Paintball is an equipment intensive sport & in order to safely conduct a game, every player requires a marker with propellant to fire the paint, a mask to protect the eyes & face, paintballs, as well as a loader to hold them. To be definite safety off the playing field, a barrel sock or plug for the marker is also compulsory.
Depending on type of play, additional equipment can include gloves, a pack designed to comfortably over pods containing additional paintballs, as well as a squeegee or swab for cleaning out the barrel in case a paintball breaks..
Markers
Paintball marker or paintball gun
A paintball marker is the primary piece of equipment used in paintball to tag an opposing player. An expanding gas (usually carbon dioxide or high-pressure air) forces a paintball through the barrel at a muzzle velocity of about 300 ft/s (91 m/s). This velocity is for most paintballs to break on impact at a distance, but not so rapid as to cause tissue damage beyond mild bruising. every commercial field has, and strictly enforces, a rule limiting the muzzle velocity of a paintball at or below 300 ft/s (91 m/s). The expertise used to design and build paintball markers has advanced over time, beginning with the original “Nel-Spot” bolt-action pistols, progressing to pump-action markers, then to semiautomatic mechanical markers, and at last culminating in the electro pneumatic paintball marker.
In mechanical designs, the trigger manipulates a sear, which is holding a hammer, ram, or sealed gas chamber in its resting state. Pulling the trigger releases the sear, allowing the marker’s action to cycle. There’s a quantity of mechanical designs, the most common being the “blow-back” marker, which utilizes a spring-loaded ram released by the sear to open a pin valve; the pressurized gas released through the valve is directed through the bolt to fire the marker, and also pushes the ram back where it is caught again by the sear, resetting the action for the next shot.
In electro pneumatic designs, the trigger, in lieu of being mechanically linked to the action of the marker, basically activates an electronic microswitch (or more recently, a magnetic or optical sensor). That knowledge is passed through control circuitry to a computer-controlled solenoid valve which can open and close quickly and exactly, allowing gas to move in to or out of various pressure chambers in the marker to move the bolt and fire the paintball. This disconnect of the trigger from the action allows electronic trigger pulls to be short in length and lightweight, which dramatically increases rate-of-fire over a fully mechanical design. Solenoid-controlled gas valve designs also permit for reduced weight of internal parts, which both lightens overall weight and reduces the time it takes for the marker to cycle through firing a single paintball.
Electronic trigger frames, with a solenoid-controlled sear, can be fit to most mechanical “blow-back” designs, but electro pneumatic markers are more evolved to more fully incorporate the electronic control elements in to the design, and usually fall in to categories. “Poppet-valve” markers are similar in idea to blow-back designs, but in lieu of using a spring, the ram is pushed in to the pin valve by air directed through the solenoid valve. This allows the ram to be lighter, reducing the weight and the jarring motion of the marker as it cycles. “Spool-valve” markers use the bolt to seal a “dump chamber” containing a charge of pressurized gas. The solenoid controls the flow of additional gas in front of or behind the bolt that permit the bolt to move forward, releasing the pressure in the dump chamber to launch the ball. Electro pneumatic designs were initially expensive, and used only at high-level match play. However, as these designs were refined and simplified, the cost to manufacture them was reduced, and beginning with the Smart Parts Ion, manufacturers began designing entry-level electro pneumatic markers that had fewer programming features or simpler, less efficient designs, but retained the lighter weight, lower pressure and high cycle rates
Contrasting this move toward high rates of fire, there is and a powerful following of stock-class paintball games, where players use older, purely mechanical pump-action marker designs to purposefully limit rate of fire. Pump markers need the player to recock the marker, using a pump handle similar to a pump-action shotgun, before each shot. Stock-class games and competitions need the use of pump markers, and also often limit the categories and capacities of propellant sources and loading mechanisms that players may use. With the decreased rate of fire and carrying capacity, increased require for reloads of both paintballs and propellant, and the usually quieter document of these markers, stock-class play places more emphasis on accuracy, stealth, and tactics.
MilSim
Markers which are designed to resemble actual guns are known as military simulation, or MilSim. They include, for example, the Tippmann X7 & the U.S. Army developed Alpha Black (which resemble an M16), RAP4′s T68 Paintball Markers (Which resemble the M4 Carbine, has an internal Air or CO2 tank & is journal fed), or Clever Parts SP8 (based on the French Heckler & Koch Prototype XM8, & far of the Armotech product line).
MilSim markers are used exclusively in Woods ball & military scenario games, though with a few modifications the markers can be competitive in the speedball arena. High-end MilSim markers are designed to be more rugged than high-end speedball markers, but are heavier & tend to operate at slower rates of fire. They can feature camouflage or black coloring ( than the bright colors found on match markers), since stealth is of more value in the woods ball surroundings. MilSim markers may use hoppers, or magazines similar to actual automatic weapons. Plenty of come with a shoulder stock & use a coiled remote line connected to a tank of propellant usually carried on the players back, in order to follow the MilSim look & to lighten the marker up & make it more maneuverable.
