Picking Your First Gun

Paintballing is a true mans (or womans for that matter) sport. Man to man combat, sweat, adrenaline, and maybe a little pain. All of these factors drive people to this radical sport. But probably the one most important underlying question any person new to the sport asks, what kind of gun do I get? Spyder, Mag, Cocker, Shocker, Angel, etc. But before you decide on a gun, there are a few things to consider.

First, you need to do a little analyzation. What kind of character fo you have? I highly recommend playing at least 2 to 3 games before considering a gun. Why? Because every person has a different style of play. You won't know yours without getting out there and getting dirty. For example, some people are lone wolfs, snipers if you will. They prefer to stay by themselves and kill by themselves. If you think that fits you, then I would recommend you go for accuracy, not volume. The more paint you shoot, the better the chance your going to get nailed by someone. But if you can take people out with a few shots, don't waste a load of paint and maybe your game status. Other people prefer close combat and like to stay with a group of people. For these, I would recommend a gun that can unload massive amounts of paint in a few short seconds. Generally, people who like close combat just need to kill as much as possible without getting wasted themselves. A larger number of balls, a better chance to hit your target(s).

Another thing to consider is your personal preference. What kind of gun would you think to prefer? Don't base your selection on looks. Research the many types of guns that exist in the paintballing world. Don't set your heart on a gun you have only seen. Look on the internet for reviews of the gun as generally speaking, there are quite a few. Guns that have a cool appearance may not have the reliability, speed, or accuracy that you want in a gun. Once you have found a gun that suits your characteristics, you can anodize it or upgrade it's looks to suit your tastes. But this can come after you've researched your gun. Also, ask other veteran players about what they prefer. Most people would be happy to give you an opinion on a gun (especially if they own one). Be sure you don't make a judgement about any gun unless you have had experience with it and know what you like.

Now that you've taken a little time to think about you and your preferences, it's time to start doing some research. If you don't know anything about guns or equipment, you'll need to look around and find out as much as possible. Here's a list of guns and a little description about each..

-Spyder- A great gun. An excellent choice for a beginner. Quite popular for the amount of upgrades available.

-Automag- An excellent gun. Generally speaking, this is a simple gun and a very good choice. It comes in a couple of styles and can be upgraded.

-Autococker- It is a ok gun. A lot more complex than the Mags, but each gun has it's own personality and character. It has numerous upgrade options as well.

-Shocker- It has an electronic firing system and runs from low pressure it can run in semiauto or fullauto or 3 round brust.

-Tippman- A good line of guns such as the Pro-Lite. I would definetely recommend these guns to a beginner.

-F-4 Illustrator- A good gun. Reliable from what I've heard. Quite accurate but doesn't shoot a lot of paint quickly.

-Angel- It is reliable, quiet, accurate, and a fast fire rate. But the price tag is a little steep. Generally they run at about $1200 or so.

These are just a few guns and a little overview about each one. Take these names and go research the guns. I recommend looking at all of them. They are all excellent guns but some may not be as good for beginners. Just find out as much about each of them as you can. Don't forget what I said about character and preference. Choose your gun and have a ball.