How far does a paintball go?

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  • markdem
    G'day mate 🇦🇺
    • Nov 2022
    • 400
    • Rhode Island

    #1

    How far does a paintball go?

    Im not asking about the "effective" range for gameplay. Im wondering how far a paintball goes when i shoot at a 45(ish) degree angle. Has anyone gone to a flat field and actually measured the distance?
  • SETHZILLA!
    Apocalypse Dude
    • Jul 2020
    • 889
    • Atascadero,CA

    #2
    Firing a 68 caliber ball at a 45° angle at 300fps, in perfect non-windy conditions you can consistently get them at 343'.

    You can do the math here.
    https://www.sciencebuddies.org/scien...20seconds%20(s).

    Sent from my SM-S921U using Tapatalk

    "What could go wrong?" - Sethzilla!

    Member of WORR BOYZ pump paintball team
    Playing since 1986: Stock, Pump, Mech, Electro, tourney, but now mostly rec.

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    • jokers
      jokers commented
      Editing a comment
      Did you convert to meters per second and out of meters per second? I got 2800 feet using the range formula.

    • uv_halo
      uv_halo commented
      Editing a comment
      That page explicitely calls out that they are not accounting for drag. To get anywhere close to accurate for these low density projectiles, you must account for drag to get even close.
  • martix_agent
    MCB Member
    • Jul 2020
    • 533
    • Indiana

    #3
    Originally posted by SETHZILLA!
    Firing a 68 caliber ball at a 45° angle at 300fps, in perfect non-windy conditions you can consistently get them at 343'.

    You can do the math here.
    https://www.sciencebuddies.org/scien...20seconds%20(s).

    Sent from my SM-S921U using Tapatalk
    yea. math should solve this pretty easily, with a few minor variables that real life can bring in.

    Comment

    • redsquirrel
      Classy, stock classy.
      • Jul 2020
      • 528
      • Arkansas

      #4
      This online calculator says 2802ft @300fps.
      https://www.omnicalculator.com/physi...jectile-motion

      ChatGPT says 2798 ft with the following prompt.

      ”Calculate the range of a .68 inch spherical projectile weighing 3grams that is fired at 300 feet per second at a 45 degree angle from an initial height of 5 feet.”

      Haven’t actually ever tested this in a field but I’d say the math is going to be on point assuming a perfectly round paintball and no wind interference.
      WTB Acid Wash Phantom Parts
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      Comment


      • SETHZILLA!
        SETHZILLA! commented
        Editing a comment
        Computers can't math...lol

      • redsquirrel
        redsquirrel commented
        Editing a comment
        Lol apparently not. Figured two with a similar answer was a good bet but that is way far at around half a mile. Last time I trust computers ha

      • uv_halo
        uv_halo commented
        Editing a comment
        I checked several LLMs for this since I've actually done part of the work to figure this out over a decade ago. The LLM is basing it's answer on what appears to be middle or high school science materials where they aren't yet accounting for drag but, rather acceleration, velocity and gravity.
    • Drcemento
      Tiger Stripe Enthusiast
      • Aug 2021
      • 733
      • NorCal

      #5
      2,800 ft vs 343, both using math….. thats quite a spread

      Comment

      • scottieb
        Member since 2004
        • Jul 2020
        • 3948
        • Lincoln, Nebraska

        #6
        It really depends where you are.

        When I was on the international space station I shot one out the window. I bet that thing is still going.
        FEEDBACK - https://www.mcarterbrown.com/forum/b...k-for-scottieb

        Comment

        • Chappy
          Overmoderator
          • Jul 2020
          • 1284

          #7
          Hard to tell. Mine never make it past the guy I’m shooting at
          Last edited by Chappy; 12-21-2024, 12:13 PM.

          Comment


          • Alexndl
            Alexndl commented
            Editing a comment
            Never?

          • scottieb
            scottieb commented
            Editing a comment
            Ahahaha!

          • Chappy
            Chappy commented
            Editing a comment
            No never
        • rawbutter
          trophy husband
          • Jul 2020
          • 558
          • Fredericksburg, VA

          #8
          Originally posted by Drcemento
          2,800 ft vs 343, both using math….. thats quite a spread
          And both feel obviously wrong. One is barely longer than a football field. The other is over half a mile.

          I think the lower number is closer to the truth. My home field is about 400 feet long, and I can shoot from one side to the other if I angle up a bit. I usually fire a few shots at the start of every match hoping for a lucky hit. I'm not shooting at 45° though. Maybe 30°? So I'm gonna guess that 500 feet is closer to the truth.

