Barrel test----- I have a few more questions/ need paint suggestions

[SlartyBartFast]

Im not using reballs because I dont play reball, and dont have access to ~500-1000 of them.

Now that's FUNNY! :rofl:

Firstly, the variations from one box of paint to the next will probably invalidate your test results.

Secondly, you can't be serious that you don't see the paint expense being far greater than ordering a box reballs.

They didnt show the shot varance, but said they were in a 10 or 12" radius. To me that means crap. I want to see the shot pattern.

Thing is, shot pattern of paintballs will be meaningless. Not unless you can show what part of the accuracy/precision is the fault of the paintballs.

[MANN]

DaFin,

The gun will be setup in a vice. It will be shot ~60 ft (I havent decided a firm distance and am open to suggestions)

The shots will hit a piece of paper ~ 36" X 24-30" Ideally the paintball will go through the paper without breaking, and hit a sheet which will catch unbroken paintballs for later practices (the paint will not be used twice). Each shot will be measured on an x y axis to the nearest 1/4".

For each shot the velocity will be recorded with 2 chronographs, and a radar gun (the red chrono was calibrated within the last year, and I have tuning forks to tune the radar gun with) the yellow cheap chrono is just that. I want to see how far off of what I call correct it is. The marker will be reset to 280 fps with each barrel. The velocity will be adjusted in accordance to AGD specs.

The maximum sound level of each shot will also be recorded for each shot (just because im intersted to see what barrel is quieter than another. The results for this will be the percent of noise reduction. A baseline for each barrel will be determined by dry firing.

EDIT/ADD: I am also taking the internal diameter of each barrel/insert to also see how close of tolerances each companies hold their products to. The actual/specified diameters, and the weight of each barrel will be recorded. some of them are :rofl: What little experience I have in manufacturing/process the percent error just would not fly.

I will read through the DOE link. I am pretty sure we did something like that in one of my statistics classes. Im a senior mechanical engineering student so I have had a ton of math, but have forgotten most of it. I might/probally will use yourself/other AOers that have a background in math to help check the results.

/kinda a side note on checking results. I had a thermodynamics I test a few years ago that I missed 25/100 points on because I didnt change degrees F to degrees C. I think the professor was just tring to prove to us that we all make mistakes and that the little ones are sometimes a big deal. In real world situations people have lost their jobs/spaceships because of little mistakes.

Thanks on the software links. I will browse through them. I will probally use excel as we have quite a few add ons availible at both work and the school ME Labs.

You are more than welcome to have any/all the data. I am going to try to host it somewhere in an excel file, but worst case I just email it to you.

Dont worry about stirring up the waters. I would rather someone point out a forseen error than for me to have data that is only worth the paper it is typed on.

EDIT/ADD: all measurements will be recorded with calibrated equipment. All barrel dimensions/weights will measured with nist calibrated calipers/ scales

[MANN]

Me= red

Firstly, the variations from one box of paint to the next will probably invalidate your test results.

This could be very true. I think I can tell a little difference in some of the barrels that I have played with before. Ie I prefer the ccm to the stainless freak. I prefer the kaner to the hammerhead barrels. Now this could just be all in my head, but only testing will determine if one barrel is superior to another.

Secondly, you can't be serious that you don't see the paint expense being far greater than ordering a box reballs.

I am hoping to reuse ~ 50% of the paint for later practices/recball. I figure that it will cost me ~ 100 bucks in paint

Thing is, shot pattern of paintballs will be meaningless. Not unless you can show what part of the accuracy/precision is the fault of the paintballs.

Maybe, maybe not. If barrel A shoots good with all 3 brands, and barrel B shoots only good with 1 brand of paint then IMO barrel A is better than barrel B.

[MANN]

I know that paint is not perfectly spherical that is the reason that paintballs do not go straight. It will be very hard to determine if the barrel is causing the inaccuracy or if the paint is causing it (the majority will probally be the paint). I am going to do my best to get a range of paint therfore eliminating that problem.

