Looking for the best paintball gun to wreak havoc on your opponents? Ok, maybe wreak just some paint and a little pain? It all starts with the gun of course! Let’s take a look at the most popular good paintball guns out there, available in 2022, chosen on the merit of type of gun, quality, and also value for money. PaintballGunDoc has also put up a very detailed paintball mask buying guide, allowing you to buy the best paintball mask within your budget. Check it out if you need a mask as well!

If you would rather not read through this page but want a single recommendation on one of the best top paintball guns there is, one that you just can’t go wrong with, we would say that you go with the Planet Eclipse Etha 2, priced just over $400. Phenomenal gun. So good that it not only beats another insanely popular and comparably priced gun in the Empire Axe 2.0 but almost goes toe to toe with the GTEK 170R, a gun retailing for as much as $799! We have covered Etha 2 in our Paintball Marker Wars series. Check it out here!

Best Paintball Guns 2022 – A Complete Guide!

Best Electronic Paintball Guns

Electronic guns use a micro trigger pull mechanism that requires very little effort to pull the trigger. A battery powers a solenoid that uses a laser beam to sense trigger pulls and all it takes is mouse click like pressure to pull the trigger.

Also, since the solenoid is highly programmable, you will usually have the option to quickly switch between single fire, three burst, ramping (more paintballs are fired when you apply incremental pressure to the trigger) and speedball modes, without any difference to trigger sensitivity. Electronic guns, especially the top-rated electronic paintball markers, are quieter than their compressed air counterparts and definitely have a lot less recoil. When recoil is low, accuracy becomes higher. This is why electronic guns are a very popular choice for paintballers who are serious about their game, even if it means that the top paintball markers are more expensive.

Best High-End (Expert Level) Electronic Paintball Marker

DYE Rize CZR – Best Professional Paintball Gun

• Styling – Desert Storm / Lava / Prism PGA / Russian Legion / Shadow Fire and Silver Night
• Environment – Tournament / All
• Weight – 1 lbs 10 oz
• Total parts – 22 Components (Not Parts)
• Build – High-Grade Aluminum
• Battery – Rechargeable Lithium Ion Battery (USB Cable recharging)
• OS –Method OS with Prism Interface
• Display – Yes 1′ screen, 128 x 128 pixels (adjustable brightness)
• Caliber – .68
• Stock barrel – 14′ 2 Piece Barrel + 1x.684′ and .688 barrel backs
• Air Supply – Compressed air or Nitrogen only. Max pressure 850 psi
• Trigger Type – BWing21 Trigger (Reach, magnet and travel adjustable)
• Firing Modes – Semi-Auto / Millennium / NXL Ramp / PSP Burst / Full Auto & Outlaw
• Max BPS – 18
• Modability – Very High
• Playing level – Advanced
• Accuracy level – Very High
• Recoil level – Very Low
• Warranty – One Year

 

Buy the Dye Rize CZR Electronic Paintball Marker at Amazon, Here. The Dye Rize CZR is the best Dye paintball marker out there, and with good reason.

Let’s first start with the bolt system. The Dye Rize CZR bolt system is the FL-21 bolt that works in two stages. The first stage is a slow and soft to prep the paint while the second stage delivers the awesome power that this marker puts out. This advanced bolt is designed to deliver air efficiency, consistency, a low recoil as well as the ability to shoot with very little air pressure. The bolt tip has also been heavily modified from previous Dye versions to offer a very quiet shot, while also being gentle on brittle paint.

The bolt is also very easy to service. All you have to do is push the button system that will allow you to remove, clean out and put the bolt back, in a matter of seconds.

The next most amount of detail has been spent on the ASA. Since the Dye Rize CZR is obviously meant to be used as a professional paintball gun, Dye have ensured that the ASA can be operated without buttons, levers or tools. All you have to do is press and slide out the ASA from the very cleverly built slide lock cover. The press and slide out is so simple that the SLAP name that Dye have given for this ASA is quite apt.

The Prism interface gives you complete control and intelligence about your gun. A brilliant vividly color screen

The OS gives you a lot of training modes to help you get used to the Dye Rize CZR. Modes such as breakout drill, snapshot drill and rate of drill are supported by data and features such as training mode statistics and tournament locks. You can use the OS to create player profiles (up to 5) and track or change shot counts, rate of fire, game clock, trigger sensitivity, ABS, ABS wait time, eye delay and more.

By default, the screen will show the selected profile, service schedule, average rate of fire, dwell setting, anti-bolt stick status, shot counter, Hyper6s Pro pressure and peak rate of fire. This is just one of the screens you can choose to view by default. Another profile lets you see the eye system status, selected profile, rate of fire, shot counter, battery level, BT Connection status, count down game timer, firing mode and tournament lock on your screen. There’s 5 other screens as well for you to choose from.

You can control the screen with a 5-way joystick that is very intuitive to use, allowing you to navigate through screen quickly, making changes in seconds.

Even the Eye system has a pretty cool feature. The construction is such that the eye pipe, made out of poly-carbonate, is wiped out clean by the O-ring on the bolt-tip, every cycle, ensuring brilliantly effective self-cleaning. This is one of the main reasons why the Rize CZR never doubles paintball feed or chops paint.

There’s other features that make the Dye Rize CZR a cool paintball gun. It offers wireless charging. Just place it on the charging pad that Dye ships along with this gun and the NFC system will have it charging automatically! Another cool feature is e-Voke compatibility, a feature that you will love, especially if you have e.Voke enabled on your Dye i5 paintball mask.

Dye Rize CZR Grips are brilliant and designer for a double finger trigger hold. The sticky grips have been made with a great amount of attention to ergonomics, allowing for responsible and fast trigger action.

The Dye Rize CZR trigger is another brilliant feature. rake, reach, magnet, travel can all be adjusted. Trigger adjustments are all external too, allowing you to find just that perfect pull without having to take the whole gun apart.

