Paintball: Your Questions Answered

kevin asked:


 

What makes a good paintball? Why are some paintballs more expensive than others? Do I have to pay a lot of money for good quality ammo? These are questions that vex paintballers, particularly those new to the sport. Let’s address these issues to enable you to buy wisely.

Do more expensive paintballs perform better than cheaper ones?

In a word: yes. More expensive ammo has tighter quality control regulations than its cheaper rivals. Paintballs vary considerably in quality and you should expect to pay more to enhance your performance.

How do paintballs vary in quality?

Quality ammunition is more consistent and reliable. It resists the affects of humidity and moisture. This results in better performance in extreme conditions. Quality paintballs will be less likely to shrink or swell in extremes of temperature.

Good ammo is strong enough to withstand expulsion from the gun without exploding; it is thin enough to burst on impact, and not before.

Good quality paintballs have a better paint fill, so the paint is brighter in colour and it marks well. It is washable, yet less easy to wipe off on the field.

Good paintballs are more spherical resulting in a straighter trajectory, greater distance and more accuracy.

Where can I buy good, cheap paintballs?

Many people buy ammo at their local field for convenience. This, however, is not a cheap option. There are many different brands of good quality, inexpensive paintballs to be found online. This is, by far, the cheaper option. Take your own ammunition to your local field; if they charge you for the privilege, it is still worth it. If they don’t allow you to use your own ammo, find another field!

How should I store my paintballs?

You should always store your ammunition in a cool, dry place; between 60-85 degrees is ideal, with as little humidity as possible. Paintballs do not have an indefinite shelf-life. They will develop flat spots if left too long which will affect their trajectory. Try to ensure a regular turn over of balls.

In short, there are numerous brands of paintballs available to you on the market. They vary in quality. You must expect to pay more for higher quality ammo. You can buy good quality paintballs online for a good price. Keep them in a cool, dry place and change your stock regularly.

Choosing the right paintball for your marker can affect your performance on the field greatly. Try out small quantities of different brands to see what you get on best with. Match your barrel size to the correct paintball size. Don’t compromise on price; you only get what you pay for.

Hawksbill Paintball

Hawksbill Sports was established by players, for players. Our goal is to give you the products you need to enjoy the sport of paintball. We have low prices and fast shipping and promise the best customer service you can find anywhere. For further information about different paintball gun types, paintballs and accessories, go to:

http://www.hawksbillpaintball.com

 



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Paintball, No Just a Bunch of Hot Air!

Nathan Young asked:


My how the times change, in my day we were lucky enough to get our hands on some paintballs, let alone have something to shoot them out of or have a propellant of some sort to shoot them with. As a kid I was more than happy to be able to shoot paintballs out of my wrist rocket, sure it was painstakingly slow to load rounds and about half of the balls shot broke but it was fun nonetheless. Well now a days there are three main propellants out there that allow you to shoot much much faster and with much fewer ball breaks. The two most used paintball propellants that are used in the sport today are CO2, Propane and Compressed Air Also Reffered to as Nitro or High Pressure Air. My goal is to help you understand what the difference is between CO2, Propane and Nitro and then also tell you about some pros and cons of each.

Nitro vs. CO2 vs. Propane For the past 20 years CO2 has been the propellant of choice when it comes to getting balls out of barrels. The main reasons that CO2 has been more popular are these, CO2 is readily available and cheap. There you have it, cheap and easy pretty much wraps up CO2 in a nut shell. Compressed air or nitro on the other hand has these things going for it, potentially higher psi, no need to evaporate, and a much more consistent velocity. With those things said, lets delve a little further into the pros and cons of CO2 and Compressed Air. As far as propane goes it is still in it’s early ages but is looking like it is going to be the perfect mix of accuracy and affordability, we will keep you posted.

CO2- Here is the long and the short of using CO2 as a propellant for your paintball gun. If you are looking just to play a little paintball here and there and just want something that is easy and cheap to get then CO2 is the propellant for you. Any paintball shop should be able to fill your CO2 as well as a number of other places and its inexpensive to have them do it. Now if you are looking to get into paintball fairly seriously and you are going to be playing a lot and shooting a lot of round as quickly as possible we would recommend not going with CO2 and here is why. CO2 is considered by most to be less effective than compressed air and is much harder on your equipment.

