ribbonstone

..re-discovering paintball; equipment and tactics have certainly changed over the years. By borrowing a dozen different markers (many with more than one barrel to test), have got a pretty good handle on what is out there now...and which types fit my (old guy) style of play.

But barrels seem simple. So correct anything that seems dead wrong.

Range:

Vel. if adjusted to a set limit...so regardless of the barrel's length, a ball launched at 280fps is going to have the same trajectory (given a paintball without intentional backspin). This seems true from both logic and experiment, a 280fps ball from a 6" barrel follows the same basic path as a 280fps paintball from a 20" barrel. Question: Am I missing something here?

Given a flatline/backspin barrel (or gas system designed to produce backspin that actually works), trajectory doesn't follow the expected path...it is "flatter" and does seem to fly farther (and here, "fly" would be the right term), but drop off quite suddenly.

Barrel kits:

IF you can't select yourown paint, and have to shoot "issue" paint, then the only decent choice is to match a choice of barrel to the paint rather than match a choice of paint to the barrrel.

Barrel Length:

Barrels longer than 12-14" do seem slower than those shorter. Not always; given a short barrel that is a loose fit to the paint vs. a long barel that is a good fit to the paint, I'd not bet on any vel. loss. But isn't it negated by adjusting the vel. to the 280fps Most of the markers tried had enough adjustment to get back up to 280fps even with 21" of barrel...used more gas, but is gas cost a major issue?

Accuracy:

Neither spiral rifling nor straight rifling seem to have much accuracy benefit. What does seem to help are uniform ball diameters/weights and a bore that matches those paintballs. In defense of rifled tubes, it did seem easier to find a good paint-bore match, but given equally good paint-bore matching, I can't tell smoothbore from rifled from the 75foot targets....am I missing somthing here? Would larger/tighter fitting paint show a benefit?
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Thanks for reading the rambling of an old-time shooter's first post...been here reading, but not posting.

DarkTamer

You've done research, that's pretty much all correct. As for a looser/tighter fit: the ideal fit is where you place the ball in the barrel, and it does not fall through, but will shoot out easily when you blow through it.

Now a day, experienced speedball players are not really bothering to match the bore, they just get a relatively large size, maybe .691, and just leave at that. The reason being, is that the difference in accuracy is relatively insignificant, particularly when players are shooting between 13-20bps. Accuracy by volume...

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ribbonstone

Would probably be happier if I could speedball, but I've tried it and it just isn't for me...nothing wrong with it, great to watch, but the wrong philosphy for me. Intention is to order a Phantom for stock-class which does seem to suit me...and I'll just spend the time testing paint until one "clicks".

Proablem down here (South Louisiana) is the heat and humidity...really not easy to store paint for any length of time.