Sid’s Paintball

Pistols are small pocket paintball guns. They are usually .68 caliber and powered by a single CO2 powerlet or cartridge. These power sources are not very powerful, as they can produce up to 10 shots, no more. And that is one of the main reasons why players prefer paintball pistols for back-up.

Another reason is that they are very useful, while playing in woods because they are small and can be kept in the pocket, in a harness or in a holster. This can save from your time if you have already seen your opponent and want to act quickly. Pistols are small, so you can easily shoot before being seen.

Some paintball pistols have advantages, such as the possibility for quick change of the tank, or rubber grips, assuring more comfortable holding. There are paintball pistols that can easily be disassembled and cleaned inside (such as Tippmann’s pistols), or others that are upgradeable (for example Ariakon).

But try not to expect too much from a pistol. They are handy in woods, and they are helpful as a back-up, but they have their disadvantages. They cannot hold very many paintballs, and they are not so accurate or powerful.

One tip for you if you decide to buy a pistol – look for as much information as you can find, otherwise you may buy something, which may disappoint you afterwards and you will regret for your choice.

A paintball gun barrel is where paintballs are expelled. It is necessary for the inside surface of a barrel to be smooth and well polished. Otherwise, friction will occur between the barrel and the moving paintball.

What about the material of paintball barrels? There is no answer. It’s whatever a manufactuerer decides. Having a smooth inside surface has nothing to do with it. But if a paintball barrel is made of stainless steel, then everything will be perfect.

The longer the barrel, the more friction occurs between the barrel and the paintball. And consequently more air pressure is needed to force the paintball out of paintball barrels.

So, the standard length of paintball barrels is 12-15 inches (30 cm. – 33 cm.)

Porting. This is the word that stands for the holes in the barrel. Many people think that this will make the paintball gun shoot better. But it has been scientifically proven- there is no such thing. Just the opposite- the more the air which has to leave the barrel, the less it can power the paintball out of it. And so, it will greatly decrease the power and efficiency of your paintball gun.

The really good paintball gun barrels have only a “band” of holes at the end of the barrel. These will silent the sound of your shooting and reduce the friction without reducing the power of the shot.

As there is a large variety of paintball gun barrels, there are many differences between them. They differ in size, shape, porting, material, bore, rifling (for design of the inside surface of the barrel) and many others.

So, even if you are really very pretentious, with so many and so different types of barrels, you will surely find the one, that will fit you best.

In a game like speedball, where time is everything, strategic
decisions need to be made quick. Since the game is played in a
smaller area, and in 15-20 minute increments, players need to think
fast.

Here are some tips and tricks that apply to speedball.

Keep Moving! 

Players should constantly be moving from bunker to bunker, without
letting the opposing team see.  Using crouching techniques to do so
will limit the opposing teams view of your moving. Also, have
teammates cover each other during the movements.  Moving often
creates a hide and seek sort of effect. 

They may think you are in one bunker, but they did not see you move
to the other.  Moving often and quickly can trick opponents,
leaving you the chance to move closer to the flag, and sending them
on a wild goose chase.

Communication Crucial

Communication is important in every aspect of life, perhaps more so
in speedball!  In speedball things happen much faster than in
classic paintball.  Communication is necessary among your
teammates.  If you are guarding someone, let him or her know. 

If you are eliminated, let your teammates know.  Or, if you know of
an opposing player that has been eliminated, communicate that to
your teammates as well.  For example, if someone on the other team
was eliminated and you are unaware of it, you may not advance on
the field. 

If the teammate who ousted him told you, you would have known it
was safe to pass him.  If you are guarding someone and become
eliminated, let the person under your guard know so they know they
are on their own. 

Bunker Often

Bunkers are there to be used.  Take advantage of them.  In a
fast-paced game as speedball, being out in the open too long can
result in elimination.  Stay in bunkers as much as you can, and
find that you will stay in the game longer.

Watch Tunnel Vision

Tunnel vision is something that should be avoided in any type of
paintball game.  In speedball, the playing field is already
smaller.  Don’t make it even smaller by only focusing on a portion
of it.

The first, and probably most obvious method of becoming smaller is
crouching.  Crouching seems to be a lost position, as we no longer
have to do it in front of the television set, thanks to remote
controls.  On a paintball field, however, this could be a savior.
When crouching, players should tuck their bodies in as close as
possible, making sure knees and elbows are not protruding out.
This is almost like being in the fetal position, but upright.
Another way to look at this is as if the player is rolled up in a
ball.

