In the battlefield of paintball, when a gun won’t shoot, it could be a disaster for you. When this happens, it ruins the fun of your day. Eventually, you rush back to the shop where you bought the gun because paintball guns are your lifeline. That’s why it’s so important to make sure they’re running smoothly and efficiently. We advise you not to freak out and take a deep breath. Fortunately, there are a few things you can try on your own before giving up.
How to Fix A Paintball Gun
In most cases, you’ll need nothing more than a gun’s manual, a couple of tools, and some gumption to fix your paintball gun. Let’s troubleshoot paintball gun issues that stops the gun to shoot with step by step guide.
Always Check with the Batteries First
Before jumping into the pool of troubleshooting, check the batteries first. Drained batteries can also be the reason for the malfunctioning of a paintball gun. Prior to starting “the operation to fix your paintball on your own”, just unscrew some screws and check for the battery’s health. Replace it immediately even if you are doubtful. Always use high-end batteries to last longer.
Clean the Barrel
This is the most important part of the process, especially if you’re trying to fix a paintball gun that won’t shoot. If there is any dirt or grime inside the barrel, then it’s going to be difficult for paintballs to travel through it smoothly and exit out of the end of your gun. Over and above that, broken paintballs may be stuck in the large diameter barrel. It is recommended to clear out the barrel to experience the smooth shots.
Check with the Lubrication
Properly lubricating is somewhere crucial to fix paintball guns to shoot perfectly. More the friction is, more difficult to shoot. To reduce the friction, unscrew the bolt and apply a thin layer of recommended lubricant.. Wipe it slightly with a soft cloth. You are not supposed to lather the lube on the bolt and O-rings. A thin coat is ample to fix a paintball gun.
Adjust the Velocity for Perfect Shot
Your paintball gun has a Velocity Adjustment, either on the side or at the back of it. You can use it to change the amount of power behind your shots.
If the velocity is set too high, it will shoot faster than normal and cause less damage and vice versa. So, it is a process of multiple attempts of “Adjust n shoot”. Once you get your accuracy stop the effort and enjoy the combat.
Insufficient Compressed Air
If your paintball gun still not shooting even after following all the told steps, make sure your air tank is full. Check the pressure gauge to make sure that it has sufficient air and is not leaking from any cracks or leaks in the air tank. If these two things are good and you still cannot shoot accurately, then it’s time to move on to some other fixes.
Change the Worn-Out O-Rings
Used and sometimes new paintball guns have torn O-rings. Changing the O-ring is a straightforward repair. The O-ring is a rubber ring that helps keep the bolt in place when you push it forward to shoot paintballs out of your gun. They can tear or break and results in leaking or lagging. Thankfully, they’re easy to replace with a new one available without costing you an arm and leg. To know the accurate size, refer to the manual given with the gun.
Make Sure the Paintballs are Good
Make sure the paintballs are good. You can only use quality paintballs that are unbroken and free of cracks, chips, or other damage. Don’t use any damaged or low-quality paintball ammunition with your gun because it won’t work correctly and may cause damage to your gun and/or injury to yourself or others around you.
Use the Right Paintballs in your Paintball Gun
Your paintball gun won’t shoot if it has the wrong type of paintball. You should always use the type of paintball recommended by your manufacturer or one that fits the bore size of your barrel. In both cases, either the paintballs are too small or too large the paintball not able to fire.
Always Fill your CO2 Tank before using it
If your CO2 tank has been stored for long, you should always fill your CO2 tank before using it. The temperature of where you’re storing your paintball gun may affect its ability to shoot properly because different temperatures can cause variations in air pressure inside storage tanks. The pressure in the CO2 tank will slowly decrease over time. This means that the CO2 canister won’t be able to produce as much air per shot when you fire your gun.
Give your Hopper A Cleaning
To fix a paintball gun that won’t shoot, thorough cleanup is always suggested. If you have one, use an air compressor to blow out dust and debris from inside the marker. Otherwise, use a clean cloth or paper towel to wipe out any dirt and grime that has built up on its surface. It seems quite petty but when you clean your paintball hopper you will experience an unobstructed shot. Just give it a try n you are good to go!
Conclusion
Now you got sufficient knowledge about how to fix a paintball gun that won’t shoot. We listed many reasons for this malfunctioning. The most common reason is a leak in the air tank, which can be solved by replacing the tank or checking for leaks with soapy water.
Other reasons include the age of your marker, low velocity settings, or dirty barrels like debris and paintballs. If none of these things seem to be causing paintball gun issue then it’s time to clean your hopper and loader.
Taking apart paintball guns can cause shooting problems if done incorrectly but if you follow our instructions this should all go smoothly.