When you are searching for best paintball guns there is probably two cases:
You are an absolute beginner and looking for the best paintball guns for beginners or
You are familiar with paintball guns and now you have some experience and have some budget, you would like to upgrade your paintball gun and looking for best paintball guns for the money.
I covered everything from best cheap paintball gun to top paintball guns.
 | Planet Eclipse ETEK 5 Paintball Marker | Check Price |
 | Empire Paintball Axe Marker | Check Price |
 | Empire Paintball Mini GS Marker | Check Price |
 | Tippmann US Army Alpha Black | Check Price |
 | Tippmann Cronus Paintball Gun | Check Price |
 | Tippmann 98 Custom Platinum Series Paintball Gun | Check Price |
Contents
Best paintball guns under 500
Have a budget, go straight and order Planet Eclipse ETEK 5 Paintball Marker. You won’t regret. This is by far the best paintball guns within this price range.
Why?
It’s light, durable, nice looking, high quality and shoots fantastic. You can’t ask anything more. The grips are great, the feeling is awesome.
What if we compare it with Empire axe?
The only reason I can find for choosing Empire axe over the ETEK 5 is if you are small and you can’t handle the length of the gun, ETEK 5. This is notably much longer then the axe in terms of grip and hand placement. But the general feel and the shot quality of the gun is much better.
Complete satisfaction guaranteed. Great marker for the price.
Features:
- Includes Zick3 Rammer System
- Contains SL4 inline Regulator and inline OOPS
- The valve chamber is comparatively large.
- Easy-to-handle grip
- The solenoid valve is durable.
- The bolt, valve and rammer removal system is tool-less.
- Contains break beam sensors with infrared feature.
- Contains RGB LED Interface
- The clamping feed is lever operated.
- Goes perfectly with all major paintball leagues.
Pros:
- Its weight is not that much heavy.
- Descent design.
- Requires a very low pressure to operate.
- Very fast.
- High accuracy level.
- Easy to operate.
- Contains auto fire mode.
- Contains multiple firing modes
- Can be customized easily.
Cons:
- Contains two barrel system which may be a cause of a little bit irritation.
- You have to upgrade the paintball gun if your choice is to use a graphical OLED display.
Best paintball guns under 400
Look no further. Empire Paintball Axe Marker is what you want. And never rent again!
Unbox and tournament ready! Very easy to maintain and get shooting. Gets you into speed ball quicker than any other auto loader paintball guns. Empire Axe can easily keep pace with other more expensive markers.
Trigger adjustment is a breeze and amazing shooting. Shoots well and shoots fast!
The best paintball gun for the money in the world. You are most welcome to think otherwise, however the pro players who win with the Axe on the PSP tour would disagree. The truth is, the Empire Axe is a proven marker that wins tournaments.
Absolute great features like the Relay ASA using a lever to initiate air flow that permits easy bottle removal. The push button Bolt removal system makes engine maintenance super quick and easy and even in the field.
A rock solid paintball gun for all types of players.
The only down side is that, a lot of people have these guns, ha ha ha! However unique stickers, tuning and your skills will make it unique from the rest.
Features:
- Fast firing system.
- Contains four firing modes and that can be adjusted.
- Contains a magnet returned bearing trigger that makes the firing action smooth.
- There are integrated break beam anti-chop eyes that expels the balls which are chopped.
Pros:
- Impressively less noisy.
- Quick firing sequence.
- The marker is long lasting and dependable.
- The bolt-removal system is very easy and can be done easily.
- High accuracy level.
- Easy to maintain.
- Costs less paint comparing with other guns.
Cons:
- Probably you will need to upgrade the barrel.
- A little complicated to program the board.
Best paintball guns under 300
The Empire Paintball Mini GS Marker is the next generation paintball marker legend. Excellent design and development. Its battle proven Mini GS paintball marker!
A full wrap around rubber fore grip to create a secure grip and protection from paint and other elements.
Newly added On/Off ASA eliminates any thread issue and makes tank removal smooth.
I noticed some reviews mentioned Mini GS Marker is compact and kind of tight that bigger handed people may not like it. But I have asked couple of 6ft / 6ft+ guys and they said they love this light weight (less than 2lbs) gun and no issue to grip and play with it, as well as it works great for kids with smaller hands.
I recommend tuning your regulator and bolt cap (shot at ~260fps out of the box), but honestly even if you don’t this thing still puts ropes of paint down range.
Extremely accurate and super fast. Simple and easy to maintain. A truly amazing product.
Features:
- The poppet engine is pressure controlled which ensures impressive performance.
- Contains integrated and break-beam anti-chop eyes which eliminate chopped balls.
- Well built grip.
- Contains venting ASA regulator which has ON/OFF lever.
- All screws can be adjusted by only two hex wrenches.
Pros:
- Very lightweight.
- Well balanced design.
- Allows you to shoot smoothly.
