Eye protection?

[reflexsnipe]

ello

i have an old paintball mask that I've used for 2 skirmishes, but I just read the warning label on it and it states that the mask can only stand a maximum hit of 300 FPS from a paintball.. is that safe for say, a bb travelling at 500 fps?
IF not, could anyone reccomend a full face mask with a lens thats safe enough :P?

I'd rather be safe than sorry with this, especially since it's my eyes at risk!
cheers

tom

[JDowdall]

Re: Eye protection?

That will be fine mate, a Paintball weighs many times a 0.2 gram BB and its the force that is exerted during impact that matters, not just the speed, in short, that will be fine!

[Liquid_snake]

Re: Eye protection?

Out of interest do you know what kind of lense you have in it?

[spotter]

Re: Eye protection?

the standard paintball weights 0.43g (over twice as much as a standard BB) thefore to travel at the same speed it must have a much higher amount of kinetic energy! 500fps from a Sniper Rifle would fine

[reflexsnipe]

Re: Eye protection?

Out of interest do you know what kind of lense you have in it?

No idea, sorry :S

[ste887]

Re: Eye protection?

the standard paintball weights 0.43g (over twice as much as a standard BB) thefore to travel at the same speed it must have a much higher amount of kinetic energy! 500fps from a Sniper Rifle would fine

true but the impact from a BB is much more concentrated as they dont break apart

The ideal scenario is for everyone to use full face masks. I use glasses and a mouth guard because Ive had a tooth chip knocked off during gaming before (from a dead-on 328fps gun). But for those who use glasses or facemasks with plastic lenses...
Know your safety markings!
European Standard glasses carry a safety rating: EN166. Heres how they work out:
F rating is tested to withstand a 6mm diameter, .86g ball at 45m/s. Or .87 Joules
B rating is tested to withstand a 6mm diameter, .86g ball at 120m/s. Or 6.2 Joules
A rating is tested to withstand a 6mm diameter, .86g ball at 190m/s. Or 15.5 Joules
If youre lucky enough to have a set of S strength glasses...they will probably survive longer than you will.
If the specification is -, eg -F, -B, -A...then that is the frame strength. So with my old pair of specs, they had a B lens, but a -F frame. Not really guaranteed safe for airsoft. The data sheet says that if the lens and frame are different specs, then the lower of the two must be considered as the overall unit strength
Now I know there will be some redundancy in there, especially with such a large gap between the Joule ratings. But those are what the glasses are guaranteedto stand. A lot of airsofters are relatively poor (because of airsoft!) and Im sure there are a lot of these folks playing with £5 pairs of F, -F glasses that may or may not do the job against powerful guns.
if they carry the ANSI Z87 marking, this is the US equivalent to EN166. Z87s are good for airsoft.
ANSI Z87 has 2 ratings - Basic and High. Basic are tested by having a 1" diameter steel ball dropped onto them from 50" altitude. High must withstand a 1/4" diameter steel ball fired at them at the following velocities: Spectacles, 150fps. Goggles, 250fps. Faceshields, 300fps. So its fair to say they are safe.
The most important thing is..
If they dont carry EN166 or Z87, they arent safety glasses. If they arent safety glasses, DONT WEAR THEM!

[reflexsnipe]

Re: Eye protection?

mine has no safety markings :S

[MiniSnipa]

Re: Eye protection?

Paintball masks are fine for airsoft

if your so worried go to your airsoft site, ask someone with a 500fps rifle shoot it point blank if it survives your fine

[Liquid_snake]

Re: Eye protection?

Paintball masks are fine for airsoft

if your so worried go to your airsoft site, ask someone with a 500fps rifle shoot it point blank if it survives your fine

Or it will weaken it for the next time... :P

Do you have any pictures of your mask? Perhaps we can identify it for you, for example if its a Proto mask then the lense should be fine

If its a no brander I would be concerned

[johnthunder]

Re: Eye protection?

I wouldnt use it, most airsoft gear is ballistic tested.
If you ever go into a paintball/airsoft site where paintballers are you will not be allowed to test fire while the paintballers are because there gear isnt ballistic tested.
A paintball has a large surface area and they are soft, a bb has a small surface area and is made from hard plastic which can shatter upon impact.
My advice is, you got one pair of eyes, you wont get any more so look after them.
Buy your gear thats tested for the job intended.

[reflexsnipe]

Re: Eye protection?

Or it will weaken it for the next time... :P

Do you have any pictures of your mask? Perhaps we can identify it for you, for example if its a Proto mask then the lense should be fine

If its a no brander I would be concerned

the head straps say brass eagle on em.
this safe for airsoft =)?

[johnthunder]

Re: Eye protection?

Looking on the web, Brass Eagle are really the bottom end of the paintball market, and from what I have breifly read they make really crappy lenses.
So again, there your eyes, if you want to continue using them them I would point a high powered gun at them and shoot them roughly 5 - 10 times in a 1 - 2 inch area, because thats possibly what might happen on the field.
Other than that I would chuck £25 into protectecting yourself properly.
I personally use Guarder Shooting Glasses on Woodland, and a Mesh Mask in CQB.

[heroshark]

Re: Eye protection?

Looking on the web, Brass Eagle are really the bottom end of the paintball market, and from what I have breifly read they make really crappy lenses.
So again, there your eyes, if you want to continue using them them I would point a high powered gun at them and shoot them roughly 5 - 10 times in a 1 - 2 inch area, because thats possibly what might happen on the field.
Other than that I would chuck £25 into protectecting yourself properly.
I personally use Guarder Shooting Glasses on Woodland, and a Mesh Mask in CQB.

just out of curiosity have you tried the same test on your mesh mask assuming a sensei, or copy .How about the same test on your shooting glasses into the gaps where the glasses meet your face. I think I would take my chances with the old pb mask tbh out the 3 options

[johnthunder]

Re: Eye protection?

I test everything I buy with my sniper rifle, the test I do is from about 1ft away and shoot 5-10 times in roughly the same spot, the glasses have only got bb marks from where they glanced off the lenses and the mesh mask has no marks at all as its made from the same grade as a chainsaw mask with quite thick stainless steel wires that has 4mm gaps.
The main thing you have to think of is that painballs are large and although travel at roughly the same speed they go flat when they hit and burst and have quite a large surface area whereas a bb does not, they stay the same shape and have a small surface area and all the power is concentrated into a 6mm point, thats why when your shot with a paintball on bare skin you get a bruise, but then shot with a bb it will bleed or penetrate your skin.
I certainly wouldnt use anything without any safety marks upon it.

[heroshark]

Re: Eye protection?

I test everything I buy with my sniper rifle, the test I do is from about 1ft away and shoot 5-10 times in roughly the same spot, the glasses have only got bb marks from where they glanced off the lenses and the mesh mask has no marks at all as its made from the same grade as a chainsaw mask with quite thick stainless steel wires that has 4mm gaps.
The main thing you have to think of is that painballs are large and although travel at roughly the same speed they go flat when they hit and burst and have quite a large surface area whereas a bb does not, they stay the same shape and have a small surface area and all the power is concentrated into a 6mm point, thats why when your shot with a paintball on bare skin you get a bruise, but then shot with a bb it will bleed or penetrate your skin.
I certainly wouldnt use anything without any safety marks upon it.

I see ,that mesh. I'm sure the lens of you glasses are up to it .What I'm talking about is when the bb hits the the gap where the glasses meet the face .I've seen multipul incidents of this happening and all it takes is 1 round even in woodland .Also All pb masks are tested and safety certified ,unlike many airsoft masks.