MilSim markers can be problematic, in that they can possibly be confused with actual firearms by others not aware of the nature of the device. This may finish up in hazardous situations, if law enforcement has difficulty discerning the differences between a real-life weapon, & a MilSim marker; in a pre-combat situation, the time allotted to identify an alleged armed target is minimal.
Propellants
Paintball markers are powered by the expansion of gas stored in a compressed gas bottle. The most common forms of compressed gas are carbon dioxide & high pressure air (HPA).
Carbon Dioxide
A typical CO2 canister
Because CO2 becomes a liquid when compressed, it must expand to a gas in order to be used by most paintball markers, although several older models actually need liquid CO2 in order for proper operation[1]. This expansion is not adiabatic & requires energy, causing the tank to cold as heat is used to expand the liquid CO2 in to gas. Finally, under sustained fire, & in chilled weather, the tank can become so chilled that ice crystals form on it. If the CO2 bottle does not have an anti-siphon tube fitted, or is shaken while firing, the liquid CO2 may enter the marker. The liquid CO2 then passes through the marker in lieu of the tank, evaporating & causing the marker to freeze. This leads to large clouds of CO2 vapor ejected from the marker on firing, caused by the liquid CO2 evaporating in/around the barrel. This is called “drawing liquid”. This may cause destroy to internal seals & O-Rings, & can “freeze” some markers, putting it out of commission for some time while it warms back up. Simple operation designs such as in-line blow-back (most Tippmanns), guns designed before HPA was more widely used, or guns using 12-gram CO2 powerlets are usually not affected by this issue, but it can still cause destroy to the marker over time. For this particular reason, most high-end markers recommend that you use HPA. Technically, CO2 & HPA can propel the paintball, but when high rates of fire are attained, liquid is sucked in to the marker which can destroy or even destroy electrical parts inside the marker such as the solenoid. Never leave a CO2 container in sunlight, as the heat will cause the gas to expand to a dangerous level. The tanks include safety valves in their construction, but there is no need to make use of them or take unnecessary risks.
With normal back-bottle setups (or, air systems utilizing a horizontal air source adapter, more often called an ASA), the less dense gaseous CO2 will rise to the top half of the tank.
Normally, ASAs are angled slightly so the gaseous CO2 is always available at the valve of the tank. Special devices known as anti-siphon tubes extend the mouth of the valve, and provide only CO2 from the top part of the tank.
In the work of quick successions of shots, gaseous CO2 is used up. Liquid CO2 will take some time to evaporate and rebuild the internal pressure. This system causes potentially large changes in velocity and therefore, in accuracy and range.
High pressure air or
N2 Paintball markers can use high pressure air or N2 for propellant, to try to offset issues with other types of propellants. When nitrogen or HPA (High Pressure Air) is compressed, it remains a gas. When it expands, it also cools the tank, due to the Joule-Thomson effect, but at a far lower rate than liquid CO2 because it does not must modify from liquid to gas. The dearth of this transition reduces the variation in pressure associated with quick successions of firing cycles, improving accuracy.
However, because these propellants are stored at higher pressures (up to 5000 lbf/in² or 34 MPa) while liquid CO2 is stored at around 1200 lbf/in² (8 MPa), tanks for nitrogen and HPA are more costly and heavier. The tanks themselves can either be filled with pure N2 or compressed air, which is 79% N2. Tanks smaller than 68 in³ (one.1 L) may not last heated matches, while larger tanks are cumbersome and require mounting options that generate a bigger marker profile.
There’s different kinds of HPA tanks in paintball. There’s steel tanks which are preferred by more youthful players looking to make use of HPA, because while steel tanks are heavy, and only hold about 3000 PSI, they are also less costly to buy (at about US-$50, only slightly over CO2 tanks). The second kind of tank is made from Carbon Fiber, which is 1-much lighter than steel, and 2-much stronger than steel (being able to contain 4500 PSI [and in some rare cases, 5000 PSI] as against only 3000 that a steel tank will hold). Usually, Carbon Fiber tanks are proffered by more experienced players, and players with some additional funds, because they are very reliable and have proven themselves worthy of their usually hefty cost tags.
HPA allows players to fill the air technique from a standard scuba tank. Normally though, HPA tanks are filled from specially designed air compressors which are made to generate very high pressures (unlike shop compressors). Plenty of people mistakenly think that shop compressors will work for filling HPA tanks, but they are mistaken, because while shop compressors generate around the 100-200 PSI range, HPA tanks are designed to handle between 3000-4500 PSI. HPA tanks are filled from a nipple in lieu of the ASA valve, which is lovely, because this lets them be filled while the tank is still attached to the paintball marker.
Normally, ASAs are angled slightly so the gaseous CO2 is always obtainable at the valve of the tank. Special devices known as anti-siphon tubes extend the mouth of the valve, and provide only CO2 from the top part of the tank.
In the work of speedy successions of shots, gaseous CO2 is used up. Liquid CO2 will take some time to evaporate and rebuild the internal pressure. This process causes potentially large changes in velocity and therefore, in accuracy and range.
