Paintball is all about adventure and fun. Players keep adding things to make paintball more thrilling. Whether using a paintball grenade or paintball slingshot, paintball offers versatile ammo options that keep players interested and challenged.
Did I mention paintball slingshot? Yes, you heard it right; a slingshot can be used to shoot paintballs. The purpose of this blog is to discuss slingshots, how to use them, and why not. Keep reading to learn more if you plan to use them in the paintball game.
Why Should You Use Paintball Slingshot?
One of the obvious reasons to use slingshots is that they are cheaper than most paintball guns. If you are starting out and don’t want to spend too much upfront, you can use a slingshot to get the taste of the game.
Moreover, slingshots use less number of paintballs as compared to markers. Most high-end paintball guns can shoot 10-15 paint-filled pellets per second. You will be using a lot of paintballs while using these markers. With a slingshot, you will save plenty of paintballs.
However, it is not easy to throw paintballs with the slingshot. Read on to the next section to learn how to use a slingshot.
How to Shoot Paintball with Slingshot
If you intend to launch paintballs with a slingshot, you must use high-quality paintballs that won’t break halfway through.
Follow these steps to use a slingshot with paintballs:
- Take your slingshot and adjust the bands until they rest flat on the frame tips.
- Place competitive-grade paintball and place it in the middle of the slingshot pouch.
- Pull back the bands, stretch them out as much as possible, and release them. The paintball speed depends on how far you can pull these bands.
- Make sure to shoot slightly above the slingshot frame.
Hitting the target with a slingshot takes work. You need to practice shooting accurately, but it will take time. Practice as much as you can on the dummy target. Learn to control your speed and accuracy, which are essential for the paintball game.
Why You Shouldn’t Use Slingshot in Paintball
Most paintball experts avoid using a slingshot. These are considered unsafe, as slingshots can shoot paintballs much faster than paintball guns, increasing the likelihood of pain and injuries.
Here is an overview of why you should avoid slingshots:
Slingshot Can’t be Calibrated
Paintball guns allow users to control the shooting velocity of paintball. On the other hand, you can’t calibrate a slingshot. This way, you have much lesser control over your shots.
Paintballs with much higher velocities
The safe velocity of paintballs is around 220-280 fps to avoid injuries and bruises. Outdoor paintball fields allow paintball velocity between 280 and 300 fps. However, a slingshot can propel paintball higher than the recommended limit, hurting more on impact and causing severe injuries. That is why most paintball field doesn’t allow slingshots.
Paintball Breaks Before You Shoot
Most average-quality paintballs will break in the slingshot pouch or through midway. In the case of markers, the paintballs are stored in the hoppers, which keeps them safe. However, with a slingshot, paintballs have to be handled by you, which increases the risk of damage.
No Insurance for Injuries and Damages
As mentioned above, most paintball fields prohibit the use of slingshots. Additionally, you won’t get any paintball insurance if you get hurt by the slingshot.
Final Verdict on Paintball Slingshot
The drawbacks of using the slingshot overweight the benefits. Hence, you should avoid using them in paintball. Paintball guns are safe and offer more accuracy and control over slingshots. It is better to use markers instead of a paintball slingshot.