Paintball Maverick Header Logo

Are Paintball Barrels Universal?

Paintball Maverick is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More.

There is a lot of science that goes into a paintball barrel and there are two important factors to consider when you select the best barrel for your marker.

These factors are the barrel thread type and bore size (calibre). Neglecting these factors can have an adverse effect on your overall paintballing experience. 

On their own, paintball barrels are not universal and cannot be used with just every marker. If a paintball gun and barrel have different thread types, then they will be incompatible.  However, you can purchase a thread adapter that will allow you to use any barrel with any paintball gun.

In addition to the thread type, you also want to consider the bore size or the calibre of your gun.  There are 2 main bore sizes, the .50 calibre and .68 calibre guns and barrels. 

Let’s first review the different thread types then we can discuss the calibre.

BARREL THREAD TYPE

There are five types of barrel thread, these include:

  • Autococker barrel
  • Small Parts barrel
  • Spyder barrel 
  • Tippmann A-5 barrel
  • Tippman 98 barrel

AUTOCOCKER BARREL 

The Autococker barrel is by far the most popular type of barrel used by shooters. Most recent and elite paintball guns come with an Autococker barrel. Mini barrel thread, Timmy barrel thread, or TM-15 barrel thread are all different names that are used to refer to the Autococker barrel.

The names are often rebranded by different paintball companies for the aim of marketing.

Deadlywind Fibur-X paintball Main Barrel 14

A popular Autococker thread is the Deadly Wind Null Carbon Fiber One Piece Paintball Gun Barrel. Its price ranges between $60-$75 depending on barrel size.

SMALL PARTS BARREL 

This barrel thread was originally known as the ‘impulse thread’ but was later changed to Ion barrel thread due to the marker’s popularity. However, it’s also known as ‘Small Parts barrel thread’ when the company ‘Small Parts’, started making their markers with this barrel type.

A popular example of the small parts barrel is the GOG One-Piece Carbon Fiber Freak Barrel which costs between $86-$112 depending on the size of the barrel.

SPYDER BARREL THREAD

The Spyder barrel thread can also be referred to as the Piranha barrel thread. Just like the Autococker barrel threads and its different names, the name ‘Piranha’ was also formulated for marketing purposes by the manufacturing company PMI.

The Spyder threaded barrel has a simple installation process and it ensures an air-tight seal. An example of the Spyder barrel thread is the Proto Paintball 1Pc Spyder Thread Barrel.

TIPPMAN A-5 THREADED BARREL

A5 threaded barrels were designed to provide a balance between quick barrel mounting and a tight air seal. The A-5 threaded barrels are common amongst popular brands such as Killhouse and Tippmann.

A popular gun that makes use of the Tippman A-5 barrel is the Tippman Cronus paintball gun. An example of this threaded barrel is the Armson stealth Tippmann A5 - pro-lite rifle barrel.

This threaded barrel costs about $50.

TIPPMAN 98 THREADED BARREL

This barrel allows for an easy twist and lock system of the barrel onto your marker and it greatly improves the precision of your marker. The barrel type is a common pick amongst professional sniper shooters.

A popular example of the 98 threaded barrel is the Tippmann Sniper Barrel whose price ranges between $50-$100 depending on the size of the barrel.

TIPPMANN Sniper 14

Below is a table showing the various paintball barrel threads and the guns which they are compatible with.