The Dye Rize CZR feedneck is a low profile clamping feed neck that will allow Dye’s R-2 loader to sit snugly, without hindering your sights down the gun.

All in all, it just doesn’t get better than the Dye Rize CZR paintball marker, at least from the Dye stables. Sure, the Planet Eclipse Eclipse CS2 Pro and the HK Army Luxe X compete with the Dye Rize CZR, but not without costing at least $300 to $500 more. Considering that price difference, the Dye Rize CZR is the best value priced professional paintball marker. If you want to see how the Dye Rize CZR compares with the CS2 Pro and the HK Army Luxe X, please read our post on the best electronic paintball markers.

Dye DAM Assault Matrix – Best Magazine Fed Paintball Gun

• Styling – Black Assault (Magazine fed look)
• Environment – Tournament Specialized. But Good for all other formats as well
• Build – Steel / Composite (4.76 lbs without clips)
• Battery – Replaceable and accessible in e-grip
• Battery Capacity – 9 Volt
• Board Type – DAM Circuit Board
• Display – No
• Caliber – .68 / First Strike
• Stock barrel – 14′ Two-Piece Barrel (Ultra-Light)
• Feeder – Compressed Air Only
• Trigger Type – Competition Grade. Adjustable front and back travel
• Firing Modes – Semi-Auto, Three Burst, Full-Auto & Programmable modes
• Gun Length – 31 inches (adjustable) length can be shortened a LOT!
• Max BPS – 33
• Loader type – Dual stack Magazines (2) Included. Also takes top loader
• Modability – Very High
• Playing level – Advanced
• Accuracy level – Very High to Ultra High with First Strike Paintballs
• Recoil level – Low
• Tank Capacity – Stock mag holds 20 (10 each). Upgrade to Dye Box Rotor increases capacity to 325!
• Maximum shots from one tank -20 (from just stock magazine)
• Warranty – n/a

Buy the DAM Assault Matrix at Amazon, here.

If you want the best tactical paintball marker out there, the Dye DAM Assault Matrix is a gun that will make you drool. What makes this gun special is the dual stack magazine feed option. Capable of housing 10 and 10 .68 and first strike paintball guns and also housing a top loading hopper, you have the amazing capability of switching from magazine fed to hopper fed with a flick of a switch.

An ideal way to take advantage of this feature is to load the magazine with first strike paintballs and load the hopper with .68 caliber paintballs. Rain balls from your hopper in speedball like encounters while you switch to magazine fed to use those deadly one-kill first strike balls, for long-distance encounters. In case you didn’t know, a first-strike paintball has a supremely aerodynamic shape that increases range by almost 50%, with almost no loss in accuracy even in the end of that extended range.

Now, coming back to the Dye DAM Assault, you can also couple it with the Dye Box Rotor which will increase your magazine fed capacity to 325! The box rotor is expensive at about $400. But, if budget isn’t an issue and you want to max-out your ammo capacity, the Dye DAM is the paintball marker or paintball gun you want and the Dye Box Rotor the upgrade you want.

Now, please bear in mind that is an advanced level paintball gun. Coming in at a hefty 4.76 lbs without the magazine, it isn’t for beginners. The Dye DAM can be heavily customized. The modular shroud has two components that can both be removed to reduce weight.

Please bear in mind that removing the second half of the shroud will mean that you have to get rid of the front grip as well, as it  mounts on to the second shroud component. In all, the gun has more than two feet of Picatinny rails that will allow you to add optics, lasers, Go-Pros of just about anything that can be mounted on a Picatinny rail. Most Dye DAM Assault users use optics combined with a Dye Rotor Box upgrade so they can make the most of a no-hopper sights down the gun.

The stock is removable and also length adjustable and comes with a pretty decent storage space, to maybe store a battery or some tools. Speaking of storage, the Dye DAM comes in a very sturdy hard-top zipper like case with quality foam padding. And it also comes with a look-alike magazine that is actually a storage space and not really a magazine. It will have a battery, O-ring and other tools.

The bolt is very serviceable without tools, thanks to a quick release system. The velocity adjuster is built into the bolt and requires an Allen key to adjust.

As mentioned before, one of the biggest advantages of the Dye DAM is the ability to change from hopper fed to magazine fed on the fly. Dye in-fact calls this the OTF (On the fly) system. The magazines can be swapped out with either hand (ambidextrous). If all you need is a few good shots to take down your opponents, you will just fall in love with this gun and the magazine feed system, especially since it can house first strike paintballs. To cater to specific tournament needs, you can perform a board lockout and make the Dye DAM compatible in no-time.

All parts that require frequent maintenance are accessible with just 2 steps, only sometimes requiring allen keys. The DYE Dam comes with both a standard feed neck cover plate as well as a adjustable cam-lock style feed neck, giving you faster lock-on to your hopper should you prefer that style.

The low profile of this assault paintball marker, insane accuracy, ability to shoot first strike and being able to go from a precision shooter to volume dumper (with the Dye BOX rotor) all mean that you can wipe out your opponents at just one go, without ever reloading or re-configuring your gun, mid-play!

Many call the Dye Dam Assault Matrix the greatest paintball gun ever made. It might give you more firepower than you will ever practically need during a paintball game. But hey, who has ever really complained about having too much of a good thing!

Read our full review of the Dye Dam Assault Matrix here.

Empire Paintball BT Defender – Best Paintball Gun with Built In Loader

• Styling – Black
• Environment – Scenario (Loader Built Into Gun!)
• Build – Lightweight Magnesium Shell
• Battery – 6 AA Batteries Included (Powers Gun and Loader)
• Battery Capacity – n/a
• Board Type – n/a
• Display – Yes – LED Display to show Firing Mode and battery level
• Caliber – .68
• Stock barrel – .Apex (Spin) 12′ Barrel  with ,680,685 and .690 Inserts
• Feeder – Compressed Air Only
• Trigger Type – Bearing Trigger (Smooth) Programmable 3 ways
• Firing Modes – Semi, Burst, Ramping, Full Auto and Single Fire
• Gun Length – n/a
• Max BPS – 20
• Loader type – Built into back of gun (reducing height of gun)
• Modability – Low
• Playing level – Advanced
• Accuracy level – High
• Recoil level – Low
• Tank Capacity – 230 to 250
• Maximum shots from one tank -n/a
• Warranty – n/a

Buy the Empire Paintball BT Defender at Amazon, here.

