There are many different ways to fill your pods. You can use pod fillers, pod caddies, or simply use the bag the paint comes in. Properly filling a pod to maximize your amount of rounds without breaking them is very important. In order to do this you must follow these steps:
No Paintballs should be smashed in the process of closing the lid. If they are smashed, remove a couple. If you shake the pod at step 7 and it has space, you need to add more Paintballs. Make sure your pods are filled snuggly.
To see a real example of this, checkout Hustle Paintball's video for how to do this below:
]]>Here are some things to consider when you are looking to buy a new barrel for your marker.
The barrel of your paintball gun can be broken down into two, three, or even four piece barrel kits. A control bore is the sizing. If you have a Freak Kit you will have an insert which acts as a control bore. Then there is the tip or the front which is fluted and functions to muzzle the sound.
Most of our used guns come with a barrel, but it can be fun to upgrade and play with finding the sweet spot. For example, the Dye Ironmen Limited Anniversary Edition 2K14 Black and Red marker comes with a barrel kit that included .684, .688 and .692 inserts.
We will continue our discussion of barrels and why they are so important to an accurate shot in our next blog. Be sure to check back and in the meantime, be sure to shop our wide selection of new and used markers, barrels, and paintball equipment.
A barrel is made up of several components: the tip, the barrel, the bored barrel, and the optional bore barrel insert. We’ll go over each of these parts and what makes qualities of each contribute to a good, true shot. This blog will concentrate on Bored Barrels.
Bored Barrels
First, for beginners, we should define what a bore is and what the caliber is. The bore is the inside diameter of the barrel and the caliber is the ball size. The standard caliber size is .68 caliber range. But they can vary from .50 to .695 caliber. For instance, you can see that the Planet Eclipse Pooty Splash CSL comes with two barrel backs: .681 and .689.
A bored barrel has been honed to the exact size of the paintball and the result is a truer shot. The front part of the barrel increases the length, and thus the range of the shot, and the back piece is bored to the caliber of the paintball. Once you’ve got your shot as true as you can get it through a perfectly honed barrel, it’s time to think about the length of the barrel. We’ll cover barrel length in our next blog.
In the meantime, shop our site for new and used paintball guns, hoppers, and all the gear you’ll need for victory on the field.
]]>Barrel Length
The length of the barrel determines the range of your shot. The average length is 12 inches to 16 inches. On a range, you can use a shorter barrel but if you are out in the woods you will want to go with a longer barrel for longer range.
Air Usage
One consequence to consider when using a longer barrel is your increased air usage. If you are using a longer barrel, you’ll be using more air to get the ball down the barrel. It is generally agreed that anything past 16 inches does not help accuracy, so save your air and go with a shorter barrel. Shorter barrels mean decreased accuracy but less air usage. Finding your sweet spot of air usage and accuracy is part of the joy of paintball.
Mix and Match for Perfection
Buying your paintball gun components separately gives you the opportunity to pick and choose the pieces that will give your just what you are looking for with regards to accuracy and range. For instance, The Macdev Clone GTI Dust White / Fire Splash marker would go great with the Bob Long Barrel Back .685.
When you are looking to refine your paintball equipment, look to us for everything your heart desires.
]]>When thinking about purchasing barrel components, one thing to consider is where you will be playing paintball. Most fields have the same Paintballs every week so you can depend on the size of the ball. In this instance, you can go ahead and have your barrel bored to fit that caliber ball. If you are a hyper ball player, playing a different field every week, you’ll want to get a full kit with inserts of varying size.
Insert Kits
An insert kit is a three piece barrel that is customized to a specific bore size and slides into the back of the barrel. Good kits can give you the accuracy you need without increasing the length of the barrel too much. Because the kit pieces are short they also won’t compromise your air consumption. We carry Freak barrel Insert kits, such as the GOG Freak Aluminium Insert Kit + Deadlywind Fibur Barrel. The Knock Out Barrel Kit A/C Threaded Kit is a beauty to behold and has five barrel backs and 5 barrel tips. Can have a lot of fun finding just the right combination to maximize your range and accuracy for the range you frequent.
