Paintball is a messy sport, so proper cleaning of equipment is essential.
The Tippmann A-5, a high-performance paintball marker, must be properly cleaned and maintained after every use to increase its longevity. After playing a game of paintball, the Tippmann A-5 might have paint, oil and dirt on the marker. These elements can cause the exterior paint to erode and mechanical parts to malfunction. The internal components of the marker can also be cleaned to ensure a safe working marker for future paintball events.
Instructions
Disassemble the Tippmann A-5
1. Remove the C02 tank from the Tippmann by unscrewing the tank counterclockwise until it is off of the tank adapter. This will eliminate the air power from the marker, preventing any accidental misfires.
2. Open the paintball hopper, which houses the paintballs, by popping the plastic top open. Pour the unused paintballs into a plastic bag for safe keeping or back into the paintball bucket with other unused paintballs. Slide the cocking handle on the left-hand side of the Tippmann back to release paintballs in the chamber.
3. Remove the hopper by twisting it to the side and pulling it upward. Unscrew the barrel from the front of the marker by twisting it counterclockwise.
Clean the Tippmann A-5
4. Dampen a towel with warm water. Wipe the entire exterior of the paintball marker with the damp towel to remove any paint, oil and dirt. Rinse off the towel and repeat this step until all off the grime is removed from the black paint. Use only water to clean the marker because chemicals will cause the exterior paint to erode.
5. Insert two to three drops of gun oil into the paintball tank adapter. Gun oil can be bought at any sporting goods store that has a rifle or hunting section or from a paintball specialty retailer. Attach the CO2 tank to the paintball tank adapter by screwing it in clockwise until it is snug. Take the safety off, which is on the side of the marker above the trigger. Dry fire the gun 10 times to lubricate the internal components. The gun oil will disperse into the gun with the help of the compressed air.
6. Wipe the external area of the hopper clean using the damp towel to remove any paint, oil or dirt. Wipe clean the inside of the hopper if necessary. Paintballs sometimes break inside the hopper, which can cause other paintballs to become ineffective and damage the marker's mechanisms.
7. Use a barrel-cleaning rod to clean the inside of the Tippmann's barrel. Pull the rod through the barrel several times until the inside of the barrel is clean. Wipe the exterior of the barrel thoroughly with the damp towel. Keep the paintball marker disassembled until the next paintball match for safe and easy transport.
Tags: damp towel, paint dirt, paintball marker, tank adapter, cause exterior, cause exterior paint