High pressure air or N2
A Pure Energy N2 tank with a remote line attached
Paintball markers can use high pressure air or N2 for propellant, to try to offset issues with other types of propellants. When nitrogen or HPA (High Pressure Air) is compressed, it remains a gas. When it expands, it also cools the tank, due to the Joule-Thomson effect, but at a far lower rate than liquid CO2 because it does not must change from liquid to gas. The dearth of this transition reduces the variation in pressure associated with speedy successions of firing cycles, improving accuracy.
However, because these propellants are stored at higher pressures (up to 5000 lbf/inò or 34 MPa) while liquid CO2 is stored at around 1200 lbf/inò (8 MPa), tanks for nitrogen and HPA are more expensive and heavier. The tanks themselves can either be filled with pure N2 or compressed air, which is 79% N2. Tanks smaller than 68 inó .1 L) may not last heated matches, while larger tanks are cumbersome and require mounting options that generate a bigger marker profile.
There is different kinds of HPA tanks in paintball. There is steel tanks which are preffered by more youthful players looking to make use of HPA, because while steel tanks are heavy, and only hold about 3000 PSI, they are also less expensive to buy (at about US-$50, only slightly over CO2 tanks). The second kind of tank is made from Carbon Fiber, which is 1-much lighter than steel, and 2-much stronger than steel (being able to contain 4500 PSI [and in some rare cases, 5000 PSI] as against only 3000 that a steel tank will hold). Usually, Carbon Fiber tanks are preffered by more experienced players, and players with some additional money, because they are very reliable and have proven themselves worthy of their usually hefty cost tags.
HPA allows players to fill the air technique from a standard scuba tank. Normally though, HPA tanks are filled from specially designed air compressors which are made to generate very high pressures (unlike shop compressors). Lots of people mistakenly think that shop compressors will work for filling HPA tanks, but they are mistaken, because while shop compressors generate around the 100-200 PSI range, HPA tanks are designed to handle between 3000-4500 PSI. HPA tanks are filled from a nipple in lieu of the ASA valve, which is lovely, because this lets them be filled while the tank is still attached to the paintball marker
Masks
Sometimes called “goggles”, masks are safety devices that players are necessary to wear. These cover the eyes, mouth, ears and nostrils of a person. Some masks even feature throat guards. The lenses are designed to protect against paintballs travelling up to 300 feet per second (91 m/s), but are not guaranteed to resist impacts at greater speeds.[3]
Double-layered or “thermal” lenses are also available. These lenses are much less liable to fogging. These work by separating an inside and an outside lens with an air chamber, that allows for the difference in temperature between the inside and the outside of the mask without forming condensation. However, if any moisture whatsoever somehow gets in between the lenses, the inner faces of both lenses will fog, and it will take a long time to dry out, if it does at all.
Fogging masks can be a significant hazard while playing. Besides the lost vision, players may be tempted to remove their mask and expose themselves to serious eye injuries[4]. To reduce fogging of lenses while playing, some masks include electric fans that remove humidity and dry the lens. This is useful for situations that need wearing the mask for extended periods of time, such as wood play, huge games, or being a referee. Finally, there’s lots of anti-fog topical solutions that players can apply .
The outside of the thermal lenses (or the lenses, in non-thermal masks) is usually made of Polycarbonate. This material provides excellent impact resistance. Because polycarbonate is soft, these lenses are manufactured with anti-scratch coatings. But great care must be taken to keep proper care of the lenses. Lots of vendors recommend the immediate replacement of scratched lenses, or lenses subjected to strong impacts.
Usually, more expensive masks tend to be smaller (which in turn makes the player a smaller target), more comfortable, have more interchangeable parts and be made of soft material to get some bounces.It should be noted, that while playing paintball, even just shooting at the ground or trees, wearing proper paintballing masks is mandatory for safety. Some paintballs are very thick and can bounce off the ground, and other objects, and hit people.
A typical paintball mask with a MARPAT cover
Sometimes called “goggles”, masks are safety devices that players are necessary to wear. These cover the eyes, mouth, ears and nostrils of a person. Some masks even feature throat guards. The lenses are designed to protect against paintballs travelling up to 300 feet per second (91 m/s), but are not guaranteed to resist impacts at greater speeds.[3]
Double-layered or “thermal” lenses are also available. These lenses are much less liable to fogging. These work by separating an inside and an outside lens with an air chamber, that allows for the difference in temperature between the inside and the outside of the mask without forming condensation. However, if any moisture whatsoever somehow gets in between the lenses, the inner faces of both lenses will fog, and it will take a long time to dry out, if it does at all.
Fogging masks can be a significant hazard while playing. Besides the lost vision, players may be tempted to remove their mask and expose themselves to serious eye injuries[4]. To reduce fogging of lenses while playing, some masks include electric fans that remove humidity and dry the lens. This is useful for situations that need wearing the mask for extended periods of time, such as wood play, immense games, or being a referee. Finally, there is plenty of anti-fog topical solutions that players can apply .
The outside of the thermal lenses (or the lenses, in non-thermal masks) is usually made of Polycarbonate. This material provides excellent impact resistance. Because polycarbonate is soft, these lenses are manufactured with anti-scratch coatings. But great care must be taken to keep proper care of the lenses. Plenty of vendors recommend the immediate replacement of scratched lenses, or lenses subjected to strong impacts.
