Bullet-Shaped Paintballs

[Jaremy Rykker]

Based on this data we believe round paintballs are too light and have lousy aerodynamics to expect any more accuracy than what we are currently getting. When the military came to us and wanted a more accurate non lethal system we made a bullet shaped, spin stabilized paintball that far outperformed any equal weight round projectile. Accuracy by volume has been, and will remain, the best way to score eliminations.

This is out of Tom Kaye's Tech Tips #3 regarding spinning paintballs. I looked at this, and am wondering how it performed, as if you are going into the world of scenario play, you might want to pick up a patent on this design. Sure, you might have to start out developing a pump with a ten round clip over the top of the marker that would have to be handloaded, but perhaps it would be the first time that a rifled barrel would actually have been used, and that old dream about "paintball snipers" could actually come true. It would be huge for you in scenario paintball, and could get you pretty far if it worked.

Could I at least get some information on how these bullet shaped paintballs worked, and whether it would be feasible to develop a system for them that could be used in scenario paintball and big games and such?

[PsychoBaller]

Some airsoft games are played with pretty much bullet like projectiles with tiny splooges of paint at the tip...

Suckers zing like a mofo though...

-baller

[WenULiVeUdiE]

and what if your field isnt BYOP? I doubt the paint would be cheap and a common find. But you may be on to something...

[Jaremy Rykker]

Airsoft Bullets and Alternative Paintball Setups

Yes, I know that some airsoft games are played that way, and I have a friend at school who tried that. Problem with airsoft is that it is much smaller and less popular than paintball, everything feels minature (in my opinion), and the feel just isn't as good. Scenario paintball is big, and if a working bullet shaped paintball were brought to this market, even if it were a 10-15 round clip setup for a specific AGD-made pump, you would see them sell. People still play with pumps and 10 round clips in scenario, and you would see them used as a sniper gun, just as pumps currently are. You really would revolutionize that area, and you know all that concern about trying to break into that market? You wouldn't just break in? You'd smash in the door and set off the fireworks in the process. You really would go far if a bullet-shaped paintball could be designed (even if only for a pump). Note that the tip of it would need to be soft, but the break would still be similiar considering the front would be pushed back in while the outside would whip creating our favorite ring welts.

Another alternative setup that could do well is to setup a paintball shotgun. I've heard of people setting up spare barrels loaded with a setup of toilet paper and the 6mm paintball BBs, and using them as a single-use paintball shotgun barrel with moderate success (although imperfect and poorly designed which has hurt their effectiveness as you basically have to change barrels to shoot once. Once again, some design along these lines could be nice for scenario paintball as shotguns are quite effective against ye old bum rush.

As a conclusion though, the most ingenius thing that you could do though would be to develop these bullet shaped paintballs and set up a design that could work with them. That old claim that the "paintball sniper" wasn't realistic in paintball would go to rot if this could work. Of course, I really would need to see some information on the effectiveness of the design. By my understanding of physics, it could increase range as well as accuracy, but I don't know very much regarding physics as my knowledge is very... very basic.

EDIT: And wenuliveudie... if this revolutionized paintball the way it could if it works, you will see this start to be picked up at fields. Sure, it may be a little expensive, and a 100 round case for $10 might be average, but it would be a sniper's paintball, and considering that its main market would be pumps at big games and scenarios, you aren't shooting that much paint.

[space_weazel_45]

look at the ammo for the fn303 it has more bullet shaped paintballs with fins.

[Muzikman]

As stated, above, FN303 rounds are shaped like a bullet, but instead of the barrel being rifled, the projectile it's self has fins. One of the things that makes these rounds work so well in the FN is the weight. They are about 8grams, compared to a paintball at about 3grams.