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]]>Our first topic in Stealth and, really, this overlaps with so many other topics that we may be weaving in and out of this topic making useful connections. How you move makes all the difference in the quality of your stealth but how and where you stop matters too. Effective use of cover is key. When you stop and try to hide, choose something that has rough edges so if your elbow or knee protrudes, your opponent can easily mistake it for part of the outline of the object behind which you are hiding. An example of this would be a bush versus a tree. A tree has a predictable outline so if your silhouette is next to it the human mind sees a red flag. If, however you crouch next to a bush that has an irregular outline your crouched outline would be much less likely to be detected. If you are wearing camouflage that blends in with the foliage, you’ll be invisible. If you also use foliage as part of your camouflage or a scarf (durka) to make your shape less recognizably human you’ll go a far way to effective use of cover.
Check back next week for the continuation of this topic.
]]>We recently discussed ways to maximize your stealth when playing paintball. We discussed stealth in movement and behavior and now we’ll move on to being stealthy in visibility.
In the field the best method of communication to team member within your field of vision is hand signals. Most of the signals used by paintballers are universal and quite intuitive but you can look up a handy guide easily enough. Some communication is counterproductive, train yourself to not instinctively yell when you see an opponent and don’t die loudly, despite how fun that might be..save the dramatics for light-hearted practice time but don’t use it during a serious team effort. The best way to facilitate effective communication, be it radio, verbal or hand signals is to practice practice practice. Team work doesn’t happen by accident.
]]>Sound is your enemy when moving through the brush. Think ahead and avoid stepping on sticks, leaves or through branches. Before you get out on the range, take a practice job around and listen for any equipment that could be creating a jingle or a jangle. You can have the whole team do this and listen to each other. Sometimes it might make some teamwork to isolate what exactly is making the noise.
So, what do you do if you make a noise? Some people say to keep moving and others say to freeze and duck. It’s a matter of choice I’d say or a matter of using your situational awareness to make the right call. It depends on what the noise was and where you are. Do you need to move a few steps to get out of the open? It’s better to take a few steps and get out of danger than to freeze and get shot. If it is a matter of securing some equipment that will make even more noise if you were to proceed it would be better to stop and secure it. Check back for more info on stealth!
]]>Stealth. Anyone who has ever hunted or even played backyard hide and go seek knows the importance of stealth. By moving quietly and remaining undetected you maintain the element of surprise. If your entire team can manage this, you have a great chance at catching the opponent off guard. Moving slowly but steadily is key. If you move too fast you might lose focus and step on a branch and make a sound or call attention to the ‘enemy’ who is scanning the horizon for movement. If you do make a sound, keep moving since it would take multiple sounds from the same location for the ‘enemy to be able to triangulate the sound and figure out where you are and of course if you are no longer in the same location this would be difficult! Large number of team members are hard to hide so it is recommended that to maintain maximum stealth you limit your numbers to between 4 to 6.
Check back for more tips!
]]>That’s just the tiniest peak into the vast world of Paintballing. Next time we’ll talk about beginner tips to get you ready for your first time.
]]>If you are looking for the gear that you need to camouflage yourself like a pro, browse our selection! We offer a wide variety of paintball equipment, and you can rest assured that we have the right options for you!
]]>Although we've already given you several great tips for camouflaging yourself during a game of paintball, there are still a couple more things that you should consider. To learn more, please stay tuned for our next blog!
]]>These are just a couple of tips that can help you to camouflage yourself more effectively when you are playing a game of paintball. Want to learn more? If so, please stay tuned for our next blog!
]]>In one of our previous blogs, we talked about the two kinds of paintball play, woodball and speedball. To recap, woodball is generally a slower form of paintball, usually played in the woods, and speedball is played in a smaller field with less obstacles. Speedball is much more fast paced, but woodball is much more popular. If you are playing speedball, camouflage is less of a priority than movement, but when you camouflage yourself properly for woodball, you are much more likely to be successful! Camouflage decreases your enemies' chance of seeing you, which will allow you to eliminate them much more effectively.
Although it is important to have quality paintball equipment that you can rely on, how well you do in a game of paintball is about so much more than just the equipment. If you don't know how to camouflage yourself in woodball, you are holding yourself back! Want to learn how to camouflage yourself like the pros do? If so, please stay tuned for our next blog! Our experts will be giving you some tips on how to camouflage yourself like never before!
]]>When you head out on the field for your first paintball game, keep the above common mistakes in mind, so that you can avoid them and enjoy the game to the fullest.
