Smaller Balls are you ready?

[cockerpunk]

DOCUMENTED, VERIFIABLE, REPRODUCIBLE, DATA.

me too, thats why i simply decided to do it myself.

[chafnerjr]

My balls are small enough already, thank you very much.

Seriously though... really? I call shenanigans right now!

[punkncat]

There has been a huge debate over this on MCB as well. Either they made the paintball heavier to improve its flight characteristics, or it is the same old thing it always was. If it is heavier, it is thus less safe as it will impact in a smaller area with more force. If it is the same, it is as inaccurate as we remember.
This is a simple case of overabundant hype in order to "attempt" to be able to squeeze a few more pennies out of the roll of gelatin they make these things out of.

[Dark Side]

This is a simple case of overabundant hype in order to "attempt" to be able to squeeze a few more pennies out of the roll of gelatin they make these things out of.

And that is why SP was the perfect company to work with.

Every field I play has plenty of markers 3 years and older. All of my Mags and Cockers make up a small share of them.

[malJohann]

Cheer up, this could be the downfall of SP, one bad decision in a struggling economy can have a roll-on effect.

[going_home]

D.o.a

This will go no where. The free market is fueled by sales. I don't believe there will be much if any demand for .50 cal paint or markers, at least not enough to be profitable. Just my two cents.

[Me�iCX]

Cheaper paint?? Yes and no. It's the same as buying a half gallon of milk vs a whole gallon. Yes it cost less than the full gallon but is it really cheaper?? I think not. Who the hell is gonna buy all new equipment to use the smaller bore paint?? Not me....

[Reiner]

This will go no where. The free market is fueled by sales. I don't believe there will be much if any demand for .50 cal paint or markers, at least not enough to be profitable. Just my two cents.

Assuming the paintballs will actually function OK (big assumption there), I don't think it will be all that difficult to market smaller, lighter, newer markers that will shoot ammo that only costs roughly half as much per shot.

It's much like people are willing to spend more for a similar car that is much cheaper to operate by being more fuel efficient. Yes the initial cost is more, but the long-term cost saving is worth it.

If I were new to the sport, knew nothing (some may think that is true anyway ), went into a paintball store and was offered a smaller lighter, newer version of a marker that shoots paintballs that cost half as much, I'd probably be listening to the salesman to hear what he has to say about it.

[Reiner]

Cheaper paint?? Yes and no. It's the same as buying a half gallon of milk vs a whole gallon. Yes it cost less than the full gallon but is it really cheaper?? I think not. Who the hell is gonna buy all new equipment to use the smaller bore paint?? Not me....

It's cheaper per shot or ball, not weight or volume. But I never calculate how much paint I've shot by weight or volume. It's always by the number of balls (and of course, total cost).

[Stayhuge]

there are already .43 caliber markers by RAP4, and they haven't seemed to catch on like fire. I think that in this economy, the last thing that people are going to want to do is throw away all of their paintball supplies and start buying $500-1000 markers from scratch. just my 2c

[Miltonyz]

I don't see how the .50 caliber ball is going to be a lot cheaper then the 68. I don't have access to the numbers obviously but the raw material costs are probably the cheapest part of making a paintball. Of course now that I think about it shipping costs might go down as you can pack more balls per truckload. Think about with your pop products. A two-liter is close to a bottle of pop in price and sometimes cheaper. That is because for Pepsi or Coke the raw materials are so cheap the expense to them is more about fixed costs and overhead.

I would like to see some numbers about how they actually fly better.

[Smoothice]

This is what i'm going to do...

Nothing. Until I start seeing actual prices and actual proof that these fly better.

Once that information is out there then I will start thinking about how to convert my existing arsenal over to .50 cal. But only thinking.

Until the cost of my current .68 cal paintballs go up due to decreased sales and phasing out I will continue to shoot .68 cal.

When prices go up on .68 cal paintballs I will start making what is needed to convert my mags and cockers. Luckily I know a few guys that could design and manufacture such products.

I will not put 1 extra penny into any paintball marker manufacturers pocket. Unless AGD themselves produces a conversion kit.

[mt84]

Now maybe I'll be able to take this out the field

[chinstrap]

I fail to see how a move away from already-established economies of scale would produce a lower-priced product.

I'd think the fixed costs of manufacturing are what's baked into that $0.02/ball, not the shell and fill.


Seriously...how much do wholesale gelatin and fish oil cost?

[Reiner]

I don't see how the .50 caliber ball is going to be a lot cheaper then the 68. I don't have access to the numbers obviously but the raw material costs are probably the cheapest part of making a paintball. Of course now that I think about it shipping costs might go down as you can pack more balls per truckload. Think about with your pop products. A two-liter is close to a bottle of pop in price and sometimes cheaper. That is because for Pepsi or Coke the raw materials are so cheap the expense to them is more about fixed costs and overhead.

They will be cheaper because they will sell them cheaper.

From the Paintball Business Journal:

"We've been talking to several people involved (but unnamed for now) that are saying a move to 50 caliber could almost double the number of balls you'll get in a case of paint, with only a $1 or $2 increase in price"