How To Clean a Paint Ball Gun

Paintball is a fun game to play, and taking good care of your paintball gun helps you enjoy your game to the fullest and improves the performance significantly. But, cleaning it could be a lengthy and time-consuming process, and it’s critical to follow the proper method. Here you’ll see how to clean a paintball gun.

How To Clean A Paintball Gun

Paintball guns are a pretty big investment, so it’s good to know how to clean and maintain it well. You really don’t want to wait to clean till all the parts are jammed and you need to replace them all. Let’s bust some myths and share a few maintenance tips before we begin with the cleaning process.

Maintaining The Gun

Cleaning a paintball gun is completely different from cleaning real gun and accessories, such as bullet casings. While cleaning the gun periodically is necessary, some measures help to ensure the longevity of your gun.

• Polish the external body of the paintball gun with a squeegee. Do this once a week so that cleaning becomes easier when you do it.
• Use cotton swabs to polish the small crevices on the gun which the squeegee cannot reach.
• Dip a toothbrush in warm water and use it to clean any clogged impurity that remains on the surface of the gun.
• Dry the surface with a paper towel and then clean the grip frame. The frame needs to be cleaned after every game as it accumulates paint during every game.
• Check the battery and replace it if needed. Wipe the battery to remove any dust that has accumulated.
• Check the different parts of the paintball gun and replace any part you find faulty.
• You can use a small brush dipped in warm water to reduce the scrubbing needed. These steps can ensure your gun remains clean externally.

To clean the paintball gun thoroughly, you have to follow the steps we talk about next.

Tools Required

• A paintball gun squeegee
• A paintball gun barrel swab
• A paintball gun lubricating oil
• Some Q-tips
• A toothbrush
• Some paper towel
• Some warm water

You can also choose to buy a paintball cleaning kit which contains everything you might need to clean the gun. To use them, refer to any user instructions that come with the kit. 

Step 1: Remove The Air Tank

The air tank of your paintball gun contains mainly carbon dioxide and can be a source of a potential fire.

1. Before cleaning the paintball marker, make sure to remove the air tank so that you are safe. This eliminates any chance of an accident in the process.
2. Search for a small knob that attaches the air tank with the gun and press it to remove the tank.

All paintball guns come with a degas function that’s easy to use. This step ensures that there are no misfires during cleaning.

Step 2: Disassemble The Gun

Different manufacturers have different ways of manufacturing a paintball gun. Therefore, it is wise to have a user manual while disassembling the gun.

The gun has several parts which need to be cleaned individually. These include a grip frame, a barrel, a hopper, and a bolt and hammer.

1. The place where you clean the paintball gun should be clear not to misplace the parts you remove from the paintball gun.
2. Keep the removed parts safely, and if possible, click pictures of the gun after you disassemble any part. This makes reassembly easier.
3. Do not disassemble the trigger assembly as it is very sensitive and difficult to reassemble. The spring may loosen, affecting the gun’s performance.
4. If you have pets or small children at home, don’t allow them to come to the work area as it may cause an accident.

Step 3: Clean The Gun’s Barrel

The first of the gun towards which you need to direct your attention is the gun’s barrel.

1. The tiny dust particles that accumulate on the barrel can be removed using a paintball gun barrel swab and warm water to rinse out any external debris.
2. Scrub the barrel to ensure no dust particles are remaining on it. If any impurity remains, you can use a squeegee. 
3. Hook the gun on a ring and suckle its other end so that all impurities get cleaned. 
4. If the manufacturer permits the use of a cloth, use it to clean the gun’s body. 
5. The remaining choked areas of the gun can be cleaned using Q-tip; this clears any jamming that might have accumulated over time.

This article has more information on cleaning a paintball gun.

Step 4: Clean The Bolt And Hammer

The bolt and hammer need to be cleaned without using moisture. Water can cause them to rust and hence cause permanent damage to these parts.

1. Polish the bolt and hammer with a paper towel and then carefully dry them. 
2. Examine the O rings and check for any signs of wear and tear. If any such signs exist, you have to clean them regularly to keep the gun usable.
3. Use Q tips to remove any debris that might remain on the O ring. If the O ring is excessively worn out, it needs to be replaced.
4. The O rings should cover the air tank completely.

After you have completed the cleaning process, make sure you dry the parts under sunlight. This prevents any chance of bacterial growth that can potentially damage the paintball gun.

Step 5: Lubricate The Paintball Gun

Make sure that the oil you use to lubricate the paintball gun is suited for the purpose. Using incompatible lubricants can cause severe damage to the gun.

1. Ensure that all the parts of the paint gun are properly dried up. Applying oil on wet surfaces serves no purpose and can even cause damage.
2. Use the best possible oil for lubricating purposes as it goes a long way in maintaining and even improving the performance of your paintball gun.
3. Make sure you pour the perfect amount of lubricant. Too much oil can cause the surface to get even rougher, while too little doesn’t improve the performance at all.
4. Pour some amount of oil on the O-rings as these are the most critical parts of the gun.

Step 6: Reassemble The Gun

After you have cleaned all the interior parts of the gun carefully, it is time to reassemble the gun and test if it is ready to use.

1. Before putting all the paintball gun parts back together, you must check all the parts are in perfect condition and ready for use.
2. Constantly refer to the pictures you clicked during disassembly to ensure that the reassembly process happens in an error-free manner.
3. In case any part is damaged, do not hesitate to remove it. Using a gun that’s not in perfect condition can considerably increase the risk of injuries.

This video on how to clean a paintball gun will help you understand the process better.

Step 7: Store The Gun

After you have reassembled the gun after cleaning, you need to ensure you store it properly to remain clean for a long time and is ready for use when you need it.

1. Make sure the paintball is unloaded before you store them to avoid any risk of injuries.
2. Empty the air tank after removing the canister.
3. To prevent any damage to the spring’s trigger, pull it back and check if it has enough room for movement.
4. The safety cap should be in place before storing the gun.
5. To avoid damage to any part of the gun, add some oil to it before storing it.
6. Make sure you have a repair kit available at home, as using the gun without repair can cause permanent damage.
7. The paintball gun and the canister should not be kept together. Store them in different cabinets if possible.
8. The place where you keep the paintball gun should not be accessible to children.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Frequently Must A Paintball Gun Be Cleaned?

Ideally, you should clean it after every use. Every time you play a game of paintball, your gun acquires some amount of dirt. The external portions accumulate more dirt and need to clean after every game to keep them in good condition.

You can open the gun and give it a clean whenever you feel its performance is degrading.

Is It Difficult To Clean A Paintball Gun?

The only difficulty one can face while cleaning a paintball gun is during the disassembly and at the time of reassembly. If you follow all the user instructions carefully and do not misplace any part, the cleaning process is very simple and can be completed easily.

Is It Expensive To Clean A Paintball Gun?

No, it’s not very expensive to clean a paintball gun. All the needed items to clean a paintball gun can be obtained by simply buying a paintball cleaning kit. The price of the kit is worth it as you can use it for an extended period.

You can also use some household items for regular cleaning, and thus cleaning the gun is relatively economical. 

Conclusion

The only thing you need to enjoy in a good game of paintball is a paintball gun. Cleaning it regularly helps you become a pro in the sport and makes your weekend colorful. If you follow all the steps and do the cleaning a little patiently, your paintball gun will be as good as new for a long time.