- Can shoot very fast.
- High accuracy.
- The tank can be removed easily by pushing a button.
- The board has LED indicators on it.
- Very affordable.
Cons:
- There might be issues while the operator is a person with large hands.
- HPA may leak, if it’s not maintained well.
Best paintball guns under 200
Tippmann US Army Alpha Black Elite Tactical Paintball Gun is relatively basic and affordable M16 paintball model with attractive look and a strongly built design.
It comes in a great package! It has everything except the paint balls.
The shroud and handle are durable and high quality.
The mask is basic but legit. Doesn’t fog up easily. A lot of chin room.
The gun is easily customizable. Stock, sights, scopes, shrouds, handles, barrels are all changeable.
Have a lot of fun with this gun! Has good range and accuracy.
However, you might feel the carrier is bulky and not practical. Still its the best paintball gun for the money.
Features:
- Has a very realistic look.
- The body is fully made of aluminum.
- Contains Inline Bolt System.
- The gas line is made of steel and is heavy duty.
Pros:
- Smart design.
- Has a large number of upgrading options.
- Can be customized easily.
Cons:
- You may feel it as a heavy gun if you are a first time user.
Best paintball guns under 150
Tippmann Cronus Paintball Gun Mega Set Package Includes
- A Tippmann Cronus
- GXG Mask with Visor and Anti Fog Lens
- 3Skull 6 Plus 1 Deluxe Paintball Harness Black
- Quantity 6 140 Round Heavy Duty Ultimate Paintball Clear Tubes
- 1 ounce Gold Cup Oil
- Skull 21 Inch Orange Squeegee
- 3Skull 20 Ounce CO2 Tank(empty)
- 3Skull 200 round Black Hopper
Best paintball guns for beginners wanting to play paintball for a cheap price. Great starter kit for any player, extremely accurate and durable gun.
Low maintenance, just needed to clean it after you play. Easy to set up. Just throw on a tank and hopper and you are good to go.
If you don’t want to use CO2 just ditch the CO2 tank for a cheaper 3k Air.
It’s not light weight but it’s not excessive too.
The mask looks good and works well. But may be not very comfortable to take the lens out to clean it.
Tactical Tan Edition is recommend cause the knick knacks that comes with may prove helpful. If you don’t like them you can disassemble with ease.
Features:
- Its weight is 3.7 pounds.
- Contains 0.68 / 0.50 caliber.
- Has an organic trigger.
- The length of the stock barrel id 9-inch.
- Its effective range is 150 feet.
- Has semi-auto firing modes.
- Comes with a 2 years Tippmann warranty.
- The package includes a modification kit.
- Has an internal gas line.
Pros:
- Long lasting paintball gun.
- Easy to customize.
- Doesn’t require so much maintenance.
- Easy to handle because of a comfortable grip.
- High accuracy level.
- Semi-automatic firing system.
- There is an inline bolt system which prevents chopping.
Cons:
- May be seem a bit longer comparing with other paintball guns.
- Fire rate is slow.
- A bit hard to disassemble.
Best paintball guns under 100
* Please note the price is slightly above $100. I didn’t get anything to recommend under $100 price range.
If it’s your first paintball gun purchase or don’t want to spend $200 you can go for Tippmann 98 Custom Platinum Series Paintball Gun. Recommend for anyone who is looking for a quality and durable marker to start with there paint balling needs.
There are lots of newbies who learned to play paintball with one of these.
Absolutely a great gun, reliable and accurate as well as in a fairly cheap price. The only thing you will miss is the features you might have in a slightly higher priced guns. But no worries. You can upgrade anything. Parts are available.
Features:
- Easily upgrade able to semi-auto marker with good performance.
- To access the internal stuffs and upgrade quickly, the receiver is designed split.
- Easy to modify.
- The receiver is fully made of aluminium.
- Contains an inline bolt system.
Pros:
- Very affordable.
- Impressively stable.
- Can be customized easily.
- Requires less maintenance.
- Easy to grip.
Cons:
- The gun is longer than other markers.
- Doesn’t shoot very fast.
- You might have face difficulty to disassemble the gun completely.
If you are still confused, let me help you with a buyer guide.
The Ultimate Paintball Gun Buyers Guide
As you have read this far, I am assuming you are on the market for a new paintball gun. I am sure our top paintball gun reviews and recommendations above should help you to decide and purchase the best paintball gun for you. None of the model will disappoint you.
Should you require a little more input to help limit your choices, then keep reading!
There are three main factors to consider while purchasing paintball guns:
– price and your budget
– your expertise level
– and your playing style.
There is absolutely no reason to buy a high quality, expensive paintball gun if you only play occasionally or if you are an absolute beginner. On the other side, if you’re a hardcore player and are still having an inexpensive marker that you purchased years back, you might be thinking about an upgradation. And that will help you to enjoy the game more!