High Pressure Air (HPA) or nitrogen is stored in the tank as a gas which saves the headache of the evaporating issue. Air is stored in the tank at a very high pressure, typically 3000-5000 psi, and output is controlled with an attached regulator, this regulates the pressure from 450 psi to around 800 psi depending on the type of tank. This results in a much more consistent velocity than with CO2.

Keep in mind propane is still in its beginning stages but as of now the reports are that it shoots just as consistently as compressed air, you can shoot about 60 times more balls per tank that compressed air and CO2 and you dont have to worry about Hydro or Quality Tests.





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Paintball Gun Accessories

Debra Atkins asked:


As with almost everything man made, some of the parts for the paintball gun could need to be replaced. Either from common day wear and tear or user abuse. On occasion you may wish to change out several of the accessories. The important thing is most of the superior manufactures make this an simple procedure. With including the tools along with the purchase of the gun, to selling them separate, even the replace parts, accessories and upgrades may be bought. The fun thing is virtually all of us would upgrade. That is one way to take the game up the next level. 

The barrels are a fantastic way to replace a part and convert the whole style of the marker. For example, the A-5™ from Tippmann. The standard gun barrel length is 8.5 inches. This may be exchanged with a A-5 Flatline™ Barrel. This upgrade is a way to gain range and accuracy, while stops the need of arching your shot. The patented technology

from Tippmann produces the backspin forming the level and precise shot each paintballers work for, also that increases distance by 100 feet. Also there is the A-5 Sniper 14 inch gun barrel. Manufactured for better accuracy and longer distance over the standard barrels. There is also the A-5 Sniper 16 inch gun barrel as well. This is merely to give you an idea of how many accessories will be accessible. The A-5™ has a great choice of gun barrels, but we haven’t yet talked about the alternatives of different shrouds, tanks, triggers, and each of the small parts like o-rings.

Even though the various smaller parts of the paintball gun are way to numerous to observe in this section, it is important to acknowledge that these elementary and virtually all of the time inexpensive components and pieces are accessible. The paintball marker manufactures would not be pleased if you was not using with a paintball gun merely because of a small piece that cost less then a cola was preventing you from playing the sport or even uglier yet, bad mouthing their merchandise. How well would someone talk the product if there was no alternate accessories or upgrade components? 

The paintball gun package might be of very good aid to the purchasing of paintball equipment and accessories. Virtually all of the packages could be great for the novice or the beginner. Each of the packages can and will vary. With the addition of a mask and the gas canisters, that is wonderful for the novice. Also, numerous of the packages select a marker and include some of the accessories that a more advanced player could discover real appealing. 

About all paintball gun accessories for a marker can need to be replaced. Only that is a fantastic time to perform several of the thrilling upgrades to your equipment. Almost all of the pieces of the marker might be advanced with paintball gun accessories. This could allow for you to advance your game as well, maybe interchange to some of the gun barrels to play with the sniper paintball gun. Numerous of the paintball gun accessories are really smaller and cheap. Virtually all stores which sell the gun will keep a significant selection of the paintball gun accessories.



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Paintball Marker Accessories

Debra Atkins asked:


As with about everything made by man, some of the components for the paintball marker may have to be replaced. Either from normal wear and tear or user abuse. From time to time you might wish to modify out some of the accessories. The special thing is most of the superior manufactures make this an simple process. From including the tools with the purchase of the gun, to selling them separate, also the substitute upgrades, accessories and parts can be purchased. The exciting part is about all of us would upgrade. That is one way to step the game up the next level. 

The gun barrels are a wonderful means to exchange a accessory and alter the complete nature of the gun. For example, the A-5™ manufactured by Tippmann. The basic barrel length is 8.5 inches. That might be exchanged with a A-5 Flatline™ Barrel. This upgrade is designed to increase distance and accuracy, but stops the need of arching the shot. This patented technology from Tippmann creates a backspin for the level and precise shot all paintballers strive for, while that increases distance by 100 feet. There is also the A-5 Sniper 14 inch gun barrel. Fashioned for greater accuracy with longer distance compared to the regular gun barrels. Also there is the A-5 Sniper 16 inch barrel too. That is simply to present you an idea of how numerous parts will be acquirable. The A-5™ has a great option of gun barrels, and we haven’t even discussed the selections of different tanks, shrouds, triggers, and all of the smaller parts like o-rings. 

