When the subject of “best paintball guns” pops up in a discussion among paintball enthusiasts there is seldom a consensus opinion.  You would think that you stepped into the middle of a nasty political debate.  Quite possibly, the best way for settling the “best paintball guns” debate is on the paintball playing field.  But even then, among the losers, there will still be those who refuse to acknowledge that they were defeated because of a superior marker.

In reality, winning is not just about having the superior fire power.  The skill of the player is still the most important key to victory.  There’s a lot more to paintball than just looking cool or carrying the superior weapon.  Oops, called it a “weapon”…which is politically incorrect, although most paintballers are playing out their war fantasies.

Back to the subject of “best paintball guns.”  Actually, if you want the very best it’s going to cost you.  Some markers sell for as much as $2000 which makes the $1000 Angel guns sound like a bargain.  There’s at least one marker, the Breda M37 8mm Machine Gun replica by Real Action Paintball, that will set you back at $4,999.  You have to wonder, “why not $5000?”  After all, if you can shell out $4,999, then surely you can afford the extra dollar.

So, what do you get for $4,999?  The Breda M37 8mm Machine Gun replica by Real Action Paintball is a custom made replica that weighs in at 30 lbs and can fire in semi-automatic, short burst and full auto modes.  If you prefer to battle it out in a stationary position with little to know running from barrier to barrier this is the marker for you.  You may not win many battles but you will make a lot of noise, fire off a ton of ammo, and impress the heck out of your paintball buddies.

If you want the lightest gun on the market you can pick it up for $1,995.  There we go with the pricing game again.  It’s not a $2,000 gun but a $1,000 gun.  Right!  Hand me my credit card.  Anyway, for superior ultra lightweight fire power the Planet Exclipse SL74 is one of the finest markers that money can buy.  This fantastic marker offers less kick than previous models in the series and even features a mechanism to allow its user to choose between lower pressure and a higher shot count.

For $1,500 you can get a WDP Angel G7 which may well be the fastest paintball gun in the world.  It can fire thirty-one pellets per second at a velocity of 300 feet per second.  Want to intimidate your single shot buddies?  Then this is the gun for you.

At just under $900 another superior gun is the Bob Long Intimidator, or as devoted owners of this marker call it, the Timmy.

So, let’s come down to earth and deal with the reality faced by most of us mere mortals who don’t have thousands of bucks to put down on a paintball gun.  What about us?  What the best paintball gun for us?

A good case can be made for the Tippmann A-5 that sells for about $150.  If you need a reliably accurate marker that is easy to maintain and offers semi-automatic capacity then the Tippmann A-5 is a solid choice.

Part of the fun of paintball is the quest for the ultimate gun.  Somewhere in the equation has to be the word “affordable.”  What is the most gun you can afford, or your wife will let you buy?  In reality, there are a number of markers that qualify as “best paintball guns.”  But, let’s face it, the real quest remains on the field of battle.  There is where we make the best…with what we’ve got.  What’s that?  Was I just taken out with a $50 Spyder Victor?