-Best Paintball Guns/Markers Reviews-
Paintball guns come in all shapes and sizes, for all tastes and preferences. You might already have an idea of what the perfect paintball gun should be like but since the market is not so friendly in pointing out which is the perfect paintball gun, you probably need some help. Like in all domains there are good products and bad products. And good products are hard to find and bad products not so hard. That is why hopefully in this article I filtered the bad ones so that you can choose only from 10 of the best without feeling overwhelmed by the variety as well.
The principles based on which I made this selection are the following:
- Quality
I pointed out countless times on my previous reviews quality is the supreme factor based on which everyone should make their purchases. Quality items last for years while cheap ones break often thus forcing you to always buy more. Needless to say that the experience is also almost always worse with bad quality products so you cannot enjoy a quality airsoft game without having to worry that your gun might fail any moment. I think I kind of used a spartan-style approach when I made my selection so that I can include quality guns and rifles only.
- Durability/Endurance
As previously stated, no one likes to constantly worry whether their gun will fail right in the middle of the game or make it to the end, so the durability of the gun is key in having a pleasant time. I think here materials and manufacturing care matter the most in order to deliver a highly durable paintball gun.
- Value for the money
Don’t worry, I know that money are a very important part, even if I used a spartan-like approach in terms of quality. I am aware that a good deal doesn’t represent either the cheapest nor the most expensive item but rather the one that gives the most value for the money.
- Experience and pleasure to use
Not just in airsoft but in every other domain, the tools you use should always be a pleasure. While the famous quote “Only a bad workman blames his tools” still holds up, you shouldn’t buy a gun that causes you a lot of pain. The gun should be smooth and work as it should so that you can enjoy your game on the field.
- Affordable maintenance and spare parts
Good manufacturers often come with accessible spare parts and accessories for their guns. This is a sign that you can use that gun for years without having to change it and still get the most out of it.
- Good variety of compatible accessories
With these in mind let’s see which are the best airsoft guns and rifles of 2017 money can buy. I have to confess that I was pretty excited when I wrote this article because paintball and airsoft are two of my passions that I don’t get to practice as often as I would want to. That is why I often find relief in writing these informative guides and I hope you are as excited as I am or even more, considering that you are on the verge of buying your everyday paintball companion.
Best Buy Paintball Marker
1. Tippmann U.S. Army .68 Caliber Paintball Gun
If you want a more realistic paintball gun that also comes at an affordable price and incorporates most of the qualities of a mid to pro range marker then this Tippmann .68 caliber is a great choice.
The title of the best buy paintball marker is justified by many of its qualities. Some of them are easy to observe and others are strictly technical and can only be truly experienced by using the gun on the field.
This Tippmann is also very easy to clean. It can hold Allen wrenches inside the magazine which acts as a toolbox. So you can clean the gun on the fight track without too much hassle.
Features List:
- Removable rear sight
- Single fire semi-automatic, not fully automatic
- Adjustable FPS
- Adjustable stock
- Only hopper fed
- Works with both CO2 or air
- High-Fidelity replica of the Heckler and Koch 416
- Very accurate
- Kind of heavy compared to other markers
- Front sling mount
- 11-inch anodized barrel
For the price, it’s hard to find a better all around paintball gun to look as good as this Tippmann and have all of its qualities. Definitely, a best buy if you want reliability, accuracy, value for your money, ease of use and good fit in the hand.
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Best Affordable/Beginners Paintball Gun
2. Tippmann Cronus Paintball Marker
Tippmann is well-known in the paintball industry for delivering good quality guns for all kinds of players, from beginners to professionals. While I like their top products, I consider that they are much more appreciated in the low-mid end of paintball guns because they often come with very competitive prices. But enough about the company. What does this gun have to offer in order for a regular customer to buy it?
First off, it is affordable. It is one of the cheapest guns in this selection and I would recommend it to beginners who would like to master their way through paintball with a great gun.
It looks very real thanks to the quality materials so you can intimidate your enemies. It is also ergonomic and feels great in the hand. While I would recommend a pair of tactical gloves when in combat which by the way you can check out in my article on the best tactical gloves, the plastic handle feels ok to the hand. I would have preferred a rubber grip on the handle but that is another story.
