New To Paintball?

Taylor J asked:


Don’t be ashamed of being new to paintball. We all had to start somewhere with no experience. I’ve seen a number of new players discouraged by more experienced players pestering and using the phrase “noob”. Rule 1, don’t listen to bastards like this. A good paintball player will help you learn about the sport. Don’t expect players to be nice to you if you are rude to them, but respect them and they will respect you.

The first question I am asked about paintball is “Does it hurt?”. Well, no, it doesn’t feel pleasant by any means. However, it is more than likely less painful than you would expect. Granted, unless you get shot at a short distance (which you’re not supposed to do) which can cause a nice bruise and OCCASIONALLY can cause VERY LIGHT bleeding. All the more reason why not to get shot.

The next question you’ll probably be asking yourself is what gun to use? Well, this varies on a number of things. Mainly, how often you play and how big your budget is. If you have NEVER played paintball before I would recommend borrowing a gun or renting a gun from a field. If it turns out that you don’t like paintball, your loss would be much less than if you purchased a $250 gun.
This leads me to my next point: buying gear. Although it’s nice to have the best gun in the world, it doesn’t mean anything unless you know how to play the game. In my opinion, starting with a cheaper gun is more beneficial to your skill as well as your wallet. A Tippman 98 Custom is an excellent starting gun for most new players. It may seem a tad pricey at first ($140 – $160), but it is quite cheap compared to other guns, which can easily exceed $1,000. If you can find a “player’s package” with your gun, I would recommend it. This usually includes a hopper, a mask and sometimes other gear. Generally you get a discount on these items. However, when purchasing a mask, I would highly recommend that you make sure that replacement lenses are readily available. If your lens is cracked, has any sort of damage that could compromise its integrity, has been shot within 10 ft. or is over a year old, it should be replaced. This might seem like a pain in the ass, but it beats the lens shrapneling into your eye and you loosing your eyesight.

Your mask, however, is not the only thing that needs maintenance. A paintball gun does require maintenance after it has been played with and periodically when stored for long periods of time. Your CO2/HPA tank usually only needs its O-ring replaced if it is broken. After you’re done playing and you’ve removed your air and hopper, look at your gun. Inspect for any physical damage first. Look for anything out of the ordinary that looks like it could hurt the gun’s performance or safety. Next, REFER TO YOUR GUN’S DISASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS and remove the bolt mechanism. Clean out the breach and barrel with a squeegee until all the paint is gone. Examine your bolt mechanism, remove all paint and inspect the O-rings of the bolt (assuming your bolt has O-rings). As long as your bolt has no damage, you’re good. Oil the bolt with PAINTBALL OIL, as other oils can cause the O-rings to swell (I have, however, had luck with RemOil). Reassemble your gun and test it out with a dry fire or two. For your hopper, as long as it is gravity fed, you can generally just run water through it to clean it. If it is electric, use caution with water. Water and electronics don’t mix. Also, some people simply run water through their guns. While this may work, it can also damage your gun over time therefore I cannot recommend “drowning” your gun to clean it.

Hopefully, this guide has helped you getting into this fast growing sport.



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Tips For Picking Out A Paintball Gun

M. Jedediah asked:


Paintball is a challenging and rather physical pastime that can quickly become the favorite recreational activity for preteens, teens and grown men and women. Getting started in the game will require some equipment, however. On the top of the list, once safety gear is taken care of, will be a paintball gun. It’s simply not possible to play without one.

For the beginning player, buying a paintball gun can be a bit of a crapshoot. Without a feel for the sport, it can be a little difficult to say what make and model and even features will fit personal style of play. Before diving into a purchase, it’s a good idea to:

* Budget. A paintball gun can be a rather big investment. With some guns running upwards in the $1,000 range, having a firm price range in mind can help guide purchases. Fortunately, there are many great guns in much, much lower pricing categories. Beginning players do not need to take out a loan to get started.

* Consider style of play. Most players start out on slower paced woods ball fields, but that doesn’t mean they’ll stay there. If you’re typically the kind of athlete that likes speed and challenge, a gun designed for this might be in order.

* Talk to other players. Chances are if you’re starting out, you have a friend or two that already plays. Get their input on what type of paintball gun should be considered. Veteran players can offer some sound advice and most of them love to talk about paintball guns any chance they can get.

* Read reviews. While friends can offer very solid advice, it doesn’t hurt to see what other people have to say about particular makes and models, as well. Professional and player reviews can provide a lot of insight about guns in every price range.

The best way to get a feel for a particular paintball gun before buying one is to actually try it out. If it’s at all possible, do just that. Other options for getting a feel for the game without buying a paintball gun right off the bat include:

* Borrow one. If friends have extra guns, this is a great way to check out the sport before making a big investment. Some friends might be loathe to loan out a spare paintball marker, but those who are trying to entice more buddies into playing likely will offer them up.

* Rentals. Most paintball fields offer a limited number of rentals. This is a fantastic way to check out a number of different guns before actually deciding on one to buy. These might not include top of the line choices, but rentals typically include some of the better beginner and even novice models.

Paintball is a fun sport for almost anyone who likes fast-paced action to get into. Although physical, this is also a game of cunning and wits. Getting started, however, will require a paintball gun. Whether one is purchased outright, borrowed or rented, it is important that a beginning player find a gun he or she is comfortable with. Understanding the basics of the gun can make all the difference in the world on the fields.



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Aiming For The Kill: Finding The Perfect Paintball Gun

Riley Hendersen asked:


So you’ve joined a few paintball games and now the adrenaline rush is in your blood. You want to be more than just a casual gamer, and so that brings up the question of what you should buy for equipment. The first obvious piece is the paintball gun. But how can you know which gun is right for you?

Purchasing the right paintball gun is a big step, and can be a pretty steep financial price depending on how expensive or advanced a weapon you want to buy. One of the things you should do is play with as many rented guns or borrowed guns as possible. There is a very wide variety of paintball guns from expensive to cheap, and some very good cheap ones, and you want to find the ones that you are comfortable with. This is also the right time to figure out your budget. There is no point in finding the perfect $700 gun if you aren’t willing to spend more than $200.

Don’t forget to ask the experts around you about what they think as far as paintball guns. Find out what fellow paintball enthusiasts at paintball fields, stores, and clubs think. Don’t only find out which guns they like and dislike, but find out the reasons for each individual’s opinions. Some may like their gun overall, but not like certain features. Decide the size and type of paintball loader you want. A bigger loader holds more balls, but is heavier. Are you a sniper, or a “spray and pray” type? This makes a difference as to which guns, models, and accessories are best for you.

A major decision to make involving paintball guns is how long a barrel you want on your paintball gun. A longer barrel is generally slightly more accurate, but this is only true to a certain extent. A barrel is more accurate to about 14 inches. There are several ones around 21, but these are showy, and are not a good idea. Most experts agree that after 14 inches the extra length doesn’t help at all, and it leaves a much larger target for other players to hit.

Once your order a paintball gun, be sure to learn everything about it. You should learn how to completely take apart the gun, and then put it back together. You should know how to clean it, load it, fire it, and repeat. It is always good to know this before extensive use. There are some great cheap paintball guns, but there are many more that are junk, so be sure to do your homework before making a purchase.

Buying a paintball gun can be a great experience, but you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a cheap piece of crap, and likewise you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a gun that just doesn’t fit your style. Do your research, take your time to figure out what type of paintball gun best fits your personality, then buy it. The perfect model paintball gun will make you a far happier player than a mismatch.



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