The Best Paintball Guns By Type

 

As one of the most important pieces of gear you’ll use and own, a good paintball gun is essential for any player looking to step up their game. There are plenty of different types to choose from, each with their own advantages that work with different styles of play. From paintball shotguns to pistols, you’ll find different markers work better in different game scenarios and arenas.

That’s before you add on accessories and mods to help narrow down the way you play even further. Some of these can be changed easily, meaning you can adapt to different situations as you encounter them, but with a range of paintball guns at your disposal, you’ll be covered for whatever happens.

How Does A Paintball Gun Work?

A paintball gun is used to fire paintball pellets at players on the opposing team. While there are different sizes of paintballs to choose from, many markers can use different sizes while others are made specifically for a certain calibre.

Paintballs are loaded into a hopper and are either dropped into the marker through gravity or are mechanically fed for a constant supply. Gas canisters provide the propulsion and ensure your shot reaches the right distance.

In such a frantic, fast-paced game, it's not easy to keep your paintball marker steady, and this can cause paintballs to break in the hopper or marker, which can cause clogging and jamming. Any debris or gunk can reduce the performance of a marker, which is why it’s also important to know how to clean and look after your paintball gun.

What Are The Best Paintball Guns?

The team at Modern Combat Sports are asked a lot about the best paintball gun, but this is a big topic and it depends on what kind of paintball marker you’re looking for, how you play the game and what you want to achieve.

That last one throws people off, as they always tell us they want to win - but this is just one part of the sport. We like to look deeper, at the kind of games you play, and the role you take within the team.

With this information, we can help find the right paintball gun for you, but there are plenty of great models to get you started and give you an idea of what might work. To make it easier, we’ve broken it down by type of paintball marker and what they can do.

Paintball Guns Are The Staple For Any Player

When you think of essential kit for paintballers, paintball guns are at the top of the list. Without these markers, you won’t be able to take out opposing players. While arenas will have basic models for you to use, when it’s time to step up your game, you’ll want your own. There are features and benefits to each paintball gun, and these can be matched to your style of play.

Great paintball guns include:

• Planet Eclipse Emek 100 .68 Cal Paintball Gun
• First Strike T15 PDW Paintball Gun
• Tippman TMC Elite Paintball Gun

You might be tempted by markers with all the bells and whistles, but this can be confusing and overwhelming at first, which is why we recommend the Planet Eclipse Emek 100 .68 Cal Paintball Gun to many players. There are no mechanicals to worry about and it’s a versatile model that can handle whatever you might come up against.

Some players look for something bigger, or a marker suited to certain situations. Here, we’d go with the First Strike T15 PDW Paintball Gun, which excels at close-range gameplay with fantastic results. For the ultimate in versatility, you can’t beat the Tippman TMC Elite Paintball Gun, however. Not only is it a popular brand but it can be hopper or mag-fed, and works in every kind of scenario you can think of. It’s not to be missed!

Paintball Pistols Are A Great Way To Mix Up Your Game

While there’s plenty of choice, paintball pistols in the UK are massively underrated. Not only can they give you a great short-range option, they can buy you time in between reloading your paintball marker, which keeps you active and in the game for longer.

Paintball pistols worth considering are:

• Umarex T4E HDR 68 Paintball Training Marker
• Tippmann TiPX Paintball Pistol
• Umarex T4E HDP 50 Paintball Pistol

A lot of players use paintball pistols for training purposes as well as in matches, and the Umarex T4E HDR 68 Paintball Training Marker is a great option for this. It’s comfortable to hold and a good size, making it easy to grab in the heat of the moment. For something a little more modern-looking, we’d suggest the Tippmann TiPX Paintball Pistol, which is easy to use and even easier to maintain, but is a popular choice among players around the world.

There’s no doubt, however, that the Umarex T4E HDP 50 Paintball Pistol is one of the best paintball pistols around. It’s durable and versatile, and is also perfect for practice, being able to use paintballs, training rounds and more.

Paintball Sniper Rifles Offer Precision Over Long Distances

With paintball sniper rifles, you open up a new dimension to your paintball game. Perfect for pinpoint accuracy, these markers are bigger and heavier than standard paintball guns but pack a punch and can reach longer distances for those big, open arenas where players are more spread out.

Check out these great paintball sniper rifles:

• 468 PTR DMR Bolt Action Sniper Paintball Rifle
• RAP4 468 Bolt Action Paintball Sniper Rifle
• First Strike Bolt Action Paintball Scout Rifle

The 468 PTR DMR Bolt Action Sniper Paintball Rifle is a lifelike paintball sniper rifle that promotes accuracy as one of its main selling points. It feels real because it has features that any long-range paintball player needs. For versatility, look no further than the RAP4 468 Bolt Action Paintball Sniper Rifle, which works for every player and is one of the most durable paintball sniper markers available.

Without a doubt, the top pick is the First Strike Bolt Action Paintball Scout Rifle. This is a mag-fed model and is not only accurate, but consistent, meaning you can rely on the shots you make every time. Even better, it looks fantastic and most players are proud to own one.

Paintball Shotguns Are Perfect For Close-Range Opponents

When you want to pack a punch, there’s no better option than a paintball shotgun. These markers are easy to load, use and reload on the fly, and can turn the tide of any paintball game when you get into close range. When you see a player with one of these paintball shotguns, you know they mean business.

