| All About Paintballs | | | | in your gun is to put the ball in one end of the barrel. |
| Paintballs are gelatin capsules filled with a | | | | If it rolls out on its own, it is too small. It is a good fit |
| water-soluble marking dye. The dye inside is | | | | if you can easily blow it out of the barrel. If you |
| non-toxic, meaning that if you swallow it, it will not | | | | cannot easily blow it out, it is too big. |
| hurt you. However, the taste is not very pleasant. | | | | When choosing the color of your paintballs, it is |
| Paintballs are manufactured by many different | | | | necessary to consider the playing environment. If you |
| companies. As with most things, paintballs can be | | | | are playing in the woods, bright colors may be |
| either low quality, or high quality. Of course, paintballs | | | | preferred, as it is easier to see the paint. Some |
| also come in a variety of colors. Paintballs can also be | | | | paintballs glow in the dark. If you are playing at night, |
| bought in many different quantities, with just as | | | | this may be what you want. |
| many variations of prices. | | | | A few brands of paintballs that are made for cold |
| Most paintball fields require you to purchase and use | | | | weather playing. They are designed for better |
| their paint. This is how they make their money. | | | | performance during the winter months. |
| Therefore, in most cases, brand and quality of the | | | | Occasionally, paintballs will break inside the barrel of |
| paint will not be deciding factors. | | | | your gun. If this is happening on a regular basis, there |
| The best way to determine which brand/quantity | | | | may be a problem. It could be the gun. You may |
| quality of paintballs you should buy is to know how | | | | have your velocity set to high. The ideal setting for |
| you will be using those paintballs. If you are using the | | | | your guns velocity is about 280. You may also bust |
| paintballs for practice, you naturally will want to go | | | | balls in the barrel if you do not keep it clean. Having |
| with the cheapest paintballs. Quality will not matter | | | | too much oil or not enough oil in the barrel can also |
| much in this instance. | | | | cause the paintballs to break. Often, too much air |
| If you will be using the paintballs for rec-ball, again, | | | | pressure, or uneven air pressure, can cause the |
| quality is not quite as important, and you may want | | | | paintballs to break. |
| to go with the cheapest price. However, if you will | | | | If the problem is not the gun, it is the paintballs. The |
| be using the paintballs for tournament play, quality | | | | most common problem will be the size of the |
| matters a great deal. You want paintballs that will not | | | | paintballs you are using. Try using a smaller size. Dirty |
| break easily inside your gun or in transit. At the same | | | | paintballs can also cause them to break. If your |
| time, you do want paintballs that will break easily | | | | paintball hits the ground, do not use it in your gun. |
| when they hit an opponent. Many tournaments will | | | | Take the loss. |
| require you to use the paint that they are selling. | | | | Cheaper paint breaks more often than quality paint. |
| Tournament grade balls tend to be resistant to | | | | Old paint breaks more often than new paint. Extreme |
| "wiping", meaning that the paint is harder to wipe off. | | | | temperatures also have an effect on your paint. |
| This discourages cheating. | | | | Unless your paint is especially made for cold |
| You must also purchase the right size paintballs for | | | | temperatures, avoid using it or storing it in such |
| your gun. Paintballs sizes are measured in calibers. The | | | | conditions. High humidity can also cause problems, by |
| most common caliber of the barrel on a paint gun is | | | | weakening and warping the paintballs. You should |
| .68. However, it is important that you check the | | | | throw out paintballs that you have had for three or |
| documentation that comes with your gun to make | | | | more months. Paint may also break if you are |
| sure you know the correct caliber of your gun's | | | | shooting the gun faster than what your hopper can |
| barrel, therefore enabling you to purchase the | | | | manage. This is called over shooting the feed. |
| correct caliber paintballs. | | | | When storing your paintballs, keep this in mind. Higher |
| Both paintballs and paint ball gun barrels range in sizes | | | | quality paintballs last longer than low quality when |
| from .67 to .71 calibers. Just because your gun | | | | kept in storage. You will need to store your paintballs |
| requires a .68 caliber paintball, does not necessarily | | | | in a dry area where the temperature does not vary |
| mean that this is the best caliber for your gun. | | | | too much. Store paintballs in a sealed container or bag |
| Paintballs are not perfectly round. You will need to | | | | to keep dust and dirt out. |
| experiment with different sizes, close to the caliber | | | | It is a good idea to purchase low quantities of |
| your gun calls for. It may be that a .67 caliber | | | | different quality/brand/priced paintballs and try them |
| paintball works best in your gun, even if your barrel | | | | out to see which one works best for you and your |
| bore is .68. An easy test to see if a paintball will work | | | | paintball gun. |