Paintball Terms & Definitions
as they apply to paintball
If you heard a word and you cannot find it in this list, please email us and we will try to help you out!
[email protected]
ACTION:
A battle or skirmish. Actual combat with enemy forces.
AGITATOR:
A hopper (ball holder) that is motorized that agitates and mixes. The fastest revolution hopper moves 12 balls per second.
ANODIZING:
This means to give your gun a paint job. Some common paintjobs are: Splash and Fade. Splash is made up of usually 2 or 3 colors and it is a crazy color scheme. Fade is usually done with 2 colors, but it could be done with many more also. This is when you start with one color and fade into another color. If you want to learn more about anodizing go to our article page at: What is anodizing
ANTI-SIPHON TANK:
A tank designed to allow only vaporous Co2 gas to exit the tank through the tank valve.
ASA ADAPTER:
Also referred to as: CA Adapter. Constant air tank screws into it and lets the Co2 gas pass through it.
AUTO TRIGGER:
Used with pumps. You hold down the trigger and continuously pump the gun and it keeps firing.
BACK BOTTLE:
A back bottle refers to the set up for your CO2 or nitrogen system. Back bottles screw into the back of the gun and usually serve as a shoulder stock for the paint gun.
BALL DETENT:
Stops a 2nd paintball from going into the chamber at once.
BARREL PLUG:
A safety device that is inserted into the front end of a barrel to prevent a paintball from exiting the barrel.
BEAVER TAIL:
This is found mainly on autocockers, but now other guns like spyders and piranhas have adapted them. This part stops players from thumping their guns. This is an attempt to increase the speed of their autocockers. The beaver tail stops this from happening.
BOLT:
The part of the gun that strikes the gas valve to release a jet of gas and push the paintball out of the gun. Bolts move back and forth in their action to fire, re-cock, and then fire again.
BOLT (closed):
The closed bolt design means that the bolt is in the full forward position with the bolt O-ring sealing against the inner wall of the paint gun barrel when gun is ready to be fired.
BOLT (open):
The open bolt design means that the bolt is in the full rear position with the bolt just behind the feed nipple port (the port that allows the paintballs to flow into the paint gun body) when paint gun is ready to be fired.
BOTTLE:
It is the air tank. Common sizes are 7oz, 9oz, 12oz, 14oz, 16oz, 20oz, and 24oz Co2 tanks. Common nitrogen systems are 48Cu, 68Cu, and 114Cu. The pressure could be 3000 or 4500psi.
BOTTOM LINE:
Either steel line, micro-line, or macro-line that connects the gun to the air source.
BOUNCE:
This refers to someone getting hit with a paintball, but it did not break on them. If this happens you are still in the game, unless you called out.
BREAK:
This means the ball broke on them. You are automatically out when you get hit and it breaks.
BREECH:
The entry point for paintballs into the gun. The breach sits just above the firing chamber so that paintballs can be staged with out jamming.
BUNKER:
This is used to hide behind. Examples are natural brush, pallets, trees, or another hiding spot.
BUNKERING:
This is done more in tournament play. It is a quick move upon a bunker to eliminate a player at close range.
BURST DISK:
This part can be found on a CO2 tank. If the operator overfills the tank the burst disk will rupture. You can stop the air by simply tightening the nut down.
BUTT PLATE:
A plastic molded piece that fits on to the end of a tank allowing it to be used as a shoulder stock.
B.Y.O.P.:
Abbreviation for 'bring your own paint.' Some fields or tournaments tell you that you can bring your own balls. When this is possible I recommend that you bring your own. Field paint can often cost more than 4 cents a ball. Field fees might be higher if it is a BYOP setup.
CAPTURE THE FLAG:
This is the most common game played in paintball. 2 teams go to opposite ends of the field and run to capture the flag in the middle of the field. The object is to return the flag to your own side or the other side, whichever way your field decides.
CHOPPED A BALL:
If a player says that they chopped a ball it means that the bolt sliced the ball in half and their barrel now needs to be cleaned.
CHRONOGRAPH:
Electronic device that measures the speed of an object directed across it. The maximum limit is 300 fps.
C02:
Carbon Dioxide. This powers a paintball gun.
COCKER:
A cocker is a shorter way of saying autococker. An autococker is a rather pricey gun that operates like a pump gun yet has the ability to shoot high rates of fire.
CONSTANT AIR:
A tank is a source of constant air. It powers the paintball gun.
CYCLE RATE:
The number of cycles a paint gun can perform per second. An angel can cycle in excess of 12 times a second. That means it can fire 12 balls in one second.
DEAD MAN:
Term used to refer to a player who has been "marked" or shot with a paintball and is out of the game.
DIMPLED PAINT:
Paintballs have flat spots on them. This is a sign of old balls or bad quality paint. These balls tend to hook and break a lot in your gun.
DOUBLE ACTION:
One pull of the trigger cocks and fires.
