[TimZ]

As the tittle says, I\'m starting to get into the whole paintball sport. I need some suggestions on what things to buy, mainly a paintball marker. I\'m looming for a beginner/medium priced marker that is accurate.
I\'ve been doing some searching and there\'s just too many options. Can anyone also suggest some popular forums that might have good customer reviews?

[TroyDeJ]

i used to be into paintballing and loved it, it was such an adrenaline rush untill i realized how much i spent for the equipment and going each time was like $100. But a Proto Rail is a good gun for the money, with that i would go with a crossfire CF tank i personally like the size of a 45/4500. Clothing is just whatever you find fits the best or looks coolest lol

[just4kickz]

haha paintballing. i used to think it was cool... when i was like 12

[N55]

It was fun when I was 14-17 but it got way too expensive for me at least ($400 per trip to paintball park on just Paint @ $60/2000 balls. I had a pro Team Paintball Issued Smart Parts ION marker with unreleased prototype parts that I bought off a Team member. It shot 28 balls per second if I remember correctly. You will find out quality paintballs are not cheap either. There are cheaper ones but I hate having to clean the gun since they break more often, and they are less accurate, and deform after sitting too long.

I've been through tons of guns, almost had a new one every 4 games until i got the pro one.

If you want a good woodsball gun and plan on playing mostly woodsball do the Tippmann A-5 if you plan on doing half and half or mostly field play then do the Smart Parts Ion I think they are $200ish. Then get the Pulse Hopper with RF Chip, Freak Barrel Kit, Upgraded Bolt, Upgraded Regulator and finally an upgraded board and the best out there when I was playing was the Virtue.

Oh and another thing to consider, you cannot use CO2 in the ION it must be HPA. CO2 gets too cold under the high rate of fire the ION does and will freeze out all the seals and you'll have terrible leaks and the gun will break down in the middle of the game.

The Tippmann can use both...

The reason why I mentioned it is because HPA is usually only Available at the Paintball Park, or Paintball Store unless you get a scuba tank and fill yourself. HPA was always a PIA for woods ball play because no one had a Scuba tank. CO2 you can goto a sports store to get filled pretty easily. Do a google search and you'll find the Pros and Cons about HPA and CO2, as well as which marker will fit you better.

Goodluck

[TimZ]

Originally Posted by N55

It was fun when I was 14-17 but it got way too expensive for me at least ($400 per trip to paintball park on just Paint @ $60/2000 balls. I had a pro Team Paintball Issued Smart Parts ION marker with unreleased prototype parts that I bought off a Team member. It shot 28 balls per second if I remember correctly. You will find out quality paintballs are not cheap either. There are cheaper ones but I hate having to clean the gun since they break more often, and they are less accurate, and deform after sitting too long.

I've been through tons of guns, almost had a new one every 4 games until i got the pro one.

If you want a good woodsball gun and plan on playing mostly woodsball do the Tippmann A-5 if you plan on doing half and half or mostly field play then do the Smart Parts Ion I think they are $200ish. Then get the Pulse Hopper with RF Chip, Freak Barrel Kit, Upgraded Bolt, Upgraded Regulator and finally an upgraded board and the best out there when I was playing was the Virtue.

Oh and another thing to consider, you cannot use CO2 in the ION it must be HPA. CO2 gets too cold under the high rate of fire the ION does and will freeze out all the seals and you'll have terrible leaks and the gun will break down in the middle of the game.

The Tippmann can use both...

The reason why I mentioned it is because HPA is usually only Available at the Paintball Park, or Paintball Store unless you get a scuba tank and fill yourself. HPA was always a PIA for woods ball play because no one had a Scuba tank. CO2 you can goto a sports store to get filled pretty easily. Do a google search and you'll find the Pros and Cons about HPA and CO2, as well as which marker will fit you better.

