Barrel Caps/covers

whenever we play we never seem to have a good safe area. We do make a good effort to put our guns on safe then take goggles off but I would like the club to take one more step with safety. barrel condoms/caps are common in paintball and in some airsoft clubs. I really don't feal that the safties are enough to make sure that we don't have an accident. You can't tell if someone's gun is on safe or not unless you get really close or check it yourself. If we use colours like red, blaze orange, lime green this will also be the way that we mark the dead. When you get hit you take it out of your pocket and put it on the end of your barrel. this is the style I am thinking ofThere are also the ones that come with guns (red plastic thing) but those come off easy and are not as visible from a distance.For those saying "I don't want to carry more stuff" I really can't see that as a good excuse. Most people don't use 1/2 the pockets on their jackets and pants and these weigh nothing. For those saying "I can't afford it" or "I don't know how to get one" all you need is a thick sock, glove, or anything like that with a piece of string tied around it. You can't use regular cotton socks or anything thin as these guns will eventually shoot through that.I hope to implement this and make it mandatory for every play we play and every game by feburary. I can make a bunch from value village red socks and give them to those who don't bring them to a game. Looking for your thoughts and concerns.Your friendly neighbourhood dictator...

I'd say you should be able to use your plastic ones that cover the flashider, just implement a kill rag rule. Basically you just rap it around your head or hold it in your hand or in our case wrap it around the muzzle of gun... Just a thought, although covering your muzzle would increase safety.

I realy don't like the kill rag thing. I think having a barrel condom that's ether a floresint color or has flaging tape attached is a good idea for long games were you have to go for a long hike back to a respawn point. I don't think we would be using them in run and gun games cause its usualy a short distance to respawns. These are just my openeons on the sobgect. Oh yea another reason why they wouldn't be of much use in the short games is that when someone is shot after already being hit its usualy when they're getting out of a hiding spot or just after they have been hit so they wouldn't have gotten a condom on they're gun yet.

I think they would be of great use in safe zones and staging areas, and we should diffenitly use them in these areas if Dave is provieding them for us.

the point of the barrel covers isn't for kill rag rules it's for saftey. Having them bright coloured would just make it handy and kills two birds with one stone. I wouldn't make kill rags mandatory but it's a smart thing to use anyway.

I would have no issue with people just using their stock barrel covers, just as long as people cover the barrel before goggles come off.

I'm not providing anything for those that know that they need them and how to get them. I will provide them for new folks or for those who were invited but not aware of this barrel cover rule.

Not sure if I would agree with you Bill they they don't make sense for certian gaming types. Putting a cover on would take a few seconds and would garuntee that noone lights you up walking back to your respawn but if the game is still on then it really doesn't matter if you are covering the end or not...everyone still has their goggles on. The times I get opened up on are usually the shorter games. If you are behind cover showing your kill rag tells the other team not to open up when you come out.

What I am saying is that we have no safe zones...even in our stagging areas people (myself included) turn off "safe" and fire with people around.

Sounds fine to me... I still might resort to a kill rag idea though because it seems like we're saying almost the same thing... if we're using socks

any other thoughts on using barrel covers in staging areas and when we call "goggles off"?

I think it's a great idea ! Let's make it mandatory, it's not hard to make one.
They should then be "Norton approved".
Great especially when we have newbies around.
It's a sport and there's safety rules. Paintball is serious about this, why not us ?

My vote would be for bright colours so we can see if a gun is safe or not from a ways away. Ugly yes but functional for game hosts

The colored barrel sock is a brilliant idea. As Horton's says, it serves two functions. The most important is safety. Take it from a guy with just one eye--safety is first.
My experience with the stock plastic barrel caps is that you can shoot them off with about 3 shots--that's less than one trigger pull for those of you with a heavy finger. And if you shoot one off the barrel without noticing you can easily lose the cap. If anyone finds a cap at Busters, let me know.

