Keeping your RAM in tip-top shape!

In most training scenarios and tactical paintball games, the RAM is the best and most effective replica firearm to date, able to give the shooter the exact feel of a real rifle or pistol without the danger of fatal accidents.

But the effectiveness of the RAM is greatly dependent on how well you maintain it. Negligent use is most often the cause of RAM malfunction in the field. A good shooter is one who knows his gun well and is able to maintain it properly so that it remains in tip-top condition throughout the training dates or real action games.

As such, ATACS has prepared 5 quick tips on how best to maintain your RAM and ensure that you will be able to shoot during your game schedules.

#1 – Never leave your CO2 cylinder turned on overnight.

This is the most important tip that we can give you and we learned it through expensive experience. Leaving the CO2 cylinder in the ON position for more than 5 hours can be very damaging to the O-rings inside your RAM’s Core Unit. The cold temperature of the CO2 gas can make the rubber rings brittle and more susceptible to breakage if you leave the gas on. The result will be erratic, sticky firing or even sudden leaks. Sustained pressure may also damage the plastic valves and other parts within the Core Unit.

In order to prevent this, it is always best to turn off first your CO2 cylinder then discharge the remaining CO2 by firing your RAM until the air runs out. Then disassemble the CO2 cylinder from the RAM so that you won’t accidentally turn it on. Make this an after-game habit and you will save more than just a few dollars in maintenance parts and service.

#2 – Do not tinker with the Core Unit unless you are a trained RAM technician

Although the RAM looks like a real gun, its Core Unit does not, in any way, function like a real gun’s internals. The Core Unit is a sensitive collection of parts that serve to channel pressurized air to achieve the gun’s functionality. Unless you are a trained technician, never attempt to fiddle around or worse break apart your gun’s Core Unit. Doing so may void your warranty, damage your gun or even lose some of the small parts that comprise your RAM.

You can, however, diagnose the problems that you are experiencing with your RAM so that you can communicate it to the technicians at your nearest RAM service center. The Core Unit is divided into four parts, basically the pressure unit, trigger unit, launch unit and the rate of fire. Knowing where the problem may be occurring can help save time in repairing your gun.

If the gun appears to fire erratically or seems to stick for a split second before firing, there could be a leak in the pressure unit.

If the gun fires on its own, even on safe mode that means that there is a damaged part or O-ring in the trigger unit.

If the gun’s fire rate sounds slow, a small adjustment is only needed to be done by the RAM technician. The rate of fire may be adjusted to your preference, but a setting that is too fast might result in jammed shells in the shell ejector port.

In cases when the paintball shells repeatedly jam in the ejector port, then the problem is in the Launch Unit. Ask the RAM technician to see if the spring on the cartridge rod is broken. There are times that the cartridge rod itself may be worn out, making it unable to function properly. Have the necessary parts replaced and your RAM will return to its tip-top shape.

#3 – Regularly check the external O-ring on your refillable CO2 cylinder

A RAM user’s worst nightmare is to go out into the field and suddenly discover that you no longer have any CO2 pressure in your gun. No pressure means you can no longer shoot back, hence you were already a casualty and you didn’t even know it.

The most common culprit for this is a damaged O-ring on the external part of your refillable CO2 cylinder. This O-ring is most susceptible to small tears, cuts and even breaks since it is repeatedly subjected to extreme temperature changes (from charging the cylinder to using it in the field). Always make sure to wipe the O-ring down with some oil or silicon spray and examine it closely for the smallest cuts. Also be conscious of the amount of shots your tank is able to give out. A 60 gram refillable tank can deliver 60-80 strong shots before losing power, a 45 gram tank 50-60 shots, while a 30 gram tank give approximately 30-40 shots. If the rate of shots appears to decline for the type of cylinder that you are using, chances are the O-ring is damaged and you have developed a small leak. Change it immediately to avoid further deterioration of your RAM’s functionality.

#4 – Clean the barrel after every game and before storing your RAM

Some RAM users believe that since their RAM is not a real gun, basic gun maintenance such as cleaning the barrel can be skipped. This is a bad habit to develop. The barrel of the RAM is the one that controls the direction of the paintball as soon as it is ejected from the magazine. Any dirt or paint residue will affect the paintball’s flight or worse, cause it to burst while it is still in the barrel.

To avoid this messy situation, you simply have to use the supplied squeegee, cleaning cloth and oil to clean out the barrel. Pour a few drops of oil on the cloth then insert the squeegee into the ejector port and pull it along until it draws out the dirt and residue out of the muzzle. Don’t do it in reverse, because you will be pulling in the debris into the gun if you do that.

#5 – Always place a few drops of oil or spray silicone into the buttstock CO2 port of your RAM before attaching the CO2 cylinder

One of the best maintenance habits that a RAM user must practice is remembering to place a few drops of oil or spraying silicone into the buttstock CO2 port before placing the CO2 cylinder into the gun. The oil or silicone spray will be pushed into the Core Unit by the CO2 pressure, lubricating the O-rings and internal parts of the gun and allow it to function at optimum condition. This also lessens service time, since the internal parts are preserved and protected by the oil or silicone from regular wear and tear.