Planet Eclipse Blade Frame

This is Tiny Tim's review of Planet Eclipse's "Blade" Pivoting Trigger Frame for Autocockers.

First impressions- When I first saw the frame, I realized it was dead sexy. The sleek and round design of the frame itself makes for a very attractive appearance. I also noticed that the trigger itself is Planet Eclipse's "Blade" style. The actual Blade trigger acts as a trigger shoe. The blade has a very sharp look to it, coming to a point near the bottom. Eclipse is well known for making high-quality paintball products. There are a few versions of pivoting-trigger frames out on the market right now. The Eclipse is the most pricey, but by far the best looking. After paying the \\$130 pricetag, I was a bit sceptical on if this baby was worth the cash.

Assembly- Attaching the Eclipse frame was a bit tricky. First to come off was the beaver tail. As with all pivoting-trigger frames, the order of the hoses on the 4-way needs to be reversed. The first hose must go to where the third hose went, on and on. That wasn't difficult, just time-consuming. Next was taking off the original frame, which was really no sweat. After fitting on the Eclipse frame, the actuating rod went in. The screws went in, and after all the rods and screws were put in correctly, the frame was on. I threw on some Dye Sticky grips, which are superior to most aftermarket grips. Once again, assembling it wasn't difficult stuff, just time consuming.

Performance- At first mine needed a little bit of lube. I also had to modify my stock beavertail to fit. If you buy this thing, be ready to either modify your beaver-tail or get a new one. Other than that, Boy can these things rip. There's no need to get used to sliding triggers anymore. The Blade frame, as well as the other pivots, really allow the user to jam on the trigger. After a bit of practice, I can rip fairly good strings. I don't have the fastest finger, but the thing was really jammin. I was a bit disappointed that it was impossible to walk the trigger because it was a bit stiff. The pull was stiff and a bit long, due to my stock 4-way. A few aftermarket 4-ways alter the pull, and I imagine that some of the leading brands (Shocktech's Bomb 4-way, WGP's STO 4-way, Palmers Quickswitch 4-way) will allow the user to shorten the pull. Springs are also available for a different trigger feel.

Overall Value- Definately a good frame. They can be found here for $115 plus shipping. I wouldn't say they are worth $130, but they are most definately my pivoting-trigger frame of choice. Good looks, good trigger, good company, and good customer support. A great frame for anyone, as long as you've got the cash. Pretty product for a pretty penny.