Paintball Gun Barrel Thread Compatibility Chart

AutocockerSmart Parts (Ion)SpyderTippmann A-5Tippman 98
AutocockerImpulse32 DegreesBoltBT-4
AxeIonAriakonBT CombatCrossover
AlienIon XEArmotechBT DeltaX7
Bob LongNerveBrass EagleBT SliceUs Army Carver One
BT TM7ShockerDiabloChronusStorm
BT TMI5Shocker NXTDragun PMIHurricaneUS Project Salvo
BushmasterShocker SFTGT CommandosMaxtacUS Army Alpha Black
CyborgSP-8IconZMILSIGTPN Sierra One
DYESPIInfernoMK5TPN Bravo One
DYE DamVibeJTMK7FT-12
EgosEphiphany/EosMongooseMKP-Blizzard
EteksOdysseyMKP-II 
FreestylesPCS US5Phenom 
FusionsPiranhaTGR 
Gen E-matrixPMITiPX 
IntimidatorsRebel ExtremeTornado 
Invert MiniSilver BulletsVortex 
LegendsSpyderX7 
Mac DevSpyder MR1/MR2/MR3A-5 
MinionsSten  
NMET68  
OmenViewloader  
ONYXZAP  
PE468  
Promaster  
Proteges  
Proteos  
Python Impulse  
Quest  
Thresholds  
TM7  
ULE Mags  
Vice  
Vikings 
Wrath
Xmag

 THREAD ADAPTERS

Using a thread adapter makes it possible to use any type of barrel thread with your marker. Thread adapters allow you to easily use old barrels with new markers with a different thread style.

The way the adapters are named, the first name refers to the marker the adapter will fit into while the second name refers to the barrel that will be compatible with it.

For example, with a thread adaptor, you can use a Spyder barrel with a Tippman 98 (Spyder to 98).

A popular example is the LAPCO Paintball Barrel Adapter; Spyder Threads to Tippmann TMC/98 Custom Threads.

There are thread adapters that support other combinations such as:

Small Parts barrel thread to Autococker

Lapco Barrel Adapter Ion to Cocker. Find it here.

Tippman A5 to Autococker

The Lapco barrel adapter A5 to Cocker is a good example. Find it here.

Autococker to A5

Lapco Barrel Adapter Autococker to Tippmann A5/X7 Thread. Found here.

Autococker to 98

The Lapco Paintball Barrel Adapter - Cocker to Tippmann 98 is a good example. Found here.

Autococker to Ion

LAPCO Paintball Gun Barrel Adapter Autococker to Impulse/Ion/Luxe Threads. Found here.

A5 to Spyder

A good example is the Lapco Paintball Barrel Adapter - Tippmann A5 to Spyder. Found here.

Spyder to Autococker

A suitable adapter here would be the TECHT iFit Barrel Adapter for Spyder Threads. Found here.

Spyder to A5

Lapco Barrel Adapter Spyder yo A5. Found here.

Tippman 98 to Tippman A5

An example is the LAPCO Paintball Gun Barrel Adapter Tippmann 98 Custom to Tippmann A5. Found here.

Ion to A5

Lapco Barrel Adapter Ion to A5. Found here.

Spyder to Ion

The Shocktech Barrel Adapter Spyder to Ion is a great example. Found here.

That should be a fairly comprehensive list of adapters and where to find them. If I've missed one, please let me know! Now, let's discuss paintball barrel calibre.

BARREL CALIBRE

It is important to make sure that the bore size of your barrel is suitable for the kind of paintball you will be shooting. If your barrel is too small, then you stand the chance of your balls breaking or jamming while firing.

On the other hand, if your barrel is too big for the calibre of the balls, then the accuracy of your shots will be affected. As mentioned earlier on, there are two main calibre dimensions for paintballs and barrels which are the .50 calibre and the .68 calibre.

The .68 calibre is still the most widely used amongst professional paintball shooters. With the .68 calibre paintball gun, you get a longer range and the impact from the paintballs hurt more than the .50 calibre. The downside of the .68 calibre gun which is not such a huge turn-off for most professional shooters is that the guns are much heavier than the .50 calibre guns.

On the other hand, the .50 calibre guns are much lighter and are a perfect pick for beginners in the game and for kids too. These types of guns are often referred to as ‘low-impact guns’ because the paintballs hurt less on impact when compared to the impact from the .68 calibre guns.

The .50 calibre guns can also take more rounds in the hopper due to their small size which is a major advantage it has over the .68 calibre guns.

