The Process Behind Firing the Shocker NXT Paintball Marker

The sport of paintball has greatly evolved since the early 1980s when farmers used cattle markers and shooting glasses to dangerously play war games in the woods. In todays society, the sport of paintball has become the worlds fastest growing extreme sport and is safer than ballet. Unlike the days of the past, todays paintball professionals utilize equipment ranging from masks, to electronic hoppers, to paintball engineered cleats. However, no single piece of equipment is as vital as the paintball gun; or more commonly known as the paintball marker. The Smart Parts NXT Shocker is a paintball marker that utilizes state of the art technology to project paintballs faster and with a greater degree of accuracy than ever before. Although the NXT Shocker is comprised of a plethora of parts that must all work together in order to operate correctly, at its core it can be broken up into three components: the trigger frame, the air source, and the gun body.

The Gun Body HE Bolt

Solenoid The Trigger Frame

The Air Source Regulator The Trigger Frame The trigger frame of the marker consists of several mechanisms that all function in unison as the operating sequence is initiated. The standard shocker frame measures in a length of eight inches and a height of six inches. Also, all of the electronics of the paintball marker are securely situated within the trigger frame. Trigger When the user decides to shoot a paintball out of the marker, a minuscule amount of pressure is applied on the metal trigger until it is displaced roughly five millimeters (depending on user settings). This extremely small trigger pull allows players to shoot up to twenty

paintballs per second. When the trigger has been displaced the correct amount, it makes contact with the actuator switch which initiates activity from the solenoid of the paintball gun. Solenoid The solenoid of the paintball gun is one of the most scientific and most complex mechanisms located within the trigger frame. However, the solenoid is essential and completely necessary for the marker to function properly. Surrounded by copper coils and based off of electromagnetic theory, the solenoid is the physical connection between the electronics and the pneumatics of the paintball marker. The solenoid has two valve positions. Position one is active when the marker is idle, and it holds compressed air in front of the bolt causing it to stay in the closed position. On the other hand, the contact made between the trigger and the actuator switch causes the solenoids electro-magnetic forces to alternate the value to position two. This valve position allows air to flow through the trigger frame and into the back of the bolt. Air Source A paintball marker is powered solely by a specific type of air source, depending on the marker make and model. Originally, paint filled projectiles were shot by means of a single 12 gram C02 cartridge that had to be manually changed after 15 to 20 shots were fired. Today however, almost all markers, including the Smarts Parts NXT Shocker, are powered by 50 to 100 cubic inch tanks holding high pressure air. Compressed air The Smart Parts NXT Shocker operates using either compressed air or nitrogen that is held in a carbon-fiber wrapped tank which is attached to the paintball marker. The propellant is condensed at an extremely high rate, usually between 3000 and 5000 psi. The advantage of using compressed air versus carbon dioxide is that the former is not only more consistent, but is also much healthier for the paintball marker. This marker health increase is due to the fact that compressed air is always in a gaseous form, whereas C02 transforms from a gaseous form to a liquid form which can ruin the internals of the gun after continuous use. Regulator Almost instantaneously after the trigger contacts the actuator switch, the electronic board of the Shocker signals the solenoid to switch positions. Simultaneously, the board also allows a small amount of compressed air to travel from the tank, through the attached macro line, and into the regulator. The Shocker regulator has two pressurized chambers along with a spring and an oring which attempts to counter the force of the incoming compressed air. This action is used to control the input of the pressurized chambers. Consequently, this opposing force actually seals the chambers once the incoming oxygen expands to a standard amount. After the inlet is shut off the set amount of pressure exits the regulator, flows into the solenoid valve, and then to the back of the bolt.

Gun Body The gun body is where the majority of the pneumatic operations occur. Although many traditional markers have a hammer and bolt that work in unison to project the paintball, the Smart Parts Shocker uses only a single bolt design that also serves the purpose as the conventional hammer. Bolt As the actuator switch is pressed by the trigger, the solenoid valve is immediately switched and the bolt is forced back into the open position. Due to the large amount of interaction that occurs between the bolt and the shell of the gun, the Shocker utilizes a High Efficiency (HE) bolt that is heavily lubricated to avoid any friction which may affect performance. As the bolt is shifted into the open position, a paintball freely falls into the firing chamber. The bolt is then forced forward by the compressed air and the paintball is projected out the chamber and approaches the barrel of the marker. Barrel As the paintball exits the firing chamber it travels through the last part of the paintball marker, the barrel. The NXT Shocker comes equipped with a 14 inch smooth, ported barrel; however it also accepts barrels that are threaded to fit any of Smart Parts markers. As the paintball travels through the inside of the barrel, the circular ports allow for an even output of air to flow behind the paintball. This increases the overall accuracy and the consistency of the marker. Also, the smoothed inside of the barrel promotes a reliable backspin of the paintball which leads to a longer overall shot distance. Conclusion The Smart Parts NXT Shocker is comprised of a multitude of parts that all operate in unison in order for the paintball marker to function properly. The trigger is pulled a fraction of an inch before it makes contact with the actuator switch, which starts the electro-pneumatic process of the marker. The solenoid valve now changes positions which allows compressed air to flow into the marker, through the assistance of the regulator. Simultaneously, the alternation of the valve releases the bolt into the open position, and a paintball then falls into the now unblocked chamber. Finally, the bolt is forced forward and the paintball is projected out of the firing chamber, through the barrel, and towards the opponent at speeds upward of 300 feet per second.