Paintball Guns – The Different Types

kevin asked:


Tippmann paintball guns are amongst the most popular in the market due to their quality, durability, reliability and ease of use. The best players recommend these markers because they help them win. There is a wide range of Tippmann paintball guns to choose from. This article will clarify important differences between the models and highlight their unique features.

Tipmann designed the first Tipmann paintball gun the SMG60. Hot on its heels came the semi-automatic 68-Special which could contain up to 40 paintballs. Here is a breakdown of the Tippmann paintball guns available today.

The Alpha Black, or Army Alpha Black, is the newest model.

The 98 Custom is a the popular choice of the players. It has a clam-shell design which can be dismantled for easy cleaning and maintenance.

The Custom Pro is an upgraded model of the 98. It has a double trigger, a drop-forward and is scratch resistant.

The A-5 has a new, innovative loading concept- the cyclone feed. This enables the marker to have a higher rate of fire, a maximum of 15 balls per second, without using after market loaders. Rotating arms in the hopper move the paintballs into the firing chamber. It is one of the most easily upgradeable of the Tippmann paintball guns and is considered to be the best one in the field.
The X-7 has a soft paddle cyclone feed and can fire up to 20 balls per second. It is an upgraded, heavier, more modern version of the A-5. It has a response trigger and an E-grip.

The C-3 runs on propane, the first of its kind. It has a 16 ounce propane tank containing up to 50 000 shots. It is safe and maintains a consistent pressure.

The Triumph marker is one of the more compact and lightweight of the Tippmann paintball guns. It comes in 3 models: XL, XT and EXT. They have a double trigger, center feed neck, in-line bolt system and a 200 gravity feed round hopper.

The TPX is the most recent pistol. It uses a magazine inserted into the grip rather than CO2 cartridges and is, therefore, a lighter weight.

Tippmann paintball guns have a reputation for reliability and are favoured by players of all levels. Their quality and durability should ensure that you get the best out of the sport.

Hawksbill Paintball 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 advice about the different gun types, features and options, go to Paintball Guns



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The Parts Of A Paintball Gun

Chris Abro asked:


It is important to know the different parts involved in the makeup of a paintball gun. The different elements are crucial to the successful working of your marker, and beginners will often be confused when receiving instructions because of their lack of knowledge of what the basic parts are. Knowing the parts of your paintball gun will also help you have a better idea of what you should be looking at when it is time to clean or upgrade your marker.

The body of the marker is the largest part of the gun. The body refers to the area of the gun that incorporates the trigger frame, the valve, and the bolt. All of these pieces can be detached from each other in order to incorporate new equipment, but only experts on their guns should attempt this. Makers of paintball guns have a fairly standard approach when it comes to the body of the gun, with the main difference being in the placement of the trigger and the barrel. Pushing the trigger frame forward shifts the balance of the gun and thus makes it easier to handle with one hand. It will also cause the body to have a lower profile, which is crucial when players are involved in games where hopper hits count towards elimination. The difference is plain when newbies and pros are present in the field, as the rental guns provided by most outfits have huge and bulky bodies that present a lot of hit potential.

The hopper is the part of the gun that holds the rounds of paint. No matter how high end, manufacturers have not perfected a hopper which prevents balls from breaking in containment. These breaks will often lead to jams of the feeding mechanisms and the gun itself, which in turn may cause more balls to break. Gravity-feed hoppers are especially prone to ball breakage while still in the hopper because of their jamming problems. Aside from gravity-feed, there are also agitation hoppers, force feed hoppers, and stick feed hoppers.

The tank is the part of the gun which contains the type of gas that propels the ball forward down and out of the gun’s barrel. Markers use either CO2 gas or high pressure air as propulsion material. The CO2 gas is the original, but HPA is preferred as it is more reliable than CO2 and does not require an evaporation system in order to fire.

Finally, the barrel of the marker is what the ball travels down when the trigger is compressed. The barrel is responsible for the speed and the accuracy, as well as the distance, at which a ball travels, and is thus arguably the single most important component of the gun. Longer barrels will fire quieter than shorter models, but a marker owner should remember that no matter what length of barrel, the paintball can only travel a set distance in order to break. While really long barrels may look intimidating and offer better accuracy, they also are prone to be ineffective since they require a larger burst of air to propel the ball faster to make up the distance within the barrel itself.



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History of Paintball

Steffen Leinsvang asked:


The History Of Paintball

In this article i’m mainly going to show you some markers that have left their trace in the history of paintball. But first: A small introduction.

