H

Hammer: n. In mechanical paintguns and some electric guns, the internal component that strikes and opens the valve that releases propellant gas into the marker when the trigger is pulled, thus firing a paintball. Also called a striker.

Hard-line: n. A solid metal tube, as opposed to plastic or woven, used to transport gas from point to point. Brass, copper, aluminum and steel are common materials in the manufacture of these hoses. Hard-line hoses are usually classified based on diameter and pressure rating.

Harness: n. Straps and webbing fitted around a user’s waist and over their shoulders and used to carry pods or guppies for holding extra paintballs, 12 gram capsules or remote propellant tanks, and other miscellaneous gear.

Hickey: A paintball shot on the neck that leaves a mark.

High pressure air: n. One of the common propellant gasses, abbreviated HPA. Quite simply this is compressed air, the same stuff as in scuba tanks. In paintball applications it is compressed to high pressures in tanks (i.e. 1800, 3000, or 4500 psi) but the output pressure is limited by a regulator to somewhere less than 1000 psi. A high-pressure regulator generally releases the air at around 800 psi, whereas some low-presure regulators have output pressures as low as 180 psi. HPA and nitrogen may both be used in the same containers and so both terms are often used interchangeably when discussing high pressure systems.

Hit: 1. n. The strike of a paintball. A hit does not necessarily break. However, a player crying “Hit!” concedes that he has been eliminated and may not re-enter the game even if he later realizes that the ball did not break. 2. A synonym of splotch, the actual paint mark left on a player after a paintball breaks.

Honor system: n. The honor system dictates that players call themselves out when they are hit by a paintball that breaks. In professional tournaments the honor system is going out of vogue and many players will not concede that they have been eliminated until a referee tells them so. Generally, though, this is considered cheating in the United States. In contrast, in most of Europe it is an actual rule that a player is not eliminated until the marshal notices and announces the hit.

Hopper: n. A plastic bottle containing paintballs which is connected to the paintgun via a feed neck or elbow. Paintballs are placed into the bottle where they are fed via gravity through a hole in the bottom. Some hoppers are motorized to improve feeding, see agitator.

Hose: n. A tube (usually made of steel or plastic) running propellant gas from any one part of the paintball gun to another, or from a propellant tank to the paintgun.

Hoser: One who hoses (fires constantly).

Hosing: Constant rapid fire. Can be used to pin down an opponent, but often the mark of an inexperienced player.

Hot: adj. (slang) Term used for guns that are firing above the field stipulated muzzle velocity, which never exceeds 300 fps.

HPA: n. An abbreviation for high pressure air.

Hyperball: 1. n. A style of speedball where bunkers are made out of large industrial corrugated plastic pipes that are stacked either vertically or horizontally as bunkers. 2. v. Of or pertaining to a field made with such corrugated plastic pipe bunkers.