Anyone play paintball? need advice on a gun [solved] now I need a barrel!

[Nvidiaguy07]

Looking to buy a paintball gun, but I don't know whats good anymore.

I played a long time ago and used to have a tippman 98, which was awesome. I'm not super serious about it, so for what I needed it was perfect.

I need something that is easy and can take a beating. Something that wont jam and that wont require a lot of maintenance. I'd like to keep it under 200 bucks.

Browsing around on Amazon, Tippman guns still seem pretty popular. I think the Tippman A5 seems like a better gun than the 98, but only based on Amazon reviews.

I can get a pretty good tippman or something similar for under 200, or my friend told me hed sell me his ANS genx3 autococker for 150. Which is in awesome shape and looks like this:

except all chrome.

My problem with that is that I feel like its a professional gun and requres a lot of maintenance, and probably requires that you use better balls.

I know this probably isnt the best place to ask, but i cant find anywhere online that gives unbiased advice. Every paintball site I look at is more like an ad than anything. Amazon has been my best source so far, so if anyone knows at least a good site that would give me good tips that would be awesome.

 

[DominionSeraph]

AK-47. It's relatively cheap, and the 7.62x39mm can penetrate most cover on a paintball court.

 

[Paladin3]

http://www.paintball-online.com seems to have decent prices and reviews. I'm personally of the belief that you don't need a lot of gun to have a lot of fun.

 

[nick1985]

AK-47. It's relatively cheap, and the 7.62x39mm can penetrate most cover on a paintball court.

Make sure to use FMJ ammo as well.

 

[BladeVenom]

I haven't played in a long time either.

The Tippmann A5 has that large feed system sticking out the side. That has got to get hit a lot when playing.

I still have a Tippmann 98. They're great for woods, but a little long for speedball.

I do remember all the players who didn't know what they were doing, always having timing problems with their autocockers. All my friends switched to electronic markers when they came out. Now the entry level electronic markers are relatively inexpensive.

 

[FDF12389]

The autococker will more than likely be a pain in your ass, most casual players do not like them. Are you playing woodsball or speedball?

 

[coxmaster]

AK-47. It's relatively cheap, and the 7.62x39mm can penetrate most cover on a paintball court.

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Tippman 98's are the bomb. They simply do not break.

 

[MisterJackson]

Auto cockers can be a bitch to work on if you don't know what you're doing. Also, if you buy a tank used (and it's not a co2 tank) make sure it's been hydrotested within the last five years at least. For the money I'd recommend a used Mini Invert. Clean design, easy to strip, clean, maintain. Few breakdowns, leaks, as compared to auto cockers.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

I haven't played in a long time either.

The Tippmann A5 has that large feed system sticking out the side. That has got to get hit a lot when playing.

I still have a Tippmann 98. They're great for woods, but a little long for speedball.

I do remember all the players who didn't know what they were doing, always having timing problems with their autocockers. All my friends switched to electronic markers when they came out. Now the entry level electronic markers are relatively inexpensive.

Cool so a 98 is still considered a decent gun? ill probably ed up getting that then because I know its not gonna break down or anything.

The autococker will more than likely be a pain in your ass, most casual players do not like them. Are you playing woodsball or speedball?

probably woodsball. I'm not very serious about it playing with a bunch of people who also just play for fun.

Auto cockers can be a bitch to work on if you don't know what you're doing. Also, if you buy a tank used (and it's not a co2 tank) make sure it's been hydrotested within the last five years at least. For the money I'd recommend a used Mini Invert. Clean design, easy to strip, clean, maintain. Few breakdowns, leaks, as compared to auto cockers.

I think the only reason I'm considering the autococker is because I can get such a good deal on it (or at least i think its a good deal). If I can get him down to 100, would it be worth it? Or am i just better off spending 100-150 on a tippman?

Is the mini invert fully auto? I've never heard of it before.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

checking out that mini now. Would you consider that overkill for someone who isnt that serious? Or is it worth the investment?

 

[Jeffg010]

Tippman A5 is what I use. So many upgrades you can do with it. Also buy a new barrel the ones that come with it are junk.
http://www.zephyrpaintball.com/product/TIP-2010-T101041/2011-Tippmann-A-5-Paintball-Gun---Black.html

 

[Broheim]

AK-47. It's relatively cheap, and the 7.62x39mm can penetrate most cover on a paintball court.

7.62x51mm NATO > 7.62x39mm

 

[coxmaster]

7.62x51mm NATO > 7.62x39mm

Also a hell of a lot more expensive, but this is not the purpose of this thread.
Moving on

 

[BladeVenom]

Also buy a new barrel the ones that come with it are junk.

That is one disadvantage of the Tippmanns. Of course even the markers that come with nice barrels, everyone ends up replacing them anyways.

