Cheap Paintballs
Just how important are the actual paintballs used in the sport of Paintball? There are plenty of cheap paintballs available on the market today, but are they a good idea?
A paintball has a rather long and scientific name. It is, technically, a spherical gelatin capsule containing polyethylene glycol and a blend of other non-toxic and water soluble substances. It also contains dye. The dye is similar to the dyes used in many foods, but it does not taste very good. The original paintballs were enclosed in glass capsules and were filled with indelible oil based paint. They were not very environmentally sound. Today, there are a number of different options including some really cheap paintballs on the market.
What are the pros and cons of cheap paintballs? Well, just about the only pro is that they are cheap. You can get a lot more of them for the same amount of money. You can buy the same amount and have extra money left over for all kinds of other activities. These activities could include buying other kinds of Paintball gear or even getting to play more often. So, why not?
The paintball of today is usually between .67 caliber and .71 caliber depending on the type. They are very sensitive to heat. When they get to warm the gelatin capsule tends to lose its shape. This is going to create some problems. It is also important to keep them away from moisture. To avoid problems, keep them out of direct sunlight. Many people use insulated coolers to store them. However, the expensive ones and the cheap ones are both susceptible to heat and moisture.
The real difference lies in the manufacturing process. The better paintballs are subject to a much more stringent manufacturing process. They receive more quality checks and are made to a much higher standard. This insures a much more consistent shape and size. These factors are absolutely essential to accuracy. The higher quality paintballs use a much higher quality filler. They also have a thinner shell. The importance of a consistent and thinner shell is that it splatters on contact every time. This avoids or eliminates what is called “bounce” where the paintball hits a target, but does not splatter and mark it.
There is an old saying that reminds us that we get what we pay for. This is true with cheap paintballs. They are the ammunition of this sport and not a place to try to save a few bucks. No serious hunter, and even less a serious warrior, would venture into the field with shoddy ammunition if there was anyway to avoid it. Cheap paintballs may seem like a good deal at the sporting goods counter, but you will regret your greed on the Paintball range.