Understanding The Components of a Paintball Gun

One of the essential parts of a paintball gun is the hopper. The hopper is where your paintballs are stored before you deploy them. Why should you understand how the guns hopper operates? This article will explain that different gun hoppers will produce different results. When it comes to choosing the right paintball gun for your gamming needs, you will have to consider the hopper's ability to meet those requirements.

Imagine your are in an outdoor paintball arena. It's a cold damp drizzly day . Your target is in site. You have a perfect shot lined up. Making this shot will be the difference between winning or losing the game. Your are so close. You can't miss. You take aim, pull the trigger and nothing happens. Your opponent swings around and bang you're out of the game.

Types Of Paintball Gun Hoppers

There are many different types of gun hoppers. Basically, you will have a gun that is either feed based on agitating, force feed or those that work with gravity. These methods are all unique. If you have an agitating or a force feed hopper you may find that your gun won't provide you the security you want. They often fail in the worst of times. This usually caused by your paintball gun's battery getting wet. This stops everything. However, the good thing about these kinds of hoppers is that they offer the highest possible rate of fire. This feature may make up for their downside.

Other hopper variations are available like the Tippman A-5. It has a cyclone feed. This hopper does not require the use of batteries. Instead, it uses a CO2 tank or nitrogen. This kind of paintball gun hopper works by the feeder rotating internally. The feeder then loads the paintball into the breech. This occurs at the moment the bolt clears. This kind of operation makes it a very efficient choice of hoppers.

As for gravity style hoppers, you have the most basic of abilities here. These work by having a 90 degree angle designed into them so that the feed flows perpendicular to the paintball gun. This does not offer the same amount of shots per second, in some cases it may not be worth the cost. Yet, since it does not use batteries to power it, it is less likely to fail in the most importune times.


Choosing the right hopper for your paintball gun is essential. The problem is that with the better technology you also get an increase in price. However, you can find ideal paintball guns that work fairly well for a decent price if you take the time to compare models. You are likely to find the largest selection hopper choices are offered on the web.

Jan Bagchus
Paintball Enthusiast

Paintball,Paintball Guns, Paintball Gun Hoppers

How To Select The Right Paintball Gun For You

If you have never played paintball or used a paintball gun before you are probably more interested in just getting out into the field and blasting your opponent with paintballs. However, if you plan to make it a sport you intend to play more than once you need to know how the paintball gun works in order to select the right one for you.

Most paintball guns operate quite similar to a regular gun. The difference between regular guns and also between different types of paintball guns lies in the details of what makes them work. Knowing this can mean the difference between a successful game or not being permitted at all to play on the field.

Basic Paintball Mechanics

• Paintball guns employ rapidly expanding gas. Usually CO2 or air. The gas will thrusts the paintball out the barrel.
• Most paintball guns range in velocity but the most common are those that have a muzzle velocity of about 300 feet per second.
• At this velocity, the force is enough to break open the paintball when it meets the intended target. However,this force is not great enough to break open your targets skin, just enough to cause some mild bruising at best.
• If you are going to play on a standard, commercial field, you will probably be restricted to a paintball gun that is at most the 300 feet per second variety.


Protection From The Paintball Gun

As with most sports, you can get injured if you are not properly protected. One of the most significant and painful injuries is eye injury. When playing paintball you should always wear protective gear. The fact is that there are plenty of players that didn’t and are now blind in that eye. As a result, most paintball fields make it manditory.

Know The Regulations At The Field Your Are To Play

Most commercial locations have regulations regarding not only the type of gun that you can use but also the safety equipment that you must wear. Make sure to call ahead to find out what those regulations are so that you don't make a wasted trip i.e., wrong kind of gun and/or improper safety gear.


The paintball gun is your weapon in the game of paintball. It is your tool to assist you in winning the game. Remember, misusing your paintball gun can result a great deal of damage not only to you but to your fellow players as well. If you are considering the purchase of a paintball gun and becomming active in the sport, then make sure to take into consideration the field restrictions so that your purchase and trip to the field is not in vain.


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Welcome to my paintball blog. Whether or not you are new to the sport of paintball there are sure to be some helpful tips from paintball game rules to paintball gear.
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