Goodluck

Ive been playing mostly woods every time I went except for the first time. I'm not looking to become pro or anything, i see my self going a few times a year. But I would think its better to have my own equipment rather than keep paying for the beyond crappy rentals, by now I could of paid a new gun instead of renting. I'm loving the sound of the ion but the disadvantage is that not many places might have HPA

[thetedderbear]

I've never gotten into paintball, but I was in airsoft a bit. Look on Craigslist and see if you can find a decent marker locally, and for a good price. I wouldn't throw down a ton of cash on something you aren't sure you'll like. I've made that mistake before.

[immiketoo]

Bring money.

[CollinsE90]

What kind of money are you willing to spend, my cousin's did semi-pro for a while and they usually had Angel markers, 750-1k but damn were they good guns.

[chungdae]

Played paintball for over 12 years now. Been on multiple Amateur A, Amateur B, Novice, and two pro teams. Now I play with the local police department here.

How much do you want to spend on a marker? Some markers go over $1800.

[eamon]

I picked up paintball and played a total of 5 games a couple years ago. I had a cheap Academy Spyder marker that I played with for three of the five trips and then I sold it and bought a Smart Parts ION Marker with all the goodies like big gas tanks for those long games and such.
Literally took it out of the box for two different game days and never touched it since. And about the comment of not being able to use CO2, I'm pretty sure you can. Actually disregard that last comment, what do I know lol.
But I'll sell you mine if you're interested

[TimZ]

Originally Posted by eamon

I picked up paintball and played a total of 5 games a couple years ago. I had a cheap Academy Spyder marker that I played with for three of the five trips and then I sold it and bought a Smart Parts ION Marker with all the goodies like big gas tanks for those long games and such.
Literally took it out of the box for two different game days and never touched it since. And about the comment of not being able to use CO2, I'm pretty sure you can. Actually disregard that last comment, what do I know lol.
But I'll sell you mine if you're interested

Hmm shot me a PM on price and such, idk if i want to buy used yet ill see

Originally Posted by CollinsE90

What kind of money are you willing to spend, my cousin's did semi-pro for a while and they usually had Angel markers, 750-1k but damn were they good guns.

Originally Posted by chungdae

Played paintball for over 12 years now. Been on multiple Amateur A, Amateur B, Novice, and two pro teams. Now I play with the local police department here.

How much do you want to spend on a marker? Some markers go over $1800.

The most I'd spend right now is up to 300, I'm not looking for a pro 1k+ marker, just going to use it for when I go with my friends and cousins.

**Thats 300 just for the marker, feel free to suggest a tank too. The goggles and other apparel i can manage on my own. I've been looking at the Tippmann A5 egrip, seems pretty nice, and also seen a few of the spyder markers

[Mr Tonka]

Tippman A5. Pardon the pun, but this is a bullet proof marker.

I'm like you, play with friends maybe 2 or 3 times a year and this is MORE than sufficient. Get an E-trigger and get it going full auto. Bet you can get a nice set up on Ebay for less than $300. I did. Had it for 4 years now and bought it used. Still runs like a champ!

[hl0m4n]

www.rap4.com

[carve]

They need to have a more realistic and affordable paintball league. No real gun holds hundreds of rounds, and they recoil like hell if they could do that rate of fire. I'd like to see it more like real combat, where it's primarily a sensible semi-auto or 3-round-burst set up, 30 round mags. Then it'd be more about tactics and strategy vs who can spray paint the fastest, and it'd be much more affordable. Something that limits ROF to 2 or 3 round per second would be cool. Better yet, maybe do away with the CO2 all together and make the by propelled by pump action spring.

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by carve

They need to have a more realistic and affordable paintball league. No real gun holds hundreds of rounds, and they recoil like hell if they could do that rate of fire. I'd like to see it more like real combat, where it's primarily a sensible semi-auto or 3-round-burst set up, 30 round mags. Then it'd be more about tactics and strategy vs who can spray paint the fastest, and it'd be much more affordable. Something that limits ROF to 2 or 3 round per second would be cool. Better yet, maybe do away with the CO2 all together and make the by propelled by pump action spring.