Although the various smaller accessories of the paintball marker are way to many to mention in this segment, it is all-important to acknowledge that these casual and nearly all of the time affordable accessories and pieces are accessible. The paintball marker designers might not be pleased if you was not playing with a paintball marker just because of a little accessory that cost less then a cup of coffee was preventing you from playing the sport but even worse yet, bad mouthing their merchandise. How well can you talk the merchandise if there was no substitute components or upgrade accessories? 

The paintball gun package could be of real great aid to the buying of paintball equipment and accessories. Most of the packages would be fantastic for the novice or the beginner. Each of the packages can and will vary. With the addition of a mask and a gas canisters, this is essential for the beginner. But, numerous of the packages select a marker and put some of the accessories which a more advanced participant could discover very attractive. 

About all paintball gun accessories for your marker will have to be exchanged. But this is a fantastic reason to perform many of the exciting upgrades on the equipment. Nearly all of a parts of the gun might be upgraded with paintball gun accessories. This would allow you to upgrade the game as well, perhaps switch to one of the gun barrels to role play with the sniper paintball gun. Several of the paintball gun accessories could be very smaller but inexpensive. Almost all stores that sell the marker would maintain a wide selection of the paintball gun accessories.



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Paintball Pistols: Pros and Cons

kevin asked:


 

Paintball pistols are small pocket paintball guns loosely resembling pistols. They are either pump action or semi-automatic firing.They are usually .68 caliber and powered by a 12 gram co2 power let or cartridge. They are most successfully used as a sidearm or back-up gun to complement a main weapon of choice. There are pros and cons to carrying paintball pistols as compared to standard paintball guns.

PROS

Paintball pistols are extremely light and portable. They are very useful in woodsball because they are compact and can be kept in a pocket, harness or holster.

They are highly manoeuvrable enabling you to move around corners and across the field more easily. They are useful for those tight spots on the field that require quick responses and the ability to shoot fast and hit hard.

Pistol markers are ideal for bunker assaults and quick hit and run or intimidatory tactics. They make the perfect sidearm in a last resort situation.

Most paintball pistols are quick and easy to reload; Some take literally seconds to drop and reload a new magazine. This makes for much swifter action on the field. They are highly upgradeable and easy to disassemble and clean.

CONS

Because of their shorter barrels, paintball pistols lack the accuracy of a good rifle. Most pistols perform best within a 25-50 meter range. If you need to shoot further, a longer barreled gun is a better option. Shorter barrels give paintballs less time to stabilize before leaving the gun, which results in less accuracy over a greater distance.

Pistols have a smaller ammunition capacity than standard paintball guns. This leaves the player at a severe disadvantage against an opponent.

Paintball pistols have a smaller air capacity and are not as powerful as the longer barreled markers. They are usually powered by a 12 gram co2 cartridge. Depending on the weather conditions and how the pistol is chrono’d, you can only expect around 30 shots from one cartridge. This, again, puts you at a disadvantage against a player with a more powerful weapon.

Paintball pistols have their place in the game. They are light weight, easy to handle, highly manoeuvrable and quick loading. They are particularly handy in scenario ball or woodsball as an efficient sidearm. You must, however, be aware of their limitations and not expect the same performance from them as you would from a standard paintball marker.

Hawksbill Paintball Hawksbill Sports was established by players, for players. Our goal is to give you the products you need to enjoy the sport of paintball. We have low prices and fast shipping and promise the best customer service you can find anywhere. for more information about paintball gun, pistols and other accessories, go to Paintball pistols

 



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Paintball Do you Want the Advantage?

Joel pearce asked:


Having the best gear helps having an advantage over your opponent when playing paintball. Little things like lighter vests, goggles, helmets, gloves and of course your gun. If you take your paintball seriously you’ll know what I’m on about. Having lighter gear means more movability, more energy and smarter thinking. But you must choose your gear carefully some paintball gear looks good but in actual fact could slow you down or won’t provide you with the stealth or accuracy you will need to win the game.

How can you tell which gear is right for you. Well it will all be determine by your level of game play if you are a beginner start of with the basic rented gear. Doing this gives you a better idea about the gear associated with paintball. Playing with rented paintball gear for the first time will provide you with information on which things are uncomfortable, to heavy or just won’t fit you right. This is a great way to find out about paintball gear and the way the game is played.