The first actual game of paintball took place in 1981, between 12 players using the Nelspot 007. The first game was a capture the flag scenario game. Trough the 80’s the sport of paintball started spreading . First it spread to England, Australia and South Africa. Some years later it reached Europe. In 1992 the NPPL was founded and the year after there was played 4 tournaments around the country. In 1996 the World Championships Of Paintball was produced and aired by ESPN.

The first company that made a marker was Nelson Paint Company, the marker was called the Nelspot 007 and was originally used to mark trees in the forestry business.The Nelspot 007 was a bolt action or pump action pistol powered by 12 gram Co2 cartridges. The gun could also be set up with a ASA to accept HPA or Co2.

The Splatmaster was a very economic choice because it only costed around 80$. It’s internals was pretty similar to the 007 but the body was made out of solid plastic (The 007 was all steel). It held 10 round tubes of 0.68 cal. ammunition.

The Tippmann 68 Special hit the market around 1990 and it was a big hit!

This is what Tippmann wrote about it: “We took our finest gun and put it on steriods. The result is the 68 special. A new hybrid weapon with proven Tippmann quality and reliability. It combines the ruggedness of the SL-68, the most durable gun we’ve ever built, and the speed of the SMG-60, the only full automatic CO2 paintball gun.

The 68 Special is a true semi-automatic, not a double action with a new gravity feed system that eliminates ball breakage and double feeding. A 1/8″ light trigger movment lets you shoot as fast as you can squeeze off rounds. And a new liquid CO2 system that will shoot up to 200 rapid shots without loss of velocity. “

 

Now, things have changed and there are electric markers that shoot 20 balls per second. In USA alone, the number of paintball players is almost 10 millions. And the sport is still growing!

If you want to know more about older guns and the history of paintball check out this site:
 

-Steffen” title=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYjC5VqHfM8

 

-Steffen” target=”_blank”>www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYjC5VqHfM8

 

-Steffen
Leinsvang

www.Soldierpaintball.com



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Paintball Guns

Jason Smith asked:


Paintball guns are the primary equipment in paintball game. This is also called paintball marker and they generally use compressed air or carbon dioxide to release paintballs through the barrel. Most of the paintball guns have 4 main parts that includes the body, gas system, hopper and barrel. All these come in a package, you may also buy separate. Paintball guns are usually known as paintball marker as people often think it as a deadly sport.

Description of the Paintball guns:

Most of the paintball guns have a body made of aluminum as this metal significantly lowers the weight of the marker. The body comprises of all the main parts essential for firing, like trigger frame, loaders, valve and bolt.

Trigger frames – are an integral feature of these paintball guns. One can achieve high firing rates depending on the force required to fire from the marker and also the space the trigger moves before the action takes place. Electronic trigger frames are expensive and have different advantages like sensing abilities. It affects the rate of firing and records a very high rate. There are also non-electric guns that use mechanical trigger frame and uses a number of levers and springs.

Valve and bolt – this combination assists to fire the gun or marker. The valve and the bolt control firing and direct airflow allowing the paintballs enter the chamber.

Hoppers or loaders:

These are responsible to hold paintballs before they are fired from the gun. These are several types – force feed, agitating, gravity speed and stick feed. The first three are quite popular and stick feeds are generally used for pump paintball guns. Gravity feed is cheaper and also simpler form of hopper. Agitating feeds use propeller that spins inside the container and agitate the paintballs. Stick feeds are positioned parallel to the barrel and in order to load the next paintball, the marker ahs to be tipped.

Propellers:

The tank consists of carbon dioxide or compressed gas that dismisses the paintballs through the barrel. Carbon dioxide is mostly used in cheap paintball guns. Whereas, compressed air is stored in tanks under high pressure, so it is suitable for expensive markers.

Barrels:

Barrels control the airflow and direct the paintballs out of it. These are generally in three types of configuration – one-piece, two-piece, and three- piece. Barrels are mostly 21 inches long but you can also get custom made barrels of 48 inches as well. These longer barrels are quieter than the shorter ones as they let extra gas pass out slowly. The interior diameter of the barrel is called a bore and it should match the paint otherwise it will give incorrect results.

Trigger mode:

There are different types of triggering modes available, some are pump action markers and some fully automatic. Pump paintball guns are like pump action shotguns that need to be manually re-cocked after every shot. This is a slower version among all the paintball guns and often players choose it for effective shots. It can fire in extremely steady rate if adapted properly. Semi-automatic trigger versions are also equally common for different purposes.