This paintball gun is really one of a kind. It was primarily designed to help a player eliminate the tall profile that a paintball gun gets from a top loading hopper. Though the Dye DAM Assault Matrix (discussed above) does the same, it only does it for almost double the price of the Defender. In this gun, the loader or hopper is built into the butt-cap, giving players clean sights. If you are looking for a top rated magazine fed gun, this is definitely one that fits the bill.

The trigger is connected to the loader which means that the loader starts to spin only when you hit the trigger. This means that there is no reliance on gravity feed which means less chopped balls. The downside however is that the loader has a lower profile than the barrel, meaning that balls are pushed up and then down before they are shot.

While the loader does amazingly well at avoiding chopped balls, it won’t be able to load the last 10 or so balls as it will need more balls to push paint down the breach. But a quick refill when you are running low is more than enough to fix the problem. You can also use gravity to fire out those last few shots in dire emergencies.

The box is configured to play right out of the box, with PSI set at 200. Empire recommends that you don’t change this PSI setting although there are plenty of players who have set it as high as 250. We however recommend that you keep it at 200. There is an Allen key that you can turn to adjust velocity if you really want to tinker with speed of paint shot.

Maintenance of this gun is extremely easy, with tool-less repair enough to fix those rare paint jams. This is one of the best paintball markers to own if you are not one of those people who likes doing a lot of maintenance. Two finger push pins and a squeeze and snap pin are enough to expose the breach and ramp, both of which can be cleaned without tools as well. Taking apart the breach and cleaning and putting it back will take all of maybe 2 minutes, meaning you can bet back in the game.

If you think you will love a gun that offers you great sights without a loader, this is the one for you. People who use it never use any other paintball marker, ever! It also has to be said that is one of the cool paintball guns out there. It really is unique and will make people turn and do a double take to see what you are carrying.

Buy the Empire Paintball BT Defender at the best price, from Amazon, here.

Best Mid-Range Electronic Paintball Marker

Planet Eclipse ETEK 5 – Best Paintball Gun Under 500 Dollars

• Styling – Black & Several color combo options (Red, camo, neon, green etc)
• Environment – Woodsball / Scenario / Speedball
• Build –  Glass Nylon Composite / Aluminum / Textured Wraparound Grips
• Battery – Accessible on side of grip
• Battery Capacity – 9 V
• Board Type – Up-gradable OLED Board costs an extra $99
• Display -RGB Led Included / OLED Upgrade optional
• Caliber – .50
• Stock barrel – 14.5′ Two-Piece barrel .693 Bore
• Feeder – CO2 / Compressed Air (Recommended) Tanks are not included
• Trigger Type – Two Finger Aluminum, Smooth but with a little side to side play
• Firing Modes – Semi Capped and Uncapped. Ramping up to 15 BPS
• Gun Length – 21.73 Inches
• Max BPS – 15
• Loader type – Not Included
• Modability – High
• Playing level –  Intermediate / Advanced
• Accuracy level – High
• Recoil level – Very Low
• Tank Capacity – No tank available with gun.
• Maximum shots from one tank -n/a
• Warranty – 12 Months Warranty

The ETEK 5 from Planet Eclipse is a gun that might just close the large gap between “intermediate” and “tournament” level paintball guns, giving you a very highly efficient gun at about $550, a third of the price that you will pay for similar performance from a gun like the Dye 2.

Buy the Planet Eclipse ETEK 5 at Amazon, here.

The extra efficiency all comes down to the build. The ETEK 5 uses a lot of moving parts and features a ZICK3 Rammer system and a CURE5 bolt along with an internal LPR to give you a soft, consistent shot with almost no recoil. With an operating pressure of just 150 PSI, you are going to get longevity along with high-end performance as well, crucial when you need to spray paint in speedball tournaments or games.

As a stock model, the gun features a RGB display that gives you basic information like firing modes based on the color being shown. But, if you upgrade the board to a OLED board, you get a nice crisp white on black display that shows you shots fired, firing modes and other crucial information like battery life. This paintball gun weighs just 2.2 lbs and is therefore a highly efficient gun that won’t fatigue your arms. A lot of hardcore paintballers say that this gun is extremely similar to the LVI, another high performance gun.

The manual that comes with the gun is one of the best in the industry. In fact, all Planet Eclipse marker paintball markers come with exemplary manuals that show actual shots and cross-sections of the gun, instead of drawings, making it very easy for you to take the gun apart, should maintenance needs arise.

If you are looking to get serious with paintball and don’t quite have the $1,500 or so to spend on a high-end marker, get this gun and put down another $100 on a OLED upgrade and maybe look at a barrel upgrade (like the MacDev Shift 2) and you are pretty much on the same league as the big boys, at least equipment wise! All this comes with a very strong 2-year warranty from Planet Eclipse, a company that firms stands behind its products and is always willing to help resolve customer gripes.

Buy the Planet Eclipse ETEK 5 at the best price, from Amazon, here.