[GT]

They are about 8grams, compared to a paintball at about 3grams.

jebus!,
I bet that makes bunkering fun

[AGDlover]

crapy pic but this is what it is

[Jaremy Rykker]

Right. But, why haven't these sort of projectiles actually been developed and optimized for paintball. The FN303 is honestly a short-range crowd control device, and although not lethal is still very painful, and well beyond the range of what would be considered reasonable for a paintball. An ideal paintball bullet would be a little heavier than normal, but it wouldn't be designed to hurt. The design is good for law enforcement, but far too dangerous for paintball. However, the concept is good, and if somebody in paintball were to develop it, you could possible make a sniper weapon. Note their comments on effective range, with paintballs having an effective range of about 10 meters which is fairly reasonable. On the other hand, these FN303 rounds (although heavier) had about five times the effective range, and although a variety of factors come into this, the fin design could account for a large part of this increase in effective range.

Tom Kaye himself said that bullet-shaped paintballs when spinned increased accuracy. I feel that if this increase is significant, a paintball marker could be designed to shoot these, even if only a pump, and AGD would have created the first true paintball sniper rifle.

[judster]

I looked at this, and am wondering how it performed, as if you are going into the world of scenario play, you might want to pick up a patent on this design. Sure, you might have to start out developing a pump with a ten round clip over the top of the marker that would have to be handloaded, but perhaps it would be the first time that a rifled barrel would actually have been used, and that old dream about "paintball snipers" could actually come true. It would be huge for you in scenario paintball, and could get you pretty far if it worked.

most of the major scenario producers(MXS,Viper, Blackcat, MMP, Wayne) are all event paint only, so as much as this would be a cool concept they would not work at a scenario game. however i remember a loooonnnngggg time ago(im sure tyger would remember ) they made little fins that you could attach to a paintball. you would have to muzzle load each paintball, but i remember them being pretty cool.

[bubbleman441]

I don't know what you guys are talking about those simunition rounds. My dad uses them in his training and no, they don't have fins and they're not heavier than a paintball. There rounds are propelled by gun powder just like a real bullet. My dad paintballs and he said that paintballs hurt more and travel a greater distance.

[Jaremy Rykker]

Fn303

We're referring to the rounds used in the FN303 Launcher. Take a look up on it. As compared to the average weight of a paintball at 3.1-3.2 grams, the FN303 rounds weigh 8.5 grams and have a small fin design that you can note on the back. In the link, look at the pictures of the rounds, and you will note that the lower half has a small fin design on it.

FN303 Information

This link should provide you with some information about the usefulness and accuracy of the FN303 round, and how they are much more painful than a paintball. Your did may use a practice munition, but he is not using an FN303 if it is how he described it according to the statistics I've found online.

[rx2]

Guidelines have been set that limit the weight of a paintball for sporting purposes, so as to limit risks to players, and limit insurance costs. Also, imparting more of a parabolic shape to a paintball results in a shell that is more rigid, and less prone to breaking. In fact, I can't remember who it was, but there were some oval paintballs released in the early to mid ninetees. They were a bit harder, and hurt more than round paint. Of course, you could change the shell such that it has weak points designed to break. In any case, any of these changes would result in a much higher price. This is OK for police and military, as they are using them in special instances, such as crowd control, and they don't typically need high volumes, but I don't think that the average person would want the greatly higher prices, and more rigidity.

Also, as far as I have ever heard, simunitions actually are much more painful than paintballs, and require the use of much protection. But, they are not referring to simunitions anyways, but special paint designed for training and crown control that is not fired from standard firearms, and does not use s brass casing. These ARE heavier, and DO have fins.

[Jaremy Rykker]

As I said, a bullet-shaped round would need to be designed with a weak point to break at (most likely a weakened round tip). Even if they sold them at the price of $10-$15 ofr a case of 100 and it was used on a pump, you would see them sold because they would be the first fairly accurate paintball gun. Certainly it would require a good deal of refinement to make feasible, but the idea is there, and I really think that AGD who is now going into the scenario market could run with this.

[Muzikman]

Umm...they would be expensive to make, a lot more than $10-$15 for 100.