Top 5 Barrels and Barrel Kits to Upgrade Your Marker
One of the first upgrades that many players look for after getting their paintball gun is the addition of a barrel upgrade or barrel kit. Most stock barrels are just fine for the occasional paintballer. However, those who want that extra level of performance often opt for improving their barrels.
Barrel upgrades usually affect three different areas:
- Air efficiency
- Report
- Accuracy and distance.
Barrel upgrades and barrel kits help to increase air efficiency by reducing the amount of air that escapes around the paintball while it’s still in the barrel. This means that less air must be used on each shot to propel the paintballs down the barrel which ultimately translates into more shots per tank. The “report” or the noise of a shot is also reduced as a result. This may not be a main concern for most players unless they prefer stealth, however it is still a benefit. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the accuracy and distance of a paintball shot can be improved by an upgraded barrel or barrel kit.
What Is a Barrel Kit?
Paintballs, made of gelatin, glycerin, and other materials, are sensitive to environmental conditions, with their size fluctuating in response to changes in temperature and humidity. Although designed to be .68 caliber, paintballs can expand or contract due to the temperature, affecting their performance. Warm and humid conditions can cause the shells to swell and become bouncier, while colder conditions can lead to smaller, more brittle shells that break easily. These size variations can impact the accuracy, air efficiency, and noise level of paintball markers. A loose fit in the barrel results in decreased accuracy and increased air and noise output, whereas too tight of a fit may cause the paintballs to break inside the barrel.
To address these issues, barrel kits have been developed, offering a versatile solution to accommodate the changing size of paintballs. These kits typically come with multiple barrel diameters, allowing for an optimal fit that minimizes the risk of breaking paintballs. Barrel kits vary in design, including one-piece, two-piece, and three-piece barrel systems with different sized fronts, backs, and inserts.
How Do You Use a Barrel Kit?
Installing a barrel kit typically takes no more than 10 minutes and requires minimal instruction. To ensure the best performance with your barrel kit, it's essential to test the paintballs you plan to use on the day of play. Insert one of your game-day paintballs into the barrel kit to start and observe how the paintball sits in the barrel. A paintball that easily rolls out indicates the barrel's bore is too big, leading to potential problems with air efficiency, accuracy, and increased noise from the paintball marker.
Conversely, if the paintball is stuck and doesn't move, the barrel's inner diameter is too small, increasing the likelihood of breaking paintballs during use. The goal is to find a bore size where the paintball fits snugly without being overly tight. To test this, try blowing the paintball through the barrel by placing your mouth on one end. The ideal bore size allows the paintball to be blown out easily while ensuring a good fit within the barrel. Keep in mind, if you're using fragile paintballs or playing in cold weather, opt for a barrel kit with an inner diameter slightly larger than the optimal size to compensate for any changes in the paintballs' condition during play.
Our Top 5 Barrel Upgrades and Barrel Kits
For a full review of our top 5 barrel kits of 2024, take a look at our helpful YouTube review video:
Planet Eclipse Shaft S63 Pro Barrel Kit
The Planet Eclipse Shaft S63 Pro Barrel Kit features a 3-piece design with Eclipse PWR Inserts for improved shot consistency and control. It includes a precision-engineered tip for accuracy and quieter shots, along with 8.5" color-coded bore control inserts to accommodate different paintball sizes and reduce breakages. The system also has a tactile back section with customizable rubber sleeves in five colors, designed for better grip and ease of use. The package comes with an Autococker barrel back, barrel tip, and five PWR Inserts (.677 to .693), offering a straightforward and effective solution for paintball players seeking performance improvements.
For a full review of the Planet Eclipse S63, take a look at our comprehensive review video below:
Freak XL 2.0
The Freak XL 2.0 Stainless Steel Barrel Kit updates paintball barrel technology by extending the control bore length to 8 inches, which provides a 6 feet per second velocity increase over the original Freak system. It features a range of insert sizes from .679 to .695, laser-engraved for identification, and is compatible with GoG/Ion/Luxe or Autococker thread patterns. The kit's stainless steel construction offers durability and precision, with unique porting and styling on the barrel backs and fronts. Designed to enhance performance with reduced recoil and quieter shots, the kit includes a 14" polished black front, a dust black Autococker back, an 8-piece Boremaster insert kit, and a barrel case, making it a practical choice for improving paintball gameplay.
For a full review of the Freak XL 2.0, take a look at our review and test shooting video below:
Carbon IC PWR Nano Barrel
The Carbon IC PWR Nano Barrel Kit, compatible with markers that use Autococker Barrel Threads, introduces an innovative design that combines lightweight materials with advanced functionality. The kit includes a Carbon IC PWR Barrel Back, a Nano Barrel Tip, and seven PWR Inserts ranging from .679 to .691. Its design features a lightweight injected carbon barrel back, integrated with aluminum threads for enhanced rigidity and weight reduction, and a micro ported aluminum barrel tip designed for sound reduction and prevention of water and debris entry.
To see the Carbon IC PWR Nano Barrel’s debut, take a look at our videos below:
Dye ULS
The Dye UL-S Barrel Kit, a 6-Piece exclusive to Lone Wolf Paintball, stands out with its unique bore sizes and color choices. It continues DYE's tradition of precision, offering a 7-inch control bore for enhanced accuracy and consistency. The kit, which requires matching Dust or Gloss finishes for backs and tips, is designed for optimal performance with features like multi-stage precision honing to eliminate ball spin and a quiet shot. It includes Autococker Quick threads for compatibility with all DYE barrel tips and comes with bore sizes ranging from .678" to .686". The UL-S Barrel Tip, notable for its progressive porting and ultra-quiet shot, further refines accuracy, embodying over 20 years of DYE's leadership in barrel design.
For a review of the Lone Wolf Paintball Dye UL-S barrels, take a look at our YouTube video below:
HK Army LAZR
The HK Army LAZR Barrel Kit, designed with precision and aesthetics in mind, offers unmatched performance thanks to its meticulously honed barrel bores, ensuring uniform diameter and a smooth finish for exceptional accuracy. This kit allows for easy customization of the control bore with 8 interchangeable bore inserts and includes a barrel tip and four accent grips for personalization. Packaged in an HK Army Hard Shell Exo Barrel Case for protection, it features a high-quality aluminum two-piece barrel with EXO hard zipper case, bore sizes ranging from .678 to .692, and four color options for the removable barrel back grips (Red, Blue, Black, Grey).
Take a look at our comprehensive YouTube video review of the HK Army LAZR barrel inserts below for more information:
Wrapping Up
Choosing the right barrel kit for your marker and the environmental conditions is key to having a great time on the paintball field. While these are the best barrel upgrades and barrel inserts in our opinion, there are dozens more that you could choose for your marker that may work better. For a full selection of paintball barrel kits and other accessories, please visit Lone Wolf’s online store.