Barrel kits..the purpose?

**craltal** · 01-10-2008, 06:58 PM

The general principal is that if you start the ball properly oriented it will fly straighter. To this end the ball flies through a "sizer" right after the breech and then continues the rest of the way down the barrel. Sizers can be an insert that fits into a barrel back (like a freak or scepter), a back that is machined to a specific size (like a hammerhead, kaner, or matchstick, etc)
Or you can use multiple single bore barrels.

Everybody has an opinion as to how well they work, but the biggest factor is going to be how good the paint you use is.

As for how well they work, MANN did a test over the summer that you can read about here:
http://automags.org/forums/showthread.php?t=212077

**warpig13** · 01-10-2008, 07:13 PM

Originally posted by craltal

As for how well they work, MANN did a test over the summer that you can read about here:
http://automags.org/forums/showthread.php?t=212077

What a life that man leads.

**Lohman446** · 01-10-2008, 07:20 PM

The purpose of a barrel kit is to make its manufacturer money.

In theory a shorter control bore can result in more consistent velocities - and thus accuracy. Its easier to sight down a longer barrel and it allows porting in the non-control surface area of the bore to get rid of some sound signature. However, so does a two piece barrel.

In theory you can size your paint to your barrel - however, paint in a package varies to some degree, so you have to oversize. In some blow forward markers (autocockers) your barrel had to be the right size to act as a detent, to keep the ball from rolling out. Since most modern markers use detents the barrel does not serve this function.

Can accuracy be gained by using the right size paint / barrel? Yeh, sure it can. However any accuracy gain is minimal and is easily overcome by the size / shape / weight of the projectile you are firing in paintball and its problems inherent to it.

In short - buy yourself a good two piece barrel of a reasonably bore size (I shoot .689 and .691 depending on what I happen to have around). Go larger than your paint so the occassionaly large ball does not get caught and blown apart in your barrel. Don't worry about the people next to you claiming to size paint - in short its a waste of time.

Besides, in today's accuracy by volume game they hold no advantage over you. The fact of the matter is, due to the aerodynamic tendencies of a paintball they do not hold any advantage (not even accuracy) over you after the ball has been in the air for any amount of time anyways.

**going_home** · 01-10-2008, 07:25 PM

Originally posted by Lohman446

Besides, in today's accuracy by volume game they hold no advantage over you. The fact of the matter is, due to the aerodynamic tendencies of a paintball they do not hold any advantage (not even accuracy) over you after the ball has been in the air for any amount of time anyways.

Not exactly true.
Bore size makes a huge difference with pumps especially.
.686 or .687 is all I use whether its my Series 6, Micromag, or Viking .

I find its better accuracy with all of them and I get no roll outs with the S6 with the smaller bores.

**jenarelJAM** · 01-10-2008, 09:57 PM

Needed for any gun without detents to prevent rollouts...

That's about it.

**drg** · 01-10-2008, 10:06 PM

Matching paint also has a huge effect on efficiency -- particularly in high efficiency guns.

**snoopay700** · 01-10-2008, 10:34 PM

Originally posted by Lohman446

In some blow forward markers (autocockers)

Since when do cockers work like mags? Well i guess that explains the rivalry

[/sarcasm]

I think you meant closed bolt.

I've always wondered why they have that second large stage where the ball doesn't touch the sides or whatever, i mean it would make more sense to me to have longer barrels of different bore sizes if you were going to do that.

**drg** · 01-10-2008, 10:37 PM

The 2nd stage basically acts like a long muzzle brake, vents the gas slowly and reduces sound signature. I think the idea is you lose propulsion in that stage anyway, so you open up the bore so as not to put any friction on the ball in that area of the barrel.

**snoopay700** · 01-10-2008, 10:43 PM

Originally posted by drg

The 2nd stage basically acts like a long muzzle brake, vents the gas slowly and reduces sound signature. I think the idea is you lose propulsion in that stage anyway, so you open up the bore so as not to put any friction on the ball in that area of the barrel.

I guess i'm weird cause i don't think that that's a good reason and think it would be better to have 5 ten inch barrels of different bore sizes if i were to go that route (though i never will most likely) rather than have 7+ inches of useless metal on the end of my gun. (well talking about those 14 inch barrels where like have is the controlled bore, i don't know about the measurements).

**drg** · 01-11-2008, 12:54 AM

That's more or less the theory behind the Lapco barrel kit, and Lapco barrels in general, which makes them some of the more efficient barrels around. Tradeoff is they are loud.

The extra ported length is not quite useless, it does suppress sound and it also gives you length for working bunkers.

It is also in general cheaper to have a control bore of a shorter length, than to have many full-length barrels, from a manufacturer's standpoint (which ultimately translates to consumer costs).

**Lohman446** · 01-11-2008, 05:10 AM

Originally posted by snoopay700

I guess i'm weird cause i don't think that that's a good reason and think it would be better to have 5 ten inch barrels of different bore sizes if i were to go that route (though i never will most likely) rather than have 7+ inches of useless metal on the end of my gun. (well talking about those 14 inch barrels where like have is the controlled bore, i don't know about the measurements).

Hehe, yeh I did mean closed bolt - one of those days.

Remember though that TKs testing showed that shorter barrels (around 5 inches) were more consistant than longer barrels. However, having played with just the back half of barrels on during rain I can tell you its harder to sight down that short of a barrel.

**turbo chicken** · 01-11-2008, 12:55 PM

here's some good information/discussion ...

410 Gone

http://z1.invisionfree.com/forums/StockClassPaintball/index.php?showtopic=26006

and someone mentioned pumps ... there was another recent thread about someone testing shots per 12gram with oversized insert, best fit insert, and a too small insert...

The count was more with the "Best fit insert" .... but your talking a small amount of shots ... that matters to a pump player.

I don't think it's all that important with a semi as your are shooting a group of shots anyways ... so what if 2 out of 10 balls are 5 or even 10 FPS lower ... you got more on the way...

but with a pump ... precision counts ... especially with a stockclass gun ... there's no room for a huge variation in FPS ...

too loose or too tight of a barrel to ball fit there will be more variations ... so you get is as close as you can to minimize the amount of variation you will have ...

besides a consistant FPS is only part of the equation to having good consistent ball delivery to the target ...

There is also the whole "matching the barrel to the gun" (as pointed out in the attached link) ... just another set of variables to consider for that whole logic ...

Hope my post was a little useful...

TC

**lidocaine** · 01-11-2008, 01:30 PM

"Since I have never used one, a barrel kit is basically one main back piece that threads into your gun and has threads for you to screw a correct "paint to barrel matched" tip into the tip of your back piece, right?"

I know it is to get a paint to barrel match,(having a barrel kit, or a correctly sized barrel) but how exactly are they made? is the above correct?Comments?

Thanks.

**Foxworthy** · 01-11-2008, 03:47 PM

Originally posted by drg

That's more or less the theory behind the Lapco barrel kit, and Lapco barrels in general, which makes them some of the more efficient barrels around. Tradeoff is they are loud.

The extra ported length is not quite useless, it does suppress sound and it also gives you length for working bunkers.

It is also in general cheaper to have a control bore of a shorter length, than to have many full-length barrels, from a manufacturer's standpoint (which ultimately translates to consumer costs).

Though the lucky Unitech barrels used a full length barrels of different bores that threaded into a back used to fit it to the marker only. Though they didn't do too well In Mann's test I think, personally I love the barrels. A bit hard to get now a days though.