Usually, more expensive masks tend to be smaller (which in turn makes the player a smaller target), more comfortable, have more interchangeable parts and be made of soft material to get some bounces.[5].
Original Nelson paint tube produced around 1985 for oil based paintballs.
Paintballs, also simply called “paint”, are spherical gelatin capsules containing primarily polyethylene glycol, other non-toxic and water-soluble substances, and dye. Paintballs are made of materials found in food items, and are edible but taste disagreeable as they tend to dry up the mouth.The use of polyethylene glycol (a laxative) in the fill can also cause gastrointestinal distress in individuals who eat a number of paintballs; therefore, they should be kept out of reach of young children. Early paintballs were made of glass and filled with inedible oil-based paint, since they were made for marking trees and cattle, but modern paintballs should easily wash out of most clothing. The color of the shell does not necessarily indicate the color of the fill.
Most common paintballs and paintball markers are described as .68 caliber, but many factors affect the exact dimensions. Paintballs and barrels vary in size from .67 caliber to .71 caliber. In addition, paintballs are seldom perfectly round and are very sensitive to heat and moisture. A hot or humid day may result in paint swelling or becoming misshapen. Care should be taken to keep paintballs out of the sun and away from moisture. An insulated cooler works well for this on the field.
The gelatin shell of a paintball is designed to break upon impact, although ricochets or “bounces” may occur. There are many types of paintballs, including glow in the dark paintballs for use at night, scented paintballs, and formulations for winter play. When dropped on the ground, groundwater or condensation may swell the paintball, which could cause a jam in the barrel or rupture and foul the internal workings of the marker. Dropped ammunition is known as ‘loose paint’, and should not be used in paintball markers.
Generally speaking, paintballs of greater price are subjected to more stringent manufacturing processes, quality checks, and standards, making their size and shape more consistent. This is very important for accuracy. Better paintballs also tend to have thinner shells to improve the frequency of breaking on impact rather than bouncing, and thicker, more opaque fills that are more visible and harder to wipe off.
While it is theoretically possible to freeze a water based paintball, the polyethylene glycol additive drastically lowers the freezing point of the mixture, making it highly unlikely to actually freeze it into something harder than a regular paintball. When introduced to a very cold environment, the paintball’s shell will most likely dimple (making it less accurate) and the shell will become brittle. In fact, some professional speedball teams will cool their paintballs in a freezer to make the paint more brittle
U.S. SWAT teams often use paintball-like balls, also known as a pepper ball, filled with Oleoresin Capsicum, the active ingredient of pepper spray, as a non-lethal incapacitation method. However, pepperballs are shot at a higher velocity than is safe for paintball (above 350 ft/s (110 m/s)) and the shells are not made from gelatin, but rather a frangible plastic to make shots more painful for faster incapacitation. Pepperballs can be shot out of mostly any paintball marker.
Recently, HydroTec has released a new paintball. It uses a corn based shell and a fill which is 98% water. The paintball shell tolerates temperatures up to 120 °F (49 °C). These features, along with a unique construction process, make for a much more consistent paintball.
“
Reusable paintballs
for a paintball, but is often used when describing “Reballs” and other brands of reusable paintball-sized spheres. Most reusable paintballs are the same size as normal paintballs, but weigh slightly more and do not contain a paint filling. As they do not break open to leave a paint mark on players, they are practical for indoor locations where accumulation of paint from broken paintballs would be a problem. This makes this form of paintball questionable, since no mark of paint is left, it allows players to cheat much more easily, much like air soft A Reball is more expensive than a paintball, but since they can be cleaned and reused many times, they potentially have a lower cost per use. Some paintball parks have added dedicated reball fields, and some fields have actually gone exclusive with Reballs, eliminating the use of paintballs entirely. The primary use of Reballs, as intended initially by the manufacturer, is as a practice aid for teams who wish to save money by using reusable ammunition. Other manufacturers have created similar products, such as the V-Ball, a Velcro (hence the name V-Ball) reusable paintball. Reballs are also used at a lower velocity because of their inability to break on whoever they hit. For example, a Regular paintball will normally be shot at slightly less than 300 ft/s (91 m/s), while a Reball is supposed to be used at around 240 ft/s (73 m/s). It is noteworthy that the composition of Reballs results in increased ricochets, depending on the surfaces that they hit.
The term ‘reusable balls’ does not refer to paintballs that have been picked up from the ground.
Clothing
Woodsball players usually wear camouflage clothing.
Paintball clothing needs to be tough and durable. For woodsball, camouflage clothing is effective for blending in with the environment; players may wear army surplus military fatigues, Battle Dress Uniform (BDU), Army Combat Uniform (ACU) or DPM styles. For speedball, however, the small field and artificial obstacles make camouflage ineffective; players therefore will often choose to wear a brightly coloured team uniform. For scenario games, players will tend to dress themselves in a style appropriate to the character or force they are representing. In order to minimize the sting of close-range hits, players often wear extra layers of clothing padding as well.