Dye Proto Rize MaXXed Paintball Marker – Best Paintball Gun Under 400 Dollars

• Styling – Black & Lime/Orange/Grey/Green and Blue/Red combo
• Environment – Tournament
• Build –  Composite Frame with Aluminum Barrel
• Battery – Yes
• Battery Capacity – 9 V
• Board Type – Same board used in Rize Proto
• Display – No. Only LED to display firing mode
• Caliber – .68
• Stock barrel – 14′ Two Piece Barrel (Aluminum)
• Feeder – CO2 / Compressed Air (Recommended) Tanks are not included
• Trigger Type – Adjustable Aluminum Trigger
• Firing Modes – 4 Firing Modes
• Gun Length -n/a
• Max BPS – 14.28
• Loader type – Not Included
• Modability – High
• Playing level –  Intermediate
• Accuracy level – High to very high, with appropriate mods
• Recoil level – Very Low
• Tank Capacity – No tank available with gun.
• Maximum shots from one tank -About 800 shots on a 4000 psi tank
• Warranty – 1 Year Dye Warranty

Buy the Dye Proto Rize MaXXed at Amazon, here.

At $350, this gun comes with plenty of features that you will typically only find in paintball markers priced beyond $600 to $750. For starters, The Maxxed comes with an On/Off ASA. The feed neck on the marker comes with a neat little rotating lever that makes putting on or taking off a hopper incredibly easy, without having to awkwardly rotate gun or hopper.

The guns anti-chop technology means that you have a very high chance of shooting even fragile, neglected paintballs, without messy chops.

For those worried that the Maxxed might have the same Solenoid issues as the standard Rize, you needn’t worry. An updated Solenoid is one of the main features of the Maxxed and they have got it bang on this time. The firing bolt uses larger air volume but operating pressure is just 140 psi compared to about 160 on the standard Rize.

Besides these features, you also get dual density sticky grips that do a fantastic job ergonomically speaking, while also giving rugged protection to your gun’s battery and board. Dye have also thought of other neat little things like a fantastic user manual that makes it very easy for you to understand how to take apart the gun and put it back together. They have even take the pains to color-code o-rings so you don’t fumble around during assembly. A very highly rated paintball gun, offering high-end features for a mid-end price.

Though the gun is great, we recommend that you swap out the free battery that comes with the gun with a high-quality battery of your own. Dye have chosen a rather poor battery after designing such a quality gun. But, that shouldn’t deter you from buying this otherwise flawless paintball gun.

Buy the Dye Proto Rize MaXXed at the best price, from Amazon, here.

Planet Eclipse Etha Paintball Marker – Best Paintball Gun Under 300 Dollars

• Styling – Black Camo
• Environment – Woodsball / Scenario / Speedball (possibly)
• Build –  Aluminum / iPlate and Grip frame is high-grade Composite
• Battery – Accessible after removing just one screw on grips
• Battery Capacity – n/a
• Board Type – n/a
• Display – No. Uses LED lights to indicate firing mode
• Caliber – .68
• Stock barrel – 14.5′ Two-Piece barrel
• Feeder – CO2 / Compressed Air (Recommended) Tanks are not included
• Trigger Type – Leaf Spring Trigger
• Firing Modes – Semi / Ramped Capped / Ramping Uncapped
• Gun Length – 21.22 Inches
• Max BPS – 15
• Loader type – Not Included
• Modability – High
• Playing level –  Intermediate
• Accuracy level – Medium. Can be made high with mods
• Recoil level – Medium (High feel with good feedback)
• Tank Capacity – No tank available with gun.
• Maximum shots from one tank -n/a (General opinion is it is a bit gas hungry)
• Warranty – n/a

Buy the Planet Eclipse ETHA at Amazon, here.

The Planet Eclipse Etha has been around for a while and is a popular choice for intermediate tournament players and also for advanced tournament players who are on a budget. This gun is very different from other similarly priced electronic markers in that it comes with a lot of feedback. You can actually feel the actuation when you fire a shot. Unless you like high-end paintball guns like the Dye M2, guns that have almost no recoil, you might actually enjoy the feedback you get with this gun, giving you more immersive play when you are out there.

The large trigger frame and the excellent ergonomics of the gun make this one of the best player’s paintball guns. The build is mostly aluminum but the grips are composite, which is a bit of a downer. But then, the composite material is very durable and will not be a problem in terms of ruggedness. You will just miss the metal feel. But that’s why this paintball marker is retailing at less than $350, for the performance it offers will otherwise easily allow it to fetch a $400+ price point.

Buy the Planet Eclipse ETHA at the best price, from Amazon, here.

Tippmann A-5 – Best Woodsball Paintball Gun

• Styling – Matte black
• Environment – Woodsball / Scenario / Speedball (possibly)
• Build –  Aluminum
• Battery – Quickly replaceable from the rear
• Battery Capacity – n/a
• Board Type – n/a
• Display – No
• Caliber – .68
• Stock barrel – 8.5′ aluminum barrel
• Feeder – CO2 / Compressed Air (Recommended) Tanks are not included
• Trigger Type – Two Finger / adjustable to reduce side to side play
• Firing Modes – Semi-Auto / Full Auto / Auto Response / Three burst / Turbo
• Gun Length – 20 Inches
• Max BPS – 15
• Loader type – Cyclone Feeder (Included)  / Electronic Hopper
• Modability – Very High
• Playing level – Beginner / Intermediate
• Accuracy level – Medium. Can be made high with mods
• Recoil level – Low with e-grips
• Tank Capacity – No tank available with gun.
• Maximum shots from one tank -n/a
• Warranty – Two years

Buy the Tippmann A-5 at Amazon, here.

The Tippmann A-5 is a reliable gun with which you can throw yourself into bunkers, sand and even walls and still expect the gun to fire like it was just off the shelf. It comes with a cocking mechanism that will allow you to use the gun even if the battery runs out, as long as there is gas in the tank, even firing 15 balls per second on full auto mode.

With 5 firing modes; semi-auto, full auto, auto response, three round burst and full turbo, this is a fantastic gun at $299. The fact that it comes with a 200 round low profile hopper and a very durable cyclone feed that allows up to 15 balls per second fire makes this a mid range performance paintball marker that you can use just out of the box, with nothing but an additional purchase of a tank.

