Basic Marker Maintenance

As I've mentioned in my other articles, I host regular paintball games at my place.  And invariably someone shows up with a marker that doesn't work.  Or sometimes the marker will start "misbehaving" half way through the afternoon.

Anyone who's played enough paintball has had this happen to them at one time or another.  So why does this happen?  Sometimes it's because of improper (or negligent) maintenance.  In other cases it's just due to the complex nature of the marker.  There are a lot of moving parts on a paintball gun and sometimes things just get out of whack.

So what are the basics for marker maintenance?

Read the manual!

The first step to proper marker maintenance is understanding how your particular marker works. The best way to do this is to read through the owner's manual. Unfortunately many owner's manuals are woefully neglect in explaining how the marker works. I've found that the manufacturer's web site (support/service sections) often include better information than that in the owner's manual.  Also, there are many owner's group web sites for most markers that contains a wealth of information.

In any event, get to know your marker and how it works.  That way when something does go wrong you'll have a fair to middlin' chance of figuring out what's broken.

Clean, Clean, Clean!

Clean your marker!  That means every time you use it.  That means even if you think it's already clean.  The fact of the matter is that the fill from a paintball gets very sticky if it doesn't get cleaned off shortly after play.  In my experience, 75% of the marker problems I see are because the marker was not cleaned properly after the previous use.

Make sure you squeegee or swab your barrel and chamber after every use.  And the sooner you do this after you play the easier your job will be (this is the mistake I'm most prone to make -- putting off cleaning the marker).  While you're at it, clean the outside of your marker as well and also clean your other gear -- your mask specifically.

Lube that thing!

While keeping your marker clean is paramount, keeping it well-lubed is equally important.  If you haven't already done so, go out and get some oil or lubricant that is safe for paintball use.  DO NOT USE PETROLEUM-BASED LUBRICANTS!  Petroleum will blow your o-rings - make sure you're using synthetic or non-petroleum based lubricants.

I'll share a little secret with you that most paintballers don't know.  Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) can be used as a paintball lubricant in a pinch.  Back in the day when paintball lubes were not easily available I used ATF exclusively for a couple of years.  It worked great -- wasn't petroleum based and was super cheap.  I still keep a small bottle of ATF in my field kit just in case I loose my regular lube. (Please note: I only use ATF on my mechanical markers - I DO NOT recommend using ATF on high-end guns -- especially anything that uses a solenoid valve. Only use the manufacturer recommended lubricant on these types of markers.)

Ok, the best way to lube your gun is to put 3-4 drops of paintball oil in you ASA every time you ait up you marker.  I try to make sure I take a couple of shots right after airing the marker to make sure the lube gets distributed.  I also lube my internal parts manually whenever I reassemble my marker, but the lube in the ASA is probably the best way to make sure all the internal parts are getting the lube they need.

Miscellaneous

And here are a couple of miscellaneous tips that I've found useful.

   1. Cock your marker before airing it up. Sometimes the pressure of the hammer against the valve as you air the marker will cause a leak.
   2. Fire the marker a couple of times right after airing it up to make sure you distribute the lubricant you put in the ASA before airing it up. This can also cure leaks caused by your cup seal not being seated correctly when you first air up your marker.
   3. If your marker is not firing paintballs, remove the hopper before trying to fix the problem. I've seen guys with 10-12 paintballs lodged in their barrels beause they kept re-cocking and trying to fire their marker.  Remove your paint supply then fix your problem to avoid this - and remember -- NEVER LOOK DOWN THE BARREL!

Troubleshooting

There are a few common problems with simple solutions that are work mentioning here.  Many of these can be prevented by proper maintenance, but sometimes they just "happen."  I've tried to give some suggestions on how to handle each of these common problems.

Leak from barrel
This is usually caused by a leaky cup seal but this condition can also occur if you do not cock your marker before airing it up. This can depend in part on the input pressure to you  marker.  Make sure you cock your marker before airing it up.  If the leak doesn't stop after dry firing a couple of shots, you may need to replace your cup seal.

Leak from someplace else
Most likely you got a leak in one of your air fittings.  Use your ear to locate exactly where the leak is.  Once the location is determined, de-air your marker, remove the leaky fitting and reassemble with fresh teflon thread seal tape.  If your marker uses macroline you may need to trim your macroline slightly - oversize macroline can sometimes prevent the fittings from sealing correctly.

Marker "burps"
Burps can be caused by three reasons.  Either you are out of air, you have a loose grip screw (preventing the trigger sear from latching), or you have some obstruction (usually a paintball shell fragment) that is preventing the bolt from moving freely. To diagnose what might be wrong, I recommend taking the following steps:

1. Ensure that you have air (or CO2) in your tank. If in doubt, try a different tank or get a refill.
2. Check your grip screws to make sure they're tight. If this is the cause it's usually the back screw that is causing trouble.
3. Make sure you're bolt is able to move freely. If you are able to field strip your gun, remove the bolt and run a squeegee or swab through your marker's chamber to make sure the bolt has an unobstructed path.

I hope you find this information useful. In my experience, the above tips will take care of 80%^ or more of the problems you're likely to encounter in the field.

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!