Clothing worn for tournament paintballing is constrained by tournament rules, which prohibit thick padded materials likely to adversely affect the chance of paintballs breaking on the target Players need adequate padding to protect the elbows and knees for slides on hard ground and chest protecters for shots to the chest. If not protected, the player(s) could get seriously injured if these parts are not protected.
Footwear varies enormously between Speedball and Woodsball/scenario games. In woodsball, the rough terrain and uneven, often muddy ground makes footwear with good grip and plenty of ankle support a necessity. This lends itself to boots, either military style or walking/hiking boots. In speedball, however, the added weight of thick boots is a distinct disadvantage, as is the reduction in mobility. Speedball players therefore tend to wear sneakers or cleats.
Common accessories
Drop forward
A drop forward is a marker add-on which is used to reposition the air canister to a more comfortable position, or one which improves the balance of the marker.[9] They usually tilt the canister onto a slight angle and move it forward of its original position. They come in all shapes and sizes, however, so it is a personal preference which direction the tank is “dropped” – it is possible to mount the tank vertically, reversed or almost any other conceivable position. Most players use it to assist with balancing the marker, or to reduce its total length to make it more maneuverable (particularly if it has an extremely long barrel). Some marker designs do not permit the installation of a stock if the air cylinder is left in its standard location, necessitating a drop-forward if the player wishes to install a stock to improve accuracy.
There is a dispute among many players, however, that a drop forward will make the player’s profile unnecessarily tall and wide, as the tank pushes the loader higher up above the head and may cause the player to hold his/her arms out wider in play to make up for the unnatural angle the drop will put on a grip.
A remote line
A remote line is a hose (a gas line) which can be connected to a marker and to the tank, which allows the user more freedom of movement while handling the marker, because the tank can now be stored on a pod belt or in a pouch. Their utility lies in decreasing the weight and length of the marker, making it more maneuverable. However, they may get caught in trees and shrub, and if the tank is hit it still counts as a kill, even though it is on the player’s back. Remote lines are not frequently used by tournament players, as it adds unnecessary weight (and the presence of the gas tank is factored into the design of tournament markers, making them extremely unbalanced if the tank is removed).
Some remote lines utilize a slide check as a valve.
Pod
A pod full of paintballs
Pods, also known as guppies or simply tubes, are simply rigid tubular plastic containers which hold paintballs.[10] The most common pod size holds about 140 paintballs; however, other sizes are available, and 100 paintball pods are common at rental sites, while there are also pods for smaller paintball pistols which only have the capacity of 10 paintballs (such pods are usually called tubes). Standard pods use a spring-loaded plastic top to enable them to be opened quickly and single-handedly. There are variations – for example, Dye Lock Lid pods which use a simple locking mechanism to ensure they won’t open accidentally, or Syn Shockpods, which are engineered to be able to be shaken vigorously without the paint inside breaking.
Harness
Harnesses, or pod packs, are hip-worn belt packs or full vests that hold pods full of paintballs, and in some cases the player’s gas tank if using a remote line.
Most hoppers hold about 200 paintballs, and many modern electropneumatic markers can empty a full hopper in 10 seconds of sustained fire. In woodsball, and especially in scenario paintball, a player may be away from a base at which they can reload for an extended period of time. In speedball, the necessity of suppressing fire requires a very large amount of paint for a single game or match. In both cases, a harness with pods allows a player to have a portable supply of paint, without weighing down his or her marker with an enormous hopper. Harnesses capable of carrying a tank in addition to pods are usually labeled with a +1 (e.g. A harness capable of carrying four pods and a tank would be labeled 4+1). In addition, newer harness design make use of collapsible “expansion sleeves” in between the “main” sleeves. Packs with expansion sleeves are generally labelled X+Y, for instance 4+5, and indicate the number of main sleeves followed by the number of expansion sleeves. Some packs have multiple “tiers” of expansions or extra sleeves in very different locations on the harness, and may be labelled 4+3+2 where the last number is the additional set of expansions.
Harnesses for speedball tend to consist of a bellyband with sleeves in the back for the pods, and are designed to carry widely varying amounts of paint while maintaining a small profile. They more often have expansion sleeves, though some woodsball harnesses feature them as well. Pods most often face lid-down, so that any pod can be reached by either of the player’s hands and pulled out quickly, regardless of how the player is situated. Speedball harnesses rarely feature tank pouches; speedball players must refill tanks often, and switch hands often to lean out from the left or right of a bunker, both of which are made more complicated when using a remote line. For speed and convenience, speedball players often temporarily discard empty pods on the ground and retrieve them between games; for this reason, ease of reloading pods into the harness is often a secondary concern to player profile and ease of access.
Harnesses for woodsball have features designed to aid concealment, such as camoflauge colors. Simpler harnesses consist of a belt pack with a number (usually 4, 6, or 8) of formed pockets for pods. They less often feature expansion sleeves (though some do). They are more likely to have the pockets side-facing, or in front of the player, which allows the player to more easily place an empty pod back in its pocket. This is necessary as discarding and retrieving “spent” pods is infeasible on a woodsball field consisting of many acres of dense forest. They usually, but not always, feature a tank pouch, allowing use of a remote line with a “mil-sim” marker for added realism
A “cable” squeegee
Squeegees are used to clean out debris from the barrel and breach, including dirt/mud, paint and shells from broken paintballs, and residue from the shells’ gelatin coating.