The only drawback with this gun is that it doesn’t work that well with CO2. It will get the job done mind you, but will fire meek shots when the pressure is low. Compressed air will fare much better though. Since the hopper and the cyclone feed are already included, you can juice up the reliability of this gun with a high quality compressed air tank, even one with a large capacity. The A-5 with E grips cost $100 more than the A-5 without E grips, but the full auto and auto-response modes make the extra $100 so worth it.

For durability, modability and straight out of the box play, the Tippmann A-5 is a fantastic value for money deal. The modability is so high that the A-5 becomes the best custom paintball gun ever built. The possibilities are endless with this marker. You can have a different looking gun each time you step out on the paying field!

Buy the Tippmann A-5 at the best price, from Amazon, here.

D3FY Sports D3S – Best Autococker Paintball Gun

• Styling – Black, Black/White, Black/Teal, Black/Red and other Black/Colors
• Environment – Tournament
• Build –  Aluminum construction with Composite (Polyvinyl Chloride) outer shell
• Battery – Replacable in E-grips
• Battery Capacity – 9V (Optimum 9.6V)
• Board Type – Tadao SQ Ronin Board
• Display – No. But LED will display Eye Status and Battery Life
• Caliber – .68
• Stock barrel – 14′ Two-Piece Barrel with Autococker Threads
• Feeder – Compressed Air (Tanks are not included)
• Trigger Type – Two Finger / adjustable to reduce side to side play
• Firing Modes – 10 Firing Modes! Read description belowf or a list of all of them
• Gun Length – 20.5 Inches
• Max BPS – 15
• Loader type – Not Included
• Modability – High
• Playing level – Intermediate / Advanced
• Accuracy level – High
• Recoil level – Low
• Tank Capacity – No tank available with gun.
• Maximum shots from one tank – 800 shots with a 4500 psi tank
• Warranty – 1 Year Warranty from D3FY Sports (Need to register purchase)

Buy the D3FY D3S at Amazon, here.

With 10 firing modes facilitated by the very popular Tadao board, this is a mid-range priced marker that is a fantastic buy for tournament play. Despite having a mid-range price tag, it routinely competes with high-end paintball guns like the Dye M2. Weighing at just 2 lbs, this paintball gun is purely built for performance efficiency. It comes with a ASA on/off switch, locking (not clamping) feedneck, Eyes on/off, and a super-simplified spool valve that uses far fewer O-rings than traditional tournament paintball markers, meaning efficiency over a longer period of time. There is a velocity adjuster in the back that you screw clockwise or anti-clockwise to control bps, ideal for tournament play with specific bps rules.

The gun operates at a rather low 150-160 psi and is equipped with anti-chop features that will prevent paint chops even when you are just 1-2 balls out of paint!

Firing modes included in this gun are; Unlimited semi-automatic, adjustable semi-automatic, millennium ramping, custom ramping, auto-response, 3 burst shot, full-auto, PSP ramping, PSP 3 burst shot, and NXL full automatic.

Buy the D3FY D3S at the best price, from Amazon, here.

 

Best Mechanical Paintball Guns

The following paintball guns, except for the Tippmann X7 Phenom, are semi-automatic paintball markers that do not require a battery. The Tippmann X7 Phenom can actually work without a battery but it is capable of working with a battery as well.

Paintball guns that are semi-automatic are generally more reliable and rugged than their electronic counterparts as they have a smaller number of moving parts. They are particularly preferred by beginner and intermediate level players who are discovering how to play the game, relying on a reliable paintball marker rather than player skills.

Also, please note that all of these guns will work with CO2 gas. C02 is cheaper than compressed air or HPA although CO2 is unreliable if temperatures are too cold or too hot. Moreover, since C02 is in liquid form, it is more prone to provide nagging maintenance issues with your paintball guns. If you are buying any of the top-rated mechanical paintball guns we recommend, we suggest that you use HPA and not CO2.

HPA or compressed air is very stable at different temperatures although it is almost twice as expensive as CO2 refills. Another drawback with compressed air or HPA is that not all paintball venues might have a facility that allows compressed air refills. So, be sure to check your favorite paintball venue to see if they have a compressed air refill facility before you pick up a compressed air or mechanical paintball gun! You can still make it work with CO2, but it just isn’t quite the same as HPA.

The accessories bag comes with the usual O-rings, Allen rings, and a squeegee to clean out the barrel, should balls get chopped, which rarely happens by the way.

Best Mid-Range Mechanical Paintball Guns

Tippmann Cronus Tactical  – Best Beginner Paintball Gun

• Styling – Olive and Black or Tan and Black
• Best Environment – Woodsball
• Weight – 3.7 lbs
• Company claimed effective range – 150 feet
• Total parts – 87
• Build – High Impact Composite Build
• Caliber – .68 / .50 caliber
• Stock barrel – 9 Inches
• Feeder – CO2 / Compressed Air
• Trigger Type – Mechanical Trigger / Single Finger
• Firing Modes – Semi-Auto
• Gun Length – 27.5′ to 31.5′ inches (Collapsible stock)
• Max BPS – 15
• Loader type -Not Included
• Modability – High
• Playing level – Beginner / Intermediate
• Accuracy level – Medium High
• Recoil level – Low
• Tank Capacity – n/a
• Maximum shots from one tank – n/a
• Warranty – 2 Years Tippmann Warranty

 

Buy the Tippmann Cronus Tactical Edition at Amazon, Here.

The Tippmann Cronus Tactical is pretty much the same gun as the Tippmann Cronus, which retails for about $10 – $20 less than the tactical edition. But, for just that little more money, you get a carry handle, a vertical grip, fixed rear and front sights, a mock silencer/suppressor as well. It just gives your gun that much more jazz when it comes to looks and a bit of added functionality as well. At the price it sells at, it has for long been one of the good paintball guns out there, featuring on the top paintball guns list in probably more than a hundred popular paintball sites.