]]>There is a very good reason as to why many paintball players decide to upgrade their marker's barrel. It will actually make a huge difference, especially if you are currently using a lower quality or larger bore barrel. Trust us, upgrading your barrel will be an upgrade that will make a noticeable difference each and every time you shoot your marker! The exciting part about getting a new barrel, is that you can purchase inserts or barrel backs. Inserts or a barrel back will allow you to use smaller paintball sizes than you would normally be able to use.
Here's where the rubber meets the road, so to speak. How to test and see if you have the right sized insert or barrel back. This is something you need to do every time you play, sometimes you might even have to check again midday to see if the paint changed. Grab a few, 4 or 5, paintballs from each bag of paintballs. Start with a larger sized insert or barrel back then you think you need, .689 is a good size to start with. One by one drop, or shoot ,the paintballs through the barrel, if they all fall out or don't get stuck, it's too large a bore. Go to the next size down and do the same thing. Once they start to get stuck, hold the barrel up to the light, if you can see light around the paintball you're ok, that means it has room to move. If the light is blocked that means the paintball would have exploded.
So if you want more accuracy and consistency when you shoot your marker, a great place to start is by upgrading the barrel. There is no reason for you to go out and purchase a whole new marker, when purchasing a new barrel can make such a huge difference for you! We have a wide variety of quality barrels for you to choose from, and we even have many used options that can help you save even more! Shop with us today!
]]>Before we tell you how to find the right paintballs for marker, you need to understand why size is important. If your paintballs are too small or too big, a different amount of air will escape each time you shoot, which makes it impossible to be able to shoot your gun consistently, and therefore it will be very difficult to accurately aim.
One of the best ways to tell if your paintballs are the right size for your marker is to remove the barrel of your marker, and place a paintball in the back of it. If the paintball is the right size, you will be able to move it when you blow into the barrel. If the paintball is too small for your marker's barrel, it will roll freely. If the paintball is too big for your barrel, it won't move when you blow at it, or it will only move a little bit. If you want to be able to tell if the paintballs are a good size for your marker before you buy them, you can simply find the brand that was made for your marker!
When it comes to paintballs, size matters. Don't be the person that tries to fit paintballs into your marker that are too big or too small. Increase your accuracy by buying the right fit the first time!
]]>No one wants to end up with a marker that won't work well for them, but luckily, with a little know-how and elbow grease, it is easy to keep your marker working like new!
]]>Lubricating your marker will help to improve its accuracy and efficiency. Cleaning and lubricating your marker are very important for keeping it in a good working order, but there are a couple more things that you should do. Learn more by staying tuned for our next blog!
]]>Cleaning your marker every once in a while is a must for anyone who plays regularly. To properly clean your marker, you should disassemble it, and clean away the dirt, paint, and grime with a clean and dry cloth. Steer clear of using water, soap, or an abrasive sponge. If you are having trouble getting the more stubborn stuff off with your dry rag, you can try using a little warm water or ISO Alcohol, but if you decide to use water, always make sure that everything is dry before you reassemble your marker. Be sure to pay close attention to the barrel, the chamber, and the breech of your marker while cleaning, as these are typically the dirtiest parts of any paintball gun.
Cleaning is just one of the many things that you can do to keep your marker in good working order. The next step is lubrication. Would you like to learn how to properly lubricate your paintball marker? If so, please stay tuned for our next blog!
]]>Dressing for your first game of paintball can be a bit tricky. You want to wear enough layers to cushion the blow to your skin, but you still want to be able to move easily. That is why your best bet is light layers that aren't too constricting. Wear baggy jeans, a t-shirt, a hoodie, and, depending on the weather, a light jacket. Keep in mind that if you get too hot, it is pretty easy to remove one of your layers, but it is much better to go into a game with too many layers than too few. Make sure that you wear clothes that you don't mind getting ruined. If you don't feel you have these kinds of clothes, a quick trip to Goodwill may be in order.
Paintball has sort of a bad reputation for being overly painful, but if you dress correctly for your first game, you can rest assured that you will have a blast! If you need any paintball equipment for your game, please feel free to peruse our online store. We offer a huge selection of new and used gear, and we offer free shipping on every order!
]]>Want to learn more great tips for becoming a better paintball player? If so, stay tuned for our next blog!
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