April 21, 2005 - As we only had 5 people registered for Paintball the event has been cancelled. For those that did register I've already issued refunds to your credit cards and sent you a copy of your credit memo via email. Hopefully next year we'll have more interest in an event like this.


Everyone,
We've worked out an arrangement for paintball on Saturday May 7th starting at 2:30PM (meeting at the Fontana Activity Center). We need a minimum of 10 people to hold the event so get your reservations in. Deadline for reservations is April 20th. Visit the Event Planner or click here to jump directly to information on the event.

Mark

 

Wish I can joint you but several of my friends and I are going to the Hollywoodsport on this Thursday 03/31/05 at 4:00pm to 10:00pm. come joint us heheheheeh:smile:

 

Huh? What does that have to do with something at MINIs on the Dragon on May 7th?

 

I was thinking the same thing. My brother and I have signed up. I use CO2, he uses Nitrogen. Hopefully Nitrogen will be available.

 

I plan on signing up, but I am also signed up for the drive that begins at 0930. Hopefully we will be back in time to shoot some paintballs

 

I believe the Cherahola drive is a long long drive. The lunch you have is at the end of the drive if it's like last year.
The likelihood of you going there and making it to paintball and actually wanting to play instead of going to take a nap is slim...but then I'm just speaking for myself from last year.

 

Not being a paintball person, I'm just wondering why use one over the other? Is there a difference in muzzle velocity or accuracy?

 

Using Nitrogen keeps you from getting liquid into your gun (water or liquid CO2) so it keeps it from wearing out as fast and makes it more consistent. I have no problem using CO2 in mine, but my brother had to one-up me as brothers tend to do.

 

Oh this brings me back... I used to run a paintball website: The Spyder Owners Group. (The Spyder was a very low-budget paintball marker, with so little factory support, and so many problems that it required a network of users to come up with our own ways to deal with it. SOG was the first consumer-oriented paintball users group, and spawned dozens of similar sites for other brands of markers. It ran for over 5 years, and had over 15,000 members from 6 continents, and every state in the US. High operating costs - bandwidth charges - and lack of time to work on it were the reasons I stopped doing it, but it was a great experience.)

Anyway, using Nitrogen (aka: compressed air) instead of CO2 accomplishes a whole bunch of things, because nitrogen is much less thermodynamic in its behavior. CO2 does all kinds of weird things when used as a propellant. In the tank, it exists in two states: liquid at the bottom, with a layer of vapor floating on top. As paintballs are fired, and gas is released from the tank, the temperature of the CO2 drops. If you fire too rapidly, the temp will drop to the point where freezing occurs. This results in dry ice in the tank and in the painball marker, and causes all kinds of problems. The biggest being that the pressure of the gas that exits the tank becomes greatly diminished until it warms up again.

Also, if the tank is not held in an upright position, liquid CO2 can flow through the valve, drastically changing the performance of the marker.

Even at best, with an anti-siphon tank, etc. the temperature-dependency of gas pressure for CO2 means that your shots will not be consistent. The gas pressure into the mechanism of the paintball marker will vary slightly (or drastically) from shot to shot, reducing accuracy and range, and since most paintball marker mechanisms rely on gas pressure to "cycle", lower pressure can cause the cocking/loading mechanism to MALF, chopping paintballs in the chamber, and gooing up the works, reducing accuracy even further.

Nitrogen ("Nitro", "HPA", "high-pressure air") has to be handled differently. It requires special equipment, including reinforced tanks on the paintball markers to work properly. These are usually fiber-wrapped, layered with epoxy, and are also much more expensive than CO2 tanks. Nitrogen cannot be used with CO2 tanks, because the storage pressures are much higher.

Nitrogen is a lot safer than CO2 as well: CO2 tanks exposed to direct sunlight for sustained periods can result in extremely high gas pressure into the marker, which means much higher velocity for the shots fired. Most fields have a velocity limit of 300 feet per second (or lower). If a CO2 marker is chronographed (the velocity of paintballs exiting the barrel is measured using photocells, radar, etc.) with the tank at a certain temperature, then the tank heats up, the resulting velocities will greatly exceed the chronographed limit. Since facemasks and goggle systems are designed and tested for a maximum velocity of 300 FPS (about 200 MPH!), exceeding this velocity is inviting serious injury.

Bootom line (oops, that's a pun for paintball-savvy folks): If the proper equipment is available for nitrogen, use it. Otherwise, frequent and careful chronographing should be employed for safety purposes, especially at fields where the weather conditions change drastically during the day.

"I'm out!"

_Dave_
"I only Paint What I See..."

 

I love my Spyder. I carry it as a backup in case my shocker ever messes up (it hasn't yet) and if someone needs a gun for some reason.

But, as was said above, that's why I was asking if Nitrogen would be available.

 

I like Tippman A5 the best, this paintball marker is so reliable and it hurt way more...hehheeh
You can use Co2 or Nitrogen with no problem.

 

Not sure about the N2, but since this is after the Great Chili Cookoff there will certainly be lots of Methane!

And for the record, you should be back from the Cherohala drive by mid afternoon if all goes as planned

 

I tried my best to squeeze this between the drive and still give time to clean up and hit the food tables for the Farewell Dinner.

Now, if only I could make more hours in the day....