One common design is the “rod squeegee”, and consists of a hinge-mounted rubber disc on the end of a plastic rod of sufficient length to reach the full length of the barrel. The rubber washer end is inserted sideways into the barrel, pushed to the bottom and subsequently withdrawn with the rubber disc rotated ninety degrees (so that the disc now touches the inner circumference of the barrel and scrapes the paint out). Such designs often place the hinged disk on an inner cable or rod that is manipulated by a trigger at the other end; by pulling the trigger, the disk is forced to rotate into contact with the barrel surface.
For situations where the marker’s bolt or barrel can be quickly removed, a “cable squeegee” may be used. A cable squeegee is simply one or more rubber disks mounted perpendicular to a flexible metal cable (usually with a plastic jacket to avoid marring the barrel’s surface). The end opposite the disc(s) (the “pull end”) is inserted into the rear of the bolt chamber or the chamber side of the barrel, as appropriate, and fed through until the pull end protrudes from the front of the barrel. The squeegee is then pulled through the breech and/or barrel. Some designs incorporate a swab of an absorbent material that picks up anything the disc(s) leave behind. Because they require removal of the bolt or barrel, they are slower to use than a rod squeegee; however, being composed mainly of a flexible cable, they can be easily coiled up into a very compact size.
A “Battle Swab” is used commonly in speedball for extremely quick cleaning; a double ended stick with soft absorbent fur is simply shoved down the length of the barrel to remove any performance hindering paint or shell. The swab often has a bendable rubber section in the middle so that it can be folded over and stored in a pocket. Battle swabs generally do not clean as thoroughly as other methods, but they can be used in a few seconds where other methods take far longer.
Regardless of the design, as the squeegee is withdrawn, the barrel is perfunctorily cleaned to allow continued use of the marker. This allows the player to reduce the amount of paint or other debris in the marker, which can severely reduce accuracy, without having to remove themselves from play. A more thorough cleaning is recommended once time allows.
Barrel Blocks
A barrel blocker in a Tippmann 98 Custom and by itself above.
A barrel block is a family of safety devices that mechanically obstruct the end of the marker’s barrel. They are intended to ensure that, should all other safety devices incorporated in the marker fail or be deactivated, a paintball fired by the marker will not leave its barrel and cause injury. Barrel blocks are usually required by commercial fields, to be used on any marker that is in an area where masks are not required Forgetting to replace it after leaving a game and entering a safe zone will usually earn a warning. Repeated infractions will often result in ejection from the site. This is done for liability reasons and to lower possibility of unexpected injury to anyone around, especially important when involving eye safety. There are two common types of barrel block:
- A barrel plug is a plastic or rubber plug that fits snugly into the muzzle end of the marker’s barrel, like a wine cork. If made of plastic, they generally incorporate one or more rubber o-rings to provide friction against the barrel surface. These were the original and universal form of barrel block before the introduction of the barrel sock, but are now generally eschewed by players and fields in favor of barrel socks. When using a barrel plug, if a paintball is fired, it will break against the plug in the barrel, lining the barrel with paint and drastically affecting accuracy until the barrel can be squeegeed. Barrel plugs can also be hard to remove and install properly; the high friction that keeps the plug in place when needed also inhibits its intentional removal. The force of the paintball impacting against the plug is often enough to dislodge it; with modern electronic markers having “automatic” and “burst” modes of fire, a single pull of the trigger may be enough to expel the barrel plug from the barrel, which can cause injury in itself, and also exposes those nearby to any further shots leaving the barrel after the plug has been expelled. Barrel plugs, therefore, are not an absolute safety against accidental marker discharge and eye injury.
- Barrel socks, also commonly called barrel sleeves or barrel condoms, are a newer form of barrel block, and consist of a cloth pouch with an adjustable elastic cord. The pouch is placed over the muzzle of the marker, and the elastic cord is stretched over the feed neck of the marker, and tightened so the pouch is kept securely on the muzzle. If a paintball is fired, it will exit the muzzle and be caught immediately by the pouch. Barrel socks have several advantages over barrel plugs. First, if a paintball is fired, it will generally break in the pouch after leaving the barrel. This generally results in less mess inside the barrel itself (though it is generally still necessary to clean the barrel afterward). Barrel socks are also easy to install and remove; a properly adjusted sock can simply be lifted off by the player against the force of the elastic; it can be completely removed from the marker, or for convenience it can be left hanging by its cord from the feed neck, allowing it to be put back in place at a moment’s notice. Most importantly, a barrel sock, with the cord properly tightened, will remain in place over the barrel even after repeated shots, and thus it provides a far more reliable barrier against unintentional shots causing injury.
