New to paintball? Looking for your first marker? You have a number of options to consider in buying the gear that suits your skill level and usage. A good starting point in selecting the gun -or "marker" as the sport prefers to call it - along with a variety of safety equipment, paintballs and accessories. Our staff of expert paintball players are here to help! Call us at 1-800-875-4547 and we'll help answer any questions and narrow down a choice of options based on your needs. With our 30 Day Guarantee and 120% Guaranteed Low Price, you can't make a wrong decision at paintball-online.com.

• How to buy a Paintball Marker/Gun

  • Determine your skill level

  • Determine your usage

  • Determine the right pressure systems

    • Carbon dioxide (C02)

    • High-pressure air

  • Choosing the right accessories

• Protective gear

  • Vest

  • Pads

  • Eye protection

• How to buy paint

  • Diameter

  • Color

  • Freshness

How to buy a Paintball Marker/Gun

Determine your skill level

The marker you need is really dependent on your skill.

• Rec-ball Player

• Look for a marker which is easy to maintain

• You can upgrade your marker as your skill level and requirements increase (throughout our site, our staff of paintball players have selected the Most Popular Upgrades for each marker, you'll notice these upgrades listed below each gun.)

• Scenario Player

• Look for markers with more features, including automatic firing

• You can always upgrade your marker as your skill level and requirements increase

• Stealth is very important so choose a ported barrel

• Tournament player

• Your marker should be purchased to fit the position you are most likely to play: front, mid, or back

Tournament players need to look for a marker that suits their position.

• Front players
  

  • Speed, weight and size are critical since your main goal is to draw fire vs. shooting

  • If you don't want to mount your air supply on your marker, you can purchase a remote air hose to decrease weight and to increase your mobility

  • When you do shoot, accuracy is a must, so find a marker that allows you to mount the air supply bottle so it can be used as a stock

• Mid players

• You'll be shooting lots of rounds so choose a high pressure system

• You will want a system that allows you to load and shoot from multiple angle

• Back players

• You need to be able to aim a stream of paint at someone at any given moment

• You need to be able to see everyone on the field so high visibility goggles are very important

• Buy a large air supply bottle to get the highest shot capacity (example)

Determine the right pressure systems:

Pressure, or propulsion, systems give your marker the air it needs to propel a paintball. All tanks are shipped unfilled because of shipping restrictions. Two styles are offered:

• Carbon dioxide

• The most common pressure system

• The tank size determines the rounds that you will be able to shoot

• The main drawback is that carbon dioxide can be either a liquid, gas or both, depending on temperatures, especially when they dip below 50F. This causes fluctuations in velocities and therefore in shooting accuracy.

• For most recreational players, this system is more safe and reliable. Plus, most fields offer stations to readily fill your carbon dioxide tanks.

• High-pressure air (HPA) and nitrogen systems

• These always operate as a gas so your marker doesn't fall prey to changing velocities

• This then further ensures accuracy. If you are serious about the sport, consider this option.

• Some fields, though, may not be able to fill your system so check before buying

Once you decide on a marker and air system, you need to consider a number of accessories. Below each marker listed on our site, there are a drop down of suggested accessory options such as:

• Hopper

• A hopper is a plastic container that holds your paintballs and gravity usually feeds them into your marker (gravity feed hopper)

• You can also buy a motorized hopper, which should be considered if you need to shoot rapidly

• Hoppers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, holding from 40 to 300 paintballs

• Mobility and weight become a factor in selecting the hopper that meets your needs and playing ability

• Air System

• If you don't want to mount your air supply on your marker, you can purchase a remote air hose to decrease weight and to increase your mobility. This long tube allows you to then carry your tank on a backpack or belt .

• Belt pack (Harness)

• A belt pack holds your supplies, primarily extra paint and loaders

• The amount of ammo it can hold varie

• Squeegee

• A squeegee keeps your gun barrel clean

• You can purchase either a stick squeegee or a pull-through

• Both work well, but make sure the system you buy works on your gun's barrel

• A squeegee holder is also recommended so that you will always have it on you

• Barrels

  • Most markers are sold with a stock barrel that can be changed

  • If you want to buy an extra barrel, consider several factors

    • Low-pressure systems can use longer barrels

    • Length improves accuracy, but the barrel should be matched to the paint you are shooting-small, medium, or large. Most use .68

    • Materials provide a weight difference. If you need mobility, a lighter barrel may be just the thing for you.

Protective gear

Vest

• Provides protection in the critically sensitive areas, including your kidneys, heart and back.

Pads

• Elbow, knee, and shin pads preserve those areas that get roughed up when you're sliding, crawling, falling, or getting hit in sensitive areas

• Gloves are another good investment

Eye protection

• Paintball goggles aren't an option; these are a must!

• Don't try to save a few bucks by wearing ski goggles or sunglasses

• Paintball goggles are designed to withstand the impact of a paintball, and give you front, top, and side protection

• These goggles are also designed to increase your peripheral vision, giving you a wider field of vision

• Most also come with face shields and eye armor to further protect you. These cover the forehead, ears and jaw. Full masks are also available.

How to buy paint

The outside of a paintball is a gelatin, with the paint inside. The gelatin has to be tough enough to fire through your marker but soft enough to break when hitting your target. While paintballs used to be oil-based, today's water-soluble replacements make clean up a whole lot easier.

Diameter

• Paintballs come in several sizes between .67 and .79 inches

  • When selecting paintballs, make sure it meets the specifications for your barrel diameter

Color

• Paintballs are biodegradable and non-toxic

• Non-toxic dyes are used to provide color

• The color you select should be determined by playing conditions

  • You may want a bright color in densely wooded areas so you can see where your paintballs are hitting

Freshness

• Age and humidity are the two biggest enemies of paintballs

• Keep a fresh supply and store them in a cool, dry place

• Never use dirty paint balls. They can harm the barrel or prematurely explode and clog the gun.