Paintball Dictionary
We hope you find the following dictionary of commonly used paintball terms useful and informative. If you cannot find a term or word you are looking for. Feel free to email us and ask, we are more than happy to answer your questions.
Autoloader - a hopper that holds 200 rounds, with an electronic eye that works in conjunction with a plastic paddle in the hopper. When the eye doesn't see a paintball the paddle turns and forces paintballs into your gun. This cuts down on paint breakage and hopper shaking.
Backpack - a ball carrier, like a harness or belt. To be worn in a game to carry extra ammo at the players disposal. Carries a variety of paintball tubes, which hold the paintballs. There are many different kinds of packs.
Barrel Plug - a small rubber object designed to fit tightly in the tip of the barrel to prevent a ball from being discharged out of the gun.
Blind Shooting - when a paintball player shoots his or her marker around or above their bunker without his or her body being behind the gun. This is not a recommended tactic of firing in a game.
Bunkered or Bunkering - when one player sneaks up on or runs by an opponent and marks him at point blank range. Not recommended or even allowed outside of a tournament setting.
Capture the Flag - a type of game most widely played at paintball tournaments. A piece of cloth designated as the flag is located in the center or at each end of a paintball field. The teams battle to capture the flag and hang it at the opposing teams starting position or in some cases bring it back to their own starting station.
Chronograph - a radar device used to measure the speed of the paintball leaving the gun.
CO2/ Carbon Dioxide - a non-harmful gas used in most paintball markers to power the paintball.
Compressed Air or Nitrogen - the same as the air we breath. A gas used to power the paintball out of a marker. This may not be used in the same cylinders as the CO2 is stored.
Elbow - an angled shape plastic part that connects the hopper to the feed tube on some paintball markers.
Elimination - a type of paintball game or when a player is marked with a paintball and the break is the size of a quarter. An elimination game is when two teams battle it out until everyone on one team is eliminated.
Expansion Chamber - a grip shaped piece of equipment designed to collect moisture in the CO2 to keep it from entering the marker. This allows you to play in all weather conditions.
Gun Freeze - CO2 is liquid gas. When the liquid gets into your paintball marker and onto your O-rings, they freeze and no longer will create a seal. This will temporarily shut your gun down.
Guppie/Pod - a paintball container that usually fits in a specially designed backpack for carrying extra ammo on the field. They com in 100 and 140 round capacity.
Hopper - a paintball container that fits on top of the gun. This feeds the paintballs down into the gun. It will hold 200 or less paintballs.
Marker - a paintball gun, when shot marks it's target with a paint splat.
Mask - a protective face shield worn in paintball that protects the eyes, nose, ears, and mouth from being hit. THIS IS WORN AT ALL TIMES DURING THE GAME.
Paintballs - a gelatin capsule filled with colored vegetable oil. Sphere shaped and ranging from 68 caliber to 69.9 caliber in size. Biodegradable and washes off with soap and water.
Paintcheck - when a referee checks a player to see if he or she is marked by a paintball. You or another player can call a paintcheck.
Reg or Regulator - regulates the amount of pressure entering the paintball marker from the air or CO2 tank, making your gun more consistent and uses less CO2 or Air.
Remote - a hose that runs from the paintball marker to the air or CO2 tank. The tank is in a pouch of the backpack instead of on the gun to lighten up the gun making it more maneuverable.
Snap Shooting - a technique widely used in paintball. When a player snaps out swiftly from behind their bunker and takes 1 to 3 shots and quickly snaps back in.
Squeegee - a barrel and or gun cleaner in the shape of a stick or cable with a cloth or discs to clean broken paint or buildup.
Thermal Lens - a double paned lens that locks air between the lenses. This keeps the lens from fogging up.