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BEST 6 PAINTBALL BARRELS: BUYERS REVIEWS AND COMPLETE BUYING GUIDE: We wrote about backyard games a lot. It’s like playing laser tag, except when you pull the trigger with extra pop and when you score a hit with extra splatter. But better gear can help even the most professional player. That’s why we set out to find the best 6 barrels for the paintball that money can buy. This can be difficult to figure out, especially if you’re not a seasoned paintballer. So, we’ve also put together a quick buying guide after our reviews to help you find things out.
1.Planet Eclipse Shaft FR Back Kit:
Currently, the Planet Eclipse Shaft FR Back Kit isn’t a full barrel. It is a back kit that accepts a number of inserts. This allows your bore size (anything up to .680 caliber) to be selected. It also means the barrel can be tailored to the material of your heart. If you want a barrel that’s ported, you’ll have one. You may change the Shaft FR as desired, whether you want a long or short barrel. It also accepts inserts from GOG Freak, which are some of the most common on the market.
The back of this barrel is made of aluminum and is available in black or silver to match the look you want. It is very well-engineered and comprises a portion of a joiner. For adding non-standard inserts, the joiner segment may be used and allows for even more customizability. Thanks to the fast threads that are included with the package, this is possible. This is essentially a “dummy” barrel that can be turned into almost something.
The only drawback of the Shaft FR is that an insert is necessary. This just makes sense since it is not necessarily a complete assembly of a barrel. However, for beginners, who might prefer a “plug and play” barrel, it can be frustrating.
2.GOG Paintball 14″ Freak:
GOG is one of the main paintball names. Their Freak inserts, even among paintballers who use barrels from other brands, have become extremely common. This is because they are simply smoother, better developed, and better priced than the contest. So we certainly had to have on our list one of their barrels.
“The 14” Freak is an aluminum-built single-piece, non-ported barrel. With a smooth bore that can handle a wide range of calibers, it is black in color. You can easily use a Freak Insert to customize it as desired if you want to change this barrel.
The barrel itself is just over 10 ounces in weight, so it is very light. This barrel can be conveniently brought during the day, and it won’t make your front-heavy paintball marker. It is 14 inches long, which is right in the sweet spot where precision reaches the velocity of the muzzle. This length is also fairly effective for gas, so because of an extra-long barrel, you won’t waste any CO2.
The one downside of the 14 ‘Freak is that it’s not ported, which means that it’s a little louder than other alternatives. That said, this isn’t the barrel of a sniper. Your rivals will already know where you are, more often than not, which makes noise less of a problem.
3.Empire Paintball Driver XX:
The Empire Paintball Driver XX is a barrel consisting of two parts. The two-piece design gives you the option to replace either the front or the back portion with a different part, even though it works just fine as it is. We should be clear that the Driver XX is built for Autococker paintball markers with spyder threading before we go any further. Other threads may not be compatible, like Freak Threading.
A regular 6.88, which is on the small side, is the bore size. There are additional pipe backs available in .678, .683, and a bigger.693 if you choose to use a smaller caliber. These are just the offerings from Empire Paintball. Other calibers from other manufacturers can be used if you like, as long as they are spyder-threaded.
The length is 14 inches overall, which is relatively standard. This offers a strong mixture of power and precision. Spiraled porting is featured in the 7.5-inch control bore. Although it’s not a true port of backspin, it will nevertheless impart some amount of spin.
4.Deadlywind Null – Kingman 14″:
There’s no substitute for a carbon fiber barrel if you want the best muzzle velocity possible. This material imparts virtually no friction, ensuring that when they leave the barrel, it will not slow down the paintballs. Carbon fiber is, however, lighter than any other barrel material. The barrel is just 1.76 ounces in weight, so you’ll hardly even notice it. When you cart your marker around all day, that’s a huge advantage.
Furthermore, carbon fiber is durable as well. As a result, without needing a replacement, you can use the Kingman 14 “for years. It’s 14 inches long, as the name suggests, which is one of the most common lengths that you can find. On the downside, they’re not ported. And because it’s a single-piece barrel, you’re not going to be able to add a port down the line later. .688”, which is reasonably wide, is the bore. That said, it fits a large range of inserts, including DLX Luxe, NXT, eXTCy, and Ion XE. You’ll have plenty of choices if you choose to swap calibers.
