Articles Index
Paint Ball Definition
A game of tag where players shoot air-powered, paint-filled capsules at each other.
Definition of Dorito for Paintball
A triangular paintball bunker that slightly resembles the chip of the same name.
Paintball Pants
Pants specially designed for paintball. They typically come with padded knees and a loose, baggy fit which both helps with mobility and decreases the chance of balls breaking on them.
Pump
A variety of paintball gun that must be manually re-cocked between shots. This is performed by moving a handle or grip forward and then backwards along the barrel of the gun.
Welt
A round bruise resulting from being hit by a paintball. Welts typically last for a few days and are rarely very painful.
Paintball
A game of tag based on marking opposing players with paint from gelatin capsules fired from air-powered markers or guns.
Paintball
A game of tag based on marking opposing players with paint from gelatin capsules fired from air-powered markers or guns.
Paintball Gun
An air-powered device that is used to shoot paintballs.
Sight Rail
A fixed plate on the top, side or bottom of a paintball gun that allows for accessories such as sights, scopes or flashlights to be securely attached to the gun.
Velocity
The rate that a paintball gun leaves the barrel. Paintball velocities are typically measured in Feet Per Second (FPS). For safety reasons, a paintball gun should never shoot faster than 300 FPS and should ideally shoot less than 280 FPS.
Vision
A term applied to certain brands of guns that means the gun is equipped with eyes. Eyes ensure that a paintball is completely loaded into the chamber before the paintball gun can fire to reduce the number of chopped paintballs.
Wiping
A method of cheating wherein a player tries to wipe off a legal hit to avoid elimination and continues to play.
XBall
A paintball format where two teams compete in multiple games of center flag with one point earned for each victory. Games last for a set amount of time and whichever team has more points at the end of the time wins the match.A paintball format where two teams compete in multiple games of center flag with one point earned for each victory. Matches last for a set amount of time and whichever team has more points (by winning more games) at the end of the time wins the match.
Valve
A device that allows air from the tank to enter into the gun and fire the paintball. The valve is controlled either electropneumatically or by a mechanical hammer that forces it open.
Two For One
A rule in speedball where a player who is caught cheatingis eliminated from the game along with two teammates.
Three For One
A rule in speedball where a player who is caught cheating is eliminated from the game along with three teammates. This is a very serious penalty and is usually reserved for severe infractions such as wiping or playing on and shooting another player.
Spring Kit
A collection of assorted springs with different tensions. A spring kit will allow a player to us the spring with the correct tension to allow the paintball gun fire at the desired velocity.
Spring
A coiled metal device that is able to store mechanical energy. Springs are used in paintball guns to put tension on hammers so that when a paintball gun is fired the hammer will move forward and strike the valve. There are also valve springs which, after the hammer has displaced the valve stem will allow the valve to reseal and close the valve.
Solenoid
An electropneumatic actuator that converts electronic energy into mechanical energy. Electrical impulses actuate the solenoid causing a mechanical valve to open which allows air to flow through. Solenoids are necessary for electropneumatic paintball guns to operate.
Semi Automatic
A firing mode where each trigger pull correlates to one paintball being fired.
Sear
A tiny lever that holds a cocked paintball hammer back. It is "tripped" when the trigger is pulled allowing the hammer to move forward and the gun to fire.
Regulator
A device that controls how much pressure comes out regardless of how much pressure goes in. A high pressure compressed air tank regulator, for example, will give a relatively constant pressure of 800 PSI whether the tank has 4500 PSI of pressure left in it or only 800 PSI.
Playing On
Continuing to play after being hit. Players are often tempted to play on when they are hit while they are firing.
Paintball Sport
A variation of the game of tag where players eliminate one another by marking each other with paint-filled gelatin balls fired from pneumatic guns.
Paint to Barrel Match
The closeness in size between a paintball and the barrel that will shoot that paintball. Since paintballs come in slightly different sizes, many players elect to have multiple sizes of barrels to be able to find a better paint to barrel match. The better the match, the more consistent and accurate a paintball will shoot.