Other equipment
Paint grenades
Although not legal in tournament play, paint grenades may be found in recreational and scenario play. There are two kinds of grenades in use:
- Non-explosive grenades are generally closer to water balloons in function. One common grenade design consists of a rubber tube sealed securely at one end and more loosely at the other, with an arming pin which, when pulled, loosens that end. The tube is filled with paint under pressure, usually from a syringe. When the grenade is thrown against a hard surface, the loose end of the tube is unsealed, and the paint is sprayed over a wide area, potentially marking players. Another common design consists of a small compressed CO2 tank surrounded by a container of paint.
- Explosive paint grenades are powered by a small black powder “banger”, tipped with a short time-fuse. A small plastic bag of paint is wrapped around this, and the whole assembly is contained in a breakable fibre case (usually segmented to resemble a WWII-era grenade). The end of the fuse protrudes from the top of the casing, and is tipped with a friction-sensitive material similar to the head of a match. This is then covered with a removable cap as a form of “safety catch”. To fire the grenade, the cap is removed and its specially-roughened outer surface is struck against the fuse, igniting it. The grenade is immediately thrown; the fuse burns down to the tightly-packed black powder in two or three seconds and the grenade explodes.
This paint is normally a different color to the fill of the normal paintballs used on that field, as spray from a grenade (by definition) must count as a kill. Under most rules, any mark from a paint grenade is sufficient to count as an elimination.
Grenade launcher
Paintball grenade launchers are used in recreational and scenario paintball games to launch paint grenades. They are more accurate than throwing a paint grenade, which gives an advantage. Tippmann products such as the X7 are able to have a grenade launcher attached.
] Paint mines
Paint mines are simulated land mines for use in Paintball. Several devices have been designed to spray paint over an area when triggered by passing players. Some of these devices are placed on the ground where, once a person steps on them, forces paint to shoot up and around the target marking the stepper and any nearby teammates. Another, rarely used form of mine functions with tripwires. Placed hidden on a tree or bush, the trip wire extends over a much larger area. Once tripped; a pin is released, like a paint grenade, the paint is forced out through the tight narrow tubes which shower the area with paint. Precise methods of spraying paint or triggering the mine vary; however, due to insurance reasons, no paint mines use any sort of explosive.
Smoke grenades
Smoke grenades, also used in military and law enforcement training, may be allowed in a paintball game.] In tournament paintball the use of smoke grenades or any other explosive is strictly prohibited.The grenades create a screen of smoke which can obscure the movement of players and make it more difficult for the opposition to hit them. Some large-scale scenarios use military-issue smoke grenades, but for recreational use, smaller commercial ‘smokes’ are preferred (due mainly to cost and convenience).
Thunderflashes
Alongside paint and smoke grenades, many recreational paintball venues sell small thunderflashes for use during games. These are effectively black-powder fireworks which explode with a loud bang, but have a sufficiently small blast to be thrown at opposing players with reasonable safety (provided they do not attempt to pick them up). They are used in the same way as the explosive paint grenades described above.
In practice, thunderflashes have little purpose in a paintball game; their effectiveness at their supposed task of disorienting the enemy is dubious. Nevertheless, they are popular with occasional players, presumably in emulation of the much bigger flash bangs used by the military.
Slingshots
A variation of paintball uses slingshots instead of markers to propel the paintballs. Because slingshots may shoot faster than 300 ft/s (91 m/s), sometimes up to 500 ft/s (150 m/s), most paintball fields don’t allow them. A normal game usually requires all players to use slingshots, but some games may allow certain players to use pump action markers vs. slingshots, such as Cowboys and Indians.
[Airow Gun
The Airow gun uses a combination of mechanical and pneumatic power to convert the energy from a compound, or recurve bow. The energy released is generally equivalent to the power generated by a marker. Entire games have been dedicated to the use of Airow Guns, in a fashion similar to that of slingshot paintball.
Paintball Bazooka
A "Paintball Bazooka", or a "Paintball Rocket Launcher" is a term used to describe a modified paintball gun or an item built from scratch to specifically "kill", or "take out" a Paintball Tank. Most often they fire rockets built from scratch or multiple Paintballs. Many players prefer not to have one because they severely limit what they can do because of the large, hard projectiles they usually fire that can injure a player. The only exception of ones that can be fired at anything besides tanks, and/or buildings are the type that fire multiple paintballs instead of rockets.
] Vehicles
Main article: Paintball tank
Paintball tanks are a wide variety of vehicles sometimes used in woodsball events to eliminate large numbers of opponents by using protection and superior firepower. They can range from golf carts covered in plywood to real military tanks with real guns converted to fire paintballs. Many paintball sponsors and businesses sometimes have their own paintball tanks which they take to events. Although local paintballs parks usually don’t make use of vehicles (since the cost of the vehicle and its maintenance can be prohibitive), tournaments and other ‘sponsored’ events will often feature several.
Mechanized paintball
As well as infantry-based paintballing, there are also opportunities to take part in more mechanised versions. A number of companies offer experience days featuring an opportunity to drive a “tank” (often actually an armoured personnel carrier) fitted with a paintball “gun” Two such vehicles are then driven around a course, each trying to inflict more paint damage on the other. In a similar vein, Radio controlled model tanks (typically around 1:6 scale) can also be fitted with paintball markers and used in a similar way.
