There is a paintball gun, or “marker”, for every style and level of play. Matching up with the gun that’s right for you is a critical component of your paintball experience. Here we’ll discuss the various types of guns and provide you with a step-by-step checklist to help you select the one that’s right for you.

Today’s competitive paintball gun traces its roots back to the forestry and farming industries of the seventies. The gas-powered guns were used to mark trees, trails and cattle. A few modifications for speed and safety gave us the first recreation paintball guns. They were conventional pump-action that needed to be cocked manually which lead to a painfully slow game. Guns needed to pick up the pace, so they evolved to auto-cocker guns, which greatly increased the rate-of-fire. Subsequent modifications have seen guns evolve further into automatic and semi-automatic categories. Specialized guns like sniper rifles and electronic guns have also hit the market.

No matter your playing style you’ll want to consider the gun’s accuracy, load speed, weight, rate of fire and gas usage as you evaluate what is right for you. For the more serious player semi-automatic and automatic guns are recommended for their highly sensitive triggers and their speed. Some automatic guns have been known to release 20 balls a second. But, if you’re a paintball newbie, a cheaper gun you can upgrade and buy add-ons for down the line is a better choice.

As technology advances so do the bells and whistles on paintball guns as they move into electronic arena. These guns offer hair triggers, higher velocity with more accuracy, programmable firing modes and lower gas pressure setting. Taking it up a notch, some even have LCD panels for the serious competitor. But rest assured, you pay a pretty penny for all this technology.

The bottom line is you need a paintball gun that is reliable, rugged, and capable that suits your level of play. You also want a gun that is suited to the type of play you and enjoy and will last you for years to come. Here are some things to keep in mind as you set your sights on a gun:

1. Set your budget. Remember you will undoubtedly need to buy other protective gear also. Guns can range from $150 to thousands of dollars for custom-made models.

2. Get a feel for what you like by playing with borrowed and rented guns.

3. Do some research. Ask paintball enthusiasts and shop owners what they recommend.

4. Checkout the reviews of various paintball guns on pbreview.com.

5. Decide what kind of gas delivery system you want – CO2 tanks or CO2 cartridges.

6. Decide what type of paintball loader is best for you.

7. Determine the length of barrel you want.

8. Price the guns you like both at a paintball store and online.

9. Pull the trigger and purchase your paintball gun. Familiarize yourself with it and above all have fun.

Author Bio: Mike regularly writes for ProlificPaintball.com, they carry such paintball equipment as Paintball Marker and the Tippmann A-5, as well as many other items from a variety of manufacturers.

Category: Recreation
Keywords: Paintball Marker, Tippmann A-5, Travel