 

[HumblePie]

If you want a cheap good gun stick with a decent Spyder. They aren't the most fully featured but they are under $200 and blow away the crappy tippmans and that junk. Spyder guns range in price from $75 (these are usually pretty bad at this price) to $200. Decent ones run around $125ish in most places.

Also, paintball is not a cheap sport. You also have to buy a mask and an air tank to go along with the gun as well as the balls. As well as something to put spare balls in. Some people like to go with some padded gear for certain areas like a gorget for your neck. I have some clothing made for paintball with padding built in so I can take shots all day and only get minor bruises instead of major welts. It also allows me to dive and be a madman without killing myself. Expect to pay at least $50 for a mask, $100+ for a tank, $50+ for clothing, and $20+ for ball containers.

You do not have to use the best balls in the best guns usually either no matter how fancy the gun looks. Be aware that most fields you play at force you to buy whatever balls they are selling instead of bringing in your own that you may have bought better and cheaper. It just depends on the field and how greedy they are. The annoying fields are the ones that resell cheapo $30 balls like Stinger brand that is sold at Walmart or Academy and resell them for $80+. It's pretty typical to see that actually. Personally I used to use Draxxus gold balls but then I was getting them cheap from a rep for $50 a box when they normally go for $100.

Personally when playing any sort of paintball I go for the better and lighter gun. I still own a few guns even though I haven't played in years. I have a busted
'01 Angel, a busted '05 Mac Droid, an '07 Ripper Timmy, and an 08' Ego. The ego is the best one I have but it was also like $800 when I got it.

If you are looking to get into the game seriously I would make sure you have around $800-$1000 at least to spend. But if you are doing this for a few weekends out of the year I suggest buying a good Spyder brand gun and a decent mask + tank and you'll be ok.

But paintball guns like ALL guns require maintenance. Always clean your gun and relube it per the instructions after using it. Also I suggest NEVER buying a used gun. I did that with the first 3 guns from the paintball nation boards. It is 99% scams of people trying to sell broken crap on there. I learned that the hardway. Bought 3 different guns from 3 different people at the same time. When they all arrived only the Ripper could be fixed for cheap. It just had one blown gasket that was about $10 to replace. The others had broken solenoids, blown stacks, and a busted shot board. Would cost more to repair than I paid for the guns. I was pissed so I suggest to anyone else never to buy used from online. From shops that sell used they are good as long as they warranty the guns. Otherwise stick with new.

 

[mizzou]

tippman is actually still really popular. Their classic model is pretty much standard at all paintball fields

my problem with Paintball is the cost of maintaining combat. The initial fee isn't so bad, but the damn paintballs are RIDICULOUS in price. It' snot so bad if you play with a bunch of noobs who are all conserving ammo, but get into the field with some "elite pro hackers", they will drain thousands of paintballs all over your foxhole, and they will all be field jacked to a higher FPS, and frozen


this was the first paintball gun I had back in 1994

http://cgi.ebay.com/Brass-Eagle-Sti...275?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45fa232383

whats funny is the thing was extremely accurate, way more accurate than any other paintball gun I ever used.


http://www.warpig.com/paintball/technical/paintguns/stingray.faq.shtml

 

[HumblePie]

did some looking. For a newbie looking for a good and reliable gun, here are the good cheap ones.

Piranha GTI Plus for $110

Spyder Electra for $169 this used to go for much more but you could get by with a Spyder Xtra for $89 perhaps.

Azodin Blitz for $169

but if you really want a good gun for cheap. This is a damn good price.

Invert Mini for $259 It is a refurb but worth it since it comes with a warranty from a shop. Inverts are one of the best bang for the price guns out there.


Any of those listed above will work for a new player starting out.

 

[DominionSeraph]

7.62x51mm NATO > 7.62x39mm

Yeah, but that's like taking a battle rifle to a paintball fight.

 

[SMOGZINN]

Tippman 98's are the bomb. They simply do not break.

This is very true, they have a lot of faults but they are nearly indestructible. I ran a paintball store and woodsball field for a few years and the Tippman 98’s were our field gun. Those things took a terrible beating and just kept working.

Auto cockers can be a bitch to work on if you don't know what you're doing. Also, if you buy a tank used (and it's not a co2 tank) make sure it's been hydrotested within the last five years at least. For the money I'd recommend a used Mini Invert. Clean design, easy to strip, clean, maintain. Few breakdowns, leaks, as compared to auto cockers.

Autocockers were good markers in their time, but they have a lot of problems that newer guns have solved.
As for NOs tanks, there will be a stamp on it somewhere telling you when the last time it was tested, if it is more then 3 years most shops will not fill it. The rules for this are a little complicated, but for the most part carbon fiber Nitro tanks require 3 year hydro.

Tippman A5 is what I use. So many upgrades you can do with it. Also buy a new barrel the ones that come with it are junk.
http://www.zephyrpaintball.com/product/TIP-2010-T101041/2011-Tippmann-A-5-Paintball-Gun---Black.html

Here is what I would say as well, the A5 is a great marker. Out of the box it preforms well, and there is a ton of upgrades that will turn the marker into a beast.

