A paintball marker, also known as a paintball gun, is the main piece of equipment in the sport of paintball. Markers use an expanding gas, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) or compressed air, to propel paintballs through the barrel. The term "marker" is derived from its original use as a means for forestry personnel and ranchers to mark trees and wandering cattle.
The muzzle velocity of paintball markers is approximately 300 ft/s (91 m/s). While greater muzzle velocity is possible, it has been ruled unsafe for use on most commercial paintball fields. When paintballs hit an object at high speed they have potential to cause damage; a paintball colliding with human skin may cause bruising or further tissue damage. However, the damage depends on the paintball's velocity, its impact angle, and which part of the body it hits. Because of the potential for soft tissue damage, players must wear masks to protect the eyes, mouth, and ears when barrel blocking devices are not in place.
Most paintball markers have four main components: the body, hopper, gas system (or air tank), and barrel.
Read more about Paintball Marker: Marker Types, Marker Body, Loaders, Propellant System, Barrels, Firing and Trigger Modes
Famous quotes containing the word marker:
“Personal change, growth, development, identity formation—these tasks that once were thought to belong to childhood and adolescence alone now are recognized as part of adult life as well. Gone is the belief that adulthood is, or ought to be, a time of internal peace and comfort, that growing pains belong only to the young; gone the belief that these are marker events—a job, a mate, a child—through which we will pass into a life of relative ease.”
—Lillian Breslow Rubin (20th century)