Measuring of Paintball "Fit"
Printed From: Tippmann Paintball
Category: Tippmann Paintball
Forum Name: New Player Forum
Forum Description: New to the sport? Get Professional Advice Here!
URL: http://www.tippmannsports.com/forum/wwf77a/forum_posts.asp?TID=155870
Printed Date: 25 February 2026 at 9:55pm
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Topic: Measuring of Paintball "Fit"
Posted By: GibTG
Subject: Measuring of Paintball "Fit"
Date Posted: 07 June 2006 at 11:05pm
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Hello, This will be my first post on the board and I would like to say I'm new the sport, just got my old cheap model 98 a week ago, and would like a little information regarding the desired dimensions of the paint compared to barrel it is to be fired through... I'm currently using a digital slide caliper to measure the paint and the largest reading I'm getting is .670" and the lowest is .650". The paint is of unknown origin and was given to me by a friend but I'm pretty sure it is cheap Wal-Mart stuff (I just don't know the brand). But isn't this a horrible tolerance? Some of the tolerance may be in the measuring devices "squeezing" the paintball but if so what other devices do the pros use to measure their paintballs? After multiple measurements of both my Boomstick and stock barrel they come out to .687", so is this paintball a horrible fit in this barrel? I am having some accuracy and consistency problems but of course I'm just starting out and also have some questions regarding the gun adjustment... Even it may be accounted to my poor aiming my gun currently can't stay within an acceptable "pattern". One shot may be decent to my sights, but the next may miss the target completely. A friend of mine with an out of the box 98C Pro can put me to shame in terms of speed of firing, accuracy, and consistency, and his gun has a much higher velocity than mine. Would an expansion chamber may help me this significantly? Any general rules for gun adjustment, mods, and techniques to improve my accuracy would be very appreciated, thank you. |
Replies:
Posted By: Snake6
Date Posted: 07 June 2006 at 11:12pm
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That is very poor tolerance for paint. I would suggest getting something a little better next time. As for your shooting, paintballs are inheriently inaccurate. It is perfectly normal to have shots like that, especially while using bad paint like you were. ------------- 
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Posted By: Mehs
Date Posted: 07 June 2006 at 11:16pm
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Paintballs are just not really accurate at all, or atleast the kind you
bought. To test the size of the paint, instead of measuring it,
just drop it into your barrel, and if it falls right through, it's too
small, and if it's stuck, and you CAN'T push it out, it's too
big. If it slides through slowly, or usually touches the sides,
or you can push it through, with no problem, and it doesn't fall
through, it's fine. An expansion chamber will help your velocity
be more consistent, and not spike as much.
------------- [IMG]http://i27.tinypic.com/1538fbc.jpg"> Squeeze Box ☣ |
Posted By: GibTG
Date Posted: 07 June 2006 at 11:30pm
| Thanks guys, just the kind of information I was looking for. |
Posted By: Shub
Date Posted: 08 June 2006 at 12:04am
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Paintballs aren't made to bullet tight tolerances. The thing to remember is that there is more than size to affect performance of the paint...one of the biggest issues is quality of the paint, and the current condition of it.
Big chain stores like Walmart aren't the best place to buy paint, beause they won't be likely to take care of it like a paintball shop would...keeping it from freezing, or letting it melt, or simply storing it in a warehouse for way too long until the paint get all dimpled. A good rule of thumb is that when attempting to insert a paintball into the breech end of the barrel, it should not be so small that it rolls out the barrel, but it shouldn't be so tight that you have to force it into the barrel. Otherwise, that should be all the more you should need to know about paint/barrel match. |
Posted By: Duechy
Date Posted: 08 June 2006 at 2:10am
An old cheap model 98 may be in need of a new drive spring. This could account for low velocity. ------------- One shot, One kill.... Oh, wait. What fun is that? TEN shots, one kill, and a bunch of welts on your back. |
GibTG wrote:Posted By: GibTG
Date Posted: 08 June 2006 at 12:48pm
| Really? Can you get a spring to easy replace it or do you have to talk to tippmann? |
Posted By: mamasboi
Date Posted: 08 June 2006 at 12:58pm
| i would search look at paintball websites or even look for a proshop near you. Or ask tippmann |
Posted By: MVM91
Date Posted: 08 June 2006 at 3:53pm
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put a paintball in the barrel and look down the barrel (when its off the marker obviously) and the paintball should touch the barrel at 3 points. any less and its too small more and its to big ------------- http://model98.org"> 
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Posted By: GibTG
Date Posted: 08 June 2006 at 8:20pm
| All good info here, but I did get some measurements on some Zap balls today, some measured right at .687" so I think they will be a little better for me. |
