Alien Marker Comparison Chart

This tables lists the major differences between all the markers.

'05 vs '06 Interceptor Differences

Differences between the different Interceptors include milling around the areas illustrated below:

Additional milling is found on the inside as the wire passages on the 2006 are larger and there is some extra metal on the frame in key areas. Also, the grip frame is about 3/8" longer to accomodate a different way of holding the battery in place. All in all the weight of the 2006 is very close to the 2005 if not identical.

The breech tolerances were opened up a little on the 2006 Interceptor as well over the '05 - '05 is .700 and the '06 is .705. Unfortunately, the machine shop assumed that the bottom tube was moving to his ID as well - some '06 owners may experience a leak from between the front block and body - the solution being to get a larger o-ring for the "male" end of the front block - 14mm with 2mm walls. Otherwise, the same o-ring on the 2005 Interceptor is 015 which are normal air cylinder o-rings.

Also from the photos you can see the new eye covers for 2006 and see that the bolts are different colors - the all white with aluminum insert is the original 2005 bolt. The '06 bolt is made of delrin and nylon. The rear of the bolt, where the bolt pin goes through, is nylon, and then is milled down to create the interior of the bolt and bolt face. This area has a white delrin sleeve around it.

It is worth mentioning that the poppit spring on the '06 is much lighter than what is found on the '05. This translates into lower LPR settings in the '06 that sometimes results in the poppit not sealing against the cup seal when the marker is first charged with air. Firing the marker a few times allows the poppit to settle against the cup seal and eliminates the leak.

Performance Differences

The perfomance differences between the 2005 and 2006 Interceptors depend on your definition of the word "performance". If it is the shot pattern/trajectory, then both markers perform the same. If it is how well they handle different paint sizes, then the advantage goes to the '06 as its breech was opened up a little over the '05. If it is efficiency, they are again pretty much the same (presumeably if using the same bolt, see below). If its consistent shot velocity.... as you can see, a lot of variables....

If you use quality paint in these markers both perform well, if you use lower grade paint, the '06 may handle that paint better without any breaks.

In this writer's opinion, the 2006 is in reality a refined 2005 - refined in that all the learnings from the '05's were incorporated into the 2006. Owners of '05's know that milling was done after the anno - apparently to rectify errors made in the design of the marker. I.e., milling on the inside of the feedneck and in the frame around the space where the rammer/noid are housed.

That said, what you would then want to pay attention to is the table listed above - the parts that come with the markers - as the main differences between them and the additional information provided here (and elsewhere). Look at what you get, the pros and cons and then decide which one you think in your opinion is the better marker. In the end, it is all opinion, as is mine, as there is no obvious feature that makes one marker superior to the other.

Bolt Types

There are two types of the 2006 bolt, the "low impact" and the "accuracy" bolt. No photos exist yet to our knowledge (will update this page when we obtain photos) - the 'low impact" is supposedly designed such that it is more gentle on paint while the other maximizes the "sweep effect".

2005 bolts are easy to identify - they are all delrin (white) with an aluminum insert.

Remember the breech size differences between the two Interceptor models? Due to this variance, the 2006 bolts are a little too big for the 2005 Interceptor. Therefore '06 bolts for '05 Interceptors are made especially to fit the older model marker.