You might be wondering, “can I use a .50 calibre paintball with a .68 calibre gun?” The answer is no (at least not without using the proper kits). With the help of a paintball conversion kit, it is possible to make use of .50 calibre paintballs in a .68 calibre gun and vice versa.

However, there are only a few .50 calibre conversion kits currently which can convert  a .68 calibre gun to shoot  .50 calibre rounds and even fewer guns that can support the .68 calibre conversion kit which can covert a .50 calibre gun into shooting .68 calibre paintballs.

A lot of professional scenario paintball players decide to convert their .68 calibre guns to shoot .50 calibre paintballs to be able to carry more ammo in their hoppers and because the smaller paintballs can find their way through heavy cover and still hit its target.

Another reason why a shooter may want to convert a .68 calibre gun into shooting .50 calibre rounds is that they hurt less on impact.

BARREL INSERTS

Barrel inserts are used to align the size of the ball to the barrel size to create a precise and consistent system. The inserts consist of a hollow extended tube with an outside diameter that is somewhat smaller than the internal diameter of the marker’s barrel.

Barrel inserts can be made from different materials such as brass, aluminium, or bronze. The inside of the inserts may be coated with ceramic, oil or Teflon or any material that will offer a smooth oiled surface for the enhanced projection of the paintball.

Barrel inserts usually extend from the tip of the adapter through the barrel. The lengths of barrel inserts are usually about 12 inches or more and the inside diameter may vary in size from about 0.670 inches to 0.695 inches. 

A popular example of the barrel insert is the GOG Paintball Freak Barrel Insert which costs between $13-$15 dollars. 

CLEANING THE INSIDE OF A BARREL 

It is important to clean your paintball barrel after every use. The paint from the balls can stick to the inside of the barrel which will affect the accuracy of your shots and cause jamming.

To clean your barrel, you can make use of a two-sided squeegee to clean out the paint. One side to clean out the paint residue and another side to polish. 

A squeegee such as the Exalt Paintball Barrel Maid Swab will get the job done. This squeegee costs about $13 and it is foldable to easily fit into your pocket or bag without taking up too much space.

Paintball Sniper

Paintball Barrels

Recent Content
Empire Paintball Sniper Pump Marker Review
Paintball Maverick is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More. In this article, I will discuss the Empire Sniper Pump Action Paintball Marker. I like this gun and it's very good value. I also asked current owners (see section below the gun's features) of this […]
Azodin KP3.5 KAOS Review
Paintball Maverick is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More. Before getting into the details about this marker, it is essential to understand what a pump-action paintball is. Just as the name connotes, Pump-action requires the player to pump the gun by pulling a pump […]
Tippmann Cronus Review
Paintball Maverick is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More. Introduction Tippmann is one of the most admired brands in the world of paintball today, and this can be attributed to the level of reliability and durability that their products have. The Tippmann Cronus is […]
Empire BT DFender Review
Paintball Maverick is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More. The first thing that popped in my head when I first came across the Empire BT DFender was, "where does the hopper fit?" This high-end paintball gun is utterly unique and quite different from what […]
1 2 3 22
About Us
I'm Steve Crews. I'm the guy behind Paintball Maverick. I've joined with a few other friends who love paintball to answer questions that we hear from novices to experts. Our goal is to be the number one paintball resource on the internet.

Do you enjoy the information that I provide here on this website?

Please, consider a donation to help me to bring the best information to you...
This site is owned and operated by SJACREWS Enterprises and is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. SJACREWS Enterprises also participates in affiliate programs with Clickbank, CJ, ShareASale and other sites. SJACREWS Enterprises is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.
Do you enjoy the information that I provide here on this website?

Please, consider a donation to help me to bring the best information to you...
© 2021 Copyright Paintball Maverick
Paintball Maverick is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We also participate in other affiliate programs which compensate us for referring traffic.