Barrels

Construction

Barrels are manufactured in three types: one piece, two piece, and three piece. The type of barrel is usually irrelevant because the quality of the barrel has a much greater impact on accuracy. It is suggested that one test as many barrels as possible before purchasing one.

One Piece

Barrels are just as described, machined from one piece of material, usually aluminium. The standard paintball size is .68 calibre (0.68 US inches) and these barrels are honed to have an inner diameter anywhere from .68 calibre to .69 calibre. Most one piece barrels have a stepped bore after 8" that increases to around .70 calibre.

Two Piece

Barrels are made from two pieces of machined material. The parts are the Front and Back. The Back attaches to the marker and is machined with a pre-specified inner diameter usually between .682 and .695 calibre. These barrels are machined with varying dimensions to better match the size of the barrel to the size of the paint being put through it. The front is usually made to be the same ID as the largest back the manufacturer offers.

Three Piece

Barrels are similar to the two piece with a front and back section. What makes these distinct is the use of a sleeve in the back so that the user can select which sleeve ID to ball match they prefer. The front is then screwed on to keep the sleeve in place. Sleeves are generally offered in either aluminium or stainless steel. This type offers the most flexibility in that the user needs only one set of sleeves and a rear for each marker they own. They can also select front sections to make the barrel length they prefer. This type also generally offers the widest selection of barrel diameters, usually .680, .681, .682, .683, .684 ... to .696 calibre.

Specialty

There are few Specialty barrels; the two that stand out are made by Tippmann and are called Flatline Barrel Systems. These are made specifically for their Model 98 and A-5 markers although slightly modified versions can be found on guns such as the Autococker. What makes these unique is the slight curve that the barrels are made with and the top part of the inside of the barrel is slightly roughened to induce the spin. This curve causes the paintball to enter an intended backspin as they leave the barrel. Tippmann claims (with strong evidence) that this backspin increases the effective range of the paintball by 50%. Many complain that at long ranges, some of the shots bounce off players instead of breaking (thus not being considered a legitimate hit). This is due to the fact that as the paintball travels the extra distance due to the backspin, it continues to slow down and has a greater chance of not breaking on the intended target unless it hits a hard surface such as a paintball marker or a player's goggles. However, the flatline is currently the only barrel that can shoot paint that far, and without it, the shot would not get to the target.

Specifications

Length

Generally barrels are 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 inches. Some people have had custom barrels made which may reach up to 48 inches. There is no accuracy nor efficiency benefit for barrels beyond 8 inches long; however, longer barrels generally make less noise than shorter barrels. Longer barrels cause players to "sight in" faster than they would with shorter barrels and thus give the perception that longer barrels are more accurate. Barrel length should not exceed 16 inches as there will be no further reduction in sound nor any gain in accuracy. Barrels longer than this require more propellant to keep the paintball at speed while traveling the length of the barrel after accelerating, and can produce a noticeable decrease in efficiency.

Porting

Some barrels are ported (or vented), which means that holes are drilled into the front of the barrel allowing the propellant to dissipate, decreasing both the turbulence of the air column following the ball out of the barrell as well as the sound signature of the marker.