Hortons Heros wrote:

My vote would be for bright colours so we can see if a gun is safe or not from a ways away. Ugly yes but functional for game hosts

Barrel Condoms are largely used in Lower Mainland here. These Condoms are suppose to design for paintball guns. I have one here in MARPAT colour and there is whole other variety of them. SAFETY is a must and these condoms are very useful, doesn't really have to be any colour but with these it will guarantee accidental discharge on any AEGs and mags has to be out ALWAYS. For GBBs, mags are out and has to be CLEAR.

These rules are almost but not exact like in fire ranges and has been in effect in Lower Mainland for period of time and no one has gotten shot at safe zone.

Why no plastic marui barrel cover?

Actually there is reason why, is because in fullo auto in any AEGs will cause the plastic barrel to fall out and no safe is gurantee on it.

So I totally agree with Barrel Condoms its only 5 bucks so get some.

Good points Yuu... I was going to ask to see a pic of your M249 the other day... now I don't have to

I'm pretty sure that's real steel.

Does it make sense to make them bright colours so they can serve two purposes?

EDIT-Making these mandatory is going to happen either way. You can get them intown for around $5 from predators store front Esporta-beside minute muffler. Call ahead before you go in and make sure they have some in stock and if they don't tell them to put one on order for you. The only question is do we make the colour mandatory or just encouraged?

I'm with Yuu and Buddley that the stock caps tend to fly off if you do shoot. Meaning that we would not allow them

Predator Paintball store-564-5632

Hey Horton, would you be so kind, and pick me up one? Oh and while your at it, could you stitch in "Norton approved"? haha...Dang Yuu, the real steel, wowzers...

beach_boy wrote:

Hey Horton, would you be so kind, and pick me up one? Oh and while your at it, could you stitch in "Norton approved"? haha...Dang Yuu, the real steel, wowzers...

Yea, that's real C9A2 actually not mine LOL. I just recently purchase a real steel USP tactical and M249 is arriving on this week Tuesday, i'll have pictures of this beast along with my real steel.

As spoken before it should be manatory but give some players a little time to adjust with purchasing the barrel condom. As some may not be able to afford 5 bucks $$ LOL

Or find a sock to make due for their next game...

beach_boy wrote:

Or find a sock to make due for their next game...

Now that isn't... lol nevermind.

No offence intended, but I believe barrel condoms will give people a false sense of security in the safe zone. We should never be pointing guns at each other unless we're on the field with proper eyewear. Having a barrel condom on shouldn't make any difference at all in the way we handle our guns. There are also airsoft guns which I don't believe would be able to have a barrel condom. I don't think I've seen one that would work for my M700. The only sure way to prevent injuries in the staging area is to treat our airsoft guns like real firearms, and IMO a barrel condom is a sure way to guarantee that people will start to treat their guns like toys and not pay attention to where they are pointing them.

If someone is mis-handling their gun in the staging area they should be asked to leave. We shouldn't be relying on a barrel condom to keep us safe in the staging area, it is no substitute for proper firearms handling.

Treat every gun as if it is loaded and we shouldn't have problems.

Edit- I forgot to add that a red sock will not work for even my stock ICS C15. I was target shooting at home and it shot through the fabric on my couch. No to mention that many of our guns can shoot through multiple sides of an aluminum can, my M700 can shoot through the top and bottom of a can, so what good is a barrel condom??? Do they make them out of steel now?

I think that the barrel condoms are a good idea usually when in a mask off area I usually have my side arm and primary weapon mags out and barrel caps in never really ever thought of using a barrel condom good idea shoud be manditory.

twsmith wrote:

No offence intended, but I believe barrel condoms will give people a false sense of security in the safe zone. We should never be pointing guns at each other unless we're on the field with proper eyewear. Having a barrel condom on shouldn't make any difference at all in the way we handle our guns. There are also airsoft guns which I don't believe would be able to have a barrel condom. I don't think I've seen one that would work for my M700. The only sure way to prevent injuries in the staging area is to treat our airsoft guns like real firearms, and IMO a barrel condom is a sure way to guarantee that people will start to treat their guns like toys and not pay attention to where they are pointing them.

