Paintball gun recommendations?

[kyzen]

I've been going paintballing more and more frequently now that there's a place open near where I live (as opposed to the one I used to go to about an hour and a half away). The equipment rental fees are really starting to add up I think, so I'm looking to get my own marker.

Now I don't think that I go often enough to justify dropping a ton of cash on one yet, plus I'm currently saving some money for a trip to Vegas in March.

So I need some gun suggestions in the following price ranges:

Sub $100 (hah)
$100-$150
$150-$200
$200-$250
$250-$350

That can be for the cost of the gun alone, I'm fine dropping a bit more cash for the mask; though obviously if I could save money by buying a package, that would rock as well.

Anybody?

 

[MikeMike]

i used to play a long time ago

and in that range, you always had Tippman and Spyder markers.

 

[darkxshade]

Text

 

[kyzen]

LOL @ the paint roller.

I was thinking a Tippman 98 custom because that's what I've been renting, but I wanted to see if there were other guns out there that might be better, or at least a better value.

Oh, and one thing I forgot to mention is that the gun having an auto-fire mode is useless to me. The field I play at usually is indoors, and they don't allow full auto during normal play.

 

[theNEOone]

you're going to need alot more than just a mask in addition to the gun. a hopper and a tank is the bare minimum, but you might want to add an aftermarket barrel (or even better, a barrel system), drop forward, etc.

in any case, i think the gun to get would be the smart parts ion, hands down. it's got some nice features, especially for a gun in the sub $300 range.

try www.pbnation.com and browse the different forums to get a feel for each gun. each forum is a little biased because owners of brand abc gun will boast about how their gun is so much better than competitor xyz's gun. while in forum xyz you'll see owners bragging about how much superior their gun is to abc's. however, try to sift through the bs to get a general idea of what you're getting yourself into.

this might also be a great place to buy a used gun. i've bought both of my last guns and some of my parts used. they were both angels with nice setups costing over $1,000 so in my opinion it's a trustworthy community. you'll also find some good deals because many people will want to dump their guns for cheap to either upgrade or get out of paintball entirely.


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[necine]

This is something that you get off of eBay, barely used and really cheap. I like my Spyder Shuttle...

 

[destrekor]

Tippman 98 Custom, or Tippman A5. Both excellent guns, and both have many barrel options, as well as accessories that make those two guns simply amazing.

 

[theNEOone]

don't get a tippman or a spyder. smart parts ion is the way to go and you can get them used on pbnation for less than $250, i'm looking now and see a few for $200. they'll be listed under the electronic markers forum in Buy, Sell, or Trade


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[Spydermag68]

I would recommend a Tippmann 98 ($200), or Tippmann 98 with the a5 loader ($250).

For the mask go to a paintball store that sells equipment and allows you to try different masks. I sucks to be on a field with a mask that does not fit right for a long time.

My markers:
Tippmann SL-][ pump - 12 years still running
Spyder A - not working after three years of play
Mini-Mag - 8 years still running
Autococker 98 - Still running

 

[JRock]

I have a red sypder shutter I will be selling if you're interested.

 

[Stuxnet]

I had a Tippman 98 until I almost got shot in the fscking throat. That cured me of my paintball obsession.

"No thanks, I choose life."

 

[kyzen]

For the lower end range, what would you say Spyder or Tippmann is the better pick? At this point I'm thinking I'm going to try to stick with a sub $200 gun.

 

[Spydermag68]

Go with the Tippmann...I have recomended these for years to new players. When I got my spyder I could not afford a Tippmann Carbine at $250.

------------------
jbouerne77 - You can buy a neck gaurd.

 

[Spineshank]

Tippmans are more durable than a Spyder. I owned a Spyder TL a few years ago.

 

[kyzen]

Originally posted by: jbourne77
I had a Tippman 98 until I almost got shot in the fscking throat. That cured me of my paintball obsession.

"No thanks, I choose life."

neck shots hurt... like somebody else said, buy a neck guard. I learned that after getting a nasty bruise that my girlfriend thought was a hickey

 

[KillerCharlie]

It depends on what style of paintball you play. If you play recball, a Tippmann is probably the best you can buy. They're as tough as they make them and practically require no maintenance, which is great if you don't play often. If you play speedball, then there are about a billion options out there.

 

[acemcmac]

Tipmann with the flatline barrel FTW.

 

[Ns1]

pump!

cocker pump or phantom!