Every day brings newbies to paintball. They don't know even enough to know what they don't know.
A little reminder, then, before launching into some technical details. Where you play always should be having a pre-game safety briefing (orientation). Anybody showing up after the orientation does not get to play until he's listened to the full orientation. Look for posted signs about goggles, plugs, and no-shooting areas. Referees should regularly give safety reminders. And take personal responsibility for keeping your home field safe. Referees aren't always "right there" to give a safety reminder ("Hey, put your goggles on!" or "Plug it, bro, thanks!"). Did you see a wasp's nest? Find some old broken glass way out on a field? A hole starting in the netting? Tell a referee or the field owner so they can take care of these things. Responsible players speak up to help keep the game safe.
LIQUID CO2 Q: Is it true if you tip the tank so it is higher than the marker, you get liquid CO2 in your marker, so the velocity goes up? It does not sound safe. Can somebody do this on the field to shoot hot?
A: If you hold the marker so that the CO2 tank valve is lower than the back of the bottle (front's lower than the back), then liquid CO2 can run on into the hose and into the marker. Yes, the player would expect to get a higher velocity if liquid CO2 runs into the marker. The velocity can go a lot higher than when the marker is running on basically CO2 gas. This is not safe.
Trained referees know to watch for players up on high ground using CO2 and shooting downhill, where the CO2 would likely run into the marker. Refs should carry handheld radar chronos and run spot checks. A player shooting hot must be ejected from the game.
Visit your local pro shop and talk to a qualified air tech for ways to prevent liquid CO2 from getting into your marker's power system: angled ASA, anti-siphon tank, vertical ASA, fill amounts, remote rigs, etc.
Q: I just bought an Autococker and some of my friends say I should use CO2 and others say that I should use compressed air. Which is right?
A: Generally the Autococker from Worr Game Products can run on either CO2 or on HPA (compressed air, nitrogen). In a cold weather area, you probably want to run HPA, as long as you can get fills at your field. Tournament players are mostly all running on HPA. You don't need to change internal parts when you change the type of air source you use, but if you change from one to another then you must re-chronograph because your marker velocity will change.
SPLATTY Q: What is the Splatmaster?
A: It is the first marker designed specifically for the sport of paintball. It was sold by the National Survival Game, Inc., of New Hampshire. Many sporting goods dealers sold the Splatmaster, as well as paintball stores. The patent for the Splatmaster was issued to Robert G. Shepherd on 7/30/85.
AIR FILLS Q: Ok, I bought my compressed air tank. Now where do I go get fills?
A: Paintball stores or fields usually fill HPA (high pressure air) these days. If not, you can try a scuba store, or even the local fire department in a very rural area. Most fire departments have HPA compressors for their air systems. Scuba shops also usually have or know where to find air fillers. Finding a source for air does not always solve your problem because scuba stores require a "C" (certification) card to do fills, and fire departments may not fill "outside" tanks for policy and/or liability issues. Although the general filling regulations are the same, people outside paintball often will not fill paintball's smaller tanks. (A thanks to Nick Rossi of New Jersey for his comments about fire department filling)
WIPE Q: When is a wipe really a wipe? I saw this player slide on the grass and got pulled for a wipe.
A: It is a referee's call. If the ref's perception is he knew he was hit and tried a "Superman slide" to get rid of the paint, then the ref can yank him out of the game.
MORE AIR Q: I read in the APG Ezine about England going after air guns. Why?
A: A ban on "imitation guns" is on its way. Prime Minister Tony Blair says expect more restrictive gun laws. The UK already had "amnesty buybacks" of airguns just like they did before banning nearly all firearms. Airgun crimes fuel the fire for the anti-gun forces. The coming UK "Violent Crime Reduction Bill" targets "the ownership and use of replica firearms and knives", and look for proposals to ban the import, sale, and manufacture of replica and imitation guns. It's unknown if toy guns and water squirters will remain legal. Longtime players will remember the years of struggle paintball players went through to change regulations in the UK so paintball could be played under the international velocity limit (up to 300 feet per second).
TANKS Q: Can I build my own paintball tank?
A: Probably. It's a good idea to get the tank rules from scenario game producers. Consulting an experience paintball tanker like General William "Bill" Bailey (www.woodlandwarriors.com) is also a good idea.
ASK THE PROFESSOR anything about paintball by email:
profpb@actionpursuitgames.com. Questions may be edited, and personal replies are rare because the good professor gets so many questions, so read APG regularly to get your answers.
