Barrell Length

Barrel length does not affect the range, but it does make accuarcy better.

12-14in is ideal, anything over 14 you lose gas efficiency.

Thats it, the flatline or the apex.

No, barrel length doesn't affect range. If anything, the longer the barrel, the worse your range may be. This is becuase as the paintball travels down the barrel, it is subject to frictional forces. Friction, as always, has a tendency to counteract any force against it, and slows the paintball down. With the paintball slowing down due to friction upon leaving the barrel, range will decrease (Of course, I'm talking extreme examples here, like a 21" barrel). 16 is probably the longest you'd want to go. 12 is probably the shortest. Any smaller and you'd probably get made fun of for having such a short barrel...if you know what I mean.

Ref: I want a nice clean game
player: but it's paintball!

I suggest a 10,12, or 14". Don't go over 14". It just wastes your air. You 8" Bigshot will have the same accuracy and range as let's say a 12" Bigshot (just incase you're wondering).

MacDev Militia
Alien - Because winning is more fun.

^it shouldn't, it's not that special.

http://www.freewebs.com/hazedinsanity

It doesn't take power off the ball. The longer the ball is in the barrel, the longer frictional forces have to act on it. Friction acts opposite to the force being applied against it, so friction will act against the ball and slow it down. A 21" and a 12" will have the same range, but the ball shot from the 21" will hit at a lower velocity than the 12" (lower velocity = more of a chance of a bounce).

Ref: I want a nice clean game
player: but it's paintball!

well i think 16 to 14 is the best size so.....yea

tippmann a5
e-grip
14 inch
new hopper
and a scope
double trigger
flatline
remote
remote pack
stock
more on its way

Okay, just a bit of a length lesson. Length does affect range (in most cases, although I'm not at all an expert as it pertains to paintball markers). There is a terminal point in firing a firearm, where the initial impulse of the gases start to drop off and barrel friction takes over on the projectile. If the barrel length is to short, however, the projectile doesn't get to take full advantage of the gases pushing on it, thus a decrease in range... if the barrel is too long, the impulse of gases has been exhausted (used up) and now friction takes over (there's actually a point, if the barrel is too too long, that a vacuum develops and the projectile could be pulled back into the chamber. For my spudguns that I build, barrel length makes a HUGE difference in range (not accuracy, as I could care less). This is illustrated here: http://www.burntlatke.com/launch.html However, I know absolutely nothing about barrel length pertaining to paintball markers, especially since there is porting, generally half way down the barrel, which would imply gas exhaust. My guess is the powers that be have already measured the length of barrel necessary to use ALL the initial impulse gases, and anything over that would be either (and I'm guessing) for sound control or something to do with the material characteristics of the paintball itself or to keep a vacuum from occurring.

Personally, I have a 14" J&J and did get an increase in accuracy over the stock barrel, but nothing as far as range.

The website I referenced shows some great examples of barrel length given a fixed combustion. Including barrels too long and the spud ended up being mashed potatos in the chamber, as the vacuum was created....

SPUDCRAZY