Rapid fire is typically used in paintball guns to increase the rate of fire. It allows the user to shoot multiple shots quickly and efficiently. Usually, it’s used for shooting objects or people that are difficult to hit with a single shot. This is done by activating the trigger more rapidly than normal, which causes the gun to fire multiple rounds in a short time. 

But when you don’t have this feature in your paintball gun, and neither are you recocking, you still face rapid firing; it s a serious problem. So why does my paintball gun rapid fire? 

Well, there can be a few reasons for rapid firing, including low tank, sear, and rear problems, ball detent, or over-lubed O-ring. But how to understand which problem you have and how to fix it? 

I am here to help you identify where the problem is and how you can fix it. Let’s learn the root of the issues and their easy solutions. 

Why Does My Paintball Gun Rapid Fire

I already shared a few causes of rapid paintball fire; now let’s dive into them and find which one you have.

Low Paintball Tank 

If you have pressed the trigger once, but the paintball gun shoots two or more balls, you first need to check your paintball compressed air tank. Sometimes this type of double or rapid firing is only a sign that your paintball co2 tank is soon to be empty. 

Ball Detent

If the fuel tank is full or will go a long way, shoot again, and if the rapid fire is still there, it’s time to check your ball detent. Ball detent is a spring-loaded plunger that holds the paint balls in the firing chamber of the paintball gun and releases the rubber balls one by one when the trigger is pulled. So if more than one ball is being fired at a time, it could be a problem.

Trigger

Another cause of paintball gun rapid firing can be a trigger. Yes, if there is some debris in the trigger part, it can execute more than one shot after one trigger pull. So check the trigger assembly to find out if some dirt and debris are there. 

Sear or Rear 

When you have pulled the trigger once but the gun has executed two or more shots, and the result is only one ball shotted, it might be a sear or rear problem the gun is facing.   Sear is the part of the paintball gun that holds the rear bolt or the hammer. If the sear is worn out, it won’t catch the rear bolt and cause this problem. 

Overlubed O-ring

O-ring is an internal part of a paintball gun that covers the gun’s extra spaces and ensures no air leak. Most of us don’t give the o-ring enough importance and forget to maintain it. If the O-ring is over-lubed, it can also cause rapid firing.  

How To Fix Paintball Gun Rapid Firing

As the cause is not one, the solutions are more than one. Let’s know the solutions depending on the causes.

  • If your paintball tank is very low, remove it and take it for refilling. Once filled, attach it again and check whether the problem is gone.
  • Is the problem still there? So it’s time to replace the ball detent with a new one. Disassemble the paintball gun and go to the receiver part. On the left side of this receiver part, you will see a ball detent slot, remove the old ball detent and replace it with a new one.
  • When changing the ball detent doesn’t show any magic; you have to change the sear. There is no way to repair the sear, so you must replace it with a new one. And you have to do it quickly because worn sear will make the hammer wear out too.
  • If the problem is in the trigger frame, it’s very easy to fix. All you need to do is disassemble the trigger and clean the dirt and debris inside it. Take a clean microfiber cloth and clean it finely.
  • Unlike the trigger, there is no chance of dirt and debris in the O-ring, but too much lube can be there, which is also a reason for rapid firing. So take a clean towel or cloth and wipe down the over-lubed O-ring.

Can I wash my paintball gun with water?

Yes, you can wash your paintball gun with water, but only water, no mixing with any kind of soap, vinegar, or other cleaning agents. Simply damp a clean towel or microfiber cloth in water, squeeze excess water and clean the paintball gun barrel, tank, and other parts. 

Should I oil my paintball barrel?

Yes, you should oil your paintball front and rear o-ring of the barrel, but not regularly, very often. As I said above over-lubed o-ring can cause rapid firing. Do be careful while oiling your paintball barrel. 

How can I improve my paintball gun accuracy?

You can improve your paintball gun accuracy by replacing your barrel with a longer one. Yes, a longer barrel, 12 to 16 inches, is considered the best barrel size to ensure better accuracy. So if your barrel is shorter than 12 inches, upgrade it with a long one and enjoy improved accuracy.

How many FPS should a paintball gun have?

A paintball gun should have a minimum of 220 fps to up to 280 fps. Sometimes it can go up to 300 fps, but that will badly hurt after being shot. So shooting at more than 280 fps is not allowed in paintballing. 

Verdict

Now that you know what causes rapid firing, examine your paintball marker and find out what cause it is behind your rapid firing. Then, depending on the cause, follow the solution I have shared above, and it will likely be solved. If any of the above solutions don’t work for your airsoft gun, please don’t do anything more and take your paintball gun to a professional paintball shop for repair.