Paintball Safety Rules
Mike Mitchell asked:
The rules of a paintball match may vary depending on the rules of the house where the paintball field is located. There are nuances to rules governing the number of players, how a flag is captured, time limits, and other game details.
However, there are universal safety rules that should be followed no mater what kind of paintball game you are playing, and on no matter what kind of field you are playing on.
Plug it up.
Paintball guns come with a barrel blocking device, or plug. Use it. The plug should be inserted into the barrel whenever you are not on the playing field.
Wearing a mask is macho.
Your mask must be worn at al times during the game. There are no exceptions to this rule. Don’t take it off for any reason until all the barrel plugs have been placed back on all the guns. The most severe paintball injuries occur when a mask is removed at the wrong time.
Your gun should be loaded, not you.
This is a simple one to remember – Do not drink and play. Do not play paintball if you are under the influence of any substance; illegal or prescription. You need to be fully coherent to dodge those paintballs whizzing by your head.
Do not blind fire.
Only shoot it if you can see it. Do not stick your gun out and fire without looking. You could accidentally shoot players and other things you shouldn’t.
Offer surrender.
As you can imagine, close-range shots are a lot more painful than shots from a distance. You should offer surrender to any opposing player within twenty feet if you have a shot on them.
Keep paintball velocity in check.
Keep the velocity under 300 feet per second (FPS). A good rule of thumb is around the 280 range. At 280 FPS a paintball can cause a small bruise; a paintball traveling faster than that can cause more damage including severe welts and broken skin.
Common safety takes some common sense.
Finally, most problems can be avoided with the best piece of equipment that doesn’t cost a dime – common sense. It should go without saying, but some people need to be reminded to not shoot private property, don’t shoot from a moving car, don’t look down the barrel of a gun, don’t hand someone else a loaded gun, etc.
Paintball is meant to be fun and exciting. Following some basic safety rules can help you ensure your day ends in good times, and not a trip to the emergency room.
It is interesting to note that paintball is considered to be one of the safest extreme sports in the world. While there are safety hazards and rules that prevent injuries, paintball is actually a very safe sport when compared to others like “running with the bulls.”
Paintball sometimes gets a bad reputation because guns are being used when playing. Don’t let the equipment influence your choice to play the game! Get out there and play!
Caffeinated Content
The rules of a paintball match may vary depending on the rules of the house where the paintball field is located. There are nuances to rules governing the number of players, how a flag is captured, time limits, and other game details.
However, there are universal safety rules that should be followed no mater what kind of paintball game you are playing, and on no matter what kind of field you are playing on.
Plug it up.
Paintball guns come with a barrel blocking device, or plug. Use it. The plug should be inserted into the barrel whenever you are not on the playing field.
Wearing a mask is macho.
Your mask must be worn at al times during the game. There are no exceptions to this rule. Don’t take it off for any reason until all the barrel plugs have been placed back on all the guns. The most severe paintball injuries occur when a mask is removed at the wrong time.
Your gun should be loaded, not you.
This is a simple one to remember – Do not drink and play. Do not play paintball if you are under the influence of any substance; illegal or prescription. You need to be fully coherent to dodge those paintballs whizzing by your head.
Do not blind fire.
Only shoot it if you can see it. Do not stick your gun out and fire without looking. You could accidentally shoot players and other things you shouldn’t.
Offer surrender.
As you can imagine, close-range shots are a lot more painful than shots from a distance. You should offer surrender to any opposing player within twenty feet if you have a shot on them.
Keep paintball velocity in check.
Keep the velocity under 300 feet per second (FPS). A good rule of thumb is around the 280 range. At 280 FPS a paintball can cause a small bruise; a paintball traveling faster than that can cause more damage including severe welts and broken skin.
Common safety takes some common sense.
Finally, most problems can be avoided with the best piece of equipment that doesn’t cost a dime – common sense. It should go without saying, but some people need to be reminded to not shoot private property, don’t shoot from a moving car, don’t look down the barrel of a gun, don’t hand someone else a loaded gun, etc.
Paintball is meant to be fun and exciting. Following some basic safety rules can help you ensure your day ends in good times, and not a trip to the emergency room.
It is interesting to note that paintball is considered to be one of the safest extreme sports in the world. While there are safety hazards and rules that prevent injuries, paintball is actually a very safe sport when compared to others like “running with the bulls.”
Paintball sometimes gets a bad reputation because guns are being used when playing. Don’t let the equipment influence your choice to play the game! Get out there and play!
Caffeinated Content
New To Paintball?
Taylor J asked:
Don’t be ashamed of being new to paintball. We all had to start somewhere with no experience. I’ve seen a number of new players discouraged by more experienced players pestering and using the phrase “noob”. Rule 1, don’t listen to bastards like this. A good paintball player will help you learn about the sport. Don’t expect players to be nice to you if you are rude to them, but respect them and they will respect you.
The first question I am asked about paintball is “Does it hurt?”. Well, no, it doesn’t feel pleasant by any means. However, it is more than likely less painful than you would expect. Granted, unless you get shot at a short distance (which you’re not supposed to do) which can cause a nice bruise and OCCASIONALLY can cause VERY LIGHT bleeding. All the more reason why not to get shot.
