| It is important to know the different parts | | | | containment. These breaks will often lead to |
| involved in the makeup of a paintball gun. | | | | jams of the feeding mechanisms and the gun |
| The different elements are crucial to the | | | | itself, which in turn may cause more balls to |
| successful working of your marker, and | | | | break. Gravity-feed hoppers are especially |
| beginners will often be confused when | | | | prone to ball breakage while still in the |
| receiving instructions because of their lack | | | | hopper because of their jamming problems. |
| of knowledge of what the basic parts are. | | | | Aside from gravity-feed, there are also |
| Knowing the parts of your paintball gun will | | | | agitation hoppers, force feed hoppers, and |
| also help you have a better idea of what you | | | | stick feed hoppers. |
| should be looking at when it is time to clean | | | | |
| or upgrade your marker. | | | | The tank is the part of the gun which |
| | | | contains the type of gas that propels the |
| The body of the marker is the largest part of | | | | ball forward down and out of the gun's |
| the gun. The body refers to the area of the | | | | barrel. Markers use either CO2 gas or high |
| gun that incorporates the trigger frame, the | | | | pressure air as propulsion material. The CO2 |
| valve, and the bolt. All of these pieces can | | | | gas is the original, but HPA is preferred as |
| be detached from each other in order to | | | | it is more reliable than CO2 and does not |
| incorporate new equipment, but only experts | | | | require an evaporation system in order to |
| on their guns should attempt this. Makers of | | | | fire. |
| paintball guns have a fairly standard | | | | |
| approach when it comes to the body of the | | | | Finally, the barrel of the marker is what the |
| gun, with the main difference being in the | | | | ball travels down when the trigger is |
| placement of the trigger and the barrel. | | | | compressed. The barrel is responsible for the |
| Pushing the trigger frame forward shifts the | | | | speed and the accuracy, as well as the |
| balance of the gun and thus makes it easier | | | | distance, at which a ball travels, and is |
| to handle with one hand. It will also cause | | | | thus arguably the single most important |
| the body to have a lower profile, which is | | | | component of the gun. Longer barrels will |
| crucial when players are involved in games | | | | fire quieter than shorter models, but a |
| where hopper hits count towards elimination. | | | | marker owner should remember that no matter |
| The difference is plain when newbies and pros | | | | what length of barrel, the paintball can only |
| are present in the field, as the rental guns | | | | travel a set distance in order to break. |
| provided by most outfits have huge and bulky | | | | While really long barrels may look |
| bodies that present a lot of hit potential. | | | | intimidating and offer better accuracy, they |
| | | | also are prone to be ineffective since they |
| The hopper is the part of the gun that holds | | | | require a larger burst of air to propel the |
| the rounds of paint. No matter how high end, | | | | ball faster to make up the distance within |
| manufacturers have not perfected a hopper | | | | the barrel itself. |
| which prevents balls from breaking in | | | | |