Shooting pepper balls out of a paintball gun is an exciting thought and could be a fun experiment on how to use paintball gear. But be careful since pepper balls contain a substance that irritates the eyes and skin, causing a burning sensation, discomfort, and pain.
Paintballs vs. Pepperballs
Paintballs can bruise the skin and be dangerous, mainly when shot in the face or eyes without wearing a proper protective mask; it can cause blindness. Paintballs break upon impact and leave a paint mark on the target. The paint inside the pellet is non-toxic and biodegradable (Learn to use a paintball gun).
A pepperball contains chemicals that irritate the eyes, nose, and mouth and can cause loss of vision, intense irritation and pain, and shortness of breath. They are often shot with a pistol designed explicitly for pepper and come with small cartridges of co2. When it breaks on impact, it dissolves into a cloud of dust or powder up to 12 feet in diameter. Outdoors the cloud will quickly dissipate, but indoors the cloud may hang in the air for 10-15 minutes before settling.
Can you use shoot pepper balls with a paintball?
Technically, yes, you can shoot pepper balls with a paintball gun.
Is it legal? It may be legal or illegal, so always check with the laws and regulations in your area.
For emergencies and self-defense, fighting for your own life, if you have intruders in your house, and for home defense, pepper balls may be a way to incapacitate an attacker or home intruder. Pepper spray guns are not deadly and shoot projectiles up to 60 feet with a speed of 300 feet per second, but if used in a paintball, the range may be much higher since the pressure is higher and the barrel is longer.
How to Shoot Pepper Balls with a Paintball Gun
You are good to go if you already have paintball equipment and a CO2 or HPA tank. Shooting pepper balls is precisely the same as shooting them with paintballs. Just be very careful since the chemical gas is super irritating and painful and can cause many side effects such as breathing difficulties. DO NOT DO THIS FOR FUN. If you practice self-defense, do it under very controlled circumstances.
Are pepper balls deadly?
No, they are not deadly for healthy individuals, but they can be dangerous as they irritate the eyes, mouths, and noses of everyone who comes in contact with the chemicals inside the pellets. Always use caution when handling these chemicals.
What are Pepper Balls?
Pepper balls are small projectiles that contain a powdered chemical that irritates the eyes and nose and are designed to be non-lethal and non-flammable.
Pepper balls are non-lethal self-defense weapons fired from a pepper ball gun. They are made of rubber or plastic and contain a small amount of pepper spray. Most pepper balls are 0.68 caliber which is the same size as paintballs.
Specifically designed weapons called pepper-ball gun launchers fire the balls at a high velocity, and they can cause severe injuries if they hit someone in the face. When the ball hits a target, the pepper spray is released as a cloud of powdered chemicals and irritates the eyes, nose, mouth, and throat. The powdered chemical inside the bullets are considered nonlethal, but the irritation may temporarily cause blindness, reduced vision, pain, breathing difficulties, and substantial discomfort.
What Are Pepper Balls Used For?
They are a popular choice for self-defense or home defense. Especially people who already have a paintball gun stored in their house may buy pepper balls for self-defense instead of a firearm.
Law enforcement, police, and the army typically use pepper balls as a non-lethal way to control crowds or disperse protesters.
Can Regular Paintball Guns Shoot Pepper Balls?
If both the paintball gun and the pepper balls are 0.68 calibers, you can use them. Most regular paintball markers can shoot 0.68-caliber pepper balls as they fit in the barrel.
Can Civilians Use Pepper Balls?
Yes, civilians can use pepper balls. But check with the laws in your jurisdiction as they may be illegal, legal, controlled, or have an age requirement. Pepper spray is a self-defense tool to deter an attacker. The active ingredient in some pepper sprays is capsaicin, which is derived from chili peppers. When capsaicin comes into contact with the eyes, it causes a burning sensation.
Are Pepper Paintballs Legal?
In many countries, pepper balls may be legal, illegal, controlled, or have an age requirement of at least 18 years of age or more to buy, or specific conditions for use may apply. The laws regarding pepper balls are often the same as those regarding pepper sprays, but make sure your jurisdiction classifies them the same.
In other words, there is no definitive answer as to whether or not pepper paintballs are legal, as it varies from place to place. Check the laws in your state or country.
Are Pepper Balls Good For Self-Defense?
Pepper balls are excellent for self-defense because they can incapacitate an intruder or attacker without being lethal. Pava or pepper powder is a pepper spray made with capsaicin, the active ingredient in peppers that causes a burning sensation. The powder is released when the ball is fired and can cause coughing and irritation. Most intruders will feel intense discomfort and flee. In terms of self-defense, pepper spray is generally considered to be the most effective non-lethal weapon available.
Pepper balls are a better choice than lethal firearms, which may be dangerous for family members or neighbors. Even if you miss the shot, you may still irritate the intruders and scare them away or not dare to come closer because of the discomfort caused by the cloud of chemicals.
Can I buy pepper balls for my paintball gun?
Yes, you can buy pepper balls for your paintball gun. You can find them in sporting goods stores, gun stores, and Amazon. You can shoot pepper balls out of any paintball gun, but you must ensure that the barrel is the right caliber for the pepper balls.
How to Make Pepper Balls for Paintball Guns
You will need a few supplies to make pepper balls for paintball guns.
- You will need a container to mix the ingredients.
- You will need a grinder to grind the peppers or capsaicin into a powder
- It is best to have halves of gelating capsules and seal them together.
Round 0.68 caliber capsules are the best for paintball barrels but may be challenging to find. If you use typical medicine capsules, they may not fit or shoot accurately in the paintball gun.
Steps on how to make pepper balls
- Grind the ground peppers.
- Fill one-half of a gelatin capsule with the pepper mixture.
- Close the gelatin capsule with the other half and seal it tight.
- See if the tablet fits in your paintball gun.
- If it is the right size, you may feed the balls into the hopper of the paintball gun.
- Finally, test your pepper balls in a safe, controlled environment so nobody can get injured or hurt.
Conclusion
A pepper ball is a projectile containing a powdered chemical that irritates the eyes and nose. Pepper ball shells are brittle and break upon impact, releasing the pepper spray into the air. You can buy pepper balls for your paintball gun and use them for self-defense.