The next question you’ll probably be asking yourself is what gun to use? Well, this varies on a number of things. Mainly, how often you play and how big your budget is. If you have NEVER played paintball before I would recommend borrowing a gun or renting a gun from a field. If it turns out that you don’t like paintball, your loss would be much less than if you purchased a $250 gun.
This leads me to my next point: buying gear. Although it’s nice to have the best gun in the world, it doesn’t mean anything unless you know how to play the game. In my opinion, starting with a cheaper gun is more beneficial to your skill as well as your wallet. A Tippman 98 Custom is an excellent starting gun for most new players. It may seem a tad pricey at first ($140 – $160), but it is quite cheap compared to other guns, which can easily exceed $1,000. If you can find a “player’s package” with your gun, I would recommend it. This usually includes a hopper, a mask and sometimes other gear. Generally you get a discount on these items. However, when purchasing a mask, I would highly recommend that you make sure that replacement lenses are readily available. If your lens is cracked, has any sort of damage that could compromise its integrity, has been shot within 10 ft. or is over a year old, it should be replaced. This might seem like a pain in the ass, but it beats the lens shrapneling into your eye and you loosing your eyesight.
Your mask, however, is not the only thing that needs maintenance. A paintball gun does require maintenance after it has been played with and periodically when stored for long periods of time. Your CO2/HPA tank usually only needs its O-ring replaced if it is broken. After you’re done playing and you’ve removed your air and hopper, look at your gun. Inspect for any physical damage first. Look for anything out of the ordinary that looks like it could hurt the gun’s performance or safety. Next, REFER TO YOUR GUN’S DISASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS and remove the bolt mechanism. Clean out the breach and barrel with a squeegee until all the paint is gone. Examine your bolt mechanism, remove all paint and inspect the O-rings of the bolt (assuming your bolt has O-rings). As long as your bolt has no damage, you’re good. Oil the bolt with PAINTBALL OIL, as other oils can cause the O-rings to swell (I have, however, had luck with RemOil). Reassemble your gun and test it out with a dry fire or two. For your hopper, as long as it is gravity fed, you can generally just run water through it to clean it. If it is electric, use caution with water. Water and electronics don’t mix. Also, some people simply run water through their guns. While this may work, it can also damage your gun over time therefore I cannot recommend “drowning” your gun to clean it.
Hopefully, this guide has helped you getting into this fast growing sport.
Create a video blog…instantly.
Don’t be ashamed of being new to paintball. We all had to start somewhere with no experience. I’ve seen a number of new players discouraged by more experienced players pestering and using the phrase “noob”. Rule 1, don’t listen to bastards like this. A good paintball player will help you learn about the sport. Don’t expect players to be nice to you if you are rude to them, but respect them and they will respect you.
The first question I am asked about paintball is “Does it hurt?”. Well, no, it doesn’t feel pleasant by any means. However, it is more than likely less painful than you would expect. Granted, unless you get shot at a short distance (which you’re not supposed to do) which can cause a nice bruise and OCCASIONALLY can cause VERY LIGHT bleeding. All the more reason why not to get shot.
The next question you’ll probably be asking yourself is what gun to use? Well, this varies on a number of things. Mainly, how often you play and how big your budget is. If you have NEVER played paintball before I would recommend borrowing a gun or renting a gun from a field. If it turns out that you don’t like paintball, your loss would be much less than if you purchased a $250 gun.
This leads me to my next point: buying gear. Although it’s nice to have the best gun in the world, it doesn’t mean anything unless you know how to play the game. In my opinion, starting with a cheaper gun is more beneficial to your skill as well as your wallet. A Tippman 98 Custom is an excellent starting gun for most new players. It may seem a tad pricey at first ($140 – $160), but it is quite cheap compared to other guns, which can easily exceed $1,000. If you can find a “player’s package” with your gun, I would recommend it. This usually includes a hopper, a mask and sometimes other gear. Generally you get a discount on these items. However, when purchasing a mask, I would highly recommend that you make sure that replacement lenses are readily available. If your lens is cracked, has any sort of damage that could compromise its integrity, has been shot within 10 ft. or is over a year old, it should be replaced. This might seem like a pain in the ass, but it beats the lens shrapneling into your eye and you loosing your eyesight.
Your mask, however, is not the only thing that needs maintenance. A paintball gun does require maintenance after it has been played with and periodically when stored for long periods of time. Your CO2/HPA tank usually only needs its O-ring replaced if it is broken. After you’re done playing and you’ve removed your air and hopper, look at your gun. Inspect for any physical damage first. Look for anything out of the ordinary that looks like it could hurt the gun’s performance or safety. Next, REFER TO YOUR GUN’S DISASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS and remove the bolt mechanism. Clean out the breach and barrel with a squeegee until all the paint is gone. Examine your bolt mechanism, remove all paint and inspect the O-rings of the bolt (assuming your bolt has O-rings). As long as your bolt has no damage, you’re good. Oil the bolt with PAINTBALL OIL, as other oils can cause the O-rings to swell (I have, however, had luck with RemOil). Reassemble your gun and test it out with a dry fire or two. For your hopper, as long as it is gravity fed, you can generally just run water through it to clean it. If it is electric, use caution with water. Water and electronics don’t mix. Also, some people simply run water through their guns. While this may work, it can also damage your gun over time therefore I cannot recommend “drowning” your gun to clean it.
Hopefully, this guide has helped you getting into this fast growing sport.
Create a video blog…instantly.