How Big Is A Paintball? All You Need To Know

Paintball is a thrilling and dynamic sport for those seeking an adrenaline rush. Participants compete against one another in a militarized game of tag, engaging opponents either in a recreational setting or tournament competition. But, one fundamental question remains: How big is a paintball?

Size Standards

The standard size for a paintball is 0.68 inches in diameter. This dictates the size of paintball markers and paintball-related gear, such as protective eyewear and subset ammo containers. Typically, paintballs in regular boxes are rated at 100-400 feet per second.

Variant Sizes

Depending on the type of paintball markers used, there are a few other supplemental sizes available to the average player. These sizes include 0.50, 0.62, and 0.43 paintballs, each of which are suitable for different style markers.

0.50 Paintballs

Generally, 0.50 paintballs are suitable for high-end rent markers that operate on high pressure air or CO2. They produce the highest rate of speed to deliver the best results on the field.

0.62 Paintballs

On the other hand, 0.62 paintballs are designed to fit common rental markers, semi-auto, and standard mechanical paintball markers. These alternative markers are generally found in rental stores and can be used for a variety of gameplay.

0.43 Paintballs

Lastly, 0.43 paintballs are of the uncommon variety, and the size is known to jam virtually any marker due to their slender shape. Unless specifically noted, these paintballs are used by professionals in competition.

Applicable Fields

The size of paintballs in play has an effect on the layout of the field. Recreational, tournament, and milsim players should keep the size in mind to ensure that the field of play is compatible with their markers.

Recreational Fields

Recreational fields tend to accept the three sizes of paintballs while providing bigger bunkers. These fields tend to be less strict about ammo checks, allowing players the ability to move and shoot without much obstruction.

Tournament Fields

Contrarily, tournament fields are much tighter and usually limited to using 0.68 and 0.50 paintballs. Players will need to be sure that their markers are calibrated to the designated paintballs in order to avoid jamming or strict performance constraints.

Milsim Fields

Milsim fields typically use only 0.68 paintballs and enforce strict ammo checks. While payloads are usually relatively light at milsim events, participants can expect field rules to be more stringent and organized to account for the intensely realistic large scale play.

In Summary

Paintballs come in three standard sizes: 0.68, 0.62, and 0.50 paintballs. Players should always check the local field sizes in order to be sure their markers and paintballs are compatible for play. It's important to note that for anything other than recreational play, 0.68 and 0.50 paintballs are the most commonly used of the three sizes.