Depending on the expertise of this, if the objective is moving and other elements that we can control more or less. Then, when we make the shot we are not thinking about how it works, but we learn to do it almost immediately. In paintball the thing is something different , especially since the weapon used is more complex. Therefore, after having talked in another post about the differences between paintball and archery tag , we have decided to focus on these weapons and how they work.

Parts of a paintball marker

The markers, which is the name of the best paintball gun and rifles receive because they were initially used to mark cattle, can be divided into three parts: a high-pressure chamber, in which a compressed air cartridge is inserted or of CO2 and that keeps the tank at the right pressure at all times, a low pressure where the firing mechanism and the firing pin is, and a valve that connects both chambers.

There are more or less elaborate models of markers , although basically all are based on this set. From there we will find differences in the cylinder head, the cannon or the tank of bullets. But all of them work through this system of cameras controlled by a valve.

Propellant gas

For the shot to occur, the gun needs to have a pressure higher than that of the environment, otherwise the bullet would not come out, or it would come out at very low speed. For this, they are loaded with gas at very high pressure , which can be simply air or a mixture of different gases such as nitrogen, oxygen and CO2 compressed in metal cartridges.
Some markers achieve a firing speed of more than 300 kilometers per hour, so you can get an idea of the pressure at which the gas is maintained in the corresponding chamber.

The bullets

Although we usually call them paint bullets, in fact the name paintball makes us think about it, the reality is that the ammunition with which the weapon is loaded are jelly balls filled with a plastic compound that stays liquid at room temperature depending on its molecular composition The name of this compound is polyethylene glycol, and is used in other fields such as the pharmaceutical industry. In fact, it is important that you know that it has laxative properties, so it is not convenient to try one of these bullets out of curiosity.

The silicone layer breaks on contact, and the compound extends over the entire surface, leaving the entire impact marked with the color of the dye.

These balls are loaded in the paintball markers in several ways, although it is normal to incorporate a tank from the top of the barrel from which they fall one by one through the valve that communicates between the two chambers.

How paintball shoot

The firing process is very fast and occurs in less than a second. The valve opens to pick up a paintball and deposit it in the low pressure chamber, then it moves to make the compressed gas enter and it pushes the ball through the barrel to the end, resulting in a colorful and prickly shot. Some markers take advantage of the recoil to reload the cannon with a new bullet. Simple, but at the same time very complex .

Electronic and semi automatic guns

Depending on the model, we can find markers that work electronically and others that use a mechanical trigger. The difference between one and the other is that the electronics incorporate a more advanced mechanism, while the semi-automatic ones do not. In any case, the firing process is the same, the valve is opened so that the gas passes from one chamber to another and the bullet is fired through the barrel. Whether or not it reaches its objective no longer depends on the marker, but on the aim of the shooter, the movement of the target and other aspects such as distance or wind speed. Things that are actually out of gun control.

As you can see, there is a complex process behind each shot of a paintball gun, although in the end when you pull the trigger you will not stop to think about it. Just like when you come to one of our fields, you take a bow and a few arrows and get ready to shoot as fast as you can and trying to hit the target. But it is interesting to know how things work.