Paint Ball Gun Knowledge anyone?

[G2Mach1]

OK. My 11yr old son is loving this game after a few sessions
and I am looking for a gun and decent set up for him for Christmas present instead of more 1st person shoot-em-up video games and more video game crap in general. I'd certainly rather have him playing this for real while running and sweating, ducking, dodging, diving and focusing/aiming etc...

Ebay has a ton of choices and I really don't know what is good or garbage.
It seems Tippmann is a solid choice, but what makes and models?

I want to get him something decent (probably slightly used) and sure don't want to spend a ton of money on a sport for him that he will play once a month.

I'm sure he would want a fully auto gun to pepper dear ole' dad more than once at a time.

Masks? Hoppers? Canisters?

Any insight would be appreciated. And photos if you have them.

thx!:beer:

 

[5spd07gt]

i played for about 2yrs when i was in the Air Force. I'm by no means an expert but i've been thinking about selling my gear. I have decent entry level gun with lots of nice upgrades. Its a black/blue Spyder Electra. Looks like this but upgraded barrel, grips, etc(not my actual gun)...

 

[PoohBear]

I bought the Smart Parts Ion, for 150 online new. I don't play often and it seemed like a good choice for a beginners gun and can be upgraded if you like. If I could have done it again, I would have gone with the same gun, except I would have gotten the Ion XE model, which has a different body and makes cleaning the insides of the gun a lot easier. How much do you want to spend on a gun?

 

[Krwy]

The Smart Parts Ion is a decent gun from the get go. They can be upgraded down the line, lightweight, can affordable.

 

[ThatOneCobra]

if u can spare some extra bucks i would go with an ANGEL GUN.. He would really do some damage with that.lol

 

[G2Mach1]

Thanks for the input so far. If you are interested in selling me your gear PM me and send actual photos.

 

[G2Mach1]

or trade for 03 Cobra parts in my garage, haha!

 

[01FR500]

Tippmann 98 Custom is a great gun. They are cheap, reliable, unbreakable, tons of modifications available for them. Not the best gun out there or top of the line but a gun that is excellent for beginners and can be modded to grow as you gain experience and skill. I haven't played in a few years and need to sale my set-up. It's a 98 custom with upgraded barrel, expansion chamber, drop forward for better balance, great for playing in the woods.

 

[silverstang23]

Buy him a nice mask. That is the best thing you can get for paintball

 

[LaFlavor]

Does he prefer woods ball or speed ball type games?

I haven't really kept up with things for a couple years now, but I always preferred woods ball myself, and Tippmann was a really good choice. As has been mentioned, they're almost indestructible, generally lower cost than their counterparts, and can be upgraded. They don't generally have the firing rate of some of the electronic guns, but their cyclone fee system allows you to fire as fast as you're really going to need, IMNSHO. The flatline barrel makes a noticeable difference in range, too. I used to laugh inside a little bit when someone with their angel would waste a whole hopper full of paint trying to hit me while I stood just outside their range and was able to hit them no problem. Not to mention, my flat black Tippmann was much harder to see in the woods than their sparkling blue markers.

Speedball is another matter. Fire rate is more important, while range and stealth are less important. I always hated speedball, so I can't really make a good recommendation on that.

 

[G2Mach1]

We have only played speedball, which was fun as all hell to me. I like charging the kids and running them down in a confined space... scares the crap out of them while they are camping out.

I know he would be more interested in a flashy alien looking gun like that Spyder rather than the Tippmann's I have seen and used.

I like the Tippmanns myself. (Maybe Mrs. Claus can get me a Tippmann.
Eff that! I need new rear tires, and new headlights!)

Thanks for the input guys!!!

 

[FX4 SAPPER]

if u can spare some extra bucks i would go with an ANGEL GUN.. He would really do some damage with that.lol

LOL a beginner doesnt need an angel lol.

OP Tippmann makes a good quality marker, the Tippmann 98 was my first one and it lasted me a long time then i got a Spyder SE which i felt was a downgrade, then i upgraded to a bushmaster and eventually ended with an Autococker. basically you will get what you pay for, but for the money Tippmann is a very good brand to start with, or at least they used to be.

Get a 20oz Nitrogen tank instead of a straight Co2 tank because they are dual purpose, nitro tanks can accept both Nitrogen and Co2, and the Co2s cant accept Nitro. This will help out later on if he really gets into it more. You can spend a lot of money on this hobby, i was on a team for 7 years until i discovered Mustangs lol as far as gear goes, masks, hoppers, 32* makes decent stuff, i had an electric 32* auto feed hopper, 9v operated. Have fun

 

[eclipsemustang]

Cant go wrong with a tippman, I played pretty much only outdoors and I had friends with spyders, angels, etc. and someone always seemed to be having a problem. I had a 98 and never had any problems. We would play in the mud, we would wade through the creek, we would play in the snow and I never had any problems. My two buddies who got me into playing paintball both started with spyders but both switched to tippmans because of the problems their spyders gave them. 98 is good and reliable, but if you upgrade to the A-5 it seems to be just as reliable and a better gun so I would suggest one of those two.

 

[Vashthestampede]

Get a 20oz Nitrogen tank instead of a straight Co2 tank because they are dual purpose, nitro tanks can accept both Nitrogen and Co2, and the Co2s cant accept Nitro.

I can not state emphatically enough how wrong this is.


To the OP the one thing you don't skimp on is the mask. I low end mask will be uncomfortable and fog constantly just ruining the whole experience.

 

[CptJagermeister]

a good marker and mask is key. get the Smart Parts Ion it weighs 2.2lbs and would be great for him even with barrel and hopper its not that heavy. you must get a HPA tank (High Pressure Air) DO NOT RUN C02 it will break your gun good luck:thumbsup:

 

[THE_STIG]

I played for about 9 years, every type of events and have used a couple dozen different markers. I would say that the absolute best and most durable marker is the Tippmann 98. I will warn you right now, this is a very expensive hobby.

 

[DVan8504]

I've played off and on for several years. I've used a few markers and done research on many others. The best markers for beginners are always Spyders or Tippmans imo. No one needs an electric model for their first marker. You can squeeze the trigger on a mechanical marker plenty fast enough. Paintball is expensive enough for a kid without worrying about the extra expenses that come with an electric marker like using Nitrogen and an electric hopper. Some electric markers claim to run fine on CO2, but most require Nitrogen. Nitrogen tanks are quite a bit more expensive than CO2 tanks. They also cost more to fill though not a lot more than their CO2 counterparts. To get the maximum fire rate from an electric marker, you'll need an electric hopper which are more expensive than your normal hopper.

IMO, get your son a cheaper mechanical Spyder or Tippman, and if he continues to play the sport maybe an upgrade will be in order.

 

[DVan8504]

Freaking double post..

 

[FX4 SAPPER]

I can not state emphatically enough how wrong this is.


To the OP the one thing you don't skimp on is the mask. I low end mask will be uncomfortable and fog constantly just ruining the whole experience.

Care to explain on both? you can buy anti fog as well, N tanks are dual purpose

a good marker and mask is key. get the Smart Parts Ion it weighs 2.2lbs and would be great for him even with barrel and hopper its not that heavy. you must get a HPA tank (High Pressure Air) DO NOT RUN C02 it will break your gun good luck:thumbsup:

Co2 wont break your marker but it isnt as consistent as nitro.

 

[HEMIHUNTER]

Tippman,Spyder are good might want to get a battery fed tub for the balls makes for steady shooting
It is an expensive habit