barrel size, does it matter

[R0CKI]

i am going to geta j&J ceramic barrel. im stuck on which size to get 12, 14, or 16 inch. does the ball have greater accuracy which barrel. does it lose velocity in a longer barrel or gain velocity. which do you thing is best. i was going to get a 14" tell me if you think im making a bad dicision. i heard that the paintball only gets its acurracy from the fist 8" of the barrel

[eddyydde]

yea u should get the 14", don't get a 16 because there is increased friction being applied to the ball the 16 will have a little more accuracy but its not worth it because its not that much more accurate than the 14 and with the 16 ur distance decreases but other than that J&J makes a really good barrel

[calaustria]

12"s are kind of loud, but I like them. 14"s are the best. 16"s are kind of dumb because they are too big and cause more friction, decreasing velocity, using more gas.

I'd say that about 18+ but you do see a lot of airballers using 16" barrels. It makes pushing the bunkers around much easier.

[R0CKI]

now im sure i should get a 14"
thx for the help

[TheSpy11]

12-16" are all fine, and it's all personal preference over which one you choose. Performance isn't any different, but some people prefer different lengths than others based on how they play. Don't just go for a 14" based on what other players use. You might like something different, so it give it some thought.

[m98sniper15]

The 16" barrel do have less range due to more friction. I have used 12",14",16". 12" barrel have the same accuracy as the 14",16" barrel but is louder. The 14" barrels are quite and have less range. 16" barrels are super quite but have tons less range.

[Eladamri]

The 16" barrel do have less range due to more friction. I have used 12",14",16". 12" barrel have the same accuracy as the 14",16" barrel but is louder. The 14" barrels are quite and have less range. 16" barrels are super quite but have tons less range.

I disagree almost entirely what M98sniper said. The 16 inch barrels won't have less range. The 12, 14, and 16 inch barrels will all have the exact same range. While Friction may have some effect, you compensate that by adjusting the velocity on your marker. For example, if your marker shoots 290 fps with a 12 inch barrel, it might shoot 285 fps with the 16 inch barrel before you adjust the velocity. Then you adjust the velocity up to 290 fps on the marker and "Voila!" your marker is shooting 290 fps again. At the most you use a fraction more air with a 16 inch barrel with the result that you get 4 or 5 less shots per tank.

The inherent accuracy of the barrels will all be the same but some people can aim the longer barrels easier making them more accurate for that individual. I have shot barrels from 8 to 16 inches and it all basically boils down to personal preference. I'd recommend the 12 inch barrel as a good all around length and my favorite length, but my all time favorite barrel that I have owned was a 14.

[reneirwolf878]

I'd say stay away from 18+. A lot of people do use 16" barrels in airball. It makes pushing the bunkers around much easier. And I like 16" for anything actually.

[Lopez17]

As Spy said, 12-16 inches are the "knee of the curve" so to speak where you optimize your air to propel the ball. Most people (myself included) prefer 14 inch barrels because they're long enough to push around bunkers but not too long that they're cumbersome. As you get below 12 and above 16 you're going to find that the extra length (or lack of length) only creates drag. (And this may occur at 16" but you won't have to compensate as much, with barrels under 10 your ball lacks sufficient room to properly accelerate.). This extra drag means lost momentum as the ball exits the barrel. Of course we all know that as the ball exits, if it's slowed you're looking at decreased velocity. To compensate you have to turn the pressure up on your marker (be it by a spring or by turning up your HPR). Doing this puts more stress/pressure on the ball, which in turn is something that most of us try to avoid. Under 10 inches and you don't necessarily have the capability to get the ball up to speed and to compensate, again, you turn up the HPR or tighten the spring.

Now, regardless of the barrel, 300fps is 300fps. Distance won't be impacted but the forces acting on the ball increase due to the fact that you've had to use more air/force to expel the ball with a barrel over 16 inches. Add to the fact that 18+" barrels look ridiculous and serve no realistic or practical value, I think you have your rationale for sticking to something smaller.

Now, I like 14" barrels because they're a nice middle of the road solution. They're also easy to come by and seem to fit nicely on every marker. I own about a half dozen different 14" tips for my CP kit.

[^_^]

Great post Lopez :D