As for being an entry-level mechanical gun, there’s plenty of value here. The gun is robust, made of high-impact composite material that can take quite a beating, even many paintball shots, without getting damaged. The gun can be assembled in a matter of minutes and is play-ready almost immediately, just as soon as you cock it. The stock is adjustable and you can tinker with the length of the paintball marker using this. The fixed sights in the rear and the back are a nice addition, giving you the potential for more accuracy.

If you are looking for the first upgrade from a pump-action paintball gun, to one that can give you the power of semi-auto, this is a fantastic buy, especially at about the $100 mark. In fact, at that price point, this is easily the best paintball gun for the money. It is also one of the best Tippmann paintball guns out there. Build quality is excellent and it is very low-maintenance. The four Picatinny rails on the paintball marker mean there’s plenty of mod options, should you need it. The Cronus is the premier paintball gun when it comes to budget buys. Read a full review of the Tippmann Cronus Tactical Edition Gun here.

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Azodin Kaos 2 – Best Paintball Gun Under $100

• Styling – Sport
• Weight – 1 lbs 12 oz
• Build – Composite
• Caliber – .68
• Stock barrel – 12′ Micro Honed Barrel (1 Piece)
• Feeder – CO2 / Compressed Air
• Trigger Type – Standard
• Firing Modes – Semi-Auto
• Max BPS – 6-7
• Feed neck type – Screw-lock feed neck
• Modability – Low
• Playing level – Beginner
• Accuracy level – Average (But the best accuracy among beginner guns, thanks to the 12′ barrel)
• Recoil level – Medium
• Maximum shots from one tank – 1,500 shots from 20 oz fill

Buy the Azodin Kaos 3 at Amazon, Here.

What is the best paintball gun brand for beginners? Azodin of course. And what’s the best beginner paintball gun under $100, from Azodin? The Kaos 3 paintball gun of course.

Though it carries a sub $100 price, the Kaos 3 impresses in many ways. To begin with, it features a 12′ micro honed barrel (1-piece) that gives you way more accuracy than the 8′ or 10′ barrels that paintball guns that cost under $100 usually give you. What more, the threading on the gun allows you to upgrade to better barrels as well, should you choose to, as it has an autococker paintball barrel. Again, this isn’t something that you will typically find as an option in beginner paintball guns that cost less than $100.

The Kaos 2 improves from the original Kaos. If you knew the original Kaos, you would have probably hated the clamp feed neck that was very difficult to use. The Kaos 3 features a convenient screw lock feed neck. Though it requires a tool to adjust, it’s still a great improvement and fairly easy to tweak a hopper on to.

Another change from the Kaos is the way they have changed the ASA. Before, there was a bit of an awkward gap between the ASA port and the gun’s frame. In the Kaos 3, th ASA is slimmed out and sits flush with the gun’s frame, giving the gun a lower and more compact profile.

It’s incredibly light at just 1 lbs and 2 oz. The gun scores heavy points in the looks department too. With aggressive styling and a premium look, it hardly looks like a paintball gun that costs $100.

If we really had to crib about it, we will probably say that is sounds a bit loud. But then, remember that it is a $100 marker and not one of those premium guns that use a pressure-controlled firing bolt. Max BPS is at about 8 balls if you have some fast fingers. Again, not exactly a cribbing point considering the price you are paying for this cheap paintball gun.

If you are just starting out with paintball, the Azodin Kaos 2 is a very reliable cheap paintball marker that will give you a lot of fun, with some great accuracy!

Best Beginner Mechanical Paintball Guns

Kingman Spyder Victor – Best Cheap Paintball Gun

• Styling – Matte Sport Finish
• Environment – Woodsball / Arcade
• Build – Aluminum
• Caliber – .68
• Stock barrel – 10 inches
• Feeder – CO2 / Compressed Air (Not Included) 800+ PSI recommended
• Trigger Type – Two finger
• Firing Modes – Semi-Auto
• Gun Length – n/a
• Max BPS – 9
• Loader type – Gravity Feed / Electronic Hopper
• Modability – Low
• Playing level – Beginner / Intermediate
• Accuracy level – Medium
• Recoil level – Medium
• Tank Capacity – No tank available with gun.
• Maximum shots from one tank – n/a but 20 oz tank will give you 1,500 shots
• Warranty – One Year

Buy the Kingman Sypder Victor at Amazon, here.

At $59, this gun is clearly intended for those who want a first marker to get into the sport of paintball. The gun doesn’t have a front grip but it does have the basics like a 10 inch barrel, a velocity adjuster, and an aluminum build. Downsides are that the feed neck is made from a composite material (high-grade plastic) and not metal. It is also a pretty loud gun that might give your position away rather easily.

All in all, a pretty decent entry-level gun that is also a very popular choice as backup gun for many players who have more expensive paintball guns as their everyday shooter. This obviously isn’t the best of the best paintball guns, but, at $59, you get a paintball marker that can shoot semi-auto and with a aluminum build. That is just pretty hard to beat. A great choice for those who are still on the wall about pursuing paintball as a sport or hobby. If you like paintball, you might actually end up using this paintball gun for a good 6 months before you look for an upgrade to something with more performance.

Alternative

 

Best Paintball Pistols

Tippmann TiPX – Best Paintball Pistol

• Build – Composite
• Number of magazines included – 2
• Number of balls in magazine – 7
• Cartridge quick release – Yes
• First strike balls compatibility – Yes (But purchase different barrel)
• Ammo level check – Yes
• Barrel type – 85 Threaded
• FPS (Feet per second) – ~225
• Accuracy and range – Medium High
• CO2 cartridge location – Under Barrel
• CO2 Cartridge capacity – 12 grams
• Shots per cartridge – ~20
• External gas connection – Yes (with adapter bought separately)
• Gas cartridge piercing – On trigger pull

Buy the Tippmann TiPX at Amazon, here.

When it comes to the best paintball pistols out there in the market today, it almost always comes down to the Tippmann TiPX pistol and the Tiberius Arms T8,1. While the Tiberius Arms is a  better performance pistol, the Tippmann offers several convenient features without compromising too much on performance either.

