Paintball is the fastest growing sport in the USA and Canada. Stats show that over 10 million people per year play paintball, just in the US. The sport is absolutely safe, thanks to the modern equipment which players use. The most important pieces of the equipment are the paintball gun, also known as a paintball marker, and the goggles.
But how does the paintball gun work? The principle of operation is based on the power of expanding gas which pushes out paintballs through the barrel at a speed of 91m/s. This is the speed limit, an industry standard considered as the safety barrier that manufacturers shouldn't surpass in order for the sport to remain safe. The paintballs are made to break when they hit something, releasing paint and cause very little pain, similar to a sting.
The construction of a marker consists of body, hopper, tank and a barrel. To allow a player to carry around the marker freely when funning, they body is fabricated from light materials such as aluminum or carbon fiber. The small tank holding the paintballs is called hopper.
Hoppers are divided in the following types - gravity feed, stick feed, agitating and force feed. Gravity feed is the most basic type of hopper with a limited shooting rate of to only 8 balls per second. Stick feed hoppers can contain 20 paintballs at max. Agitating hoppers are amongst the best ones, no jamming can occur, because they use propellers to agitate the paintballs. Force-feed models use a spring or a belt-fed system to proper the paintballs.
The tank is a chamber which contains the gas. The gun barrel directs the shot. It can have different style or length.
Generally, markers are classified as mechanical or electronic. The electronic ones are embedded with a microchip which regulates the release of paintballs into the barrel. They also require some type of compressed gas. The high-end models have a display showing the number of balls left in the hopper, shooting rate and game time.
The following types of paintball markers are available - stock glass, pump action, semi automatic, electropneumatic, fully automatic. Semi Automatic paintball markers require only a trigger pull to fire a paintball, but you have to pull the trigger for each and every shot. The fully automatic paintball markers will just keep firing paintballs for as long as the trigger is held down. The stock glass paintball markers are pump action pistols holding between 10-15 paintballs at a time, which need to be tilted in order to feed in the next paintball.
Perhaps the best paintball marker ever made is the RAP4. It's the first real action paintball marker, a replica of the legendary M4 rifle used by SWAT Teams. The other high-profile model is Tippmann 98. The M98 is though and dependable, because it has a simple design combined with extra-tough finishes.
Want to avoid the mistakes your predecessors have made in buying their first (or even second) paintball gun? Many players have made hasty decisions when buying their gun and have ended up with some real buyer's remorse. Well, below are some tips that will help you in choosing the gun that is right for you.
First, you must do your homework. Regardless of your price range you will be able to find several models to choose from. Study the paintball guns features so you can weigh their strengths and weaknesses. Plenty of websites exist with in-depth reviews of the different models-all from actual paintball players who have tested or bought the model. If more than one review is down on a certain model, be cautious and ask the sales person lots of questions.
Second, don't buy a gun just because it looks cool. Looks are the first thing that may attract your attention, but don't be fooled by a great looking exterior. Hold the gun. Make sure it is comfortable and not to heavy for you to handle. Also, look at gun. What is it made of? Metal? Plastic? It is obviously your preference; just make sure you know what you are getting.
Third, remember that you will need to maintain and clean this gun a lot. Instruction manuals for most products are available on the internet. If you are really interested in a certain model, locate its instruction manual. Try to discern from the manual how difficult it will be to disassemble and reassemble. After every game you should clean your marker thorougly which includes taking it apart and cleaning. Also keep your own skill level in this department in mind.
Fourth, play the game a few times before you run out and buy a gun. Do you want an unused gun lying around? Of course you will love the sport, but what if you don't? Play a few times and ask your fellow players how they like their own guns. When you rent a paintball gun or a friend lends you one, write down the type of paintball gun you are playing with. If you like it and are comfortable with it, you may want to purchase a similar model.
Fifth, be selective and smart when purchasing an aftermarket barrel. You may think from your limited knowledge and experience that a very long barrel is key for you to shoot straight. This is completely false. This is not necessarilly the truth. Research has shown that a barrel that is 6 to 8 inches long is all that is required to stabilize your paintball. Pro players, however, usually stick with a paintball gun barrel that is 12 inches or 14 inches for staighter shooting. Keep in mind that a longer barrel will mean a heavier gun and more surface area to be hit by your opponent.
Newbies should be wary of choosing a paintball gun that is an automatic or semi automatic. You'll end up waisting paintballs. But worse, you may find that you have less control of your paintball gun, which includes poor aim and shooting technique. Keep your experience level in mind when you are shopping. You can always upgrade your gun if you feel you are good enough to make the jump.
Again, most importantly really do your homework, whether it is on the net or with your buddies. Know the market and don't be fooled by a salesperson with little knowledge. Now, have some confidence and go buy that gun.
Both Steve Timmeson & Tyler Powers are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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