The paint is really cruddy around where I live, I guess? I, mean I can see so many zingers when I`m shooting.

So I understand the thing about the barrel back having nothing to do with accuracy. But, is their anything about a barrel that makes it accurate?

In the mean time I`ll have to shop around for some good paint. Recommendations? Where? What?

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I would guess that it's the paint, yeah. It might just be old or dimpled. Either that or your gun/barrel is really dirty.

Only part of the barrel that makes any difference is the internal finish. For the most part, you aren't going to see a difference between one or anther, unless its you're comparing a stock 98 barrel to a decent aftermarket barrel.

As far as paint goes, I'd just recommend going to your local paintball store and buy from there. Typically a store will get a new shipment of paint every month or so. Just the fact that it's fresher will make it shoot better.

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Model98.org, Where Tippmanns Have No Limits

GONE TIL NOV 2013

^This^ and I would try cleaning it really good...I just picked up a proto barrel recently that did the exact same thing with xballs, seconds and visible impact. I double checked the barrel with a flashlight and sure enough there was a "blurry" spot about 6in before the tip.. I cleaned the crap out of it, and no breaks what so ever.. Pretty sure the kid I got it from never cleaned it. I cleaned it as soon as we got home but I obviously missed the spot the first cleaning.

I shot my new Tippmann Straightline Barrel Kit, which is made by hammerhead, for the first time today using the .686 Fin. I can say I noticed a huge improvement over my 9 year old Smart Parts 14" Progressive, even the people I faced noticed the accuracy. In fact a few asked if it shoots further to, I simply would not believe that so I told them it was just more accurate at a longer range (IE Tighter Groupings). I should also mention I was shooting the fields "Standard Grade" paint, I am not sure what it was.

So given my experience I think the thing the others have mentioned are likely your cause. Poor/Old paint, or a dirty gun and/or barrel.

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West Coast Paintballer and 98 Custom Owner!

hammerhead head says you need to tune your barrel for accuracy. Start at lower fps and good paint and work your way up till it starts to curve of and then back down.

i have the iFit and I have actually noticed a difference in accuracy depending on the bore. If I go extreame underbore (i have to force the paint through with my finger) the paint will fly all over the map, but other than that I only notice a difference in fps.

playing with marbs I found out that my marker performed the best with a slight underbore on the iFit and a bore match on the freak. going bigger only affected the velocity, as long as the iFit was smaller/same size as the freak.

I had a hammerhead shark tooth that only liked 240fps to fly straight - I also size paint by it just barly dragging on fin. The ball is going to expand when shot so to tight will cause to go all over the place. My most cocnsistant barrel I use is my pehenom barrel it just works no fuss and shoots really well.