5.Deadlywind Fibur-X Carbon Fiber:
Deadly Wind is sure of their power over efficiency! A lifetime assurance against any manufacturing defects comes with this lightweight barrel. The barrel uses a three-layer process, and the inner layer is the most significant one.
Its smooth nature is also known as super slick and will certainly lead to precise shots. Some carbon fiber barrels also face problems such as fiber threads sticking out of the porting hole edges that make the surface uneven.
You are sure that with Deadly Wind, you will not encounter such a problem. For a 12-inch model, these precise and quiet barrels weigh approximately 45 grams, while for the 14-inch one, 50 grams. There is a uni-directional fiber layer with a robust multi-vector pattern and a two-by-two twill exterior layer in addition to super silk fiber. The barrel makes an effective shot and uses a barrel swab in the long run to keep it well covered. The barrel is robust because of its lightweight and stays intact even after rough and tough use.
Paintball Barrel Buying Guide
You probably have a few unanswered questions now that you have read the reviews. So, to help you determine for yourself which barrel is the best, we have put together this handy buying guide.
Barrel Length
The length of most paintball barrels is either 14 or 16 inches. For most purposes, this is the optimum length. Different barrel lengths, however, have various benefits. For instance, a long barrel is more precise and also quieter. This is because it helps the gas to slowly bleed out a little more. Shorter barrels, however, can increase your performance because for each shot, they need less gas.
Bore Size
The size of the bore is the diameter of the barrel’s interior. The bore has to match the paintball caliber you’re using, or your pistol won’t shoot properly. For longer ranges and a harder impact, a larger caliber makes. A smaller caliber, however, is more gas-efficient, as the barrel does not require as much gas to fill up.
Ported vs. Non-Ported Barrels
The port consists of small holes that are drilled through the end of the barrel. These ports operate on a traditional weapon in a similar way to a muzzle brake, allowing gas to escape from the sides of the barrel, reducing the felt recoil. They also minimize noise, as some of the gas can quietly bleed out. The second set of ported holes about halfway down the barrel also contains several barrels. These are designed to add backspin, which improves accuracy and pace to your shot.
Barrel Material
The material of your paintball barrel is probably the most critical choice you would have to make. This impacts your marker’s weight, as well as your shots’ accuracy. Furthermore, some barrel materials are more durable than others, and more abuse can be handled.
Aluminum Barrels
Aluminum barrels have a strong combination of weight and toughness. They’re lighter than steel, but they can withstand more of a beating than ceramic. Aluminum is also an inexpensive product, meaning you can purchase a well-engineered barrel of aluminum for less than you can spend on other products. An aluminum barrel offers the best balance of features when in question.
Stainless Steel Barrels
Stainless steel barrels take aluminum’s longevity and switch it up to 11. Regardless of how rough you are with your equipment, they will take a serious beating. Many experienced paintballers often use stainless steel barrels for this purpose. It can easily add 1 or 2 pounds to your marker by converting from aluminum to steel.
Ceramic Barrels
As light as aluminum, ceramic barrels are just as lightweight. They are also delicate, unfortunately, which makes them a bad choice if you’re rough on your marker. The principal advantage of ceramic barrels is that they are self-cleaning.
Carbon Fiber Barrels
The lightest barrel material available is carbon fiber. It’s exceptionally robust as well. The biggest advantage, however, is that on the inside, a carbon fiber barrel has almost zero friction. This means that as far and as quickly as possible, the paintballs can fly. That said, compared to other alternatives, carbon fiber is relatively costly.
Conclusion
What is the best paintball barrel among these? That depends on what you are searching for. The Deadlywind Null-Kingman 14 “is a tough act to follow if you want the best overall results, right out of the box. It not only has an outstanding smoothbore, but it weighs almost nothing.
That said, there are some different features you can prefer. Consider the Planet Eclipse Shaft FL Tip if you want a similarly low-friction barrel with more customization options. For a replacement barrel, it’s on the expensive side, but it has a two-piece design. This helps you to make later updates. Notably, if you wish, it means that you may change the Shaft FL Tip into a ported barrel.
When you want an inexpensive barrel, the Empire Paintball Driver XX is the perfect option. It not only has a two-piece design, but it’s carried out right out of the box. That said, it’s a little odd for threading. You’ll need to pick a different choice unless you have a compatible paintball marker. So this was the review for the top 6 paintball barrels that you can buy without any hesitation. I hope this will lessen down your hassle and makes the journey more comfortable.