For starters, the CO2 cartridge in placed below the barrel. This means that you can fire up to three magazines or about 3 cartridges with 7 balls each, before you need to switch gas cartridges. Switching a gas cartridge can be done in seconds, as all you need to do is turn and pull. There is not even threading that you have to undo!

While The Tippmann TiPX is not first strike ready out of the box, buying a first strike adapter like the Gunhead v3 TPX adapter, costing about $24, will have it first strike ready with a very simple swap out of the stock breech.

If you ever lose count of how many paintballs you have left, a quick peek at the transparent compartments in the magazine and even the breech that will tell you if you have ammo in the magazine or at least that one last precious ball in the breech. A nice little feature when you have just 7 balls in your magazine.

If you are the type of scenario player that uses strategy to sneak up close to your opponents, without requiring extended range, the Tippmann TiPX is an excellent choice, especially over the Tiberius T8.1 as it gives you cheap and quick reload capabilities, while keeping gas cartridge costs low.

Buy the Tippmann TiPX at the best price, from Amazon, here.

Tiberius Arms T8.1 – Best First Strike Paintball Pistol

• Build – Composite with Aluminum top
• Number of magazines included – 1
• Number of balls in magazine – 8
• Cartridge quick release – Yes
• First strike balls compatibility – Yes, Compatible out of the box
• Ammo level check -No
• Barrel type – Barrel with built in side breech
• FPS (Feet per second) – ~265 (280 with First Strike balls)
• Accuracy and range – Very High
• CO2 cartridge location – Inside of magazine cartridge
• CO2 Cartridge capacity – 12 grams
• Shots per cartridge – ~20
• External gas connection – Yes (with adapter bought separately)
• Gas cartridge piercing – On trigger pull

Bad News! – The Tiberius Arms T 8.1 seems to have gone out of production. But, a worthy successor has taken its place in the First Strike Compact Pistol! Check it out here.

Buy the Tiberius Arms T8.1 at Amazon, here.

Go for the Tiberius Arms T8.1 if you want sheer performance. Able to fire First Strike right out of the box, you get insane velocity of almost 280 feet per second, matched by none of the other pistols out in the market today. Even with just regular .68 caliber paintballs, velocity is quite high at about 265 fps.

The drawback to this pistol paintball marker however is the location of the CO2 cartridge. It is built into the magazine that it comes with. This presents two problems. First, if you are going to pull out the magazine to reload paintballs, you are going to lose just a little bit of air every time you do it. Since you get only about 20 shots per CO2 cartridge, you might bring down that 20 count to just 15 because you have had to lose air when you pulled out the magazine twice.

The workaround to this problem is that you buy additional magazines and equip them with CO2 cartridges. This will allow you to use 12 grams of CO2 for just 8 bullets in a single magazine, resulting in very high accuracy combines with superb range. But this is where the second problem presents itself. Cost. It can add up. Even if you are buying CO2 cartridges by the 15 count, at about $0.83 per cartridge, it can start to add up rather quickly. But, if budget isn’t an issue and only performance is your top priority, the Tiberius Arms gives you unmatched power.

If you are the type of player who likes to take out your opponents from a distance, no pistol will help you do it better than the Tiberius Arms T8.1.

Buy the Tiberian Arms T 8.1 at the best price, from Amazon, here.

Umarex T4E TPM1 (8XP)  (Shoots ONLY .43 cal!) – Best Beginner Paintball Pistol

The Wearable4U Umarex T4E TPM1 (8XP) only shoots .43 cal paintballs. You can’t use .68 cal paintballs with this pistol. Make sure you are OK with that before you proceed to consider this paintball gun as your pistol of choice!

• Build – Full Aluminum
• Number of magazines included – 1 (Made of extruded aluminum)
• Number of balls in the magazine – 9
• Cartridge quick-release – Yes
• First strike balls compatibility – No
• Quick Ammo level check -No
• Barrel type – Fixed stock barrel
• FPS (Feet per second) – ~250
• Accuracy and range – High accuracy with low-medium range (60 Feet)
• CO2 cartridge location – Bottom of grips (separate from magazine)
• CO2 Cartridge capacity – 12 grams
• Shots per cartridge – ~60
• External gas connection – No
• Gas cartridge piercing – On tightening of gas cartridge chamber top

Buy the Umarex T4E TPM1 (8XP) at Amazon.com, here.

If you buy this pistol from Amazon.com, you get it with 100 .43 paintballs and also with 2 CO2 cartridges. However, we highly recommend that you don’t use the balls that you get for free. They chop and chop a lot. It is quite disappointing that Umarex chooses to send across such fragile balls to customers of this excellent pistol.

Anyways, coming back to the pistol, it is made out of extruded aluminum which gives you a premium weighty feel, like you are carrying a solid weapon. Though there isn’t a provision to run a remote gas line, one little 12 g CO2 cartridge can fire off about 60 paintballs.

Get about 6 cartridges and load them up and you essentially have a pistol that can fire off 60 rounds, with even the last few shots being fired at about 230 to 250 feet per second. The range on this pistol isn’t as high as the Tippmann TiPX or the Tiberius Arms T8.1, due to its .43 cal limitation, but the gas mileage allows you to beat the odds with more balls fired. A premium feel pistol paintball marker for beginner to intermediate level players who need more ammo than the pros.

Buy theUmarex T4E TPM1 (8XP) at the best price, from Amazon, here.

