| If you are just getting started with | | | | the area of the gun that holds the compressed |
| paintball guns, it is a bit interesting to | | | | air that will eventually propel your |
| learn how they work as well as what they are. | | | | paintball to your target. Therefore it is an |
| You may be planning on spending some of your | | | | essential element in the decision of which |
| time on the field playing the game that you | | | | paintball gun to purchase. |
| love, but this information can help you to | | | | |
| make the right decision when you decide to | | | | Most tanks are filled with liquid CO2. They |
| purchase your own gun. A paintball gun is, | | | | can also have compressed air in them. HPA is |
| as you may know, the tool that you will use | | | | a term you may here. It stands for High |
| to mark your fellow player in a game of | | | | Pressure Air or you may know it as nitro, as |
| paintball. A paintball will come flying out | | | | nitrogen is one of the main gases in air. |
| of the chamber when you trigger it to. Most | | | | The most standardized paintball guns will |
| paintball guns work similar to a standard | | | | come with HPA or nitro tanks. Unless you are |
| gun, but the details are much different. | | | | an occasional player with limited resources, |
| | | | you are probably going to want to use these |
| Here are some bits of important information | | | | choices. |
| you should know about the paintball gun. | | | | |
| | | | You will also need to consider what kind of |
| - Paintball guns use rapidly expanding gas. | | | | barrel to use. You can select from sizes |
| Usually it is CO2 or air. This gas will push | | | | ranging from 12 inches, 14 inches, 16 inches, |
| the paintball out of the barrel. | | | | 18 inches or 20 inches. You can have them |
| | | | custom made, if you are really looking for |
| - Most paintball guns range in velocity but | | | | something specific. When you do this, you |
| the most common are those that have a muzzle | | | | can have them as long as 48 inches. Most |
| velocity of about 300 feet per second. | | | | paintball enthusiasts will tell you that |
| | | | beyond 11 inches, you do not get a better |
| - This amount of force is enough to break | | | | efficiency from the barrel to warrant the |
| open the paintball when it hits its target. | | | | larger size. Some feel the additional size |
| Yet, it is not hard enough to break the skin, | | | | adds to the sighting on the barrel. In |
| rather only sufficient at doing some mild | | | | addition, longer barrels are less noisy but |
| bruising at most. | | | | longer than 16 inches offers no additional |
| | | | benefit here either. If you have a longer |
| - If you plan to play on a standard, | | | | barrel, you will need more propellant. |
| commercial field, you will probably be | | | | |
| restricted to a paintball gun that is at most | | | | You are likely to see manufacturers claiming |
| the 300 feet per second type. | | | | about porting. Some claim that you will have |
| | | | less turbulence as well as increased accuracy |
| - One of the most significant and painful | | | | with porting. Unfortunately, there does not |
| injuries that a paintball gun can cause is | | | | seem to be much truth to these claims. In |
| eye injury. Therefore, when playing you | | | | addition, the more porting that you have, the |
| should always have on protective gear. The | | | | less efficient your paintball guns gas will |
| fact is that there are plenty of players that | | | | be as your propellant is easily escaping. |
| did not and now have blindness in that eye. | | | | |
| Most paintball fields require it. | | | | Another aspect to take into consideration is |
| | | | the bore. This is the interior diameter of |
| Many details needed to be looked at and | | | | the barrel of your paintball gun. If you |
| understood when using and purchasing a | | | | have a barrel that has two to three pieces, |
| paintball gun. You do not want to spend | | | | you will find that the barrel bore is more |
| several hundred dollars on a gun that will | | | | matched to the paintball diameter. When this |
| not shoot straight. | | | | is the case, the paintball will not roll out |
| | | | of the barrel if you have a larger barrel. |
| There are several different variations of | | | | This is important if you have an auto-cocker |
| paintball gun hoppers. Most of the time, you | | | | as well. |
| will have a gun that is feed based on | | | | |
| agitating, force feed or those that work with | | | | Finally, you need to take into consideration |
| gravity. These methods are all unique. If | | | | the threading of the paintball gun. You need |
| you have an agitating or a force feed hopper | | | | to insure that the barrel threading matches |
| you may find that your gun does not give you | | | | the paintball gun specifically. Some of the |
| the security you need. These often fail in | | | | common types of threads include autocockers, |
| the worst of times. Most of the time this is | | | | angels, shockers, sphyder, Tippmann, and |
| caused by your paintball guns battery getting | | | | Inpulse or Ion. |
| wet, which stops everything in its tracks. | | | | |
| Yet, the good thing about these types of | | | | Which ever style or type of paintball gun you |
| hoppers is that they offer the highest rate | | | | choose, please remember that safety should |
| of fire possible, perhaps making up for their | | | | always come first. So always make sure you |
| failings here. | | | | wear the proper protective clothing to deter |
| | | | injury. It is nothing but fun until someone |
| Another thing that you need to take into | | | | looses an eye. |
| consideration is your guns tank. The tank is | | | | |