PaintballDeals.com is a great place to get a quality paintball package. There is a lot of information to process when getting started in paintball. This segment of the blog will cover the different parts of a paintball gun, we will discuss their purpose function, and the effects of aftermarket upgrades.
The Barrel: One of most commonly misunderstood parts of the paintball gun. The length of the barrel does not significantly affect the accuracy of paintball guns. The majority of paintball guns include stock barrels between 8"-12" in length. The stock barrel length is ideal for maneuverability and use within an effective range. If two paintball guns, identical in every way except barrel length, are tested, then the one with a longer barrel will produce a lower muzzle velocity, and therefore range. As barrel length increases muzzle velocity decreases, this is due to increased friction between the paintball and barrel. All in all, a tube is a tube, when it comes to accuracy the quality of paint is much more significant than the quality of the barrel. Upgraded barrels may offer benefits such as being lighter, quieter, or personal customization.
The Hopper: Holds the paintballs ready for dispensing one after another until emptied. This device is attached to the paintball gun via the feedneck and secured by a clasp on the feedneck. Paintballs are "fed" to the gun through the "feedneck" hence the name.
The Tank: Either Co2 or Compressed Air, various sizes pressure limits. Attaches to the paintball gun through the air source adapter. Electropneumatic paintball guns usually require compressed air while mechanical paintball guns function with either CO2 or Compressed Air. Check out our blog post comparing CO2 to compressed air.
Body: This part of the paintball gun houses the bolt, air system, and any electronic components. It is also the attaching point for the other pieces. The body will have a specific type of threading which is only compatible with a barrel that has the same threads. Aftermarket adapters can allow almost any barrel to be threaded into almost any paintball body. The body has a feedneck, this is where the hopper is attaches to the paintball gun. The air source adapter (ASA) is found at the botton of the grip. It provides an attachment point for either an air tank or a remote coil. 
