Empire Mini GS vs Empire Axe 2.0: What's the Difference?
- Hey guys, what is goin' on? You asked, people in our store always ask, what is the difference between a Mini GS vs Axe 2.0?
- [Mark] The name, done! Video's over, go home.
- See you guys. Thanks for reading... Yeah the name, obviously. But seriously, a lot of people will look at these guns. Mark, you gettin' a good shot?
- [Mark] I see 'em.
See they look exactly the same. What is the true difference between the little brother, the Empire Mini GS, and the big brother, that's what we call it, the Empire Axe 2.0.
Empire Mini GS vs Axe 2.0 Review
Little Brother aka Empire Mini GS
Here we go, I'm starting with the little brother, the Mini GS. Great shooting paintball gun, a great beginner speedball gun. 100% reliable, light, quick, and fully programmable. It does have a very nice locking feedneck here. No, there's not a thumb wheel or anything like that, but you put a little Allen wrench in there, and this marker will fit any hopper on the market. So, next this thing does have a 12 piece. One? One piece.
- [Mark] One piece.
- No, it's a 12 inch, one piece barrel dude! Oh, shucks!
- [Mark] I'd rather see a 12 piece one inch barrel.
- Wouldn't that be crazy? That'd be wild. So this thing is a 12 inch, one piece barrel. The stock barrel on this actually shoots really well but doesn't have a two piece, 14 inch barrel. Just saying.
- [Mark] I could wrap some tape make it look like a two piece.
- You could, so this gun is operated by a nine volt battery in the foregrip.
- [Mark] Toolless?
- No, you gotta have Allen wrenches to take this stuff apart, it's not toolless unfortunately. That's fair, but the board on this thing is, fully programmable, it has multiple different modes. Also, go check the video on this that shows you how to program the Mini GS, and...
- [Mark] I think we accidentally did two of them.
- Yeah we've got them out there. The biggest thing about the GS that I do like, and then I'll go onto some other features that I don't… is the gauge. A lot of newer speedball guys out there always want to adjust their velocity through the ASA. No, no, no, you don't. You adjust the velocity where it says velocity. Wouldn't you imagine that?
You never wanna see this gauge go past the 200 mark. Normally this gun's operating pressure through the bottom ASA / regulator is anywhere from 180 to 200 psi. I like the gauge on there because I can tell newer players out there. If you are fiddling in here, which you shouldn't be, if you see this go over 200 you better back that screw out because you're gonna start leaking and cause a solenoid issue with the gun. So I do like the gauge feature on here because it helps the newer players.
If they wanna tinker and take their gun apart, if this ever goes over 200, back it out. You're going the wrong way.
Some things I don't like, which the little brother has, and big brother has fixed. So, the way to get the bolt out.
- [Mark] Well save that for when you go over the new one.
- Well.
- [Mark] Or the Axe.
- Okay, we can do that.
- [Mark] Don't tell me all the reasons why the Axe is better while we're still looking at the Mini, tell me why the Axe is better while we're looking at the Axe. So Mini, we love you, you're a great gun. Get the hell outta here.
- So, Mini's gotta go then. Mark just put a damper on my party. Goodbye Mini, you're a great gun but big brother's coming into the scene. I like it Mark, I like that.
- [Mark] For an extra $125--
- Here it goes.
- [Mark] Why would I want this?
Empire Mini GS vs Axe 2 Pricing
- So what was the retail price on the Mini?
- [Mark] The Mini is $344.95. Or $345.
- No, it's $345.
- [Mark] Math is hard again.
- Math is hard, we're bad at math.
- $345 bucks, all day long, Mini GS. There it is, see ya later bye. Axe 2.0, $470?
- [Mark] $469.95.
- $469.95.
- [Mark] $125 bucks more.
- $125 bucks, did you math it?
- [Mark] Show me that $125 value.
Empire Axe 2.0 aka Big Brother Features & Upgrades
- The $125 difference. You do have, like I mentioned earlier, you do have a two piece, 14 inch driver barrel here. Very very nice. You have almost, well, not almost, it is, a spiral porting on the barrel as well.
- [Mark] Everybody knows 14 inches is the ideal length for a barrel.