These are great paintball shotguns:

• Umarex T4E HDS 68 Paintball Shotgun Marker
• Umarex T4E HDX 68 Paintball Shotgun

Getting to grips with paintball shotgun markers is different to other types of paintball guns, but the Umarex T4E HDS 68 Paintball Shotgun Marker is a great model to start with. It’s easy to use and looks great, too, so it can give you the experience you need to decide where to go next.

The newest and best marker from the brand, the Umarex T4E HDX 68 Paintball Shotgun takes everything previous models did and improved them. Easy to use, comfortable to hold and packing more power than you think, this is a marker that won’t let you down when you need some extra support.

Paintball Grenades Can Surprise Every Opponent

When you really want to mix up the action, paintball grenades and their launchers can give you an edge no one expected. These additions are only available to use in some arenas and paintball game types, but they can turn any game in your favour if used properly.

Great additions to your paintball loadout include:

• NUPROL 40MM Cap Head Grenade
• NP79 40MM M79 Thumper Grenade Launcher
• M203 Grenade Launcher Long

While there are plenty of paintball grenades to choose from, and each do different things, a good one to start with is the NUPROL 40MM Cap Head Grenade, which can hold different sizes of paintballs - and a lot of them at that.

To make sure your paintball grenades hit their target, you can look at launchers such as the NP79 40MM M79 Thumper Grenade Launcher and the M203 Grenade Launcher Long. Both of these offer distance for your paintball grenades and ensure you hit the right targets.

What Paintball Gear Can Make Your Marker Even Better?

While the best paintball markers can make a huge difference to your game, you can make them even better by pairing them with the right pieces of paintball gear, too. This is a broad area, covering a number of different products and pieces that can not only make your paintball gun better, but improve your whole paintball experience.

We’re going to take a look at what you need to get the most out of any paintball game, and how they can help you win. Some of this paintball gear is perfectly suited for a specific type of marker while others can be used with different options. The rest are for you to hold and carry, but trust us, you’ll need them, too.

Hoppers And Pods For Your Paintballs

Paintball hoppers are almost as essential for your paintball gun as the marker itself. Without a hopper, there’s no easy way to keep you in the action as you’ll have to load each paintball one at a time.

Consider using:

• A paintball hopper for .50 calibre paintballs
• 200 Round Offset Hopper
• 450 Round Offset Hopper For Tippmann Cyclone
• Gator Back 125 RND Flip Top Tube/Pod

This paintball hopper is designed for .50 calibre paintballs only, and this is something to watch out for. Know the size of your pellets and find a hopper that works with those, or can be used with multiple sizes. On the other hand, this 200 Round Offset Hopper is larger but designed to be used with a specific brand and markers within that brand. You can go even more specific, and bigger, with the 450 Round Offset Hopper For Tippmann Cyclone. There’s a hopper for every player.

For paintball pods, you want to choose the ones that hold a good amount of paintballs while being easy to carry in pockets and pouches. That’s why the Gator Back 125 RND Flip Top Tube/Pod is a great choice.

Barrels For Your Paintball Gun

To transform your game, paintball barrels for your marker can add the variety you need - providing flexibility on the fly to adapt to different situations. Some barrels can be attached and removed in just a few seconds, but it’s important to make sure you know which products work with which markers. Some are generic, however, so always check before choosing.

The following barrels are good options:

• Hammerhead Oneshot Rifled Paintball Barrel (A5 Threaded)
• LAPCO 14 Inch Bigshot Assault Paintball Barrel - Autococker Threaded

The Hammerhead Oneshot Rifled Paintball Barrel (A5 Threaded) is a popular barrel choice, and is compatible with a range of paintball markers. It improves accuracy over long distances, so your paintball gun can work in different scenarios. You can mix it up even further with the LAPCO 14 Inch Bigshot Assault Paintball Barrel - Autococker Threaded, which is designed for specific markers.

Sights, Scopes And Stands For A Versatile Paintball Marker

There are a range of accessories that can make your paintball marker even more useful as you compete in the sport. Sights and scopes can drastically improve your accuracy over larger distances, while stands can help with stability. You might not use this paintball gear with every shot, but in certain situations, they’re very useful.

Think about:

• RIS Flip Up Rear Sight
• NUPROL HD1 Red Dot Sight & Laser Combo
• Guru Paintball Gun Stand

Sights can help you make those difficult shots, and while you might not use it every time, they can be incredibly valuable when you have the time to line up your target. The RIS Flip Up Rear Sight is a great, compact option that can be folded down when not needed. For something more technical, you can look at the NUPROL HD1 Red Dot Sight & Laser Combo, which includes a scope and laser pointer. This gives you a choice over what to use and when.

The Guru Paintball Gun Stand is a lightweight and easy to carry paintball stand that you can unfold and set up easily when you need a stable base. Great for when you have a place in cover with a good vantage point.

Want To Know More About The Different Paintball Markers?

Not only are there different types of paintball markers, but there are also so many different makes and models to choose from within each category. Finding the right one for your style of play takes time and research - not to mention the different mods and accessories that can be added to each paintball gun.

With so many options, it’s easy to feel lost and confused about which paintball guns are best for you, and that’s where the team at Modern Combat Sports can help. We can use our extensive knowledge and expertise to help you find the right marker and show you how to clean and maintain it to keep it operating at its best. If you’d like to know more about our range of paintball guns, get in touch with us now.