ChoicePaintballGuns

When you get hit during a paintball game, you should immediately call out “HIT!” in a loud voice and continue to do so while putting your BBD (barrel blocking device) on the end of your paintball gun. Leave the field by the safest direct route while continuing to call out your status as a dead player. If you are in an area that is taking heavy fire - such as a paintball bunker with other players or in your base while it’s under heavy assault - get your paintball marker up as high as possible and get out of the way fast! Do not talk, hand equipment or ammunition to your teammates and do not continue to participate in radio chatter about on-field events. You are DEAD and dead men can no longer help their team. If you are holding a mission card and you have teammates nearby who were on the same mission as you, you MAY hand the mission card to one of them so that they may complete the mission. Proceed to the hospital zone to await the next insertion time, or to the staging area to reload on fluids, ammo & air/CO2 cartridges.

First of all, make sure all o-rings are in good condition.  The worst thing you can do is go to a field with a horrible leak that no one has the o-ring to fix it.  Your paintball marker comes with at least one extra o-ring, keep them with you.  Also, add the proper lubrication to your paintball gun.  Most all low end Spyder/Tippmann paintball markers will use oil (note this does not mean engine oil! Go to your local store and buy a bottle for $4.99).  For your high end markers (Shockers, Matrixes, Timmies, ect.) you will want to use the proper grease.  Hopefully you high end owners will have the common sense not to use bearing grease, (Yes, I have seen that been done.) and use the proper grease.  The lubrication will keep your paintball marker running smooth and keep your o-rings from tearing.  Second, threads are important.  There are lots of them and some will destroy your if you destroy them.  Note: if it doesn’t fit, don’t force it! Use lubrication on your threads, it will make it easier.  

Some tank threads need special care.  The Dye tanks are known for having the threads stripped off.  To fix this, get an on/off bottom line or something.  Next attach your CO2 cartridge/air system.  Finally NEVER take your tank off.  Clean the broken paint off every time you play.  At the end of the day completely strip your paintball marker and clean everything.  Worse than paint is water from playing woodsball.  Rusty paintball guns do not work, no matter how much lube your have.   If it gets wet, dry off your paintball marker before it goes back in the bag.  That goes for mud and stuff too, because guess what… mud has water in itJ.

•Keep your paintball mask (full face mask, not just goggles) on at all times when on a field or playing somewhere else with friends.
•When not playing, barrel plugs or condoms should be in use at all times.
•Paintball markers should be shooting (chronoed) under 300 fps (feet per second).
•Never look down the barrel of a paintball marker.
•Always be careful when unscrewing a CO2 cartridge/tank from a gun. If the brass fitting isn’t moving, stop.
•Only wear paintball masks that are made specifically for paintball.
•Never try to take a tank apart to try an repair it. Take it to someone who is qualified to do it.
•Keep paintball markers and tanks out of direct sunlight when not playing.
•Replace your lens as needed. Never play with cracked or a broken lens.
•Make sure any tank you use is up to date.(hydro date)
•Never shoot someone with the barrel directly touching their body (point blank).
•Never use a damaged CO2 cartridges/cylinders or HPA tank.
•Never alter your paintball gear unless you are 100% sure know what you are doing.
•Keep yourself hydrated while playing; drink lots of water, even if you’re not really thirsty.
•Stretch before you play.
•Never over fill a tank.
•Never assume that a paintball marker is empty.

Paintball guns are not toys. You can even read that statement on every gun on the market. It should be treated with the same respect and care as a real fire arm. I know you are trying to talk your mom into letting you get a “Paintball Marker”, but this safety tip may not help your cause.  Act like your paintball gun is always loaded. YOUR GUN IS ALWAYS LOADED! I wrote it twice because the most used excuse for accidental shootings is, “I did not think it was loaded”. This means, keep your gun aimed down to the ground, your finger off the trigger, and keep your barrel sock on at all times when not playing. Even in pro events now, players are only permitted to take their barrel socks off 10 seconds before the game starts.  Also, never work on your own air system.  If you are having trouble with your air system, have an expert at your local paintball store look at it.  Always have certified tech work on your paintball gear/equipment. You can even learn how to do the maintenance and basic safety inspections for both your paintball marker and air system. Ask to be shown the best ways from your local store.

Check your paintball mask lenses frequently and replace your lens at the slightest hint of a crack.  Be sure to only use recommended paintball mask cleaning sprays or else you will weaken the lens, as well.  A good one is called ‘SalClear Super Anti-fog Goggle Spray’; you can get this at www.choicepaintballguns.com for about $12.  Even if your lens is still in pristine condition, you still need to replace it about every 6 months to a year.  Check your manufacturer’s safety information on your lens since it tends to vary. This is extremely important since the loss of your eyesight is at stake.  You need to stay on top of this as you don’t want a paintball to blast through your lenses and take an eye-ful of paint!  Most paintball masks are pretty strong, but everything’s got a life to it.  This is something most players just don’t pay much attention to, but it’s worth it.  When you stop playing safe is when someone gets hurt and suddenly it’s not fun anymore….. keep track of the life of your paintball mask.

