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paintballimpact.com / Rules / Barrel Plugs In!
Barrel Plugs In!
Barrel Plugs In means that when a paintball player has been eliminated, they must put in their barrel plugs. "Barrel Plugs In!" also means that anyone brandishing a paintgun and not currently in game action should have they plug over the barrel. This rule is for player safety, and for the safety of anyone on or off the field. Barrel plugs for paintball guns are also known has a barrel condom, barrel bag, a barrel sock. All players must keep their barrel condoms on when not actively playing. The barrel bag covers the front end of the barrel, and the barrel plugs are held in place by an elastic that loops around the markers. If a player inadvertently fires their marker, the barrel condom will catch the paintballs. These devices have been on the market since about January, 2000. Prior to the market release of barrel plugs, a piece of hard plastic with rubber O-rings was secured over the head of the barrel to catch any misfire. These devices had the limitation of popping off after a few shots and compromising the safety of others. Barrel socks, or barrel plugs are now considered the most reliable device for preventing accidental fire. Most reputable commercial fields mandate the use of barrel plugs for all players not in game action.
All reputable managers of commercial paintball fields value safety rules, such as the "Barrel Plugs In!" rule. If the sport is played the right way, with all the proper safety precautions, then the rate of injury in paintball is extremely low. The chances of a player getting hurt on the soccer field are 12 times higher than getting hurt playing paintball. Some studies indicate that an athlete is more likely to get injured playing golf or bowling than playing paintball. If a player follows all the rules and safety precautions, than their experiences on the field will be fun and safe. A few other safety rules and regulations and rules of thumb for a good day on the field are listed below.
Paintball Velocity. Paintball guns are prohibited from firing faster than a certain velocity. The industry standard is about 180 miles per hour, or 290-300 feet per second. Paintballs Traveling at speeds past industry standard can leave bruises that break the skin, even if the player wears protective clothing. Excessive velocity could even break fingers from a direct impact. In indoor paintball fields and other venues where players are often within a close range of each other, an even slower velocity is recommended. Many indoor paintball fields recommend velocities between 250-280 fps (feet per second).
The standard device for testing paintball velocity is the chronograph. Paintball velocities should be checked throughout the day because temperature, humidity changes and differences in atmospheric pressure can drastically affect the speed of fire. One great chronograph on the market is available from Real Action Paintball. Listed at a competitive price is the RADARchron, a small, lightweight but accurate device. The RADARchron can be used for the ref to check that a player is shooting at a reasonable velocity.
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