The revolutionary Milsig M17

If you play magfed paintball, or if you're interested in trying out magfed play, chances are you have heard of the Milsig M17. Since it was released in early 2014, the M17 has quickly become one of the most popular and widely used magfed markers on the market for both new players and seasoned veterans, due largely to its reliability, versatility, and ease of maintenance. Add to that the ability to fire in full automatic (without the use of a battery), use First Strike Rounds, and an incredible amount of customization options, and you have a well rounded marker that is capable of being used in almost any playstyle and environment by players of all skill levels.

When compared to similar magfed platforms, and even compared to previous Milsig models, the Milsig M17 is a huge step forward. You'll be hard pressed to find another magfed marker that can rival the consistency and efficiency of the M17, and it boasts the fastest and easiest tear-down of any magfed platform.

Every model of the M17 is capable of accepting any square-collar magazine, including the 20 round .68 caliber magazines, and the 10 and 18 round First Strike ready magazines. An M17 can also be equipped with a hopper via an included adapter.

But before we get into the nitty gritty of why the M17 is so widely used amongst magfed players, lets go over the differences between each model of M17, and what you get with each one.

M17 CQC

This is the most affordable of the M17 models, and is essentially a bare bones version of the marker. It is ideal for players who already have their own handguards, grips or accessories they want to use with the marker. The CQC is also the lightest of the M17s, due to most of the marker being made of polymer rather than metal, so players who favour a lighter marker may prefer the CQC. One thing to note about the CQC's light weight is that most of the weight is on the back of the marker where the air tank sits, and because of that it is affected by recoil much more than the XDC or DMR. While the recoil is still easy to manage, you will notice the marker "jumps around" a bit more when firing on full automatic. This can be easily remedied by replacing the stock plastic handguard with a metal handguard, which adds weight to the front of the marker and helps counter-balance the air tank.

What does it come with?

Out of the box you get the marker itself, with the receiver in this case made of a polymer molded around a steel skeleton. The magwell is made of plastic, and has a new ambidextrous magazine paddle release similar to that of an H&K G36. It comes equipped with a polymer handguard with four picatinny rails for mounting accessories, a basic smoothbore barrel, a pair of flip-up iron sights, and one magazine. It includes a stock that fits overs a 13ci air tank, but it does not include the air tank itself, so that would have to be purchased separately.

M17 XDC

The mid-level model M17 XDC is constructed entirely of metal rather than polymer, making it extremely durable, if heavier than the CQC. The included metal handguard and overall weight of the marker makes the recoil barely noticable, and it stays extremely still while firing, even on full automatic. This allows a player to keep the marker steady and fire accurately regardless of whether they are firing in semi or full automatic.

What does it come with?

The XDC is equipped with a unique metal handguard, a Milsig Marksman rifled barrel, a pair of iron sights, a metal magazine well, and one magazine. It is worth noting that the mag well on both the XDC and DMR model is the older style, with a non-ambidextrious magazine release button on the right side of the marker. As an added bonus, the XDC comes in a foam lined soft case for transporting the marker.

M17 DMR

The M17 DMR is the decked to the nines model, and it comes with just about everything you could imagine. Like the XDC, it boasts an entirely metal construction, and has been configured into a rather gigantic sniper rifle (or Designated Marksman Rifle, hence the name).

What does it come with?

In short: everything. The DMR is equipped with a limited edition longer version of the handguard that is included with the XDC. The barrel is a full length Milsig Marksman barrel that comes with three different sized backs and a pretty cool muzzle break on the end. The DMR comes with a pair of flip up sights, an adjustable scope riser, a flip down bipod, and a massive 3-9 X 50mm scope. The carrying case it comes in is longer than that of the XDC to accommodate the added length of the DMR. Also, the DMR is the only model of M17 that includes a 13ci air tank with NODE regulator. The NODE regulator functions as an on/off switch for your air source, while also ensuring fast, consistent flow for those times you are using full automatic fire.

Full Auto

One of the most notable features of the M17 is the ability to fire in full automatic without the use of batteries. It is fully mechanical, and depending on where the trigger is set, will fire somewhere between 12 and 15 balls per second.

The benefit of mechanical full automatic, aside from not being reliant on a battery that could die on you when you need it, is that there is no "safety shot" like in an electronic grip. The "safety shot" is typically programmed into the board so that in order to get the marker to fire in full auto, the player would have to pull the trigger multiple times and then hold it down in order to engage the full automatic mode. With a mechanical trigger, if the selector switch is turned to 'Full Automatic', as soon as the player pulls the trigger they will be firing in full auto.

First Strike Capability

First Strike Rounds are a shaped projectile that can travel almost as twice as far as a regular paintball fired at the same velocity, while maintaining accuracy. Only some magazine fed paintball markers are capable of firing them, and they provide a significant range and accuracy advantage against regular paintballs.

The ability to fire First Strike Rounds makes the M17 capable of delivering accurate long-range fire in semi or full automatic. While benefitting from the added range and accuracy of First Strike Rounds, players will be able to be more effective while carrying less magazines and using up less of their air source.

When it comes to taking advantage of the added accuracy of First Strike Rounds, the HEAT core is a huge advantage. Over long distances, consistent velocity will allow tighter shot groupings, and the HEAT core is an exceptionally consistent engine.

Maintenance

Read the manual. Seriously. Everything you could ever need to know about the M17 is outlined in the manual. Do not rely on knowledge of other paintball markers, because the M17 and the HEAT core engine are pretty unique to themselves. While the HEAT core is extremely easy to maintain, it can be tricky to diagnose what the problem is if you have not read the manual.

Included with every M17 is a bottle of Milsig Oil. That is the only oil you should be using in the M17. If you run out of Milsig Oil, buy more. If you use any other type of lubricant, whatever happens is your own fault.

When you first acquire an M17, or if it has not been lubed in a while, it is a good idea to run some oil through it. To do that you will need some Milsig Oil and an air tank that has at least 10-15 shots left in it, but you will not need paintballs. First, drop a few drops of Milsig Oil into the ASA (where you screw in the air tank), and then attach the air tank. Then, fire the marker in a safe direction (without paint in it) 10-15 times, and this will cycle the oil throughout the internals of the marker. This does not need to be done often, but if issues with air leaks, efficiency, or consistency arise, its not a bad idea to try oiling the marker with this method first, to ensure the problem is not due to a lack of lubricant.

It is worth noting that a brand new M17 requires a bit of a break in period before it can achieve maximum efficiency and consistency. Where a brand new M17 may be capable of firing 5 mags before the 13ci air tank runs out, a broken-in M17 may be able to get through 7 before running out of air. 

To get your hands on one of these lovely new toys, please visit us in store or online at  defconpaintballgear.com 

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