Howdy gel blaster players! Welcome to another insightful blog.
It was a sunny Sunday, perfect for a game of gel blasters with my friends. As we gathered our gear, I realized that one of my friends was having trouble loading his blaster. Frustrated, he handed it over to me and asked for help. That’s when I realized that not everyone knows how to load a gel blaster properly, and the importance of doing it correctly to avoid malfunctions.
As an experienced gel blaster player, I know that loading your blaster properly is crucial for optimal performance. It can make the difference between a smooth, enjoyable game and a frustrating one filled with misfires and jams.
That’s why I want to share with you my knowledge of the steps to load a gel blaster like a pro. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, these tips will help you avoid common mistakes and ensure that your gel blaster is ready for action. So, let’s get started!
How To Load Your Gel Blaster?
You can load or reload a gel blaster rather quickly. It takes only a couple of minutes at most, assuming that you’ve already prepared the gel balls. Let’s get a quick rundown of the steps to load a gel gun.
1. Hydrate The Gel Blaster Balls Properly
Before loading, you first need to prepare the gel beads by soaking them in water. While they are initially tiny, these gel balls expand to several times their size upon absorbing water. Hydrate the beads by putting them in a bowl of water and leaving it be for four to six hours.
Once the beads are sufficiently large, drain out the water from the container. Leave the water beads under the sun for a few minutes or pat them dry with a towel to get rid of any excess water on their surface. Gel balls dripping with water are not only messy, but the water also lowers their velocity.
2. Locate The Magazine Or Hopper
The magazine or hopper is the component of the gel blaster that holds the gel balls. Depending on the model, it may be located in different parts of the gun. Typically, the magazine is located at the bottom of the handle, while the hopper is situated on top of the gun.
3. Open the Magazine or Hopper
Once you have located the magazine or hopper, you will need to open it up. The process may differ depending on the model, but most gel blasters will have a button or latch that you can press or slide to release the magazine or hopper.
4. Load The Gel Balls
Just like real guns, your gel blaster gun will have a magazine for storing ammunition. You now need to detach the magazine/hopper, push down the follower (for spring-loaded gel blasters), and fill it with the hydrated gel beads. The exact magazine loading process may vary from one kind of magazine to another, which we will discuss soon.
5. Plug The Magazine In Your Gel Blaster
Now that the mag or hopper is full, all you have to do is push up the follower, plug it back into the gel gun, and lock it in place. Make sure the magazine is secure before you start playing with the gel blaster. You wouldn’t want it to come off and scatter gel beads all over the place.
6. Prime The Gel Blaster
Before you can start using the gel blaster, you will need to prime it. This involves firing a few test shots to make sure that the gel balls are feeding correctly. To prime the gel blaster, aim it at a safe target area and pull the trigger a few times. If the gel balls feed correctly and the gun fires without issue, you are ready to use it.
7. Use The Gel Blaster
Once you have primed the gel blaster, you can start using it. Aim at your intended target, and pull the trigger to fire the gel balls. Remember to always use the gel blaster in a safe and responsible manner, and to follow any applicable laws or regulations regarding its use.
Overall, loading a gel blaster is a relatively straightforward process, which is exactly similar to loading Orbeez guns and splatter ball guns. However, it is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and to exercise caution when using the gun to ensure that you and those around you remain safe.
Related Guide: How Do Gel Blasters Work?
Different Types Of Gel Blaster Magazines And How To Load Them
As I mentioned earlier, different gel blasters, Orbeez guns, and splatter ball guns use different types of magazines as essential attachments. Here’s how you can load various magazines with gel balls.
Top-fed Hoppers
These simple magazines work on a simple principle – they use gravity to feed gel beads into the gun. Shaped like grenades, these containers are attached upside-down on top of a gel blaster. Loading a top-fed hopper takes slightly more time as you have to pour in the gel beads manually. As top-fed hoppers are the most user-friendly, most of the top gel blasters are built with them.
Spring-powered SLR Magazines
SLR magazines look much more realistic, and stylish and work similarly to actual mags. Almost all splatter ball guns use this kind of magazine. They’re also common among the popular AK-47 gel blaster guns or other gel blasters designed like SMGs and assault rifles.
PRO TIP
Don’t get frustrated trying to push in the gel beads one by one through the small hole on top of the magazine – that’s actually the outlet. You’ll find a small door beside this hole or at the back edge of the mag. Open it and quickly reload the magazine with gel balls. The easiest way to do this is to dunk the magazine in a tub full of gel beads with the hatch wide open.
Drum Magazine
I love drum magazines for their high ammo capacity. These round magazines are spring-loaded and go underneath a gel blaster too. While this may not always be the case, the hatch of a drum magazine usually stays covered with a rotating circular plate.
You can align its hole with that of the inner compartment by turning the plate. This opens the hatch, allowing you to load gel beads into the magazine.
Watch the following video to learn about unique ways to load your gel ball blaster.
How Many Gel Balls Can You Put Into A Gel Blaster Gun?
This really depends on the capacity of the magazine or hopper, which may vary quite a bit. Generally speaking, hoppers can hold up to around 700 gel beads at a time.
SLR magazine clips usually have a smaller capacity – around 100 to 300 numbers of gel beads. Drum magazines, on the other hand, can hold 1000 to 1200 numbers of balls.
Drum mags are my personal favorites since they offer the best of both worlds – high ammo capacity and futuristic appearance. Besides, spring-loaded magazines are less likely to jam, and the jams are easier to clear.
Related: Best Gel Ball Ammo For Gel Blasters
Things To Remember When Loading Your Gel Blaster
Now, while loading a gel blaster isn’t rocket science, there are a few things you’d want to keep in mind.
When soaking gel balls, you should be careful about how big you want them. Generally, gel blasters need water beads of 6-8 mm size to work properly. The more water they absorb, the softer they get. If you hydrate them for too long, they might break apart before hitting the target.
Excessively big gel beads can also jam your gel blaster. This problem is especially common with the top-fed hoppers. Follow the troubleshooting guide to solve it.
For spring-fed magazines, be careful to secure the hatch properly before plugging them into the gun. Leaving them open or loose can cause them to break.
Handle the magazine hatches with care – the locking components are rather weak. A broken lock will leave the hatch hanging open loosely.
As you can see, loading a gel blaster isn’t really a big deal – you can figure it out pretty quickly. If you still face a problem, I hope going through the respective part of this article will be enough to resolve it. Just be careful while handling the magazine attachments to avoid breaking them.
Personally, I don’t experience any loading issues besides an occasional jamming in the magazine. Even that is uncommon, and I’m able to fix it by just detaching and reattaching the mag. The simplicity of a gel blaster gun’s functioning is probably one of the best things about it.
