Review: I recently bought an MR1 for a backup/girlfriend marker and I was very impressed. The marker has a very solid aluminum frame and a nice mil-sim look. Out of the box, the MR1 comes with a solid stock, a decent barrel, a clear elbow, a barrel plug and a few small replacement parts.
The paint job on the gun is flat black which is great for staying concealed in the woods. The feed is offset on the right hand side which makes sighting smooth and natural. You will need to invest in a more rugged elbow because the one included with the marker is very brittle and breaks easily. The stock barrel is fairly accurate, but if you have the money, a BT Apex or a 14" J&J would be a worthwhile upgrade.
Unfortunately if you enjoy using the sights on your markers, the stock sights are nonexistant because the top cocking bolt blocks your view. Another downer for mil-sim/woodsballers is the lack of a decent weaver rail. The rail that is provided is just too short to be useful. It might be possible to find a short-based weaver rail that is raised to avoid the bolt or if you are crafty you can make a custom rail to solve this problem.
I have put about 500 rounds through the MR1 so far and haven't had one chop yet. Luckily if I do have a break, the MR1 is easy to disassemble for cleaning. Aside from a few minor issues, the Spyder MR1 is a great marker for any woodsballer on a budget or anyone looking for a nice reliable backup marker. To upgrade a Tippmann 98 Custom to match the MR-1 would cost nearly $100 more than the MR1. Color me impressed!
UPDATE: I have played 5 games and put around 4-5,000 rounds through the marker with only 5 breaks. The ball detent is still in great shape although I ordered a new one from Kingman just in case. The MR1 has proven to be a reliable and rugged marker. Hopefully we'll see some marker specific upgrades in the near future like a raised sight rail that actually fits and clears the bolt.
UPDATE: I recently ditched my A-5 for the Spyder MR1. I added a 16" inch Custom Products One-Piece Classic barrel and my MR1 shoots like a dream. I have less problems with cleaning (Cyclone feed and flatline barrel are beasts to clean) with no loss in performance. A decent electronic loader is definitely a worthwhile upgrade for consistent feeding. After about 20 games and thousands of rounds fired, my ball detent is still in excellent shape with no noticeable wear.
UPDATE: I have finally found a decent fix for the gimpy sight rail on the MR1. Using a set of 1" Weaver Quad Lock scope rings and a set of Weaver Marlin 336 scope bases, I have created an offset (mounted at roughly 45 degrees to the left) scope mount that clears the bolt and the stock (with the help of a raised weaver rail). This solution cost me roughly $15 and it works beautifully. I have about 2 inches of clearance between my mask and my stock. In order for this setup to work properly, you will also need a raised sight rail or see-thru scope mounts to ensure mask clearance. Once you have your sight rail attached, you can mount your favorite scope or sight system!
Conclusion: The Spyder MR1 great marker for any woodsballer looking for something a little different. The MR1 is ready to rock right out of the box and with a few minor upgrades, the MR1 becomes a highly accurate marker. I give this marker a solid 9 out of 10.
Rating: 9 out of 10 Last edited on Sunday, January 21st, 2007 at 9:02 pm PST
BB Guns, Pball gun, 17" tires, PS/2, etc
Reply With Quote