Which Features Matter When Buying A Paintball Marker?

By: Niyaz Kazi Click author's name for more of his/her articles

Paintball wouldn’t be much fun without the actual gun; so you might as well get one that suits your needs. When you are buying a paintball marker (a paintball gun), there are many important features which the gun should account for, including the position of the trigger, the force required to fire the trigger, the loader (hopper) system and many, many other features. This article will guide you through the main features that a paintball marker should have, along with pointers in which playing conditions the features are needed.

If you want accuracy and only accuracy (e.g. you’re a sniper), the most important factor for a marker is the size of the bore. The size of the bore usually is in the .68 caliber size; however, most of the bores have an offset up to .1 calibers. If you have already bought the gun, you should look for paint that either suits the bore or at least is very close to its size. Some of the guns come with changeable barrels – choose those if possible, as they’ll save you time finding the perfect paint, and, even more important – make you more accurate. The length of the barrel also accounts for accuracy, as long as it’s shorter than 14 inches.

If you prefer action (you’re more of a front player), you’ll probably want a lightweight gun that fires rapidly, or even a paintball pistol that has a trigger which is well positioned, preferably in the center of the actual gun.
You may also want to play as a cover player (a player who spends a lot of ammo, mainly distracting opponents) – for that you’ll need a big hopper and automatic or semi-automatic firing. In short, choosing a marker is highly dependant on your playing style.

The looks of a paintball marker don’t matter too much, except for the position of the barrel and the trigger. In more expensive models, the trigger is positioned towards the centre of the gun purely for ergonomic reasons and to eliminate the possibility of a hopper hit which leads to elimination. Hopper hit is an equipment hit which doesn’t count in most of the games, but is important in tournaments; for the average player, it’s just utterly annoying and requires reloading.

Overall, if you know the style you’re playing in and what are your exact preferences, it shouldn’t be hard to choose a paintball marker. However, if you’re new to paintball, don’t worry; just get a cheap gun. It’s easy to upgrade parts on the fly; nowadays, paintball markers and their parts seem to become cheaper and cheaper each day. Just take care - lousy equipment can ruin your game easily!

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About The Author: At Paintball Guns For Sale, you can read reviews of paintball guns and find recommended markers like the Spyder Electra.