Barriers

Another way to be lesser of a target is pay more attention to
posture and actions when behind a barrier. For one thing, players
should look around a barrier, not over it, as this will keep
showing the head to a minimum.  Once again, elbows need to be
minded, as they can stick out from a barrier.  They should be kept
tight against the body to prevent that from happening.

Ever hear the saying you make a better door than a window?  When
you are in the way, it is obvious.  That can be said for paintball
too.  And, obvious is obviously something a player does not want to
be.

The bigger a player appears to be, the easier they are to hit.
And, the object of paintball is to, of course, not get hit. By
bigger, I do not mean one’s stature or body type, but the way they
are presenting themselves on the field. 

Believe it or not, things like elbows can make all the difference
in a friendly game of capture the flag. 

So, play tight and do not show too much of your body while playing or you will be in the Deadbox.

Well, I had the opportunity to test a new gun the other day. Tippmann’s Triumph was more impressive than I would have imagined. I really was not expecting much from this marker at all. I do not care much for the looks of this marker and the front grip was a little uncomfortable, but the accuracy and reliability of this marker was excellent. Straight out of the box and no problem whatsoever. In a nutshell, this marker is a 98 custom with a completely different look and feel. This means that aside from the outward appearance, the internals are that of a 98. Another downfall of this marker is that you cannot really upgrade it. Basically, the only upgrades would be an electric hopper and a barrel. This is a great marker for anybody just starting out. They run anywhere from $100.00 to $140.00.

Finally, I am three days away from my first paintball game of the year. I wanted to play a lot earlier, but, with schedules and working two jobs, it gets pretty tough. I am confident that we have a really great crew to play with this year. Everybody seems so upbeat and ready to go. Some guys even went out and bought new markers. I myself bought marker upgrades and new camo. I went with the digital camo this year. Hopefully it does me well. I also picked up a digital camo tactical vest. I like this due to the holster on the front of it which I put my Airsoft pistol in. It is always nice to have backup…lol.

I will put up pictures and write more about the game and how it went next week.

Target Practice- Ways to Improve Aim

In a game like paintball, it’s crucial to have good aim.  Without
it, in a game where the enemy must be eliminated, a loss is certain
without hitting targets.  Good aim is a skill that is mastered over
time, but it is a skill that can be honed from the beginning.
There are some ways to practice aim prior to hitting the field.
For those that have their own equipment, here are some drills to do
from the backyard:

Hanging targets

Hang some targets, such as cans or bottles, from strings on tree
branches, clothesline poles and other sturdy objects.  The idea in
this is that the targets will be of height of opponents in
different positions.  Let the wind be a natural obstacle, as it
will mimic the opponent moving. 

If this becomes easy, move back a few steps, further to one side or
another, or choose smaller targets.  This is a surefire way to
build aiming skills.

Point Game

This is almost like solitaire for the paintball fanatic.  Set up
some different size targets in an area.  Put a can here, a piece of
wood there, and old doll over yonder, etc. Assign point values to
each of them, and then load the gun with only a certain amount of
balls.  (Kind of reminiscent of that amusement park shooting range
game, where players fire at objects that begin to move or make
noise, such as a piano player or a rocking chair….)

Players should first set a goal of a certain score they hope to
achieve.  Once the round is fired off, add up the points.  If the
goal is met, congratulations!  If not, practice makes perfect!  Try
again!  This could be implemented to play between several people
who would like to practice, each shooting a round and whoever has
the highest score wins.  While trying to reach a goal, this method
of practicing also builds aiming skills.

Obstacle Course

Since shooting while moving is sometimes a necessity, aiming on the
move also become something that needs to be practiced.  For a more
advanced way of practicing to hit objects, try moving at the same
time!  Set up a small obstacle course with targets.  Then, move
through the course while shooting at the targets.  Not only will
this help aim, but also simply aid in getting the body used to
moving through zigzags while using a weapon.

 A cradle, or as it is more formally known, a drop forward is a mount for the air
tank on your marker. The benefits of are two-fold. First, it can make the setup of your paintball gun more compact. A compact setup lets you get closer to your marker and use your sites effectively. Second, it can help you balance the weights, making your marker setup easier to handle. A drop forward can particularly make heavier tanks less tiring to hang on to.
Whether you actually need a drop forward depends on your personal preferences. As a recreational paintball player, you may not need one.However, most serious paintball players do have them. If you play a lot of paintball. It will allow you to play longer without your arms getting tired, as well as possibly improving your game. But, you do not have to have a drop forward to reign victorious.