[Major chip Hazard]

If you have a tippmann gun, you may have heard it was durable. There is one part that isn't. The thin plate that displays the model type can be removed. Use a file to pry it off, and paint the back side with your own design. Replace this plate with your design facing outwards.

Paint your barrel cover: keep your gun unique by using a unique barrel cover. I met a person who sowed a mickey mouse head on his barrel cover. Be creative.

Never take apart gear unless in your car. I once had a friend who bought an Mr2 with Q loader and a J&J barrel. He put it together in the store. A screw fell and he couldn't find it. He couldn't secure the loader and had to rent a gun and switch loaders.

Check all gear before and after each game

Buy backup gear

Add your own tips

[WardenWolf]

My personal advice: keep all valuable equipment out of sight, even if it just means throwing a towel over it. Thieves cannot be tempted by what they cannot see, and the vast majority will not take the risk of rumaging through someone's tent, gear, or breaking into someone's vehicle just because of what MIGHT be in there. They're going to go after easy targets, stuff left out in the open or the beds of pickups that they can just walk off with. If it looks valuable, they'll be tempted.

As the previous poster said, be very careful where you do marker maintenance. I recommend doing it in an open area with good lighting, and I recommend it be done on the ground if at all possible. The reason for this is it prevents flyaway parts and limits how far parts that do fly go. There's far less chance of losing something if you do it where you have control over the environment.

[murdercrow]

Just to kinda add to what's already been said, put everything that's not on your person when you go into the field (ie, anything you're not using) directly into your gear bag and zip up. There's no reason to leave that stuff out, and there's a good chance most of it is sun-sensitive anyway.

If possible, find a way to lock your bag. If you have a two-zipper duffel or something similar, buy a small lock and just lock the zippers together. Padlocks are a relatively inexpensive way to save you a load of money.

Most paintball gear can be customized or made unique in some way without detracting too much from its overall look. Why not take a few minutes to scratch SOMETHING into your loader or slap a sticker on it?

Write down serial numbers. Mostly just for your markers, but some of the more expensive other things may have one too.

Play with people you trust. If you wouldn't trust someone not to take your crap, why would you trust them to point a projectile-firing device at you? If you're at an official field, put your stuff where the staff might be able to see someone rifling through your bag.

...all I got.

Edit: Also, I'd like to know what plate you're talking about, Chip.

This post has been edited by murdercrow: 23 April 2008 - 08:54 PM

[Major chip Hazard]

murdercrow, on Apr 23 2008, 11:53 PM, said:

Just to kinda add to what's already been said, put everything that's not on your person when you go into the field (ie, anything you're not using) directly into your gear bag and zip up. There's no reason to leave that stuff out, and there's a good chance most of it is sun-sensitive anyway.

If possible, find a way to lock your bag. If you have a two-zipper duffel or something similar, buy a small lock and just lock the zippers together. Padlocks are a relatively inexpensive way to save you a load of money.

Most paintball gear can be customized or made unique in some way without detracting too much from its overall look. Why not take a few minutes to scratch SOMETHING into your loader or slap a sticker on it?

Write down serial numbers. Mostly just for your markers, but some of the more expensive other things may have one too.

Play with people you trust. If you wouldn't trust someone not to take your crap, why would you trust them to point a projectile-firing device at you? If you're at an official field, put your stuff where the staff might be able to see someone rifling through your bag.

...all I got.

Edit: Also, I'd like to know what plate you're talking about, Chip.

The plate I am talking about is the one near the bolt. It says custom 98 on mine for example. I just flipped mine so it reads wotsuc 86. That way I know its mine

[Jackson]

Major chip Hazard, on Apr 24 2008, 10:45 AM, said:

The plate I am talking about is the one near the bolt. It says custom 98 on mine for example. I just flipped mine so it reads wotsuc 86. That way I know its mine

You mean ɯoʇsnɔ 86, right?

For gear bags, you can get a luggage lock from most major hardware stores. Cheap and simple method of further securing your gear bag.

This post has been edited by Jackson: 24 April 2008 - 07:55 AM

[Major chip Hazard]

I forgot to add this: If you find gear on the field, don't keep it. Bring it to the manager. Even if its just a pod. Some insurance companies have finders fee. That means that if you return an insured marker, you could be paid a percentage of the marker's mint value. I once got 200 dollars for returning a DESTROYED angel. The feed port was smashed, the trigger was cracked and the marker had been in a deep puddle. So always return lost gear.

[Frontier_Bill]

There is a company that will make custom name-plates for Tippmanns. They are only about $7 or something like that. Thats a good way to mark your Tippmann.

I always play with very unique gear, so I don't usually have this problem. And all that I need really is my GoBox, and that stays shut during games and is only opened when I need more paint. The box is just a 4 pistol case with custom foam fitted into it to hold everything I need for a full day of stock class play.

Keep your "out of vehicle" gear to a minimum. Keep everything in bags or cases, and keep it all in one tight spot.

[murdercrow]

Major chip Hazard, on Apr 24 2008, 07:45 AM, said:

The plate I am talking about is the one near the bolt. It says custom 98 on mine for example. I just flipped mine so it reads wotsuc 86. That way I know its mine

Ohhhh, I think I know what you're talking about. Yeah, that's not on mine. Mine is old enough that it's got the aluminum letters welded to it.

[tripwire97701]

I would agree with what's been said about keeping your equipment out of sight...keep it in your trunk or something.