One of the most extreme and adrenaline pumping sports is paintball. It’s a great way to have fun with friends and get exercise all at the same time. The most important thing in paintball is the paintball marker (paintball gun). There are a lot of different companies who make the guns and hundreds of different types of markers. Also, once you have bought a paintball gun there are many different upgrades that will enhance you paintball experience, or just change the look of your marker.
Once you have ordered a marker, it will not be shipped to you set up and ready to go. It will instead be separated into different pieces including the barrel(where the paintballs are shot out of), the hopper(where the paintballs are held), the CO2 tank(applies the gas to propel the paintballs), and then the actual marker to which everything connects. Putting it all together can be very quick if you know what you are doing.
Firstly, attack the barrel. To do so find the end of the barrel which has the spirals on it. This is the side that goes into the marker. Place it in the front of the marker, apply pressure and turn until the barrel is securely in the marker.
Secondly, attach the hopper. In the box which your marker came in, you will find a hexagon screwdriver. This is what will be used to tighten and loosen all the hexagon nuts found on the marker. On the top of the gun, a short tube will be protruding called the elbow because of its elbow-like shape. On the side of the elbow will be a hexagonal nut which loosens and tightens the elbow. Loosen it until there is enough room for the hopper to fit in. Once the hopper is set, tighten the nut back up until it is tight enough so that the hopper does not wiggle or fall out when the gun is held upside down.
The final step to setting up the paintball gun is to attack the CO2 tank which is what will be used to send pressure into the marker and propelling the ball at high velocities. Before you go ahead and screw the tank on, it is crucial that you attach the O-ring which will prevent any CO2 from leaking out of the gun. You will find the O-ring in the box that you marker came in, its is a ½ inch diameter rubber circle. Once you have found it, put it on the first indent found on the end of the CO2 tank that is to be placed in the gun. Make sure that it fits tightly to prevent any leakage. Once it is on, you can go ahead and twist on the tank to the back of your marker.
Once all of this is complete, your gun is officially set up. You must also have a mask to prevent any paintballs from hitting your face and causing potentially serious damage. All that’s left is for you to go, buy some paintballs, and have fun.