If someone is mis-handling their gun in the staging area they should be asked to leave. We shouldn't be relying on a barrel condom to keep us safe in the staging area, it is no substitute for proper firearms handling.

Treat every gun as if it is loaded and we shouldn't have problems.

Edit- I forgot to add that a red sock will not work for even my stock ICS C15. I was target shooting at home and it shot through the fabric on my couch. No to mention that many of our guns can shoot through multiple sides of an aluminum can, my M700 can shoot through the top and bottom of a can, so what good is a barrel condom??? Do they make them out of steel now?

Now now before you go bashing about barrel condoms. Safe zone is suppose to be like this. In order to designate a "safe zone" and you want treat like real firearm I can assure I will make it safe in a way why barrel condom is a must.

First of all barrel condom doesn't GUARANTEE safety but will enhance safety. SAFE ZONE are suppose to be like what I said before CLEAR CHAMBER, MAG OUT, NO CONNECT BATTERY this applies to AEGs, but can have the battery store. As for GBBs or springs, CLEAR CHAMBER and MAG OUT.

For your bolt action rifles this is very simply if you like real range rules. Cock the BOLT OPEN, INSPECT CHAMBER & CLEAR, MAG OUT. If you think its difficult putting barrel condom on your bolt action rifle I must say you're 50/50, here in Vancouver we got a lot of sniper with bolt action rifles all able to put barrel condom on.

No, you're right we shouldn't just relay on barrel condom for 100% but as I said before it enhance not replace. Barrel condom will not make people treating their Airsoft gun like toy pointing to everywhere, if that was the case then barrel condom shouldn't be invented in the first place.

Barrel condoms are not made of Cotton material its made with different material that has enough strength to stop up to 500fps.

If you want to start treating airsoft gun like real steel like I have, then first start to know how to properly CLEAR your guns, TRIGGER FINGER off the TRIGGER and TRIGGER GUARD, and WATCH MUZZLE DIRECTION. Daves know how I hate any airsoft gun barrel pointing at my face or at anyone face. I always stress about this as I caught few people pointing another players and grab their barrel point at the ground and tell them watch muzzle direction.

The barrel covers work with existing
safetys on
don't point your gun

I'm sorry Dave, I believe that socks and make shift barrel condoms are a bad idea.

Quote :

For those saying "I can't afford it" or "I don't know how to get one" all you need is a thick sock, glove, or anything like that with a piece of string tied around it. You can't use regular cotton socks or anything thin as these guns will eventually shoot through that.I hope to implement this and make it mandatory for every play we play and every game by feburary. I can make a bunch from value village red socks and give them to those who don't bring them to a game.

Most of the barrel condoms I've seen were made of neoprene I believe and may have been able to stop a large liquid filled projectile like a paintball but I think an airsoft bb would have gone right through. That being said, if Yuu says my M700 can fit a barrel condom that is rated for 500fps, I'll try it. Any idea what manufacturer and where I can get one?

paintball covers are pretty makeshift anyway so I think that as long as we test the ones that people make that we should be fine.

Yes a cotton sock is a bad idea but a red winter glove should work fine.

Testing sounds good, but we should establish a test procedure to ensure that all barrel condoms meet requirements. We should prove that single shot and full-auto will not penetrate and I believe we should record results for each of our guns for future games as I know I don't want to be firing my guns into barrel condoms at every game to prove they work. (Probably not good for the gun and could slowly cause the barrel condom to fail.)

We'll have to make sure everyone is clear that we still follow standard gun safety rules and that having a barrel sock doesn't mean they can handle their guns any differently in the safe zone.

amen
now for a pic of our new safety warden.

for those who havn't seem the movie just forget it.

You'll shoot your eye out...