Paintball Guns For Sale
You will find all the advice you need below before you buy your next paintball gun





History

Paintball guns, otherwise known as paintball markers, are used to mark players belonging to the opposing team in a paintball game. Nonetheless, it is interesting to know that the first paintball guns were not envisioned for a tactical game of paintball. It was James C. Hal who created the first paintball guns in 1981. Back then, paintball guns were intended for farmers and foresters who needed markers for spotting trees and cattle. It was only in 1985 that Robert G. Shepherd made the first guns specifically for paintball games.

Mechanism

In a paintball game, a gun facilitates the movement of the ball at high speed. To propel the paintball out of barrels, the paintball gun uses compressed gas such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen or room air. The compressed gasses are stored in a tank attached to the gun. When the player pulls the trigger, the gases are released to force the paintball at a velocity of 300 feet/second or 100 meters/second.

Parts

The basic parts of the standard paintball gun include the body, tank, barrels and hoppers. The main component of the gun, the body comes in four variants according to the firing system used: pump, mechanical, electro-pneumatic and electro-mechanical. Tanks are used to store the compressed gas needed to propel the ball out of the gun. Meanwhile, the barrel refers to the tube through which the paintball travels after it is pushed out by the compressed gas. Barrels come in different sizes and shapes and can be made from several materials. Hoppers, also commonly called loaders, hold the paintballs in place before they are fired. The main difference between a paintball gun and an airsoft gun is that the former has a hopper to pour paintballs into while the latter uses clips for 6mm BB ammunition.

Types

In general, there are 3 popular paintball gun types, namely pump-action, semi-automatic and stockguns. All three types can fire paintballs at a minimum speed of 300 feet per second and at a distance of 50 yards, as based on international standards. While there are many paintball gun manufacturers and brands today, a paintball enthusiast should purchase a gun according to commitment to the game and budget.

For Beginners

Novices can start out with a pump paintball gun, which is cheapest among the different types. Brass Eagle guns are good entry-level gear for beginners. This affordable and dependable brand can be bought for as low as $20 US dollars. Aside from a decent paintball gun, a beginner would also need a couple of 12-gram carbon dioxide cylinders and some paintballs. Each session would typically consume five to six cylinders (50 cents each) of carbon dioxide. The two teams will also need about 500 paintballs, which amounts to about $10 US dollars. It is recommended for beginners to start with a low-cost gun, just in case they realize that paintball is not for them. It’s also a good idea for experienced players to have a Brass Eagle, which they can lend to a new teammate or recruit.

For Amateurs

            For amateurs, the Tippman brand of stockguns is a favorite. The Tippman A5 and Tippman X7 are two of the more popular brands in their renowned line of paintball guns. The two guns are very similar, with their main difference being that the X7 is easier to upgrade. The average price of the fully-upgraded X7 is at $280 US dollars while the A5 is at $180 US dollars. Considering the $100 dollar price difference, most amateur players end up buying the A5. These two Tippman models have been so successful that practically every paintball gun of the same level is a modified version of the two. With enough customizations done, Tippman guns can look like army guns, sniper rifles and mobster guns. In the recent years, guns made by the Spyder-Kingman duo (such as the 2008 Kingman Spyder Electra) have emerged as worthy competition to Tippman brands.

            Unlike pump guns that use carbon dioxide cylinders, stockguns like the Tippman A5 and X7 use a tank to store carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide tank is screwed on the gun’s rear part and can be used as the butt stock. Carbon dioxide tank are typically sold at $20 US dollars each. While there are a couple of sizes available, larger tanks with at least a 20-ounce capacity are advisable. For about $5 US dollars each, a CO2 tank can be refilled at most local hardware or sporting goods stores.

For Pros

            Of course, paintball guns for pros should be as good as them. While the Tippman is a reliable paintball gun for amateurs, pros can take it to the next level by purchasing an Angel brand of paintball gun. Objectively speaking, they are slightly better than a Tippman gun, but would cost about seven times more. In fact, Angel paintball guns are sold at $1000 US dollars or more. While all Tippman guns are black in color, Angel paintball guns are visual treats that are available in chrome designs and other appealing styles.

Gun Upgrades and Accessories

            Paintball enthusiasts, particularly the pros, can enhance their gameplay by upgrading their guns into meaner and badass machines. The use of compressed air rather than carbon dioxide is a common enhancement. A major drawback with using carbon dioxide is that it tends to be unreliable during cold weather. Moreover, refilling carbon dioxide tanks and cylinders usually require fees. A tank of compressed air, on the other hand, can be refilled with absolutely no cost. Compressed air tanks also have larger capacities and have containers that can be donned on the back or inside the vest. A lot of players prefer this setup because it allows unobstructed movement.

            Etriggers are also recommended accessories for players who are serious about paintball. The Etrigger is short for electronic trigger. It is an upgrade gear that lets the user shoot using automatic mode and with incredible burst shots of 3 or more paintballs at a time. It is faster and is used like a regular trigger.

            Pros can also upgrade their gear into a flat line barrel. Using a flat line, paintballs are propelled at longer distances. In fact, the enhanced barrel can shoot paintballs for about one-third farther than regular barrels. Upgraded barrels spin the paintball backwards to give it more kick while still remaining safe. When it comes to increasing the force, a flat line is typically the maximum upgrade a player can employ. Using too much force to launch the balls can cause injury to the self and teammates, as well as lead to the ball’s breakage.