DROP FORWARD:
This part goes on your gun to push your air system forward to give the marker better balance.
ELBOW:
Hopper adapter.
EXPANSION CHAMBER:
A device which expands co2 before it enters into the paint guns valve system. It is a series of chambers usually 4, 6, or 8.
FIELD STRIP:
The process of tearing down a gun on the field during a game.
FILL STATION:
Series of valves used to fill small co2 containers.
FLAG STATION:
Location where a team's flag is kept. It is also the location where a team must return the opposing team's flag in order to win the game.
FLANK:
The extreme right or left side of an army or fleet.
FORE GRIP:
A horizontal grip generally located on the front of a gun. Used for stability.
FULL AUTO:
Continuous firing of paint gun as long as the trigger is held down. Examples are Angel, Shocker, Rainmaker, and TS-1. Many guns now have kits that can make the gun go full auto.
FPO.:
Abbreviation for 'field paint only.' Every field has its own rules about whether you can bring your own balls or you have to buy their paint. Field fees might be less if it is a FPO system. FPO is most common in tournaments.
FPS.:
Abbreviation for 'feet per second'. Every field has its own limit but the maximum is 300fps.
GAS EFFICIENCY:
The amount of shots a gun gets in relation to the amount of liquid Co2 it uses.
GAS-THRU GRIP:
This is similar to an expansion chamber, but it does not let the gas expand as much as the expansion chamber does. This is used for a grip. They are located right in front of the trigger frame.
GOGGED:
This means that a player got hit right in the eyepiece of their goggles.
GOGGLES:
Eye protection worn by players to prevent eye damage.
GOING LIQUID:
Liquid Co2 entering the paint gun before it has had a chance to expand into a gas or vapor. The gun freezes up and velocity will be very inconsistent. This problem doesn't occur if you have a nitrogen system.
GUILE SUIT:
These suits are often used in big games that are played in the woods. Guile Suits are made up of sticks, leaves, mud, dirt, or anything else that you could find in the woods to be 100% concealed to the naked eye. Guile suits are most commonly used by snipers.
GUPPY:
A guppy as it is commonly called is a ball carrying tube. These guppies fit into the harness. Most of the time guppies hold 100, 140, or 160 balls.
HARNESS:
The system that is used to haul paintballs, air-system, and anything else they need. Called 4+1, 6+1, 8+1, and many more.
HOPPER:
A container used to hold paintballs. Examples are vl200, vl2000, vl3000, Revolution, Ricochet 2001, eVolution, and Warp Feed.
HOSING:
The consistent rapid firing. A tactic typically used when pinning down an opposing player.
HOT GUN:
Means that a player is shooting over the legal limit while playing paintball.
H.P.A.:
This is the abbreviation for 'High Pressure Air.' This refers to nitrogen tanks.
HYPER-BALL:
This is similar to speedball except it is played in a smaller area. Hyper-ball is a very fast version of speedball. Bunkering is very common and games tend to last less than 1 to 2 minutes.
MACRO-LINE:
Macro-line is an alternative option to steel braided hoses and micro-line hoses. Macro-line is almost identical to micro-line except it is much thicker. This hose can be cut to fit the marker.
MAG:
This is an abbreviation for 'Automag.' This is one of the more popular guns that have been around for awhile.
MARKER:
This is another term for paintball gun. Marker is the politically correct term so paintball does not get a bad reputation for the word "GUN."
MICRO-HONED BARREL:
The process of polishing the inside of a barrel to a mirror like finish to ensure the best performance with all types of paint and conditions.
MICRO-LINE:
Micro-line is an alternative option to steel braided hoses and macro-line hoses. Micro-line is almost identical to macro-line except it is much thinner. This hose can be cut to fit the marker.
MUZZLE BREAK:
The muzzle break is a series of precision made cuts into the end of each barrel. Muzzle breaks help to increase accuracy and reduce noise.
NEUTRAL:
When a player is called neutral by a referee, you cannot advance or fire on them. Neutral is used mostly during tournaments, though it is rather rare.
NEWBIE:
This refers to a new player to the game. We were all newbies at one time. Practice, get better, and you won't be classified as a newbie!
NITROGEN (N2):
Refers to Nitrogen gas. A gas which is compressed to high pressures. The difference between Nitrogen gas and Co2 is that Nitrogen is measured by pressure while Co2 is measured by weight. The advantages of nitrogen are: more efficient over the chronograph and it is cleaner for your paintball gun.
O-RING:
A ring which is rubber or neoprene, used as a gasket. Make sure you properly oil your o-rings often. This will prolong the life of them.
OUTLAW PAINTBALL:
This is the same thing as Rec Ball. When you don't play at a Store/paintball field you are playing outlaw paintball. Basically when you play with no field fees.
PAINTBALL:
A round capsule filled with colored water based dye that is designed to break upon impact leaving a splat mark. The most common paintball size is .68 Cal.