Experienced Players know that paintball guns are an important factor. Prices can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars. So let’s talk about paintball guns there are hundreds of different guns on the market but which ones give you that big advantage. Obviously having a lighter gun will increase your moveability but what about the length of the gun barrel? In my opinion the ideal length of your paintball gun should be around 8 to 14 inches having a barrel any longer really doesn’t provide any advantages. It does not give you more accuracy, makes movability a lot harder and of course the gun it self will be heavier. Take your time when finding a paintball gun ask other gamers which gun they prefer best for there style of game.

The right gear can mean the difference of winning and losing but also more importantly safety. Make sure you find good strong safety gear. Your safety gear should fit your body Comfortably having lose paintball gear can be dangerous especially goggles and your helmet. So make sure you find the right gear to protect yourself and give you the best possible advantage over your opponent, but please remember have fun!! Your, not going to win every game, it’s a team sport you can’t win it by yourself.

I wish you and your friends the best on your next paintball game experience and hope you enjoy the adrenaline rush playing paintball provides.



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Paintball Variety

Mike Lang asked:


Paintballs can be found at many prices all the way from the more expensive, tournament grade paintballs, to the cheaper ones suitable for recreational paintball games and practice.

The more you pay for the paintball, the better it will be. Expensive paintballs will be more accurate and don’t break as easily as the cheaper brands do. The expensive ones have uniform size and shape. They travel farther and don’t curve and the paint shows up better. More expensive paint balls don’t sting as much when they hit you. Cheaper balls are often misshapen and not entirely round. They may have dimples that cause them to drift to the right or left making accuracy an issue. They will sometimes break in the barrel instead of resisting the pressure and breaking on your opponent.

Some of the manufacturers that make tournament grade paintballs are Diablo, Evil, Nelson, and Core. The content of these balls are different than those used for recreational paintball. The shell is made from a very thin shelled gelatin that won’t break inside the barrel of the gun. The paint inside the paintball in these brands is newer and brighter so it can be seen easily even with goggles or a mask on.

There are cheaper paintballs that can be bought but the materials used to make them are not as good as the more expensive ones. The paint is often older and doesn’t show up as well or may *****. The paint is often harder to clean. If you are using paintballs for practice or for recreational games don’t hesitate to purchase the cheaper ones but if you are serious about your game, go for the better balls.

Some manufacturers make specialty paintballs. There ones that glow in the dark for use in night games. These are pretty expensive but worth it if you are going to play in the dark. You can also get winterized and non winterized paintballs. You are starting to find unusual colors in paintballs such as pink. Some paintballs combine 2 different colors.

Core Action Paintballs are a little more expensive than most but boast that the shell breaks on the target instead of inside the barrel. They are sold in a 2000 round box with 4 bags of 500 paintballs each. You can get them for about $45 to $55 per box. Evil Paint balls are a little more expensive at $65. Most tournament grade paint balls will cost you anywhere from $50 to $100 per 2000 round box. Some sell in lots of 500 per box as well.

Monster sells boxes of practice paintballs and you can get a box of 500 for about $15 to $20. Watch eBay for cheaper paint balls as well. There is usually a deal on them there. You will some times see a box of 2000 for $30 or $40.

No one ever said paint ball was cheap. Supplies cost a bit of money but if you are a real enthusiast you can find what you need at a price you can usually afford.



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Try a Tippmann Paintball Gun for a Custom Made Game

Paintball Guns asked:


Tippmann offer a nice line of paintball gear for the serious player. Tippmann paintball guns come in a variety of styles to suit any players needs. A Tippmann marker is backed by the guarantee of trust in a top manufacturer in the field of paintball gear.

Tippmann offers a range of choice, from the Tippmann flat line to the Tippmann sniper. Tippmann paintball guns feature short barrels, long barrels and a wide array of styles and features. A Tippmann marker is made for speed and accuracy, as well as a great looking design and durability.

The Tippmann a-5 and Tippmann 98 are two great examples of what they have to offer. Both feature a long barrel with extreme feed speed for fast shooting. Accessories like Tippmann 98 custom, Tippmann a-5 barrels and the Tippmann a-5 upgrade make these two guns easily customized.

Additionally, there is the Tippmann x7 which is customizable to the extreme. Other customizing options include Tippmann barrels, Tippmann stick, and other Tippmann accessory choices. These things make Tippmann guns perfect for anyone.

Backed by the Tippmann name, Tippmann paintball guns are one of the best. They are easy to make into whatever a player desires with functions and abilities that rank at the top of the industry. Any player looking for a new paintball gun should consider checking out Tippmann for what they have to offer. They have a nice selection and are eager to customize whatever is necessary to please the player and help him excel at his game play.



