You are here: Home > Guns / Markers


How To Choose A Paintball Gun That's Right For You


Two key factors should influence your decision when purchasing a paintball gun:


1) Your budget, and

2) Your style of play


Paintball guns cost from $25 on the low-end to over $2,000 on the high-end. Just like any car you buy will have seats and a steering wheel, any gun you buy will shoot a paintball. Establishing a realistic budget will narrow your choices for pro- and con- comparisons.


Your style of play will dictate whether you need a Land Rover or a Ferrari. Ask yourself: Are you mostly a woodsball player? Do you play scenarios or tournaments? Do you like to shoot a lot of paint or do you prefer to one-ball?


Different types of paintball play include: woodsball, recball, scenario play, pump guns and tournament paintball / speedball. Guns built for tournament play are typically lighter and shoot faster (higher ROF) than woodsball / scenario guns which are typically more durable and look more realistic.


Entry-level tournament markers from makers like Azodin and Kingman / Spyder start around $100 and max out at around $250.


Mid-range tournament markers include the Invert Mini, Dangerous Power Guns and the Planet Eclipse E-tek and cost between $300 and $500.


High-end tournament guns include offerings from Bob Long, Planet Eclipse and DYE and cost more than $750.


If you're looking for a good quality paintball gun for scenario / woodsball / recball, check out offerings from Tippmann and BT. If you're interested in more firepower from a mil-sim style body, check out Bob Long's TM-7.


Featured Paintball Gun Manufacturers


Azodin: Azodin paintball guns are brand new to the market and they are already some of the most popular products among beginners. If you're looking for a reliable, low-cost paintball gun, Azodin has what you need starting at $90.


Bob Long Paintball Guns: Bob Long has a long history of manufacturing paintball guns, starting with the Defiant, which was surpassed by the Intimidator, a game-changing piece of paintball technology, and further refined with the Marq, Victory and G6R. Bob Long paintball guns are manufactured and built here in the U.S.


BT: BT stands for Battle Tested and the name is a testament to the durability and reliability of their markers. BT paintball guns are favorites among woodsball and scenario players for their realistic look and feel.


Dangerous Power: Dangerous Power is a new player in the market but has taken off because their markers are easy on paint, consistent and accurate. Dangerous Power paintball guns are lightweight and offer many similar features as $1000+ paintball guns. DP guns start under $300.


DYE: DYE paintball guns are developed as the result of years of research & development and use by many of the top professional teams. DYE manufacturers guns around the spool-valve design which has little kick and is easy on paintballs, but less efficient than other designs.


Kingman: The Kingman company and its Spyder line of paintball guns have been around almost as long as paintball. If you're looking for a good quality, low-cost blowback marker from a reputable manufacturer, Kingman is your company and the Spyder is your gun.


Invert: The Invert line of paintball guns, including the Mini, gives you high-end performance without high-end price. The Mini and other Invert guns are tournament-caliber markers at mid-range prices.


Planet Eclipse: The EGO series of markers from Planet Eclipse is one of the most successful paintball markers ever. EGOs are very efficient and have a very high ROF.


Proto: The Proto Series of paintball guns are similar to DYE. The companies share ownership and Proto could be considered DYE's 'budget brand' -- the same technology stripped of some frilly features and offered at a lower price.