First Strike Compact Pistol(FSC)

...The police and medics are second responders. Can the FSC help in your time of crisis?This is a positive review of the FSC. Full Disclosure:1. I bought this with my own money and have received no compensation of any kind. However I will be pleased to take any funds offered. I’m waiting...Crap, Bupkas...alrighty then...2. I can’t tell you if this marker is worth buying for purposes of a game of paintball. I have no interest in the game.3. I am retired US Army and wanted to add a non-lethal defensive device that I could carry anywhere without a concealed carry permit and without concern for those signs depicting a handgun, a circle and a slash through the circle over the gun. I think the sign means “Criminals , psycho’s and gang bangers, for your success and protection we have disarmed your potential victims.” My focus therefore is in the use of an FSC as a self-defense option.4. Prior to the FSC I have been using a TiPX marker which proved it's self-defense chops when i was forced to deploy it against an aggressor in my home. The FSC and TiPX are made by rival firms. Functiionqally they are near identical except the TiPX is a large frame marker and easy to carry, but near impossible to conceal on ypur person.The FSC is a cut down version of the First Strike 8.1 nee Tiberius . So expect quality design and construction. I ordered an FSC for two day delivery. Got it next day New In Box confition. Serial number 000056. I had to wait a day to test/plink fire the FSC because I needed 8 gram Co2 cartrieges. The industry standard is 12 gram.In action the FSC and TiPX are both capable of near identical performance which is to say the FSC will stop a large adult male and reduce him to an incoherent jail house walking advertisment for the efficasy of a non-lethal force.Background: I kept the TIPX handy and never loaded with paintballs. I don't even have any paintballs. But I do have .68 caliber defensive rounds. I load the magazines to fire in order:, A heavy umbreakqble plastic police riot ball, then an OC Pepper ball, finishing with a glass ball with a thin coat of rubber. I then repeat that cycle so each magazine has two full presentations of "go away scumbag" in them.Does it work? A girl I know asked to stop by with her new BF. I was okay with that. He was charming until he wasn't. He smacked my friend around. Not wanting to sully my good looks in a fight with a large bruiser I grabbed the TiPX. Pointed it at him and told him to leave without the girl. He took up astance to charge me and said i would not dare pull the trigger. Two fairly quiet, neighbor friendly, reports followed as a riot ball caught him in the forehead, followed by an OC pepper ball to the face that sent him stumbling outside. As he was heading out the door I noted he forgot his change so I tapped him on the back of his head with a glass ball. I was going to ask if he wanted his receipt? But he was screaming so loud I didn't think he would hear me. In about ten minutes the cops arrived to find him on my front lawn, fetal position, still babbling. He got hooked up and caught a domestic battery conviction. The police did take the TiPX as evidence. I figured I'd never see the TiPX again. I decided to replace it with the FSC.The FSC is not tiny but it is concealable and handy to have on your person. FSC even makes a custom plastic molded holster. I test fired a riot ball at an empty clear plastic blanket case backed up by a corrugated cardboard box. The .68 ball went clean through plastic case. Clean through the corrugated box and made a loud noise as it hammered a 1/2" dent in a metal cabinet door. Not too bad. And because it is a marker, not a gun, all perfectly legal.The next day police were at my house returning the TiPX. So now I have both. I will not get into minutia but the TiPX carries more Co2, Stores the Co2 in a manner the cartridge will not deplete over time, holds more rounds, and is infinitely customizajble.The FSC is $100 more, packs the same power as the TiPX while carrying fewer rounds and with few customization options. But it is compact.Now Watson, tell me which is the best marker for self-defense? I can see you are torn, so I will answer for you. It is the marker you have in your hand. Quite so Watson?Brilliant, as usual Holmes.NOTE: Do not be an idiot. These are not toys, but neither are they a match for a real gun. Underdtand both the capabilities and the limitations. You know this...but...others who see you holding a marker will assume it is a real gun. The slightest provocative move in the presence of police will be fatal to you. The investigation will exonnerate you and prove you were legal to carry. It will also conclude the police, in discharging 30 rounds into your center of mass, acted in accordance with their training and experience. The report will also regret the loss of human life. Pro-Tio: If you use the marker for self-defense, put the marker on safe, unload the marker, put it on the floor or ground and step away from it. It is now evidence.

I receive the gun and it didn't work at all the gun did not fire or do anything. I return the product and it's been more than 10 days and this seller has not returned my money

The FSC is a fantastic sidearm for anyone running first strike kits (or not and just want a really compact pistol). It is much smaller and easier to handle than the TiPX, but it does not get 5 stars because it uses 8g CO2 which is loaded in the magazine, instead of the more commonly found 12g. It's accuracy with FS rounds is about the same as the TiPX with a long range conversion kit installed.

The marker was delivered on time and as expected. After loading with rounds and CO2 I discovered the marker would not fire. Contacted Kyle at PB Sports and he informed me of a rare instance that can occur during shipping. The actuating portion of the bolt slides back too far due to some rough handling in transit. The bolt is not in position to catch the release component of the regulator. He talked me through the fix. After removing the upper assembly of the marker, looking at the bottom use the provided socket head (Allen) wrench or your fingernail and slide the front of the bolt forward about a half inch through the open slot. (Remove the barrel first). Reassemble the marker and fire away. Thanks Kyle.

I have 2 other pepperball launchers this one is the smallest but is also the widest so it cant be comfortably worn either plus its topheavy feeling. I also HATE the fact i have to use my other hand to twist the co2 into place before firing!

Cons:1. Grip is thick and rounded. I prefer the feel of the TiPX.2. You’re not getting much for the price you’re paying for. Not sure if it is made in the USA. I got mines with barrel covers that doesn’t fit. It should’ve came with barrel plugs. Now I have to use my TiPXs barrel plugs.3. Accessories are expensive so be aware. It doesn’t even come with a hard case like the TiPX, what a shame.Pros:1. Accurate2. The design and quality.

This thing is so fun to shoot! It comes with 2 -6 round magazines that each use a 8-gram CO2. If you want to to use the 12-gram CO2 then you have to buy the bigger magaiznes that are compatible with this pistol. One thing to keep in mind is when releasing the magazine will cause CO2 to escape due to the disconnect. You will get 12 good shots(2 mag changes) from a single 8-gram CO2...maybe 3 mags if you're lucky. I'm not a paintballer, but this would probably be good as a backup. It does have a connector in the back if you dont like the magazine powered CO2. The grip is a little blocky so if you have dainty small hands it might not be an ideal pistol. In the picture I have it next to a SAA Colt pistol for size comparison.

The pistol is easy to carry and is reliable. Definitely worth it.