Is lower FPS really helping?

[Rick927]

I beleive it is a matter of energy transfer from the paintball to the target. In firearms higher velocity with similar projectile will result in higher terminal ft/lbs of pressure to transfer to the target. But the amount of that potential energy that is transfered depends on the design of the projectile and the taget it hits. In balistics we know that slower projectiles will penitrate further into a target than faster moving projectiles. The faster moving projectiles tend to shatter or break up on the target surface expending all of their stored energy over a larger area. A bounce has transfered all of it's energy to the target without loosing the integrity of the projectile, therefore it hurts more and welts bigger.

[Jaremy Rykker]

Here is my guess as to your welts. Take this with a grain of salt, because I do not have a lot of scientific knowledge, or any evidence that this hypothesis would be the case.

As the ball impacts at 300 FPS, it gets a rather jarring blow and shatters. Instantly, the equator of the ball whips around and hits you in the arm, creating our lovely circular welt. There is an initial impact here. However, the impact is definately enough to shatter the ball, so the ball breaks and the actual welt and pain are inflicted by the equator whipping down and smacking the outside of your skin.

Break Point: Immediately Upon Contact with Skin
Primary Location of Impact Damage: Minimal, Due to Immediate Break
Outer Circle Damage: Average, Due to Long Travelling Distance to Skin



Now, going on. If the ball were to hit at 200 FPS for example, it might not immediately get a sufficient enough blow to shatter the ball immediately. Perhaps it pushes some skin down before there is sufficient pressure to break the sphere. Instead of having a very minimal initial impact, the ball has now actually applied its full force.

Break Point: Pushing in on Skin
Primary Location of Impact Damage: High, Due to Late Break which means that full force of ball is exerted on arm
Outer Circle Damage: High, Due to Short Travelling Distance to Skin

[kscullin]

Number 13, I think you've hit it on the nose. Which brings me to: Jeremy Rikker - what I'm reading, esp. in relation to Number 13's bounce post, is that a paintball fired at a lower velocity that breaks acts more like a bounce until the shell actually splits, right? So even though the force is less, the time that force is applied to the impact area is greater before the shell splits, so it hurts more (all else being equal, of course, which is impossible).

[Mechanic79]

I've always wondered why indoor has a lower rate of FPS (usually around 250) and outdoor has a rate of around 280-300 fps.

Playing tourney's you are outside, playing close quarters, so why would it matter inside?

I think the paint that hits you and doesn't break is the paint that hurts the worse!

A field by me also base's the FPS on the gun you're using. any high-end electro and they want you to shoot no faster than 280 FPS but tippmann's and other low-end guns get to have 300 FPS cap. where is the logic in that?

Too many rules and regulations that I think just don't need to be there.

Mechanic79

[AGDlover]

you explained a redline effect were a faster moveing object would tear away at higher speeds than a lower speeding object would stay more constant

[Blazestorm]

I've been bunkered and it didn't even leave a welt whereas I've been longballed and it bounced... well I had 4 bouncers in the same spot... in the same day... that was a HUGE bruise (indoor field) ofcourse long-balling there is about 70 feet