Things To Consider Before Purchasing A Paintball Gun
After playing paintball with borrowed equipment, or even renting it, you have determined that it’s time to purchase your own gun. You must now choose the gun you’d like. To learn more about gun specifications, read reviews before buying. Before you start looking consider asking yourself some fundamental questions that will help guide your decision.
What is the cost you will pay to Play?
Paintball equipment can be bought in a complete and basic setup for as little as $70 and up to $120. A lot of stores rent entire sets of equipment (gun and tank, mask, tank, and hoist) for between $10 and $20 per day. If it’s possible that you’ll use your gun once or twice a year, it could take six or more years to cover the cost of the equipment as opposed to renting it. By the time the time you’re ready, the equipment will be old. It’s a good idea to purchase lower-end equipment if you intend to use it up to three times a year.
How much do you wish to invest?
If you’re going to play paintball at least twice a month, don’t buy a cheap gun that is not easily upgradeable or efficient, in the beginning. For example the Brass Eagle Striker is a very inexpensive gun that works perfectly, however it is not, and will never be a top-quality, fast, accurate and reliable gun. It was a good choice for me, though I have had a comparable model that I would lend to friends for a while. However, it is not the ideal choice for someone who plays regularly and would like to get better. However, the Striker would be perfect for someone who plays three times each summer.
Are You Looking for a medium-range or low-end gun?
If you are confident you’ll be playing a lot of paintball, then you’ll need to decide if you want to start with a low-end gun or a medium-range gun. A lot of guns range from $60 to $150 and will suffice for the majority of players. They are durable and upgradeable. They will be adequate for most all paintball activities for a long time to come. They also can be operated using CO2. But, if you want to get a gun that is able to compete (in terms of speed and reliability) in a speedball game or is designed to take all the abuse and wear of a 24-hour scenario game then you’ll need to jump up in price up to the $200-$300 price range.
What happens if your gun breaks?
Paintball guns can break. Before purchasing an item you should be sure to know the cost to repair. A $30 gun could cost you $18 to replace the air hose. Instead of having to buy expensive parts only from the manufacturer, it is possible to purchase components from several companies (e.g. Spyders or Spyder clones). Some guns require professional maintenance however, others can be maintained by an experienced gun enthusiast. Before you choose your gun go through the specifications of the manufacturer to determine how difficult it is to fix the gun and if you can do it yourself. If you need a knockout post on paintball guns, look at this web-site.
Do You Need an Electronic or Mechanical Marker?
Mechanical markers need no power source, while electronic markers operate with batteries and circuit boards. Mechanical markers tend to be quieter and slower, but extremely reliable. Either electro-mechanical, or electro-pneumatic electronic markers can be utilized. Electro-mechanical markers are mechanical markers equipped with an electronic trigger frame which fires the marker, usually in 3-round burst or full auto modes. Electro-pneumatic markers shoot when you activate a solenoid valve which allows air to flow through the valve and shoot the ball. They can fire more consistently and are more quiet than mechanical markers, however they cost more , and are more difficult to repair.
What kind of Paintball Do You Want to Play?
A gun that can attach a stock to a rifle is the best choice for those who plan to play games of scenario or woodsball. The size doesn’t matter much so long as it’s sturdy and comfortable. Woodsball players should stay away from bright shades. Smaller is better for speedball. A compact gun is best. It can be easily put beneath your body, shoots quickly, and is small enough to fit close to your body. You could also get a shiny and bright guns for speedball. If you’d like to play woodsball as well as speedball, think about an aft gun which you can connect a stock to when you play in the woods.
What other tools will you need?
Before you spend all your money to buy the gun of your dreams, work out the other things you’ll require. A super-fast electro-pneumatic gun won’t be much use when you have only an hopper that is gravity fed. Find out if your gun will require you to buy an air compressor and if the gun requires an update of a minimum (such as a new regulator) to function well. If you are unsure if you’d be happy playing paintball all day with a well-equipped gun and a $10 mask then ask yourself. If you take into account the price of the other equipment you will need before you purchase your gun, you will have an idea of what type of equipment you can manage to afford.
Do You Want to Buy Second-hand Equipment?
You can save a considerable amount of money if you are looking to purchase secondhand equipment. It is important to consider whether you are prepared to buy equipment not in good condition or has worn out, or may not be what you wanted. If you’re willing take this route, look into auction websites like eBay as well as local classifieds and the local paintball stores to see if you could find a treasure at the lowest price.