How to Choose Paintballs

Which balls suit you best?

If you’re buying paintballs from a commercial paintball park you don’t really have much choice in the type of balls to use. If you’re playing privately, there are more options as you can usually buy better quality paint from a paintball store than you can at a field.

The most important factor in buying paintballs is bore size. Just about every paintball barrel and paintball pellet has a caliber of about .68, which stands for 68/100 of an inch. However, paintballs and barrel sizes actually range from about .67 to .71 caliber.

You really need to buy paintballs that fit the barrel you’ll be using. This is why it’s usually better to buy slightly more expensive pellets if they’re more consistent in size. If you’re unsure what size paintballs you need, use a barrel size chart to find the barrel’s bore size and what size paintballs fit it. You can also check it physically by placing a ball in the barrel. If it rolls out, then it’s too small. However if you have a hard time blowing it out of the barrel, it’s likely too big.

There are dozens of paintballs that might fit your gun, and you have to choose the ones that will perform the best. Some pellets may work well in one gun and barrel, but not in another, as some barrels work better with oily paintballs. There is really only one way to find which paintballs suit you best, and that’s to try a few out. Make sure you keep track of how many times each brand breaks in your barrel, and make sure to compare if there is a difference in accuracy. You should also keep track of how many paintballs bounce off their target and how many break on impact. You want the paint pellets to break and splatter your opponents. Simply bouncing off of them won’t result in elimination.

The color of the paintballs may also influence your decision. Bright balls are easier to spot when they splatter, and you can also get glow in the dark pellets for playing at night. Some brands are made specifically for cold weather and winter performance. Whatever type you decide on, make sure you store them properly so they’ll last longer. Check out our How to Store Paintballs page for some tips on storage.