- It works out pretty well, it's two piece, you can clean it easier, stuff like that. Swap different color tips if that's what you're into. So, the best features about big brother. Other than the actual size difference which Mark always likes to see. So, the grip frame. You can see what would be easier for you, Mark?
- [Mark] The bigger one is the Axe 2.0.
- [Mark] Well, put the bigger one behind it.
- Behind it.
- [Mark] Yep, and then hold it, line it up with the lines there.
- Okay hold up.
- [Mark] It should be pretty good if it's on the table.
- So you can see there's definitely a difference in the foregrip, you've got more space and the Axe 2.0 is a bigger gun.
- [Mark] There you go.
- Okay so you good now, you got it?
- [Mark] Yep, perfect.
- Boom, there it is. More room in the grip frame in the Axe 2.0 compared to room in the grip frame for the Mini GS and it's a bigger gun. So like I said--
- [Mark] Oh my bad, I thought you were talking about the grip itself.
- No they are all--
- [Mark] Yeah, so that should have been in front.
- Oh my gosh, dude. Oh, here we go, listening to Mark's antics.
- [Mark] Well if you would have said the full word. Hold it down a little bit, little bit, there you go.
- Okay, so you can see the grip does extend out further past the grip frame and the inside is bigger as well. Alright Mark, can I get on with the good features of it, or what?
- [Mark] If you could get on with it.
- Let's just freakin' get on with it man! So you got more room in here, the gun's bigger, it's a little bit bulkier, and it definitely helps.
- [Mark] Is there a gauge?
- No, there is not. Can I get on with the review already?
- [Mark] I spend more on my gun and they took my gauge?
- Damn, yes exactly, this is for the more advanced. You wanna step it up, you don't need a gauge on the gun 'cause there isn't one. You already know not to tinker within here. You only adjust the velocity through the back of there. Duh! All right, Mark, are you ready? Can I finally keep going with my points?
- [Mark] Waiting.
The Barrel
- Okay, that's nice. I went over the barrel. That's the upgrade. How about how you get the bolt out? I no longer have to take the screw out of the bottom to pull the bolt out. I simply press this button, there's a push button, and the bolt comes right off. So, right there, a little push button. You don't need any wrenches to get the bolt out. Push the button, bolt slides out. Compared to taking that screw out down there, and then you can access your bolt that way. So that's a very nice feature.
Gauge
Mark had already mentioned and stole the thunder, that this one does not have a gauge. So I had mentioned that I liked the gauge so players can actually read if they've been messing with the gun too much. This one doesn't have a gauge. You don't have any comfortability, whether right-handed or left-handed you don't have a gauge digging into your wrist while you're holding the marker itself. So there's no longer a gauge there whatsoever I do like that.
External Eye Covers
The last feature I'm going to mention. I didn't talk about the ASA on this one 'cause it has the same exact flip-lever ASA on this one to engage and degas your air. Boom, both of them have the same one.
This feature is the external eye covers. So if you notice on the Mini GS, you have your baldy tenths, right? If you notice on the Axe 2.0, you can have direct access if you broke any paint on the inside of your gun, you can just take your Allen wrench, pull the eye cover off, clean it out, and you're ready to rock.
With the Mini GS, if you broke a bunch of paint in the breach of the gun, guess what? The whole entire frame has to come off. And then you're into a pretty deep cleaning project if you gooped it up that bad.
Axe 2.0 vs Mini GS Differences
So, differences. People ask all the time like I said. Quick overview before you guys stop watching. Barrel is better on the Axe 2.0. The frame, bigger, bulkier, meant for a bigger player or more advanced player. Does not have the gauge. Push button bolt system removal. And then, the external eye covers that are easily accessible from the outside rather than dropping the entire frame off the gun.
So thanks for watching guys, a lot of people like I said always ask, what's the difference between little brother versus big brother? The previously mentioned, and other than that, engine operating systems are the same, psi is the same, and until next time Shop Lone Wolf Paintball.com. All of these guns are available and The Jerkey Den for some of the best lean protein in the game. Thanks for watching.
- [Mark] Let us know in the comments if you wanna see us do this and throw the Axe Pro in the mix, too.
- Oh, he's a loser 'cause they don't make it anymore. See ya!
- [Mark] We don't have any on the shelf?
- No, they don't make that gun anymore.
- [Mark] Nevermind. I'm a loser.
- Ha!