PAINTBALL GUN:
A device used to project paintballs. Often called a marker.
PAINT CHECK:
Used in tournaments. When a player thinks they got hit, they yell paint check. The referee comes and checks them over. That person is neutral during this time. They cannot shoot or be shot at. Along with that you cannot advance on that player. This does not mean you cannot move.
POWER FEED:
It is a common feature on guns today. It increases the rate at which paintballs fall into the breech. Most guns come with power feed on the guns when purchased. Some guns will never have them like the Angel.
PRESSURE REGULATOR:
Regulates the pressure of gas flowing through it. Some regulators are preset and some are adjustable.
PULL PIN:
A pin which can be removed quickly to speed disassembly of a player's marker.
QUICK DISCONNECT:
This lets a player disconnect his gun from the air-source quickly.
REC BALL:
This is an abbreviation for 'recreation paintball.' It is your average weekend play.
REGULATOR:
This helps stabilize the velocity of your paintball gun.
REMOTE SYSTEM:
The system puts the tank in a pouch or on the players back. A remote line runs off the tank and connects to the gun. This makes your gun a lot lighter.
RIFLING:
Rifling is found in some barrels. When a barrel is rifled it means that there are groves inside the barrel to help the ball fly straighter and smoother to give the shooter added accuracy. Rifling is not very common among paintball barrels.
SEMI AUTO:
Requires a squeeze of the trigger to fire each shot.
SIGHT RAIL:
Allows a sight to go onto the gun.
SIGHT RAIL, RAISED:
A sight rail that is raised up off the body of the gun. The purpose for this is to be able to see over the power feed system.
SLIDE CHECK:
These are often found on remotes. They are used to gas-down your gun or as an on/off valve. These are sometimes found on nitrogen tanks as an on/off valve.
SPEEDBALL:
There are only two main categories of games in paintball. They are woods ball and speedball. Speedball is always played on flat ground, in the open, usually made with man-made bunkers. These games usually have 3 or 5 minute time limits. The games are very fast moving where bunkering is a common occurrence.
SPLATTER:
The spray of a paintball. If the spray is bigger than a quarter then the player is called out.
SQUEEGEE:
Used to clean the barrel of a paintball gun.
STOCK:
When you purchase a paintball marker, the way it comes out of the box is stock. This means it does not have any add-ons to it. Once you make 1 change to the gun, the gun is not stock anymore.
STOCK CLASS:
This term is usually heard at tournaments. It means only pumps, with 12 grams, and 15 balls are allowed to play in that event.
SUP-AIR BALL:
These are blow up fields used mainly for speedball tournaments. The fields are blown up by an air compressor.
TANK, SIPHON:
A tank specifically designed to draw liquid Co2 from the bottom of the tank.
THERMAL LENSES:
A dual lens system. The space between the two lenses is called a thermal barrier and helps to reduce fogging on the inner lens. Note: lenses should be replaced every year.
THREAD SAVER:
A protective cap that screws onto a tank valve. This keeps the valve from being damaged while not in use. I highly recommend this.
THUMPING:
This means someone is trying to push on the cocking pin on an autococker to make it fire faster. The beaver-tail stops this from happening.
TIMING:
Timing is a autococker term. When someone says they have to time their marker it means they have to make very specific adjustments to their cocker so it fires in the correct order. If a cocker is not timed right it will not function properly. Timing should not be attempted by a beginner.
TOURNY:
Abbreviation for 'tournament.'
TOURNAMENT CAP:
Covers a gun's velocity adjuster/regulators so that the velocity cannot be adjusted during game play, Normally required for tournament play.
TURBO:
This feature comes on some markers like the shocker. When turbo mode is on you get 1.5 shots for every 1 trigger pull. This is similar to full auto, but not quite as fast.
TWiB:
This stands for 'tournament wanna be.' This is referring to the younger players with angels and lots of money.
VELOCITY ADJUSTER:
Usually a set screw that when turned in either clockwise or counter clockwise direction will increase or decrease the paint guns muzzle velocity.
VENTURI BOLT:
The Venturi Bolt allows gases to evenly surround the paintball projectile so that it keeps its shape and follows a consistent trajectory. These bolts reduce ball breakage and give players more accuracy.
WIPING:
This means that someone has been hit and is wiping the paint off of themselves. This is cheating and should not be tolerated. If you see it happening tell a referee and if it continues to happen do not invite that player back to the field.
WRENCH, ALLEN:
A hexagonal tool which comes in various sizes. In paintball they are used to adjust the paintball gun's velocity as well as disassemble it.
ZIP MODE:
This is found on the angel paintball gun. Zip mode is 8-shots with 1 trigger pull. These shots are fired at 4/sec for 2 seconds total. Every time the trigger is pulled when this mode is on causes another 8 shots to be fired. This mode is not allowed in most tournaments.
|
