Feed Stack Overview

The feed stack is the vertical or angled column of paintballs positioned between a loader’s outlet and the marker’s breech. This column is typically contained by a feedneck or feed tube whose inner diameter is slightly larger than the nominal paintball diameter. The relationship between the tube’s internal dimensions, surface finish, and orientation affects how smoothly paintballs move when subjected to gravity or mechanical force.

In gravity fed configurations, the stack is supported almost entirely by the weight of the paintballs themselves, with the bottom ball resting near the breech. In agitating and force fed systems, additional energy is supplied through paddles, drive cones, or drive belts that maintain pressure on the stack and attempt to keep the breech region filled. In all variants, the feed stack acts as the immediate buffer between the loader’s internal storage area and the single file pathway into the chamber.

Feed consistency depends on stable stack geometry and the absence of obstructions such as shell fragments or deformed paintballs. Misalignment between the loader outlet, feedneck, and breech can introduce lateral stresses, which may increase friction or produce occasional stalls. Because of this, the feed stack is frequently referenced in technical discussions as a critical link between bulk paint storage and the controlled entry of paintballs into the firing cycle.