Features List:
- Semi-automatic
- CO2 and compressed air
- Lightweight
- Front and rear sights
- Removable shoulder piece
- Pretty accurate but not the best
- Adjustable FPS with a limit of 300
- .68 caliber
- Suitable for sights since feedneck is a little to the side
- 8-inch barrel
It’s probably not suitable for professionals but for intermediate or beginners this Tippmann marker is great if you don’t want to spend a fortune on your next paintball gun.
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3. DYE Proto Rail Paintball Gun
This is a gun that I think offers a great value for the money overall. The composite frame is very ergonomic and good looking made from fiberglass and nylon. Thanks to these materials and the design the gun is lightweight and easy to handle.
I don’t want to overwhelm you with technical specifications, so here is a quick features list with the most important specs.
Features List:
- 0.68 caliber paint
- Composite frame (Nylon and fiberglass)
- Multiple firing modes
- Compressed air/nitrogen (Do not use CO2!)
- 12-inch high-quality barrel for precision
- Self-cleaning eyes
- Colored o-rings
- Great quality regulator
- Adjustable feedneck and trigger
I think you can’t get a gun that fulfills so many of the quality criteria that I presented for this price. I would consider this Rail paintball gun to be the best buy in its category. It is a fantastic choice if you want high-quality and great price in the same gun. Definitely, recommend it.
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Best Electric Paintball Gun
4. Empire Axe Paintball Gun
While more expensive than other guns, this Empire Paintball Axe Marker is fantastic if you are looking for top quality, accuracy, and endurance. You get a good variety of colors and builds with different high-quality materials.
For example, this is a great gun for tournaments since the quality is top of the line, but you can use it in amateur games as well. Just be aware that you will probably win every time against your friends with less advanced guns. 🙂
I forgot to mention one of the most important aspects that this is an electric gun, and for that, I think I will give it the award of the best mid-upper range electrical paintball marker for the money.
Features List:
- Easy paint recipient removal
- Large variety of firing modes for every taste and needs
- Lightweight and high-quality build with aluminum barrel and hard plastic body
- 13-inch barrel
- 20 BPS
- .68 caliber paintballs
- Comfortable grip frame
- Empire Relay Regulators
- Very accurate
- Bolt removal system
The 20 Balls per Second maximum rate of fire is incredible in every aspect of it. That’s what I call a true automatic paintball marker.
Again, this is probably the best paintball gun in the mid-level market in terms of quality, accuracy, build quality, reliability and overall experience. While I wouldn’t recommend it to those who start playing paintball for the first time, if you want to play big straight from the beginning then I wouldn’t be against it. Just so you know that starting from a high-quality gun like this will make every other cheaper gun frustrating to handle.
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5. Planet Eclipse ETEK 5 Paintball Gun
Here we have a completely different story with this Planet Eclipse Paintball Gun. While other guns in this selection were for all types of budgets this one is no longer affordable to anyone, but for a good reason. This gun is top of the line in its price range when it comes to technical specs, design, ergonomics, quality and durability. So if you have the Benjamins ready and all you want is quality then I would say look no further.
While it comes down to personal preference I tend to think that the Planet Eclipse ETEK5 is a better choice than the Proto Rail or even the Empire Axe, although this highly depends on your needs and taste.
The hard plastic frame is fine and feels good on the hand along with the quality grips. Overall it is quite easy to clean and maintain. Other than that, the experience on the field is great and you can easily shoot down your enemies with cheaper guns, as long as your aim is good enough. I have to say that my impression about this gun is “WOW! That’s a fantastic gun for the money.”
Features List:
- 14.5-inch barrel
- Compressed air only
- Highly accurate
- Quiet and smooth shot
- Great grips for better control and ergonomics
- 150 inline pressure
- Offset feed tube
- Lever clamping feed
- Multiple shooting modes
- Good form factor for competitions
- 3000 to 4500 psi tanks compatible
- 15 BPS
- Heavier than other markers at this size
Of course, you might not get the absolute best paintball at this price but if you want a mid-upper range paintball gun with great technical specs, design and build this ETEK5 Planet Eclipse is the way to go. If you want something that truly is the best no matter the costs then you might want to check the one below.