Hugs,
PB

 

For a simple answer, Nitro is much better. Besides consistency, you can store more in a tank, vs CO2. On the flip side, you have to be especially careful with the O-Rings, as they tend to crack more with the nitro, and a crack can lead to the gas leaking out more readily, as it is usually compressed to a higher pressure than co2.

As far as shootability is concerned, it really makes negligible difference on which gas you use. The guns have to be chrono'd in, to ensure that their rate of fire is within a safety margin.
The biggest factor here is the type of equipment you are using. A Bob Long Defiant, vs a Spider, vs a JT, vs an AutoCocker, vs a Tippman (and individual models within the Tippman line-up), etc.

Each of these weapons has differing barrels - maybe rifled to make the ball come out spinning, thereby directing it better, porting which makes the blowback gases lessen (the pressure on the paintball, as it leaves the tip of the gun, usually cause it to dimple...extra pressure from behind, after the ball leaves the barrel, makes it flatten out more, decreasing it's aerodynamics), and of differing lengths. The longer the barrel, usually, the better the accuracy - though that is a generalization.

You can usually rent pump guns, semi-automatics, and full autos at most fields. The prices increase accordingly. Most fields also require you to use their paint, which is a large profit center. Personally, I prefer to use my own, as I know it will not foul my equipment, whereas the field paint is an unknown.

Different game types mean using appropriate gear. Speedball, which is the new spin on paintball, requires one team facing another on a standard obstacle course, rapidly killing the other team once the game starts.
In games where silence is golden, pump guns may be better, especially pump pistols. Less stuff to catch on field stuff.
In a capture the flag, or wipe out the other team in the woods, a semi is usually best, to conserve paint and allow for greater shot accuracy.

Some people like to light up the field like they are painting a barn, dropping hoppers every few seconds, as they empty them to reload their voracious guns.
I enjoy being more precise. Which works effectively. Whether using a Spyder, Defiant, JT, Cocker, or even a Stingray.

I really want to know about the gas, as well as the paintball situation. If we don't have to use field paint, I'll break out a case to take with me.
May have to get a new lens for my Chameleon mask, since it is sort of..scratched. Need to check the batteries on the cooling fans, and, in the laser sight.

Never guess I've been playing forever, eh?

Fun fun fun...

 

I'll be brining my Intimidator with a couple cases of paint!! See ya there.

 

So that's 2 questions we have then.
1. Is Nitrogen available?
2. Is it field paint only or can we bring our own?

 

I know that off-field paint is allowed.

I'm checking on if Nitrogen will be available. While I know that it is allowed, I didn't ask if he was bringing some up with him, in addition to the CO2 --- however, I'm hoping to get an answer from him in a day or so.

Hope this helps,
PB

 

Tippmann A-5, enjoy mine! Recently bought it and have had some fun with it! Great gun very accurate. lol But there is a lot of other guns that are better, but I like mine! lol I personally shoot CO2 right now, not sure if I want to get Nit. or not. lol Hmm... Kinda strange how this is a MINI webpage and we are talking about Paintball. Its to bad I won't be at the Dragon. Maybe in 2 years after school.

 

Thanks for the paint answer.

I used to have a stingray...the ones that looked like M-16's...
I cut the plastic sight all the way off the top, cut the barrel about 3" in from of the main stock...pulled the barrel out, and some more plastic...pulled a nail through the barrel, drilled some 3/32" holes at strategically guessed points...screwed it back in place, and was very lucky.
You wouldn't believe some of the shots...accuracy was killer. No pun intended.
So, not having the most expensive gun there is ok. We all have to start somewhere, and this is a fun game to begin a strategic challenge in.

As far as nitro goes..it's been a while since I got mine, but I spent about 90 bucks on the tank...a little punter...the nitro is cheaper, the charge lasts longer, and it never gets 'cold'. Worth the investment.

 

That's a scenario player if I ever heard of one!! I used to play woodsball, but now I only play X-ball and speedball. I will bring a couple of markers (timmy and A-5), but I don't think I am going to register early. I am still not sure if I will make it back from the morning drive. If I do, then I will show-up as a walk-on. If not, then you guys/gals have fun!

 

~chuckles~

 

Ok, there will be CO2 and he can bring Nitrogen on request (so IF you are signed up and need -- please PM me).

Also, while no one is required to buy paint --- the Fontana does frown on off-field paint ---if you PROMISE me that it won't wind up anywhere it doesn't belong, I'll vouch for you.

Does this help?

Hugs,
PB

 

sweet!! thanks for your work.

 

One problem though that has not been addressed if this is going to happen. There needs to be at least 10 people signed up.... and right now there's only 3!

If we can't get at least 10 people to sign up for this, then we have to cancel...

 

Thank you very much for obtaining the answers. Now, of course, there are more...

err...

Where would the paint ***** end up, that wouldn't be considered proper?

And, he can bring nitro...is this a fully functioning field, a trailer on a field, a complete woods scenario on somone's property, etc? I'd hate to think this is one guy, running out to the local welding store, for tank refills...having to lug around an extra nitro tank, for the few of us bringing that sort of gear.
I do have some old CO2 bottles buried here, somewhere. How about everyone else?

I will sign up in the next few days, personally. With my nitro request.
And, using my JT semi, to keep things somewhat fair. Besides, it is easier to clean, and, I have several barrels to interchange. Including a REALLY loud Pig.
like 300' long or so.