Equipment maintenance
] Marker maintenance
A well-maintained paintball marker (paintball gun)will last longer and be more reliable. A paintball marker should be disassembled and checked for problems routinely. For example, it is not uncommon for O-rings to break, or for paintballs to break inside the barrel. The latter problem can be solved temporarily when the player is “in the field” by using a pipe-cleaner-like tool referred to as a squeegee. However, it is important to disassemble the marker after the game and properly clean out any affected parts with the marker company’s recommended material/solvent (such as a special cloth, or lubricant) and a paper towel. After cleaning, the marker should be lubricated with commercially available paintball lubricant. Most such lubricants are oils or greases derived from formulas used in pneumatic tools (such as Dow 33) or from gun lubricants (such as Gold Cup – evil puss and hater sauce ). However, lubricants marketed as gun oils should not be used, as most commercial brands contain petroleum solvents to remove powder fouling; these solvents will degrade the synthetic rubber o-rings in a paintball marker. The technician should then ensure that the marker is unloaded before firing several shots to blow out any remaining paint and dry out the interior. Replacements for broken parts should only be sourced from the manufacturer of the marker. Please note that dis-assembly and reassembly of any paintball equipment can be hazardous and should only be attempted by a qualified air smith, as improper reassembly can void warranties or cause serious safety risks that can include, but are not limited to injury to yourself and/or others and damage to the marker.
] Mask maintenance
If the mask’s lens are covered in paint, it is important not to simply wipe the paint off, because doing so may cause debris to scratch the lens. The player should leave the field and clean off the lens using water and a towel or a piece of cloth.
When thermal lenses are used, water or anti-fog treatment should be applied only to the outer lens, as moisture of any kind between the 2 lenses will ruin the lens system. The interior portion of a thermal lens is also quite soft and should only be wiped clean with a microfiber lens cloth designed specifically for cleaning glasses or goggles without scratching. Products such as Windex or other glass and spectacle cleaners should never be used, as they are designed to be used on glass rather than polycarbonate. Doing so could damage the anti-fog treatments, or compromise the integrity of the lens, putting the player at risk of serious injury.
A convenient method is to use a cheap small spray bottle to spray water onto the lens rather than pouring it on. Another good lens cleaning agent is a 50-50 mixture of rubbing alcohol and water. After it is mixed it should be put into a spray bottle for use. Use only a clean cloth on the mask; paper towels will scratch the lenses. Anti-fog spray is also available, which coats the lens in a temporary fog-resistant film. Some new lenses will come “pre-treated” by anti-fog, or the lens will say “fog-resistant” — with these lenses, it is advised that anti-fog chemicals are never used as the chemicals can damage the lens beyond further use.
Lenses should be replaced once a year as their strength is adversely affected by exposure to sunlight.
Paint to barrel matching
Paintballs generally change shape or size due to differing temperature or humidity, or even due to varying manufacturing processes. If a paintball is larger than the barrel bore, it will at a minimum cause reduced efficiency due to increased friction. Over sized paintball s can also break inside the barrel and coat the inside with paint, causing shot inaccuracy until it is cleaned out. If the paintball is too small for the barrel, air will escape around the paintball when firing causing a drop in velocity and accuracy. Correcting for this by adjusting the velocity adjuster on the marker could cause a lack of air efficiency.
To check for a good paint-to-barrel match, remove the barrel from the marker and insert a paintball into the barrel. If the paintball simply rolls through the barrel, then the paintball is too small for that barrel. If the paintball does not roll out, then attempt to blow the paintball out of the barrel using your mouth. Ideally, you should be able to easily blow the paintball out, however, if this is not possible and the paintball becomes stuck, then the paintball is too large for the barrel..
Because of the varying sizes of paintballs and barrels, many people opt for an adjustable bore barrel, commonly called a barrel system or barrel kit. These barrels allow for the user to adjust the internal bore of the barrel to allow for a perfect match for the paint being used. The kits may use pieces called “backs” to adjust bore size, or inserts, which are used in the Scepter barrel kit. Such examples of an adjustable bore barrel are the, Sly Dual-Carbon, Powerlyte Scepter, MacDev Matchstick, Smart Parts Freak Barrel, Dye Ultralight, Stiffi Switch Kit, and the.
Hydrostatic Testing
Since the propellant tanks used by players are subjected to high pressures and stresses, they must be tested in accordance with the laws of the country the player operates in. In the United States, the United States Department of Transportation requires that tanks undergo a hydrostatic test at certain intervals, depending on the manufacture date, exemption certificate granted to the manufacturer for the tank, and tank size.
As a general rule, aluminum tanks have a five year hydro cycle (meaning they must be tested every five years) and an unlimited service life. Steel tanks must be hydro tested every three years and have a 24 year service life. Fiber wrapped or carbon fiber tanks (also known as HPA tanks) have either a three or five year hydro cycle with a 15 year service life. It is illegal to fill a tank that is outside of its hydro date. Tanks that have been abandoned, damaged, or are out of service life should have a hole drilled into the bottom of the cylinder to prevent pressurization.
Great paintball guns for all paintball games time to own the field.