          Edit:

          I got more curious and looked at this projectile trajectory calculator from Desmos. I got about 470 feet. BUT I had to guesstimate a bunch of the values, so who knows how accurate that is.
          Last edited by rawbutter; 12-21-2024, 01:48 PM.
          View my feedback or read about my Virginia woodsball club.

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          • uv_halo
            uv_halo commented
            Editing a comment
            How did you adjust for the projected surface area? Rough math says the surface area should be 0.0004 sq meters, which I can't get the calculator to adjust for.
        • RhoXi
          Blowback Enthusiast
          • Nov 2024
          • 210
          • Cincynasty

          #9
          I too used a range calculator and got about 2800ft but I am pretty sure it's not taking into account wind resistance (or mass for that matter) and is assuming the projectile is moving at 300fps during its entire flight.
          Feedback

          Comment

          • DocsMachine
            MCB Member
            • Jul 2020
            • 2699
            • Alaska

            #10
            Yep, about 300 feet is closer to the truth. Back in my "young & ignorant" days, I bought a 'venturi' bolt for my 'Cocker that was supposed to give "more range". I of course saw no difference on the field, so I tried a test- I'd shoot the ball as far as possible, so if there was any difference in range, it'd be most obvious.

            We set up a kind of makeshift stand off the back of my truck, and had a nice open dirt area next to the parking lot. Nowhere near 'scientific', of course, but we figured if the bolt was supposed to give more range under playing conditions, it'd be obvious under maximum ranges.

            Used my 'Big Red' chrono to keep the speeds uniform and... of course there was no difference at all. Every shot landed in about a 10' circle or so, at about 90 paces- roughly 100 yards, or plus-or-minus 300 feet.

            Again, hardly scientific, but I remember it clearly as being one of the first times I specifically thought "you know, I don't think these advertisers are being entirely truthful!"

            Doc.
            Doc's Machine & Airsmith Services: Creating the Strange and Wonderful since 1998!
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            Comment


            • uv_halo
              uv_halo commented
              Editing a comment
              Using dual Chonos, draxxus silver and crunching the Ballistic Coefficient, I proved you are really close. 94 yards to be precise.
          • Pyrate Jim
            Shi Tamajutsu Ka
            • Aug 2020
            • 672
            • The Group W bench

            #11
            There used to be a tactic known locally as "Shooting the moon". Aiming high and hoping the balls would land on an opponent.
            Yes, you got more range. But accuracy was iffy at best. Not very effective in the woods, but in open fields it could strike and break.

            The "effective range" is as close as you can get. The shorter the distance, the more effective you can be.

            Comment

            • Hp_lovecraft
              MCB Member
              • Jul 2020
              • 367

              #12
              I remember the Java Paintball Trajectory Calculator from 20 years ago. The website is on the archive, but the java code does not run.
              When I got bored, I'd play with the variables, and see how far I could get my max range. Usually around 340ft. But in my head, I imagine the max range to be "about a football field".

              In modern paintball, range is nonsensical, but in the old days, especially in urban-style fields, the far end might be just out of range, so you would lob paintballs out to 300', and hop they would land on top of someones masks.​

              Comment


              • uv_halo
                uv_halo commented
                Editing a comment
                the creator of that calculator Gary Dyrkacz (if I remember the last name spelling) actually made it onto this forum sometime after I did actuall paintball number crunching. He did amazing given his admitted limitation of assuming paintballs were smooth spheres for the math. His calculator even accounted for spin which I could not feasibly do.
            • markdem
              G'day mate 🇦🇺
              • Nov 2022
              • 400
              • Rhode Island

              #13
              i have an answer! i had my mother lob some paintballs into the backyard. i watched them land around me. now i know

              Comment


              • uv_halo
                uv_halo commented
                Editing a comment
                What were the conditions? windspeed and direction (even if you can't feel it, speeds lower than 3mph can still deviated a paintball flight or extend/shorten it's range), Temp, Humidiity, altitude? Also, is the terrain truly flat there?
            • Riot
              Malört Acquired
              • Jul 2020
              • 2468

              #14
              I dont know, how far away are your goggles?


              (I didnt read the replies, did someone beat me to this joke?)

              Comment


              • JeeperCreeper
                JeeperCreeper commented
                Editing a comment
                Usually on the field, away from you in the parking lot...

              • Riot
                Riot commented
                Editing a comment
                JeeperCreeper - it’s just because I’m waiting for the Riotmaker!!
            • Diesel imp
              18 spd on 18 wheels
              • Jul 2020
              • 85
              • Newyorkcentral

              #15
              Did you compensate for the airspeed velocity of an unladened swallow?

              Comment


              • KMDPB
                KMDPB commented
                Editing a comment
                African or European?
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