Paint balling is one of the safer extreme sports out there. While it puts an emphasis on the use of weapons, it is non-lethal and can be a good stepping stone for real weapons training. Additionally, it can be a great stress reliever, especially given the current state of affairs in the world.
The reason that paintballing is an excellent foundation for real weapons training is not just because paint balls are relatively safe, but also because the sport shares many of the habits and rules that go with using a firearm. Also, did we mention that there are paintball air tanks?
According to mypaintballnation, choosing the best paintball gun is very crucial for a beginner on the field, because a poor gun may get in trouble on the field during a play on the battlefield.
So, if you plan on getting into paintballing, here are some things that you need to keep in mind.
Use Common Sense
The first measure to prevent an accident is to use common sense. If a certain action seems like a bad idea, you should probably steer clear of doing it. Things like looking down the barrel of your gun, spraying into a crowd, and shooting at random property are not only dangerous, but they are also illegal.
Gear
It’s also important to consider the quality of your gear. Everything from your protecting gear to your paintball gun has to be of good quality. Quality equipment will not only perform better, but it will also be much more reliable and safer to use. This is especially true for paintball guns.
Never Remove Your Mask On the Paintball Field
This is especially important for your own safety. Stray shots could hit you at any time while you’re on the field. Even when you do your best to prevent accidents, there will be an occasional delinquent that breaks the rules. It’s always best to err on the side of caution, especially when you consider that a paintball can travel at 280 feet per second. This is enough to cause bruises and blindness. Paint balls that travel faster can even break skin.
Offer Surrenders
Paintballs hit hard, and they hit much harder at close range. One important custom to observe is to offer an opposing player a chance to surrender if that player is within 20 feet of you and you have a clear shot at them. Remember that this is a sport, not a battle. Players aren’t there to hurt each other, so when a player surrenders, accept it without shooting.
Never Blind Fire
Blind firing is a bad idea for many reasons. Besides wasting ammunition, blind firing means that a player doesn’t have eyes on a target. This greatly increases the risk of hitting something or someone you shouldn’t.
This is especially dangerous because some players could be leaving the field with their masks off. Only shoot when you can clearly see who you’re trying to hit. Stray rounds are harmful with paintball guns, and are deadly with real firearms.
Remember to follow the rules of the game when playing paintball. Like any sport, these rules are not just there to keep things fair, but they’re also there to keep players and staff safe. Even when paintball guns are non-lethal, they can still harm other people when they are misused.
