lapco bigshot paint/barrel match

[stmute]

Ok I'm getting my very first paintball kit together. So keep in mind that I'm a noob! I've bought a Lapco Bigshot and I'm trying to anticipate a good paint/barrel match when I order my first case of paint...

I've already read Otters pages on the subject:
http://www.ottersccustoms.com/paintc.html
http://www.ottersccustoms.com/barrelc.html
so I know my barrel is .689 and that the paint shouldn't just roll out of the barrel and you should be able to blow a paintball through it without causing a brain hemorrhage. I've read that for this to work the paint should be a little bigger than the bore. So here's the question.. just how much bigger?
.690 - .691? How big is too big? I'm not sure what the threshold is.

I picked up a cheap bottle of 200 Game Face Scorch paintballs at the local Wal-Mart just to test out the blowgun test, and wow.. those seem WAY smaller than the bore of this barrel! Otter has them listed as medium (.688 - .689) so .688 doesn't seem like it'd be that much smaller. I don't think the Bigshot comes in any other bore sizes, so I guess it'd be the paint that's smaller than anticipated. Too bad the label isn't very informative on average paintball size for the package.

So I guess I'm asking, would I be safe in ordering something like Zap Chronic's which are Medium .689 - .691?

Thanks!

[ooglieboogliebob]

well .. the scorch pb's should be just fine ... but i'd hesitate to buy them online ... since paintballs do break under impact and ... if it's shipped .. you know a lot of impact's going to go on ... just go to your local proshop i guess.. btw what barrel do you have ??

[QAZ123]

You'll be fine with the chronic's or any ball no bigger than .689.

JB.

[stmute]

It's the Lapco Bigshot 12"

As far as paint breaking in the mail, that was going to be my next question.. LOL I was worried about that.

So... walk into my local paintball shop carrying the barrel and ask for samples to blow through the barrel?? ;)

No idea how far you can push the size barrier though?

[stmute]

Well I think I was a bit hasty initially. I had only tested 2 or 3 out of the bottle. :o I poured out a handful and tried them and the majority really seem to be perfect. I guess the true test will be to dump the bottle in a hopper and go to town!

Thanks for the help.

[ShadowX]

also, just because otters site says that scorch are .688-.689 doesnt mean they will always be. cases VARY a LOT in size, for instanise, i shot a case of diablo heat a couple weekends ago, it fit the ion barrel fine, but then i bought another case of the same paint (diablo heat) today and it rolls right through, so its really a crap shoot.

i suggest a barrel kit, it is a lot of money, but its worth it in the long run.

[stmute]

It's something that I'll have to save up for.. but I can definitely see the value in it.