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The Many Genres of Paintball

Mike Mitchell asked:


Paintball, while extremely fun and invigorating, isn’t the end all to be all of the game. There around about six different genres of paintball play including, scenario paintball, woodsball, tournament, tourney ball and speedball. To further the point, speedball itself can be subcategorized into airball and hyperball. This article is going to go over these genres and explain what fun they provide.

Woodsball

It is said that woodsball is the birth of paintball. As the name describes the game is played in the woods. The primal and natural setting adds much more dimension to the paintball played in a controlled arena. Since the game is played au natural, it is a game of stealth and requires the players to stalk their opponents. The area the game is played in offers the capacity for dozens and dozens of players.

Keeping quiet, playing possum and keeping watch are the strategies woodsball players excel in having. Being sneaky is imperative because paintball markers (guns) are really loud when they are fired and as a result the players will do everything possible to avoid that. There are markers that act the same way a silencer acts for a real gun by offering a much quieter release. Any obstacle to upholding the secrecy of a team’s location is sure to be averted and a player’s accuracy when firing is quintessential in this effort.

The great thing about woodsball is that the players can custom fit their theme to their imaginations. They aren’t forced to conform to a scenario and have free range to dream up any character and story they wish!

Speedball

This form of the game is as its name bluntly suggests, fast! It’s not played on a broad field rather speedball is held in close accommodations like around the size of a high school indoor basketball court. The same props used to offer players shelter from their opponents are used in speedball and are evenly placed to offer both teams places to duck and cover.

Unlike in woodsball, the players shoot like there’s no tomorrow and are usually closer to their intended targets. Due to its quick style, speedball is a surefire way to practice your aloofness and dexterity. Because of this, this style of paintball is normally used for paintball training.

Scenario

Scenario paintball is a lot like woodsball. It’s based on specific scenario and the players each have roles to play. This sort of paintball play usually involves a great deal of players and is done on a very large field and lasts way longer than traditional paintball or speedball, commonly lasting for days at a time.

Airball and Hyperball

Airball is a form of speedball that is very common and highly popularized. Hyperball uses different types of markers made up of uneven pipes. Both Airball and hyperball is played on a rectangular shaped field.

Of all the possible ways to play, paintball has become a highly sought after game and widely played sport. Pick your poison. For the super athletic and fast paced speedball may be for you. With the sneaky may prefer a game woodsball. No matter the genre you choose be safe and have fun.



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How to Buy and Select Cheap Paintball Guns

matt q may, Sr. asked:


While one should never sacrifice value over the quality of paintball safety equipment, paintball guns are available today at reasonable prices and with a wide variety of interesting features.

When deciding which the best paintball gun is for you, be realistic and determine your “skill level”. When just beginning, and do not know the frequency of your play, begin with an inexpensive gun.

To decide which features you need in a paintball gun, you can borrow markers from your friends and try them on different paintball fields. After you have decided on the features you want then start shopping for your gun.

When playing for recreation, there is really no need to spend a great deal of money as there are many recreational guns of good quality that are not expensive. Note that there are also several poor quality markers on the market so you need to your research before you buy to make certain that the marker that you purchase is dependable and can be upgraded.

When you are making plans to play in tournaments, determine what type of tournament that you will be entering. If you are going to play in small tournaments you may use a less expensive marker or upgrade your old one.

However, in the larger tournaments, you will need an “electro-pneumatic” or a “blow-forward” gun, which costs a minimum of $350.

The cost of markers depends primarily on the gun’s pressure system as well as its accessories. The most popular system today is the “carbon dioxide pressure system” normally used in the less expensive markers.

The primary disadvantage is that usually the carbon dioxide’s performance is influenced by the temperature outside, and changes from its gas state to liquid resulting in velocity instability that affects its shooting accuracy.

Serious paintball players use the “high-pressure air and nitrogen system” markers that are much more accurate because the nitrogen will never liquefy. Having this characteristic, these markers are more expensive.

Extra accessories also increase the cost of your marker. A loader or hopper is a very popular accessory. It is a container that feeds paintballs into the gun. Hoppers are available in many varieties – some are powered and automated. Fast and lightweight hoppers are more expensive.

Just keep in mind that the any marker that you purchase will not be perfect and will ultimately have flaws. So when purchasing your marker, always double check the choices offered and purchase a gun only if you know what you really want.



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