Paintball is a game where players shoot at opponents with paintball guns filled with bright paintballs. After getting hit with paintballs, how much pain the opponents will feel depends on the caliber size. The caliber of a paintball gun refers to its size and the paintball size that it shoots.  This caliber size does not apply only to guns or paintballs; both must match. 

So if you already have a paintball gun, you must buy a paintball that matches its caliber. And if not, you’ll have to find out what caliber is right for you and buy the same caliber guns and paintballs.   

Now you may ask, I am new and don’t know much about caliber sizes, so I unable to understand what caliber paintball I should buy.  

Well, don’t worry; I’m here to help. I will tell you about the different paintball marker caliber sizes, their advantages & disadvantages, and explain which one is most suitable for you.

So, read on to learn more about what caliber paintball should be your go-to choice!

What Caliber Do Paintballs Come In?

A caliber of a paintball gun refers to the size of the paintball that it shoots. Depending on the paint quality and a few more factors, a paintball caliber can come in a variety of sizes from .43 to .71 caliber to allow choosing the perfect one that fits your needs. But not all of these calibers are used or available in the market. Most of the paintballs come with .68 caliber. This one is perfect to enjoy the thrill of paintball. 

Another popular caliber is .50. These caliber paintballs are lightweight and mostly used by beginner level paintballers and kids. Because these are painless and easy to handle. 

.43 was popular once, but these days these are not so much used. This one is more suitable for people who want to stick with a safer game experience. 

And if we talk about the largest .71 paintball, I didn’t yet find anyone who plays with these. These paintballs sting quite badly, that’s why maybe these are not used. I didn’t get any valid information about .71 paintballs. I have even searched on amazon, but these are also not available there. 

What Caliber is a Normal Paintball Gun?

As we know paintballs’ caliber can vary from .43 to .71. We just got to know about them, but among these what caliber is a normal paintball gun considered? 

Most of the paintball guns available in the market come with .68 caliber. These are large in size, heavyweight, and shot at high speed so they hurt quite badly. You can use it in a variety of different games and paintball field styles, with great velocity and a splat effect. So it is perfect for recreational, reusable, or tournament paintball games. 

What Is The Most Common Caliber Of Paintball?

Though .68 caliber is the industry standard size, this one is not the most common. That’s because .68 is designed for professionals and used primarily by professional players in private paintball fields. And what we understand about common is the most popular or used by more people. 

And in that case, .50 caliber is the common caliber of paintball. It is affordable, designed lightweight needs less force for a shot, and is more focused on fun rather than pain. So whether you are a kid, inexperienced new paintballer or old age people, anyone can play a paintball game with a .50 caliber without worrying about pain or damage. Furthermore, these guns and other equipment are lightweight and very compatible, which makes them very easy to manage. 

Difference Between .50 Caliber Paintball And .68 Caliber Paintballs

Though different types of paintballs are available in the market, we will talk about only the two most popular paintball sizes – .50 and .68. Both the caliber paintball differ in their diameter, weight, accuracy, etc. Let’s learn about their differences in detail.

  • 0.50 caliber paintballs are smaller than 0.68 caliber paintballs. .50 caliber paintballs weigh only 1.2 grams, while .68 caliber paintballs weigh 3.2 grams. 
  • .68 caliber paintballs are 1/6th larger in diameter compared to .50 caliber paintballs. .68 caliber diameter is .68 inch and .50 caliber paintballs diameter is .50 or ½ inch.
  • .68 caliber paintballs must be shot at higher speed, 280-285 fps, while.50 caliber paintballs are shot at 220-250fps. 
  • .68 caliber paintballs hurt too hard while.50 caliber paintballs hurt a little.
  • .50 caliber paintballs are less accurate regarding long-range shooting. On the other hand, 0.68-caliber paintballs are much more accurate and can travel a long distance.  
  • Lastly, 0.50 caliber costs less, is easy to maintain, and uses less fuel while operating the valve, CO2 or HPA (compressed air), than 0.68.

What Caliber Paintball Should You Buy

After reading till now, you know the caliber options, their differences, and their advantages. It’s time to decide which one you should buy. Well, I think you already got your answer, but still, I want to clarify.

If you are a beginner-level player or just thinking about starting, .50 can be your go-to caliber size. You will find it easy to handle, don’t have to push yourself too hard to shoot, and won’t feel any pain even after being hit by opponents. This one is also good, or you can say the best option for kids as well, because kids play in paintball parks just to enjoy themselves. And with the .50 caliber size, they don’t need any skills and accuracy, or much knowledge about shooting or anything else. They can just take the gun, shoot and enjoy!

But if you are a professional paintball player or want to play with experienced players, you must use a paintball with a .68 caliber. Because as we know this is designed for professionals, so obviously each serious player will play with this one, and if you want to play with them you have to use it too. Either you can’t stand among them. You will get hurt by their shot, but they won’t with yours. 

Final Verdict

At the end, now you can decide which caliber paintballs you should use in what situation.

If you are looking for less intense casual matches, go for the 0.50 caliber recreational paintballs, But for more thrill and excitement, I would recommend using the 0.68 caliber ones. In the end, enjoy the adrenaline rush of hunting and war while being perfectly safe with the proper caliber electronic paintball guns!

If you are still confused, please reread the article, and try to acquire some more knowledge. Still, if you have something to know, just throw a comment below, or email me. I will respond as soon as possible. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do low-caliber paintballs hurt more?

The best paintball gun for beginners uses low-impact paintballs like 0.43 or 0.50 caliber since they are lighter and more fragile. So they won’t hurt more; in most cases, it doesn’t at all.  

How long should 500 standard-caliber paintballs last?

How long 500 standard caliber paintball can last depends on the player and playstyle. Less accurate players will use up more paintballs than expected. But in a typical case, 500 paintballs should last about 2.5 to 4 hours.

How far is a 0.68 caliber paintball gun accurate?

The paintball gun range depends on the gun’s model and the mechanism to propel the paintball. But usually, most 0.68 caliber paintball guns have a range of 80-100 feet.

How many 0.68-caliber paintballs are sold in a package?

Different brands like Tippmann and Valken sell packages in different quantities. Usually, a general box of 0.68-caliber paintballs has four bags. Each pack contains about 500 paintballs. So, a complete package of paintballs will total 2000 paintballs.

Conclusion

At the end of this post, Now you will have all the information about different paintball guns You can now make a final decision on which paintball gun to buy and let us know which one you bought and your experience so that we can share it with our audiences.