New size paintballs?

[Andygoth]

There are a lot of 'toy' paintball guns that use the .5 cals.

The best are the .43 at 400 FPS like the Rap4 Xpower which is incredibly accurate and has a very flat trajectory as used by the military.

but they're not legal in the UK so you are stuck at 300 fps and I assume that .68 was picked because it has a greater surface area for the air to push against.

 

[Mactoshdog]

well i can see the downsides, in that pritty much everything we have would become paper weights, but other than cost/quantity, what would be the upsides?

i cant see any?
all this would do is lose people from paintball. i for one, know i could not afford to replace my unusable equipment. atleast not anytime soon.

 

[JDO]

I suppose that with a lower mass, .50 calibre paintballs would lose velocity faster than the current .68 calibre paintball, so it would in fact need to be increased,

 

[custard cavalier]

price would be lower and you would get more for your money which is always a plus i cant see it happening though and definately not becoming an industry standard

do you really believe that the paintball industry would pass on any savings they make?

The police and armed forces have been making noises for years about .50 cal paintballs because it would be better suited for there application, a massive market.

Perhaps it is time for the industry to evolve again.

 

[Richie T]

Can I ask why everyone seems to think it would be cheaper to produce?

Apart from the obvious less materials being used, would those prices change? would a factory buy less raw materials?

 

[John C]

It will be Cheaper to package and transport but the regular baller wouldnt really see that saving.
The material cost is very similar I think.

Price wont be lower but it is a smart business decision.

Guns from 2009 are no better than guns from 2006.
So they have basicly invented a reason for everyone to buy new gear.


Also its another chance for the big boys to squeeze the litte guys.

Assuming this is going ahead.
Paint companies will be tooling up right now. Certain equipment companies in the boys club will be sitting in front of their CAD programs doing the same.

Where as the smaller independend manufacturers wont know for sure whats happening until they realise they are a year or two behind.
Their prosperity is to be sacraficed for the greater good.

 

[Richie T]

It will be Cheaper to package and transport but the regular baller wouldnt really see that saving.
The material cost is very similar I think.

Do you know how they are to be packaged? Wouldnt they need new box designs? and new cutters and templates which cost a good few thousand dollars..

TBH to begin with I can only see this as a bigger expence for factories hence more expense for you.

Do you know many sites that have the spare cash to buy a whole new fleet of markers? Maybe the smaller factories would cash in, while everyone else is producing smaller Cal. paint?

 

[John C]

Do you know how they are to be packaged? Wouldnt they need new box designs? and new cutters and templates which cost a good few thousand dollars..

TBH to begin with I can only see this as a bigger expence for factories hence more expense for you.

Do you know many sites that have the spare cash to buy a whole new fleet of markers? Maybe the smaller factories would cash in, while everyone else is producing smaller Cal. paint?

Re tooling of the boxes is probably an insignificant part of the tooling costs.
Think along the lines of hundreds of thousands for re tooling the paint machines themselves.

The change would be implemented from the tournament level, then slowly filter down, meaning there would still be a market for the larger paint for rental sites etc.

Smaller paint producers would do OK.

Those who I think would lose out, are the independent companies producing tourmanent markers, hoppers etc.
When they suddenly find the gear they are selling is no longer appropriate. Only those in the club would know in advance.

 

[Richie T]

Those who I think would lose out, are the independent companies producing tourmanent markers, hoppers etc.
When they suddenly find the gear they are selling is no longer appropriate. Only those in the club would know in advance.

Agreed...is this the right step for paintball? I cant see it right now.

Not a fan of getting butt****ed by large gun makers

 

[Bon]

Would not solid paint "pellets" be the way of going forward?