidly made. It doesn't fire bursts with its single-cocking automatic, but hits the bull's eye with one precise shot.
First Strike fans will surely enjoy the new model. So better keep an eye out, when the first Woodland Events start, it may well be that the first scout snipers are already waiting for you out there…
