How Does a Paintball Marker Work?
Background
The first paintball game was played on June 27, 1981. The 12 men who played used Nelspot 007s pistols, a paintball gun originally used for agricultural purposes. Over the years, the game, as well as the guns, have evolved. However, the basic concept of how a paintball gun works has stayed the same. The terms "marker" and "gun" mean the same. The guns are called "markers" to make the sport of paintball seem less violent.
Paintballs
Paintballs are tiny plastic balls filled with a little paint. They aren't filled with traditional paint. The paint that's in a paintball is non-toxic and water soluble. The plastic needs to be thin enough to burst on impact, but not thin enough to burst when fired out of the gun. Paintballs can be found in many different colors. The colors used usually depend on what team the player is on.
Parts of the Gun
The frame of paintball guns are similar to traditional guns. They have handles, barrels and triggers. The inside of a paintball gun contains a bolt, spring, hammer, valve seat, gas inlet valve, sear and valve tube. A tank of compressed air or nitrogen is attached to most guns. Some of the inexpensive and smaller models have disposable tanks that are inserted into the handle to provide air.
Propulsion System
In the barrel of the gun, there is something called a valve tube. The valve tube goes through the bolt, spring and hammer to the gas inlet valve. The tank of compressed air is connected to the gas inlet valve to provide the propulsion needed to expel the paintball. When the gun is cocked, a paintball comes into the barrel from a loader, called a "hopper." When the trigger is pulled, it releases the spring. This allows a burst of air to come through the gas inlet valve and launch the paintball out of the barrel,
Tags: inlet valve, valve tube, bolt spring, bolt spring hammer, enough burst, filled with
