Airgun Designs - The Automag

The Automag

Since its introduction in 1990, many variations of the original Automag have been put into production. They differ in valve type, stock accessories, and other features.

1990- 68 Automag 1991- Minimag 1992- Sydarm 1996- RT 2000- RT Pro 2000- Emag 2002- Xmag

The Automag was one of AGD's first products, and initially, its most successful. The Automag holds the distinction of being the first semi-automatic marker to win a paintball tournament (Team Swarm at the 1991 International Masters). As a result of this early notoriety, AGD rocketed to the top of the paintball scene in the early 1990s, garnering a reputation as one of the leading manufacturers of paintball markers. Indeed, the automag, along with autocockers, was a common sight at major paintball tournaments.

The Minimag's main feature was its longer, stylized mainbody. It also came stock with a vertical adapter and a shorter barrel. The valve is identical to the 68 Automag valve, but with different laser engraving.

The Sydarm was originally developed for police training, featuring a horizontal magazine and integrated 12g adapter. Within a year of its introduction to the public, AGD restricted its sales of the sydarm to police only. Sydarms are now a collector's item.

The RT was a great leap in the Automag line. It featured AGD's new valve system, which refilled the dump chamber at full input pressure instead of regulated pressure. This allowed the marker to be able to shoot more than 26 balls per second (some claim as high as 36 balls per second) at a consistent velocity. The RT also featured internal airlines, a stylized mainbody, and a reactive trigger. The reactive trigger enables the user to reach the RT's high BPS by resetting the trigger with air pressure after a shot has been fired. When a certain force is applied to the trigger, the marker will fire with a "full-auto" effect.

The RT Pro featured the same valve system as the RT, but with parts that are compatible with earlier models. Unlike the RT, the RT Pro's valve had the same Outer Diameter as the valves on the 68 Automag, Minimag, and Sydarm (the RT Pro valve is not compatible with the Sydarm). The RT Pro's airlines were routed externally, as in previous models. This allowed the use of a standard fieldstrip screw, which in the RT was air-thru.

AGD was slow to integrate electronics into its markers, however, and by the late 1990s, the rise of electropneumatic paintball markers caused the company to lose market share and slowly slip in prominence. In order to remain competitive, AGD introduced the E-mag and later, the X-mag line. AGD now focuses on manufacturing mechanical markers and equipment for scenario and woodsball players.