We have all had it happen. Your in a heated firefight bangin away when all of a sudden a spray of paint pops out of the end of the barrel. Then no matter how much you pull that trigger nothing but creamy yogurt comes out of that barrel. As you opponent runs up to you and graciously allows you to surrender, you remember Fridaddy's words, “you should get a pistol for backup.” Well I am not here to discuss pistols, this discussion is paint breaks and why they happen. Knowing why they happen you can then fix them and be back on the field .

Breaks are annoying at best, game loosing problems at worst. We all will get some breaks at some time. If you’re getting one or two a day, don’t worry about it, it’s the nature of the Paintball. If you have a re-occurring break in the same place then you have a problem.

REMEMBER. De-gas your gun and remove the balls. Wear safety glasses when working on your gun. There are springs and rods that can injure you when and if they fly out. Oils, solvents, and paint may burn the delicate tissue of the eye. Take the time and do it right the first time.

Starting from the top…Hopper breaks

Hopper breaks are the most annoying breaks of all. Messy and uncommon they put you out of action for at least one game if not two. The most common reason for hopper breaks is brittle shell paint coupled with rapid activity. Kinda like eggs in a bucket. Falling, getting hit in the hopper, running into a bunker, any of these can and will cause a shock to the hopper and cause a break. Old paint can become brittle and break at the slightest tremor.

Repair:
Remove the entire hopper and wash out with water. If you have an agitated hopper use a damp rag. Dry with a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol. Be mindful of your electronics around the neck!

Solution:
Thicker shell paintballs.
New paintballs
Get a padded/neoprene hopper cover. This will reduce noise also.
Avoid shocks to the hopper (don’t fall down)


The chop-chop, aka squished balls….

Most common cause is overshooting your hopper. You are shooting faster than the hopper/feed tube allows the balls to fall into the chamber. The bolt drops onto a partially loaded ball and breaks it. If you have an open-bolt tube-stacked type gun (Spyder) your bolt will lock forward and not recock. You are out until you can push the bolt back and clean the area. Closed bolt guns are easier to fix, pull the bolt and clean it.

Another cause is an improperly set ball detent. The detent may be a ball or spring. As each different gun has a different type, adjust as per your manual. If you have no manual contact your guns manufacturer and have them send you one. The cocker is the only exception, although there are many, many makers of the cocker all of them function the same. Remove and clean the detent ball then add or subtract washers to get the right depth.

As a general rule, take the barrel off and drop a ball in the chamber. The ball should be held in the firing position, a thrust of the gun forward will dislodge the ball easily. If not tighten and re-test

Repair:

Remove the hopper, unstick your bolt if needed. (use a wooden dowel and shove the bolt back, dont worry it wont break it as long as you use wood)
Field strip and clean with water. Don’t forget the feed tube! Dry, oil and reassemble.

Solution:
If you do not have an agitated hopper buy one.
If you have an agitated hopper look into a better one (12 volt X-board, HALO)
Anti chop eye (on high end guns)
Higher feed tube on vert feed guns. This allows more paint to stack up causing more weight on the bottom ball allowing faster feeding.


If your getting constant barrel breaks there are only two areas they can break in.

Breaks in the bore, the first part.

The air hitting the ball in the chamber can and will cause a break. Using a low pressure ball in a high pressure marker (WORR tourney paint in a Spyder) will cause the ball to burst immediately.  Old or “seconds” will do this too.

Solution:
Get thicker shell paint.
Buy better paint.
Low pressure gun.

Repair:
First check and make sure there is no paint in other areas like the breech or bolt face. Squeegee the bore clean then swab with cloth.

Breaks in the bore, part two.

This is the most common break in paintball. They are called friction breaks. The causes are many but most of them have one thing in common, it’s the paint.

Bad or old paint.
Improper paint barrel match.
Use of low pressure type paint in a high pressure gun.

Solution:
Get better paint.
Change barrels.

The only other problem is the barrel itself. Make sure there are no burrs or other machine marks that can nick the paint as it passes. This is most common on cheaper barrels or rifled barrels.

Solution:

Dont use a rifled barrell.

Send the barrel back and have it fixed.

Burnish the inside of the barrel. Use a drill, a wooden dowel, and some cloth. Add Brasso, toothpaste, or some other form of MILD abrasive and polish the inside of the bore. 

BE CAREFUL, you will quickly turn a $75 barrel into a $75 piece of junk. If you have any doubts get an airsmith or machinist to do it for you.

Repair:
Squeegee the bore clean or swab with cloth.
Shoot it clean.


With a little testing and a little tinkering you can lessen the amount of breaks and increase your gameplay. I hope this discussion has been helpful. If you have anything you wish to add drop me a line.