Posted By: Shub
Date Posted: 09 June 2006 at 12:20am
| Springs are available from most paintball stores...one example http://www.countysports.com/shop/product.php?productid=16235&cat=0&page=1 - here . |
Posted By: GibTG
Date Posted: 08 July 2006 at 10:53pm
| Sorry to bring back a post from the dead but I figured this would be a good topic to ask about paint fit in a flatline as well. I'm trying one out now and trying to learn to shoot with it and not having much luck, at short range the balls are dropping unbelievably low and sometimes curving off to the left but the distance is amazing, and I'm especially liking the distance for woodsball. But anyway the flatline is measuring around .698-.699" and my paint is measuring right at .680, if this acceptable? What is a choice paint for the flatline? |
Posted By: S\/\/4T-L()G4N
Date Posted: 08 July 2006 at 11:18pm
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Small bore paint for the flatline. The flatline is one of two exceptions for the "good paint to bore match." .680 would be about right. ------------- 
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Posted By: DeTrevni
Date Posted: 08 July 2006 at 11:23pm
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the flatline is a picky little booger, but if you meet its "requirements" it is a great barrel. the flatline itself is a large bore barrel, but to get the proper effects, a small bore paint is needed. .680 paint should be fine. also, you need to "tune" the flatty. make sure the barrel is vertical, or the balls will shoot the directon of the tilt. ex: if it is tilted a little to the left, the paint will hook left. also, the best velocity for a flatline is around 280. conveniently, that is the velocity limit on most fields. ------------- Evil Elvis: "Detrevni is definally like a hillbilly hippy from hell" 
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Posted By: Thatoneguy123
Date Posted: 09 July 2006 at 12:16am
| i BLOW my paintballs through the barrels to find the best match |
Posted By: GibTG
Date Posted: 09 July 2006 at 4:58pm
| Thanks for the good info again guys. Now that I took the barrel back off to clean it I think it was slightly cocked and I believe I fixed the problem, but I'm also wondering about the finish of the barrel. I bought it heavily used so I'm wondering if it really wasn't take care of. If you can see anything in them, here are some pictures, I apologize for the poor quality. There are many score marks going along the length of the barrel but I don't believe the bead finish is polished yet but I'm somewhat unsure. |
Posted By: Monk
Date Posted: 09 July 2006 at 6:54pm
| Its a good rule of thumb that if you put a ball in the barrel, and there are three points where the ball is touching the barrel. Thats a good bore match. |
Posted By: GibTG
Date Posted: 09 July 2006 at 7:05pm
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Monk, We've established that already, please read through the thread if you plan on posting. |
Posted By: You Wont See Me
Date Posted: 09 July 2006 at 7:12pm
 You can send the faltline in to tippmann to get the inside reblasted if you believe it needs to be. They should do this for free. Call them up. ------------- A-5 E-Grip JCS Dual Trigger DOP X-CORE 8 stage x-chamber Lapco Bigshot 14" Beadblasted Optional setup: R/T Dead on Blade trigger |
Posted By: carl_the_sniper
Date Posted: 09 July 2006 at 8:55pm
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a good thing to do if you must buy paint at walmart is to ask to open the box and check the paint. most places will let you and if they dont, then dont shop there. ------------- <just say no to unnecessarily sexualized sigs> |
Posted By: jerseypaint
Date Posted: 09 July 2006 at 11:58pm
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For the barrel damage. I can't tell but it should almost look like a smooth tunnel with a light refelcting at the end.
And I want to thank you for not making 3000 threads each time you had a new question.  (no sarcasm). There has been much problems with people double posting or just posting 3000 threads each time they had a thought.------------- 
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Posted By: GibTG
Date Posted: 10 July 2006 at 12:36am
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Really? It might be worth sending it in for a new finish then. Some of the balls aren't seeming to get the full effect and will fall way short, I'm thinking the finish is the reason. Well I guess I am doing something right here, If I have more questions somewhat related to fitment I will continue them on this thread. With some minor tweaking I finally got the balls flyin' straight but I need to get a rear sight piece to actually have some consistency to adjust it more accurately. |
Posted By: jerseypaint
Date Posted: 10 July 2006 at 1:15am
Well I have a different barrel so I wouldn't know what your barrel is supposed to look like inside. I was just trying to help. -------------
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Posted By: You Wont See Me
Date Posted: 10 July 2006 at 4:00pm
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The flatline should be rough inside, not smooth.
------------- A-5 E-Grip JCS Dual Trigger DOP X-CORE 8 stage x-chamber Lapco Bigshot 14" Beadblasted Optional setup: R/T Dead on Blade trigger |