I recently fell in love with paintball.  I am new to the game and don’t yet own a paintball gun.  What kind of a gun should a newbie get?  The cost would have to be under 300$.  I’m mainly defensive player.  Feel free to tell any interesting stories too!

Well i dont know what to recommend to you personally but i'd think this would be the most fitting gun for everybody on this site

http://www.icefire-enterprises.com/

a full auto m4a1 paintball gun

A lot of courses do not allow full auto paintball guns. The Tipman Pro Lite is a good choice for a beginner, if they still make them. Actually, my brother saw that there is a "new" pepper gun for law enforcement-- looks just like a Tipman Pro Lite, and happens to shoot pepper balls which are the same size of paint balls (.68 diameter)... hmmm...

Try the Nova's... they're cheaper than other markers, work just as well and are [i]QUIET[/i], which will be important if you're playing defense frequently.

You should really check out the Tippman 98 Flatline.It is the MOST accurate paintball gun out there(its been proven).I have this gun myself and I like my paintball guns just as my real guns,super accurate and super tough!With the tippman 98 flatline it isnt as pretty as most other guns,but if your looking to play in really hot,cold,rainy,dry or muggy weather this is your gun,hell you could even dig for treasure with it.if i had to compare it with a real gun it would have to be the Ak-47 becuase of how tough it is,also you can get them for under $300(tippmans 98's that is).
Well i hope i have been of some help and check back to let us know what choice you made!


[b]Come for my guns.....I'll give ya the bullets first!![/b][50]

I'm getting an Angel LCD. [:D]

Very nice gun too bad its not under 300 smackers! the price of an Angel i would buy a few more real guns!

I agree with M4, get a Tippmann, they are the AK-47 of the painball world. I would suggest getting a model 98 custom to start. You can then later add the flatline barrel kit (a must in my opinion) and annoy the guys with the cutomized Autocockers. One local field banned the flatline after some of the regulars who own Autocockers whined. Said something to the effect of them being too much of an advantage. Like there can be such a thing when you are taking on guys with $1200 into their guns and the full-auto kit (also available fot the 98, but I personally do not like them. I see far too many people forget what the sights are for when they have full-auto).

Get your self a good 20oz tank (or two 12s) and a couple hundred round hopper and a tri pack or reloaders and you should be all set. I also advise getting your own goggles. That way you can put thermal lenses into them and don't get scratched to hell eyewhere that fogs.

Thanks! you dudes have been a big help, I'll be sure to post if I get one.

The best bang for the buck right now is the Spyder Shutter. Just replace the barrel.  You will replace the barrell on ANY pantball gun you buy.  The Shutter comes out of the box hopped up with all the bells and whistles you would want to add later.  It's under 200 bucks.

i agree with troll,  my spyder has never failed me and i got it for quite a bit less than 200 bucks.

it even came with a remote and a freaking SWEET barrell.  quite accurate with good paint.

i bought it used, and have had little trouble with it, however, spyders tend to go through o-rings faster than most guns, so get some of those.  mine also tends to function best with quite a bit of oil sprayed into the air intake.  if you dont do this it usually eats through CO2 like nobodys business, but that just may be my particular spyder.

anyway, it is a good gun, and i like how light it is with my remote.

have fun and keep your head down

  -Spaceman

KhanFire:

I have been playing scenario for 3+ years now...Team Captain of a team, played sniper, been a referee on many ocassions...in short, been there and got a hickie there too.  All players on my team have Tippmann 98's.  The new custom can be had for about $125.00.  This will leave money in your budget for a tank, squegee, remote line, mask, and fanny pack plus some loaders.  I have one player with a flatline.

The flatline will shoot longer than any other gun, but is NOT terribly consistent from shot to shot.  Put 12" Smart Parts All American barrel on it and it will be very accurate for close up work. (Actual tests have been done and this is the best barrel for the gun.)

Be sure to get a fog-proof lens in your mask as well.  A must have.  Oh, and some cheap gloves are good as well.

Almost my entire team of 12 have purchased their equipment at www.888paintball.com.

If you have any specific questions, let me know.

-White Horse

I totally agree with the 98 custom.  I have one and it may have been said here before but its worth saying again.  They are the AK47 of paintball.  I have a 14 inch barrel on it and I can hit what I want to hit.  They are the best gun for the money hands down.  I got a power pack, which is the gun, hopper, mask, tank, and squgee for $190.

I will recommend the Tippmann Custom 98.  i have one and it is accurate, and DURABLE!!  Never fails to go splat!  I put a Lapco Bigshot 12" barrel on that bad boy and it smokes.  You can really get alot of accessories for the Custom 98 as well if you ever want to upgrade.  Plus the complete package for a Custom 98 is under $200 - that would be hopper, tank, mask, squeegee etc.  All you need to play.  Get a 20oz tank though.  Or better yet go Hi Pressure Air.

Definately recommend a 98 Custom for starters as is inexpensive, accurate, and reliable.  
Last year some guys I work with started playing after work on Wednsdays and some weekends on a coworkers land.  Where in MN are you?  If interested, maybe you can join us this spring.

Best bang for your buck for around 300 bucks is a vert feed cocker.  I haven't checked prices in a while, but you should be able to find one for a little over 300.  Cockers are the Camaros of the paintball world...the gun will grow with you if you want it to.  You can spend as much as you want on it as you go along, and it'll always keep up with you.  Negatives are they can be finicky if you're not mechanically inclined.  But they're definitely the most fun.  I love my cocker ;)

I started out with a Tippman 98, and it's a damn fine marker.  If you only have 300 bucks to spend overall, I'd suggest the following.

Tippman = 120 bucks if you shop around
12 volt rev hopper = 40? Or even lower maybe since the new egg shaped crap came out
47ci tank = 50 or 60 bucks
Dropforward for tank = 20 bucks or so
GOOD MASK(Most important) = 50 bucks
Case of paint

You'll be set, and be able to play with the big boys.  I shut down many electro-nerds with my 98.  How many rounds per second do you need to miss me with, anyway?

go to [url]www.paintballguns.com[/url] just click on the sites and look at their paintball guns.  I'm thinking about getting a paintball adapter for my blowgun.

My vote has to go to Tippmann as well.  I've had a Tippmann Pro-lite since they first came out and it has never failed me.  It's pretty accurate stock and never breaks balls in the barrel.  This one is my second Tippmann.  I used to have a SL-68II.  Great pump gun.   Anyway, you won't be disappointed with Tippmann.  (Did I say Tippmann enough?)

The Tippmann's a good gun, but if you get into the sport you'll need to step up eventually...whatever you do dont pour money into a cheaper gun, you'll never get it back, and it still wont compete with guns like Automags or Cockers..but then again, its how good you are that really counts.

Pump - Trracer/Maverick.  EXCELLENT entry gun, based on the old (and proven!) Nelson in-line valve system.  Easy to tune and modify as desired.   I have three.

Auto - Tippmann 98 Series.  My younger boy bought one on my advice (after the VM-68 series was not longer available) and he LOVES it!  It's as reliable as a brick, solid as a rock, and another gun easy to tune and mod.  His favourite part - everyone he knows with a Spyder keeps putting it in the shop, while his T98 goes and goes and goes...

Stay away from Autocockers and Automags until you are getting along well with what you have - people spent a LOT of time tuning them!  Also, most of the newer and higher-end guns are really picky about how they are fed.  The Tippmanns are like my old VM - CO2 (liquid or gas) CA, Nitrogen - they will run on anything.  I can borrow a tank from anyone and stay in the game!

FFZ