See the above post. They do a ton of scenario stuff with limited size mags and air.

[e90fun]

Originally Posted by carve

They need to have a more realistic and affordable paintball league. No real gun holds hundreds of rounds, and they recoil like hell if they could do that rate of fire. I'd like to see it more like real combat, where it's primarily a sensible semi-auto or 3-round-burst set up, 30 round mags. Then it'd be more about tactics and strategy vs who can spray paint the fastest, and it'd be much more affordable. Something that limits ROF to 2 or 3 round per second would be cool. Better yet, maybe do away with the CO2 all together and make the by propelled by pump action spring.

all the places i used to play never allowed any auto firing.

and usually people are pretty good at conserving where i played since reloading almost equalled getting shot in the back while being bunkered.

also, to the OP. i used to play with a Proto matrix 7.

was great.

[carve]

Originally Posted by MP0WER

See the above post. They do a ton of scenario stuff with limited size mags and air.

Well, that goes over the top in the realism department....not so much the affordability. Those cost almost as much as a real M4! I don't need fake shell casings spitting out, either. Basic form factor, rate of fire, and capacity would be fine for me.

[Maestro]

A number of people have said it a couple time if you want an all round good marker Tippman is they way to do, it the AK-47 of paint markers. Unless you plan to play speed ball, you do not need expensive guns or any of the really fancy guns.

I like how people think paying more and getting the gun with the most features makes you a better player or shooter, it does not. The gun will never make you a better shoot if you do not know how to shoot in the first place. I have shoot rifles competitively all through high school and have played paint ball on and off for 20 yrs now and I can tell you, I have won games with one shoot. I have picked off players with the cheapest low tech guns around even though they had high end guns.

A skilled shooter can shot with any gun, the problem with Paintball Markers they tend not to be too reliable and the more electronic and feature you put in a gun the more likely you will run in to problem, remember the saying keep it simple stupid.

[TimZ]

Made my decision on the tippmann a5, can't wait to get it!

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by carve

Well, that goes over the top in the realism department....not so much the affordability. Those cost almost as much as a real M4! I don't need fake shell casings spitting out, either. Basic form factor, rate of fire, and capacity would be fine for me.

I hear ya. It would be awesome to play in that type of a scenario though. I really don't care for speedball, i guess that's what they call it. Where you play in a 100'x100' square with inflatable cover. The place we play at is much cooler. Large field 4-6 acres with different terrain, man made & natural cover. Lots of fun!

Originally Posted by TimZ

Made my decision on the tippmann a5, can't wait to get it!

You'll love it and it will perform well for you.

[PINeely]

Tippmanns are impressively durable; you can drive over them, dive with them, shoot them forever without oiling. I used to work at a field and we rented out Tippmann 98s. At the end of the day we'd hose them all out and that was that.

I played the speedball and tournament scene more when I was really into it but that got too expensive. Now I just enjoy a good firefight in the woods every few months with the skills I learned playing fast-paced!

[spiike32]

I used to play for university of illinois back in the day... but haven't played in years. Go to pbnation.com and in the for sale section you can pick up some good deals.

Personally I use planet eclipse and own a relatively rare fully tricked blue camo etek ego. You can get the etek 1 or 2 for less than 300. Regular ego and all the special edition ones is like 800-1400. Then get a good hopper, a nice 4500 peanut tank, harness, pods, a decent mask like a dye i4 or an empire e-vents. You'll be golden.

I keep contemplating to sell all my equipment but going out just once with coworkers or friends will have me regretting the sell. So all my stuff just collects dust in the garage.

I never understood why people like tipmanns. There are so many better guns out there. If I was still into pb I'd get this:

http://www.actionvillage.com/paintba...hite-blue.html

Also most parks now regulate to 12 bps ramping.