I have seen barrel companies state that our barrel is better than theirs because here is our shot pattern and here is the competion's shot pattern; and ours is a tighter pattern therefore a more accurate barrel. For anyone that is looking to purchase a paintball barrel that is smart enough to research their purchase i would like to provide data/reason to purchase one barrel over another. I have no ties with any barrel company, and would consider this a blind test.

I know that probally over of 50% of players will still go get a 24" barrel thinking that it will be a sniper. This test is not for those players. At the least this will let me know personally which barrel is best for me. My personal oppinion is that the gun/barrel is alot less the problem as it is the person.

Edit/Add: another difference in different barrel kits is the tolerance levels that the company holds. If I buy a kit with X number of inserts that are a certain size I expect the inserts to be exactly what is listed on them. I dont want a kit that jumps around. If thats the case there is no point of owning a barrel kit we should all just buy a piece of .75" of pipe, and tape it to our guns.
/end sarcasim

[zazzoo]

Very Cool Im glad your doing this experiment and sharing that way it can help us in one aspect as to get the best for our buck

So Thanks in advance

[emumikey]

I would recommend a bore sight. That way you know exactly where your barrel is pointed at the start of each test run.

Will help to calculate SD of each pattern.

[MANN]

I would recommend a bore sight. That way you know exactly where your barrel is pointed at the start of each test run.

Will help to calculate SD of each pattern.

:rofl: I was talking to a good friend probally 20 min ago, and his exact words were "we need to stick a lazer pointer in the barrel to help aim it" I never even knew they made such a thing. Now all I have to find is one that is ~ .68"

[StygShore]

how are the findings for the ACTUAL size of the inserts compared to what they are labeled as so far?


Styg

[bryceeden]

Where do you order it from. Its not on paintball discounters or first call.

Truthfully I couldn't tell you. Its the brand I stock but I get it strait from Archon.

[MANN]

how are the findings for the ACTUAL size of the inserts compared to what they are labeled as so far?


Styg

ummm intersting. I am right now doing a second measurement of all of them to make sure I didnt goof up. So far if I was only told the diameter of the barrels I would not purchase an empire revolver or alum freak. Hopefully I can load the data on the internet tonight

[Blazestorm]

Jesus.

I've been using the same .693, 16" CP 2 piece I got for free for the past 2 years, has shot thousands of people for me (I play a lot :P ) so I think I'll stick with this

[MANN]

I've been using the same .693, 16" CP 2 piece I got for free for the past 2 years, has shot thousands of people for me (I play a lot :P ) so I think I'll stick with this

Ive been driving a 96 blazer for the past 7 years. almost 250k on it. never gave me any major problems (no repair over 400 to date. mostly just tires, oil, and brakes). Does that mean that it is the best car for my money?

I agree completely with what you are saying. I was always content with my freak/ pmi perfect bore. I am just tring to figure out what is "the best".

[emumikey]

:rofl: I was talking to a good friend probally 20 min ago, and his exact words were "we need to stick a lazer pointer in the barrel to help aim it" I never even knew they made such a thing. Now all I have to find is one that is ~ .68"

Long link to one at cabelas. They dont come in any caliber over .50 as far as I know. But you could easily retrofit it by making an adapter out of wood or another material.


http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...006&hasJS=true

[reflective]

Where do you order it from. Its not on paintball discounters or first call.

Actually first call does have it... here's the link Ink'd @ Firstcall . (I think that zap has the distro deal with them, so that is why it is under zap paint, atleast that's what it seems like from the zap website, and my google search).

I also saw it at sakworld and on ebay.

[MANN]

Update to first post with data. Rows kinda got screwed up when pasting, but you get the point. They are given, actual, and difference (absolute) in order from left to right. All of them were measured ~6 times and the average is what you see. There was two rounds of measurements with two different calipers. IE it was done twice to assure accurate numbers. Both calipers are nist traceable.

The Empire revolver has two values for the actual. This is because the back and front of the inserts had quite a bit of difference on some of them. The difference was calculated with the back of the insert