Best Mechanical Paintball Guns

Tippmann X7 Phenom Assault – Best Mechanical Paintball Gun

• Styling – Military
• Best Environment – Woodsball
• Weight – 3.92 lbs
• Company claimed effective range – 150 Feet
• Total parts – 91
• Build – Aluminium with metal trigger
• Caliber – .68
• Stock barrel – 9.5 Inches
• Battery – Yes (But only for Turbo Fire Mode usage) Can use without battery
• Feeder – CO2 / Compressed Air (Included) or Nitrogen
• Trigger Type – Metallic, Single Finger
• Firing Modes – Semi-Auto and Rapid (Turbo)
• Gun Length – 19.75′ – Adjustable – Up to 8 length adjustments
• Max BPS – 9 (Mechanical) 20 (Electronic)
• Loader type – Top Loading Loader Included (200 capacity). No battery reqd
• Modability – Very high – Up to 22 Mods (M16, MP5, G36, AK47 and more!)
• Playing level – Intermediate / Advanced
• Accuracy level – High
• Recoil level – Very low
• Maximum shots from one tank – 1400 (68 Cubic Inch, 4500 PSI tank)
• Warranty – 2 Years Tippmann Warranty

The assault edition is easily one of the finest looking military paintball guns for Woodsball players out there. It is also one of the best paintball guns in terms of performance as well if you are looking for non-electronic paintball guns. It is routinely featured in top 10 paintball guns lists around the world, particularly for Woodsball.

Besides a high level of modability that gives you stunning looks, it has the performance to match. With almost no recoil on offer and a rapid and semi mode, it is only you who can restrict the amount of annihilation you can dose out. Since the paintball marker works without battery, you can easily use your tank to power through the battles without only your Turbo mode working without a battery.

Buy the Tippmann X7 Phenom Assault Edition at Amazon, Here.

This paintball gun has been designed to operate with very little maintenance. And even when you do need to carry out maintenance, the push pin construction makes it incredibly easy to take everything apart and put it back right away. The trigger is made completely out of metal, giving you maximum durability for the part that you use the most. Made out of lightweight but robust aluminum, this paintball marker will easily survive even the toughest of woodsball elements. If you want a top-of-the-line paintball gun with extreme durability, this is probably it.

The gun is pretty awesome in just its stock version. But, if you want that little extra, the mod that makes the most sense is the 10′ Lapco assault barrel. The stock barrel is a 91/2′ barrel by the way. You can even go for the Lapco 16′ Big Shot assault barrel if you are looking for a whole new level of range and accuracy.

All in all, this is one awesome top-rated Tippmann paintball gun. Tippmann is generally not the preferred brand of choice for serious paintballers but many who have tried this paintball marker are more than willing to change their stance on Tippmann guns now. Read a full review of the X7 Phenom Assault Edition Paintball marker here.

Or

Buy the X7 Phenom from Amazon, at the Best Price, Here.

US Army Alpha Elite  – Best MilSim Paintball Gun

• Styling – Black Tactical Powder Coated
• Best Environment – Woodsball / Arcade
• Weight – 4.7 lbs
• Company Claimed Effective Range – 150 feet
• Total Parts – 64
• Build – Die Cast Aluminum
• Caliber – .68
• Stock barrel – 12 inch ported barrel
• Feeder – CO2 / Compressed Air / Nitrogen
• Trigger Type – Upgradable to Electronic Trigger Kit or Response Trigger
• Firing Modes – Semi – Auto
• Gun Length – 29.75′ to 33.62′
• Max BPS – 15
• Loader type – Gravity Feed or Electronic hopper
• Modability – High
• Playing level – Beginner / Intermediate
• Accuracy level – High
• Recoil level – Medium
• Maximum shots from one tank – n/a
• Warranty – 1 Year US Army Warranty

 

Buy the US Army Alpha Elite at Amazon, Here.

If you are sort of on the fence about whether or not to go for an electronic paintball marker or a mechanical one, the US Army Alpha Elite will satisfy you either way. This stock version is a purely mechanical gun but with a simple e-grip and trigger upgrade, you can have a battery-powered, multi-firing mode gun in your hands. An upgrade to the e-version US Army Alpha Elite will cost you about $30 extra, but will give you about 8 firing modes and a visual LED mode indicator. Both models offer a high accuracy level, especially for a paintball gun priced under $150.

The Alpha Elite is also a workhorse. Built out of aluminum, this will serve you long and well, with just minimal and regular oil maintenance. We will easily call this the most outstanding top rated paintball marker or gun when it comes to reliability, especially for woodsball, the most challenging environment for a paintball gun.

Styled after the famous M 16, the Alpha Elite looks mean, with a clean tactical look. Made from die cast aluminum, the gun feels super solid in your hands. The barrel shroud comes with several Picatinny rails that you can use for various mounts like a laser, tactical lights or even a front handgrip. The carry handle is also removable, again having several Picatinny rails, allowing for more customization. If you want a top-of-the-line paintball gun when it comes to look and feel in addition to performance, the US Army Alpha Elite is hard to beat.

It comes with a quick-release feed neck that is pretty easy to hook up to hoppers, although you will be required to tighten and loosen a screw with a tool. This is where the magazine might come in handy. Otherwise, just for show, it gives you storage space to store Allen keys, a small screwdriver or even a battery, should you upgrade and make the gun an electronic gun.

The gun comes with a removable stock that has 5 length adjustments, allowing you to customize the length of this weapon to your liking. Read a full review of the US Army Alpha Elite here.

Or

Buy the US Army Alpha Elite at the best prices, from Amazon, here.

Conclusion

So, there you have it. Our long post to help you find the best paintball gun in the world. We hope you have made your choice by now or have at least shortlisted a few favorites. As we have said several times in the article, the answer to the question of what is the best paintball gun is something that only you can answer, based on your requirements, your budget and the type of paintball and style of paintball that you play. Your choice or opinion on the best paintball gun to buy will be very different from another player who has preferences and a playing style very different from yours. You must choose paintball markers with a ‘Horses for Courses’ sort of approach.

Please feel free to check the rest of the site as well, to learn about other best paintball equipment like masks, haulers and more. Also, be sure to check out our Paintball Marker Wars posts, where we pit the best paintball gun brands against one another! Our Paintball Marker Wars section is also where we introduce information on new paintball guns, comparing them to old favorites that have been around for years!