Anatomy of a Paintball Pistol

Paintball Pistols are Better than Ever!

When the first paintball game was played in the early eighties, it was with paintball pistols. There simply wasn’t another option at the time, but the “rock and cock” bolt action Nelson paintball pistols used in the earliest days of paintball did their jobs and did them well: the first handful of players fell in love with the “Survival Game” and some of them went on to build the modern game of paintball we all love today! When it comes to the pure rush and thrill of the game of paintball, there’s not much in the world like stalking opponents armed with a paintball pistol and knowing all of your opponents are carrying the same gear, or putting a well-aimed single pistol shot on an opponent who’s carrying thousands of dollars of high-tech gear! Modern paintball pistols are more technologically advanced and capable than ever, putting impressive paintball firepower in their holster!

They've Come a LONG Way!

While the original paintball pistols like the Nelspot 007, Sheridan PGP, NSG Splatmaster and other models were bolt or pump-action, advancements in technology and decades of paintball experience have enabled manufacturers of modern paintball pistols to create semiautomatic paintball pistols that can shoot as fast as their trigger can be pulled, delivering .43 caliber paintballs, .50 caliber paintballs, .68 caliber paintballs and even spin stabilized First Strike rounds downrange. These new pistols are as capable in tactical and magfed paintball games as they are useful in force-on-force training for law enforcement, the military and security forces worldwide. Manufacturers including First Strike, Umarex and Tippmann all make outstanding paintball pistols that shoot straight, offer reliable performance and can easily punch above their weight once the game starts and the paintballs are flying!

Anatomy Class

The various components that make up the anatomy of a paintball pistol are simple but important to understand to get the most out of any brand, make or model of paintball pistol used for fun or training! Modern paintball pistols are powered by CO2 cartridges inserted into the paintball gun underneath the barrel or into the grip by way of the pistol’s magazine. Modern semiautomatic paintball pistols are available chambered to shoot .43 caliber paintballs, .50 caliber paintballs or First Strike rounds, or .68 caliber paintballs or First Strike rounds, which are fed into the pistol for firing via a spring-powered magazine. As these projectiles are under spring pressure until they’re fired, it’s just as important for reliable operation, consistent feeding AND accuracy as they head towards their target that high quality round paintballs like Valken Graffiti are used every single time. First Strike rounds, available in .50 and .68 caliber, offer drastic improvements in effective range and accuracy at all ranges thanks to their spin-stabilized fins, and dramatically improve the firepower of any pistol and the capability to influence the fight for any player behind the paintball pistol’s trigger when they’re able to be used!

Paintball Pistol Components

Most paintball pistols are equipped with basic front and rear sights that help with basic alignment and sight picture, but don’t do much in the way with precision – that means practice with your paintball pistol is absolutely everything to help ensure that one-shot accuracy. Some paintball pistols, many in-fact, are equipped with accessory mounting rails along the front of the frame underneath the barrel that allow for the mounting of lights or lasers. Paintball pistols like the First Strike FSC compact .68 caliber paintball pistol or the Tippmann TiPX paintball pistol even offer removable barrels, allowing upgraded replacement paintball gun barrels to be added that improve range, consistency and accuracy! Unlike airsoft pistols or firearms, the slide of most modern paintball pistols does not cycle or reciprocate when fired.

Wheelgun Fun!

(it's not just for Wednesdays anymore!)

In addition to modern semi-automatic paintball pistols like the Tippmann TiPX, First Strike FSC and various models from Umarex like the TPM1 or replica firearm models, modern paintball revolvers are now available that offer another dimension of Wheelgun fun to paintball! These models, like the First Strike Roscoe .50 caliber paintball revolver and the Umarex TR50 .50 caliber paintball revolver, are fed from removable 6-round magazine-style cylinders and feature sight rails and accessory rails for modifying and upgrading! These modern paintball revolvers, like the 3357 Spotmarker that came long before them, add a “six-shooter” dimension of fun and realism to any magfed paintball game or tactical training session!

Modern paintball pistols are remarkable pieces of airgun technology! Delivering round paintballs in various calibers or First Strike projectiles on targets near and far, accurately and reliably, isn’t easy, and doing that in a paintball gun package half or a third the size of most modern paintball guns makes the job even tougher! But modern paintball gun manufacturers have figured it out and are delivering magfed paintball players, tactical paintball shooters and those in need of realistic force-on-force training several amazing options that make paintball games more fun and enjoyable! Did he fire six shots or only five? Do YOU feel lucky?