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6. Planet Eclipse LV1.1 Pro Paintball Marker
Whenever you feel that the range of affordable guns do not represent you or lack key features that you need, you can always take a look at something more expensive for professionals. While I mainly recommend this gun to experienced players, if you can afford it then it can be a great all around choice for everyone.
It is made by Planet Eclipse which is famous for manufacturing high-quality markers and I personally like this company very much. It seems that they have the right ideologies and people in charge and that is being reflected in the products.
One of the main aspects which make this gun a great choice is the accuracy and ease of use. It is dead accurate and the form factor has a very intelligent design so that the overall experience is always great.
Features List:
- LED screen
- Ergonomic hand grip
- Lightweight
- Multiple shooting modes
- Consistent and smooth shooting
- Much quieter than the competition
- Good quality trigger
- Beautiful design
- High-quality build and materials
- Very accurate
- Easy to maintain and disassemble
- Quite expensive but worth the cost
Overall this is a great paintball gun if you want reliability, top quality, great design, and accuracy. It is true that this comes for a price but consider that it can prove more durable than a low and mid level markers.
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Best Paintball Gun Ever
7. DYE M2 Paintball Gun
The first impression when I saw this gun was simply “Wow, this is the last level”. And by last level, I mean the top of the line in all aspects from build quality to features and mostly everything except price. This is mostly a gun for professionals so generally, only those can afford it. That is the main reason to consider this paintball gun. Either you are a professional that cannot accept any sort of failure and you make serious money in competitions, either you have a lot of money to invest in a top notch paintball marker.
Anything from accuracy to design and build quality is spectacular. Everything is finely implemented with a high attention to detail. It fits great in the hand so you can handle it easily throughout the competition. Complaints about jamming, accuracy, and quality are more or less inexistent. Maybe only when speaking of the price, but that is another story.
Features List:
- Hourglass frame
- Rechargeable battery
- All major shooting styles from automatic to single fire
- Multi-tool set included for easy adjustments
- Beautiful high-quality build and design
- Magnetic Trigger
- Pressure Sensors
- Easy adjustments and settings through the 5-way joystick
- 1 inch OLED screen for easy configuration and performance indicators
The DM series from DYE is kind of famous for being the best on the market. I think that the price has a big contribution in this since people always look at price as some kind of indicator of the quality of the product. Things only a few afford always tend to be considered the best in the market. While not true in some situations, fortunately, the price is a relevant indicator in the case of this DYE M2 paintball gun. It is in my opinion simply the best hands down.
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8. DYE Proto MAXXED Paintball Gun
This is yet another semi-professional paintball gun for those who want quality and value for the money in the same gun. It is made of good quality materials, along with an aluminum trigger and has an hourglass frame.
Overall the gun feels great in the hand, thanks to the grips on the handle and the shape that allows for greater freedom in combat and increased accuracy.
The DYE Proto Rize comes in plenty color schemes for every taste. From black and gray to blue and orange. While I prefer stealthier colors in general, I am aware that many people enjoy bright colors. No matter what type of person are you, at least DYE has you covered in that sense.
Features List:
- Works with compressed air, not recommended to use CO2
- Self-cleaning eye pipes
- 14-inch barrel
- Very accurate
- Hourglass frame with aluminum trigger
- 3000 or 4500 psi tank compatible, generally works best with lower pressure tanks
- Lightweight, compact, easy to carry around
- Newly designed fusion bolt
- Comfortable and ergonomic
- Color coded O-rings
- No slip reg sleeves
You may have also seen the DYE Rail that is somewhat similar and you may ask yourself what is the difference between the two. Well, the Rize is the newer and improved version of the Rail and it presents some great improvements like a redesigned bolt kit, better self-cleaning eye pipe and capability to operate at lower pressures. These are all technical aspects, so you will probably only see the difference on the field through testing. Long story short, the Rize is newer and better than the Rail and I think it addresses some complaints people had with the previous gun.
If you are pretentious and very experimented in the art of Paintball and Paintball markers, then you might find some inconveniences now and then, but in this price range, I think it is unbeatable as far as the technical specs and overall experience combined go. This is probably the best middle range marker in my opinion.
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