No one can deny how fun paintball is to play. And of course, if you’re serious about it, you should invest in good quality paintball guns. After all, paintball affords you the opportunity to have a harmless shootout! You can duel to your heart’s content and it gets you adrenaline pumping. In a way, it’s like combat on the front line without the violence. It makes sense that the U.S. Army uses paintball matches to help train recruits for real warfare. If you’re relatively new to all of this, how would you know what to look for in a paintball gun? Isn’t the fact that it can shoot paintballs good enough, at the end of the day? The fact of the matter is that not all paintball guns are created equal. A paintball newbie might not have explored the ins and outs of the game enough to know what all of the differences are between guns. So it’s important to know about what makes good paintball guns so you can be an educated shopper.

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What makes good paintball guns?

Beginner’s guide

If you’re a beginner, you’ll have different requirements for good paintball guns than an advanced paintballer. An intermediate player will be more interested in the combination of value and performance. They’ll be looking for a gun to kick their game up a notch. Regardless of your level of skill or experience, you’ll need something that’s well made. Because paintball guns go through a bit of abuse, you want a gun that’s sturdy. Metal guns tend to be much more durable than plastic. The Tippmann 98 Custom .68 Caliber Paintball Marker is a great quality gun. Remember that price is not necessarily the only indicator of quality either – you can find good paintball guns for a reasonable price, or end up spending a lot on a really bad option if you’re not careful about doing your homework.

Once you purchase a gun, you’ll definitely want to make sure that the mechanics work properly. Some guns are prone to malfunctioning. You want to make sure yours is not one of those. Nothing is worse than getting into the heat of action and then suddenly your paintball gun just refuses to fire.

Pump or Automatic?

Aside from finding a well made gun, you’ll need to figure out whether you want a pump or semi automatic gun. Generally, everyone in a match uses the same type of weapon. So if everyone else is using a semi automatic, you’ll want to do the same. This will help you avoid being outmatched if you bring along a pump action paintball gun instead. Both guns are a good option, they’re just different. If you’re planning on playing with the same group of people, find out what they have. Everyone has a distinct playing style. If you tend to behave like a sniper when you’re in the midst of a match, you want a gun to support that style of play. You get a wide variety of each type across the price spectrum, so be sure to check out all of your options.

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Weight

Another consideration is the weight of a particular gun. Not only will you be carrying it around, but you’ll have to be able to move quickly and discreetly if you want to stay in the game. It’s preferable to go for a lighter model because of the increased mobility that it can offer. The US Army Alpha Elite Paintball Marker is a nice, light-weight model you won’t get tired of carrying around the field. Of course, a lot of this depends on your playing style, so if you’re the Rambo type you’ll need more mobility than if you prefer to play like a sniper.

You need to consider the circumstances where you’ll be playing. Unless it’s a fairly dark environment, you’ll want a gun that doesn’t stand out. A bright red gun might look really cool, but it’ll also make you an easy target because of the attention it draws in the field. You also want a gun that’s upgradable. As you become more advanced, it’s nice to have a gun that will grow with you and your abilities. Consider if the model you’re purchasing is upgradable and how easy it is to do so. There’s a lot of upgrades that you can consider. You could add a scope if you enjoy playing like a sniper. It’s also fun to upgrade the barrel because sometimes the stock options your gun comes with aren’t that great. Paintball guns are fun because they are customizable. The more you play with them, the easier it’ll be to decide what you want to change.

Once you’ve determined your must-haves, you can begin searching for good paintball guns.

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