''Marker'' Tennis balls

[Gidney14]

I was brainstorming ideas for ammo for my WIP 2.5 in cannon, and A marker tennis ball came to mind. I was thinking Take a tennis ball, puncture or cut several small holes, one large one, fill it with flour/cornstarch/etc, seal with hot glue. It would be used n MilSim airsoft. to disable tanks, and the fill is used to confirm a hit. Anyone have any better suggestions?

[warhead052]

Fill it with water or paint, then cover the holes with wax or something that will pop out really easy on impact. Either way you will know if it hit the target.

[Gidney14]

Fill it with water or paint, then cover the holes with wax or something that will pop out really easy on impact. Either way you will know if it hit the target.

I do like that idea better. Anyone know the best way to melt wax? Im think a double boiler. Ill try hot glue first, oly because its easier and i have lots of it xD

[Mr.Tallahassee]

Honestly, the likelihood of the tennis ball releasing any paint or water on impact is fairly low. A thin plastic shell would work better. The tennis ball would ricochet spraying a lot of people on its way. I'm not sure many people would like that. I'd say you would have better luck using a cup sabot or something like a shotgun shell to fire paint balls. They actually sell 6mm paint balls as well.

[warhead052]

Tallahassee, it adds to the effect of an "explosion". People getting sprayed would count as being hit by "shrapnel" or "flames".

[MrCrowley]

Is there any risk that it could be fired at a person? A water filled tennis ball would probably weigh over 100g, even at low velocities it would hurt.

[warhead052]

Crowley, as long as it doesn't kill, I think most airsoft fields would allow it. There is always a possibility for a airsoft rocket launcher to be fired at a person, you just don't want it to happen.

[saefroch]

Crowley, as long as it doesn't kill, I think most airsoft fields would allow it. There is always a possibility for a airsoft rocket launcher to be fired at a person, you just don't want it to happen.

If it is fired at velocity great enough to spray much water, it won't kill, but it could seriously maim. So of course most airsoft fields will allow it.[/sarcasm]

[warhead052]

What I mean is not break bones...

[Insomniac]

Still, too heavy. You'd be better off firing ping-pong balls or something else a bit smaller and lighter. I'd sure hate to be hit with a water-filled tennis ball, particularly in the stomach or chest... That could potentially seriously injure someone.

[saefroch]

I'd even hate to be hit with a water-filled ping-pong ball... What I suggest is making a monster paintball out of a ping-pong ball. Use watercolour paints or something else that's washable, and just put a little bit into a ping-pong ball. They're fragile enough, and will have low enough mass not to cause injuries, unlike a tennnis ball filled with water fired at velocity great enough to rupture, which will most likely break bone, crack ribs, or rupture internal organs on impact unless the target is wearing body armour.

[Gun Freak]

What do anti-tank airsoft guns normally shoot? Nerf vortexes? I'd hate to be hit with one of them buggers too but they still allow it in games...

[MrCrowley]

They're not as bad as tennis balls, I wouldn't mind if someone threw one at me but I would mind if someone threw at tennis ball at me.

Nerf vortexes probably fly better than tennis balls as well, meaning you need less velocity to, say, fire them 100'. Tennis balls slow down quite fast and would probably require more force to send them the same distance. The danger of that is if someone is hit at a range closer than the hypothetical 100', it could do some real damage.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Let's see, 50 gram tennis ball plus around 100mL of water, let's say roughly 150 grams. Fired at just 100 feet per second, that's a whopping 54 ft/lbs, about half the energy of a 22 rimfire bullet...

Why not take a bit of foam, soak it in paint and put it in a soda cup...

[Technician1002]

Visit the local Home Depot or Lowes and hit the tool section. Pick up some bright pink chalk for a chalk line. Rub it all over the ball. Easy way is to put the ball and chalk in a zip lock baggie.. Hits are then easy to confirm. The fuzz should hold the chalk like a chalk line.