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The standard industry size for paintball is .68 caliber paint, which is the preferred size of serious combatants and casual players.
However, there are variations of calibers used by paintball professionals that have minimal changes to the paintball size, which go no more extensive than 0.69 calibers.
The larger-sized paint will offer higher velocity shooting, increasing accuracy and improving longer-ranged shots, especially when compared to the casual player’s favorite calibers, which can be as small as 0.50.
In addition, these smaller paintballs cause less injury, like bruising, because of the slower velocity that comes with the lowered caliber.
Why is it Most Common?
To put some context to this question, there must first be a knowledge of velocities and mass. Calibers smaller than the standard 0.68 will suffer a loss of speed out of the barrel and range.
This can be caused by breakage; the smaller paintball cannot withstand the pressure needed to launch it with purpose and accuracy.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, larger paint calibers will cause the weaponry to be heavier plus require higher-pressure canisters, which makes this an expensive and unattractive option.
O.68 caliber is just right, in most experts’ and players’ opinions, giving combatants the range and accuracy needed.
Do Most Paintballs Fit in it?
The most common sized hopper, barrel size, and marker calibers will accommodate paintball sizes between the 0.68 and 0.69 caliber range. So answered, yes, most paintballs will fit in a standard paintball marker setup, but there will also be some that will need a conversion kit.
Professional leagues and tournament holders will have players use the standard size of 0.68 to maintain a fair playing field for the combatants and their teams.
Other casual paintball establishments will carry the less harmful 0.50 caliber rounds, which will also fit in most models with an adaptor or conversion kit applied.
What Are the Pros of This Caliber?
When thinking about calibers, the larger the round, the more damage it does. In the military, many are privy to the knowledge of a 0.50 caliber weapon, which has earned a reputation amongst the ranks.
For Paintball purposes, this is a wimpy caliber that none of the professionals use, the pros of using a 0.68 caliber paintball are mostly the accuracy and range balance that comes with it.
This is because of the manufacturer’s balanced design, which incorporated aerodynamics, structural integrity, and rifle-projectile mimicking air flight behaviors to induce the most realistic feel possible.
What are the Cons of This Caliber?
As with any weapon of a larger caliber, the weight of the projectile launcher increases alongside any increases in caliber size, which is the case for paintball markers.
For example, compared to a 0.50 caliber paintball marker, a 0.68 caliber marker is heavier to incorporate the larger projectile and the attachments needed to launch the paint.
Think of it like this, an SMG, in many respects, uses smaller calibers than, say, an assault or sniper rifle. The benefits of a smaller weapon are agility and movement speed because of the lighter weight and smaller attachments compared to the larger weaponry.
Which Caliber is the 2nd Most Popular?
As discussed throughout this article, the 0.50 caliber paintball would be considered the second most popular option in the Paintballing community.
This is because of the nice change of pace, referring to the intensity and combative nature of the more significant caliber competitions.
Most casual events will select this smaller paintball size because of the slower out-of-the-barrel speeds, the less bruising projectile speeds upon impact, and the lighter markers for easier aiming.
However, it is easy to see why players looking for a more fun gear experience would vie for the 0.50 caliber round.
Final Thoughts on Most Common Paintball Size
When approaching the paintball field, or participating in a paintball match, be sure to understand which type of play you’re getting yourself into. The most casual games will likely want to use the second most popular paintball size at 0.50 calibers.
The velocities and impacts are lesser, so many less battle-hardened folks will have a better experience using this caliber. As for the combat-tested, ready players, the larger paintball size for the standard competition is 0.68 calibers.
Those are the basics of Paint sizes, some advanced players might tweak their paint sizes by 0.002 calibers and upwards of 0.01, but that is for another time.