Selecting the best paintball guns for your playing style
Your playing style should play a vital role in selecting the best paintball guns for you. It also depends on what game modes your local fields supports. Casual players might like Tippmann A5, Cronus or Spyder MR100.
Woodsball Paintball Guns
If you are a woodsball (field battle ) lover, scurrying around outdoors in between the trees, you definitely want to have a paintball gun with a wider range and a stock for extra precision during extended range shoot outs. Something like the US Army Alpha Elite or Project Salvo would suit you well.
Beginners or those on a budget seeking to optimize may like the classic Tippmann 98 Custom. Adding the extended long barrel for greater range, together with an extendable stock and red dot sight, you will end up with an extremely dependable, full featured woodsball marker.
Speedball Markers
For speedball markers I would like to suggest he Empire Axe or Mini, or Dye Protorail. Adjustable fire modes and compact design makes it easier to stay in cover and allow great angles for shooting. The Empire Axe is the most accurate paintball gun we’ve attempted to far. Higher end electrical models using HPA allows you more shots per tank fill.
RecBall and Milsim Paintball Guns
For indoor games with bunkers you will need something more compact and probably with a stock for added stability. In this case, the Chronus, X7 Phenom or the 98 Custom are all great choices depending on your budget.
Recball is really fun type game for beginners to try as it combines the tactical nature of Milsim and woodsball with the smaller arenas and cover based shooting of speedball.
Milsim gamers are all about getting the most hardcore war or strategic simulation as you can and you typically see them equipped with realistic paintball guns such as the Project Salvo or even US Army Alpha Black. Certainly Milsim players always have the coolest looking marker and paintball equipment. From full strategic setups to using greater function specific equipment, such as sniper paintball guns with exceptionally extended barrels and scopes which could offer long range support, to more rushing style setups with SMG design shorter markers which allow for faster movement and freedom.
Mechanical or Electronic Paintball Guns
In generally electronic markers consume less propellant since they are shooting by means of a 9v battery rather than additional gas to power the shooting mechanism. Electronic trigger systems also allow for burst and completely automatic shooting modes, and boost the rate of single shot firing. Less moving parts tends to mean that a more accurate gun with less recoil when shooting. Many senior paintball players have a tendency to go with electronic grips/trigger systems and the popularity of the A5 and X7 eGrip speaks for itself.
But there are definitely some benefits to mechanical markers. They are normally cheaper, less complicated and easier to maintain. Can be easily disassembled and cleaned. There are not any electronic equipments like batteries or wires to worry about, which may make things simpler for beginners, not needing to be concerned about turning their trigger system, making sure batteries are charged etc. Sometimes simple is great!
Avoid Cheap Paintball Gear And Always Wear a Mask
A vast majority of the affordable models available now are simply not worth your cash in regards to functionality, value and durability. This is why we fully endorse the quality bar set by Tippmann, Empire, Dye, Spyder etc. You can depend on them to work efficiently every time you are out on the field.
Do not waste your money and time on a cheap paintball gun which will not last or chop paint when you might be controlling your competitors every time you step on the field!
Every single time you step on the battle field wear a paintball mask. That is mandatory. Your vision is priceless. I recommend picking a top quality mask that will not fog or need to be continuously adjusted.
Some Common Questions Asked about Paintball guns
Are paintball guns accurate?
Short answer, Yes, paintball guns are accurate. However, it depends on the price! High end expensive markers are more accurate than the cheap ones.
What is the most expensive paintball gun?
There are some paintball guns available that costs from thousand dollars to couple of thousand dollars. But frankly speaking those are not popular at all!
Does a longer barrel increase accuracy paintball?
A long barrel will increase accuracy cause its easier to aim. However, barrels that are too long will have some drawbacks as well. 12 to 16 inches barrel length is ideal for improved accuracy with minimum negative effects.
What is the most reliable paintball gun?
You can depend on the paintball guns I reviews above and pick one according to your budget.
How bad does paintballs hurt?
Ok, don’t be afraid. It won’t hurt much. Not as bad as you think. however, on bare skin in close range with high speed would hurt a bit.
Do you have to be 18 to buy paintballs?
No, you can buy paint ball guns for your kids!
Are paintball guns legal?
Definitely legal. There is no such laws in the US that prohibits the possession of a paintball gun by an adult.
What hurts more airsoft or paintball?
Airsoft BBs travel a bit faster than paintballs and paintballs are substantially larger than BBs. So it depends on the range, angle. However in terms of simple impacts, a paintball might hurt more in comparison to an airsoft BB.
What is paintball paint made of?
Paintballs, the ammunition used in the marker, are spherical gelatin capsules containing primarily polyethylene glycol, other non-toxic and water-soluble substances, and dye. Source: wikipedia.
How far does a paintball shoot?
In general at around 280 feet per second (FPS) or 200 miles per hour (MPH).