 

[SMOGZINN]

If you are looking to get into the game seriously I would make sure you have around $800-$1000 at least to spend. But if you are doing this for a few weekends out of the year I suggest buying a good Spyder brand gun and a decent mask + tank and you'll be ok.

Poppycock. Don't buy the cheap spyder markers unless you want to play off field. You are almost certainly better off using a field marker then one of the cheap spyders.
I know a lot of people spend the $800-$1000 on markers, hell I sold it to a lot of them, but really after the $200-$300 dollar range you are tossing money down the drain. You get very little for that extra 5-6 hundred and end up with a marker that is maintenance heavy and expensive to maintain and repair.

Personally I think there are two different markers types to look at, mechanical and electrical, the Tippman A5 is far and away the best of the mechanical guns, the Invert Mini that has been mentioned is an excellent electrical, but go to a shop and look at it first, it is a tiny marker compared to many others you have probably used.

 

[BladeVenom]

If you want a cheap good gun stick with a decent Spyder. They aren't the most fully featured but they are under $200 and blow away the crappy tippmans and that junk.

There's nothing more reliable than a Tippmann. I've played in weather so cold, that every Spyder on the field quit working. All the Tippmann's however were still going.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

After reading the posts I was leaning towards an A5 and then customizing it. Either that or an invert mini.

I found out there is a store near my house so i went there today and talked to the guy. I told him how i was interested in either the mini or the A5, and he liked both of those, but showed me a BT TM-7 that looked pretty awesome.

http://www.empirepaintball.com/paintball-marker/tm-7-marker/

I guess it has mini internals, but has a tactical body on it. BT i guess is a really good company, and offeres a good warranty. He said they are the one compnay that competes with tippman.

Its about 50 more than just getting a mini, but isnt a flashy color that would stick out. (and i think for 10 extra i can get camo)

If i were to get the A5, i would eventually upgrade it a bunch, but the guy told me no matter what even if i make it fully auto, it would not shoot as a nice as the tm-7.

I really wouldnt have to upgrade anything on it. Maybe the barrel eventally, but he said its a pretty decent stock barrel.

 

[Spydermag68]

I have played paintball over 20 years. If you are not going to play only a few games a year then a tippman a5 will suit you well. I have 3 automags and love them. They are simple to operate and maintain. I also have a tricked out autococker. It took me a full year of breaking it down and rebuilding it before I felt really comfortable with it. My first semi-automatic was a spyder. After playing with it for 2 years it broke and I never took the time to repair it.

 

[erikistired]

i work at a paintball field.

get the 98 or a5, or even one of the BT clones. don't touch that autococker if you want something that is easy to maintain.

about the mini and the tm-7, remember as your ROF goes up so does your paint cost. if you want something a little faster you can always throw an RT trigger or even electric grip on the tippmanns. you can really do a lot to them as far as customization, which is nice if you like to tinker but don't want to screw up your gun (which will happen if you tinker with a cocker). the mini is a nice marker, i had one myself for a bit. even the stock barrel is quite nice, and you probably won't even need to upgrade it. you will need an HPA tank for it tho, so if you don't have one already add that into your cost. you can easily run the 98 and a5 on co2, and then upgrade to HPA later if you want to.

the internals on the bt4 and the 98 custom are almost the same, i believe bt was started by guys who left tippmann when they were purchased a few years back. we use the bt4 now for our field gun and they have held up rather well to the abuse renters put on them.

my problem with Paintball is the cost of maintaining combat. The initial fee isn't so bad, but the damn paintballs are RIDICULOUS in price. It' snot so bad if you play with a bunch of noobs who are all conserving ammo, but get into the field with some "elite pro hackers", they will drain thousands of paintballs all over your foxhole, and they will all be field jacked to a higher FPS, and frozen

this is garbage for a few reasons. one, any field that is worth a damn will check all players with their own markers before letting them on the field. the goggles are only rated to a certain FPS, and anything over 300 is dangerous. if you're playing in your backyard you take responsibility for your safety. however, at a field with people who have to pay for insurance and risk being sued if an accident happens you are not going to have any "elite pro hackers" shooting high FPS.

frozen paintballs is also ridiculous. it's been debunked many times, and we even tried "freezing" paintballs at the field once to show a group of people that it doesn't help. it turns them into brittle slush balls that break in your marker and gum things up. there isn't water in a paintball, the shell is the same thing pills are made out of, which would dissolve if it was water. they have a mineral oil based substance in them.

also, it's paintball, not war. it's not a foxhole, it's a bunker. selling the paintballs is how most (if not all) fields stay in business. it's amazing how many people think field owners are millionaires because of what paint costs. most of them these days are barely scraping by.