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Paintball Gun Packages

kevin asked:


 

Paintball gun packages are offered by most paintball gun shops, dealers and paintball gun manufacturers. They offer an ideal start up kit for players new to the sport, or players on a tight budget. They give you all you need to get you out there on the playing field. However, are the package deals as useful as they seem on the surface?

Typical paintball packages will include: a paintball gun (or marker), a mask, a hopper (or loader), an air tank, a squeegee and a barrel plug. More expensive packs may have in addition paintball oil, ammo packs, paintballs and other accessories. This covers all the basic kit you need to get you started at a reasonable price.

The greatest advantage of the paintball gun packages is their value for money. Buying piece by piece is expensive; it would cost you a lot more to buy the package items separately. For those of you on a limited budget, new to the sport or just not too fussy, a gun package is a good way forward.

Another advantage in purchasing these packs is a guaranteed compatibility. Every gun needs compatible paintball parts, such as the hopper. Paintball gun packages come straight from the manufacturers and they know what pieces go together. You could end up spending a lot of money on separate pieces which may not even fit your marker if you are not well informed.

Also, buying everything in one swoop is far more convenient. You will save a lot of time, energy and aggravation.

There are,however, drawbacks to paintball gun packages. They are compiled for beginners and although they offer relatively low prices, their quality may not be as good. Also, you may not actually want all of the pieces included in the package.

Most packs will include a traditional gravity feed hopper. If you want a marker with a firing speed of greater than 11 balls per second, you would be better off with a more sophisticated hopper. Packages will generally include a small co2 tank, when a bigger tank or a high pressure air tank may be of more use to you.

The gun and the mask are the two items you should choose most carefully. The gun must be easy to maintain, reliable, hard wearing and perform well. The mask must fit well and be comfortable. You must do your research and select a good quality, sensibly priced gun and mask that you really want. These two items must be your first consideration when browsing different package deals. If the package includes the gun and mask that you want, it is a good compromise to get you started and you might be prepared to put up with the other items in the package with a view to upgrading them at a later date.

In short, paintball gun packages are good value for paintball beginners as long as they include a good cheap gun and mask that you actually want. To settle for less would be an unwise compromise and a false economy.

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, features and paintball gun packages to get you started, go to: Paintball Gun Packages



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The Paintball Hopper – Different Types

kevin asked:


The paintball hopper, or loader, is the part of the gun that stores the ammo and feeds it into the chamber. The hopper type will greatly affect the speed, reliability and weight of the marker. Although there is a wide variety of paintball hoppers available on the market, they fall broadly into four main categories: force fed, agitating, gravity fed and stick fed.This article will highlight the differences between the types.

1. The Force- Feed Paint Hopper

These mechanized hoppers use a sophisticated spring-loaded or belt powered system to force the paintballs into the gun. They are mostly used by professional players because these innovative systems can keep up with the speed of play at this level.

Some have digital displays to show how many paintballs are left in the hopper. Others use wireless systems to continue feeding the paintballs before the gun’s pneumatic system has begun the next shot cycle. This system increases the loader’s speed and virtually eliminates misfeeds. Battery life is, therefore, extended as the gun doesn’t have to work so hard.

 2. The Agitating Paintball Hopper

These hoppers have a propeller inside the container and the small fan blades stop the ammo from blocking the neck of the gun. As with the force-feed hopper, the agitating hopper has a quicker firing pace than a gravity hopper. However, if these loaders come into contact with moisture, their more sophisticated systems can falter and fail to perform properly.

 3. The Gravity-Feed Paintball Hopper

These hoppers are ideal for someone wanting a cheap, easy to use hopper for their gun. They have a large container as well as a feed tube. They are able to feed more than eight balls per second, but not necessarily reliably or consistently. They can jam up markers and cause paintballs to pile up above the feed tube, which is placed at the bottom.

4. The Stick-Feed Loader

These are generally used on pump action guns. Their simple tubes can hold about 24 paintballs and run parallel to the gun barrel. You load the paintball by rocking the marker forward. Some stick feeds are vertical to enable gravity feeding, but due to their unreliability, the horizontal types are more popular with stock paintball players.

The paintball hopper is continually evolving and advancing, particularly the more complex types favoured by tournament playing paintballers. Anything from 40 to 300 paintballs can be held by different loaders. There is a hopper out there for every type of player at any level of paintball.

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, features and options, go to: Paintball Hopper

 

  

    



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