Red dot sights project a beam of red, or sometimes green, light that makes a visible spot on the target.  These are adjusted to be accurate at a specific distance.  At that distance both the side-to-side position of the paintball marker and the elevation of the barrel are correct.  The player has to dynamically (”by feel”) adjust the barrel elevation for other distances.  Weaknesses of projected dot sight are 1) the dot does not show well on dark clothing, and 2) batteries do not last long, because the projected beam uses significant power.  And they are prohibited in some states.  California, for instance prohibits anyone from projecting a laser beam at another person, which is exactly how these sights operate.
Strengths of the projected dot sights are 1) flexibility in mounting because they do not have to be in the line of sight along the paintball marker and 2) the player can aim the paintball gun without having a line of sight along the marker as long as he can see the red dot on the target.

If you’re buying a new paintball marker, here’s some more tips and questions to ask to make sure you get what you want.  Treat your paintball gun like it’s going to protect your life and win your game because it’s going to!

1.  Look at the most expensive paintball markers, and the least expensive.  Remember your gun is the most major investment in your game - especially if you’re tournament-bound.
2.  Check the paintball marker manufacturer’s website, to learn about upgrades and tech information.  Look for paintball marker owners’ groups on line.
3.  When you’re going to play in stock or pump games, the marker will have to meet their rules.  It may need to run on 12 gram CO2 cylinders.  Loader size may also be limited. Read the rules before you buy!
4.  Look through the owner’s manual.  Does it have good drawings and easy to follow instructions?
5.  Ask about barrel kits to fit the paintball marker, if it does not come with a kit.  The paintball gun to barrel match will affect your accuracy.    
6.  No matter what paintball marker you shoot, play safely.  Wear an approved paintball mask.  Chronograph often, and stay under the speed limit.  Follow the rules of safe marker handling. Keep the game fun!

You can always decide to sell the paintball marker you have and buy something else, as your game changes.  Some stores take trade-ins.  Think about how a second marker and paintball mask let you bring a friend to play!  Many players have a closet full of different paintball markers and corresponding paintball supplies to match different types of play or specific games.

Time to buy yourself a new paintball marker! With so many choices, how can you make a good decision? 
Here’s some advice…… 

1 Talk to players who own one of the paintball markers you think you want to buy.  Ask them how they like them, and why.  Keep notes to help you decide which paintball gun to buy.
2.  Ask about reliability.  How easy is it to get parts if needed? 
3.  Pay attention to what the pros shoot.  They want the very best cutting edge paintball marker technology-and that may be exactly what you want!
4.  Test shoot the marker before you buy it.  Set it up with the size CO2 cartridge and loader you will play with, so you can feel the balance. 
5.  Think about the air sources available to you.  Will you be able to get high-pressure air (HPA) or CO2 refills at your field?  Will your paintball gun take a CO2 cylinder or CO2 cartridges?
6.  Budget for a paintball marker and a loader. The fast shooting electric competition paintball guns need an investment in a fast loader to give you faster balls per second (bps) rate.
7.  Consider a used paintball marker.  If you do, it should be checked by an airsmith before you buy it. 
8.  Buy what a paintball gun that will match your style of play.  Some players will buy strictly on price, only to find out right away that they should’ve stepped up a little bit more.  Remember you get what you pay for; if you buy a cheap marker, don’t complain much if it doesn’t do much, breaks down quickly or doesn’t have many upgrades.
9.  What can you upgrade? Start with a basic paintball marker, and upgrade it as you go along.

The M79 40mm paintball grenade launcher from RAP4 is an authentic piece of artwork; it’s as real as it gets and an absolute for the collector with a nose for power.  This is the same M79 style grenade launcher used during the Vietnam war.  It is made of metal with an authentic wood finish.  The bridge opens up just like the real M79 to load the shell into the chamber.  It is compatible with all paintball grenade cartridges.  You can use either the M203 paintball grenade (takes .43 caliber paintballs) or the M68 paintball grenade (takes .68 caliber paintballs).  Your paintball grenades will need to be charged for them to fire; paintball grenade launchers do not have their own CO2 cartridge/cylinder - it’s the paintball grenade that holds the charge.  To charge your paintball grenade, you will need a charger; check out the AG1 grenade charger.  You can purchase all these awesome paintball supplies at ChoicePaintballGuns.com.