Guide to Buying Your 1st Speedball Paintball Gun
Getting into paintball can seem a bit like a black hole that keeps sucking you in. The first day you played paintball was almost certainly a combination of pain, exhilaration, and thrilling fun. Despite the pain, many people decide to go back and rent again, borrow a friend’s old paintball gun, or maybe even buy their own paintball setup. However, once you’ve had several games under your belt (or maybe even a season or two), it’s time to start your journey as a full-fledged paintballer and buy your first speedball gun.
Things to Consider
When you start thinking about your first speedball marker, you may be wondering about barrel length, portability, on/off ASAs, and much more. Many people are also (reasonably) hesitant to go in and spend thousands of dollars on a professional set up. With all of this in mind, we’ll be taking a look at the most popular beginner speedball markers on the market right now–the Empire Mini GS, Dye Rize CZR, Empire Axe 2.0, and the Planet Eclipse Etha 3.
Rate of Fire
The first thing to think about when buying your first speedball paintball gun is whether or not its rate of fire can keep up with the rest of the markers on the field. Paintball is a sport that’s as much about the quality of the shot as it is the quantity of the shots you can put downrange.
The Empire Mini GS is electric and fully programmable meaning that it can keep up with other more advanced markers on the field.
The Dye Rize CZR is also fully electric and fully programmable and has a number of different firing modes for different scenarios.
The Empire AXE2.0 as well as the Planet Eclipse Etha 3 can also keep up with the average of 10.5 balls per second.
Ease of Maintenance
Some paintball markers require more tools and more technical ability to maintain than other paintball markers.
The Empire Mini GS is fairly easy to maintain and only requires one screw to be loosened to access the bolt.
The Dye Rize CZR is also fairly straightforward. Players will need a simple allen wrench to access the bolt. In spite of the easy maintenance, some players are turned off by the external air line which many markers have ditched now.
The Empire X 2.0 is very easy to maintain and actually has a toolless design. All you need to do is depress the push button and rotate the bolt’s face plate to remove the bolt.
The Etha 3 is probably the easiest of all the markers to maintain. To maintain the bolt plate simply lift up on the back of the marker and the gamma core bolt will slide right out.
Barrels
All of the paintball makers here come with a two-piece barrel and they all have autococker threads. A solid barrel is important for obvious reasons–the better your barrel is, the more accurate your shots will be. We do recommend looking at two things before upgrading your barrel. First make sure you have a loader or a hopper that can keep up with the rate of fire as well as a high quality air tank. The barrels on all of the markers we’re looking at have solid 14 - 15 inch barrels and can receive an upgraded barrel kit down the road.
Feedneck
Next, many players will want to consider the feedneck to make sure that it’s easy to tighten. The Empire Mini GS does require an allen wrench but it does have a locking lever clamp on the side. The Dye Rize CZR is very similar to the GS and also requires an allen wrench and comes with a flip lever to make sure that the hopper doesn’t fall off on the field. The Axe 2.0 as well as the Etha 3 have a thumbwheel which can be expected for a higher-end beginner speedball gun. This toolless design, when combined with the lock lever, is a great option.
Ergonomics
Ergonomics is very important to help minimize the size of the target that you’re presenting to the other team. The Empire Mini GS is known as the beginner speedball gun and is very compact. Given its size, it’s frequently regarded as one of the better first speedball paintball guns.
The Dye Rize CZR is larger than the Mini GS but feels very comfortable in the hand with its hourglass grip. It also has more space for your hands and fingers if you’re a bigger paintballer. The Axe 2.0 is very similar to the Mini GS since it is just a larger version so ergonomically, simply expect a larger version of the Mini GS. Finally, the Etha 3 has a lot of room to work with so if you’re a bigger guy, this might be a great option for you.
Upgradability
Another thing that players buying their first paintball guns should consider is the upgradability of each marker. Each marker has different parts which can be upgraded such as the Redline board on the Mini GS and the Axe 2.0. Some of the other markers have body mods that can also be purchased, different ball detents, upgraded bolt tips, and more.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of different considerations when purchasing your first speedball paintball gun and your other accessories. Above all, make sure that you give yourself some room to grow and upgrade your paintball gun before you end up purchasing a professional paintball gun. Being able to upgrade different parts of the marker and accessories will help you develop your own playing style and preferences. That way, when you’re ready for a professional paintball marker, you know exactly what to look for.
Whether you’re looking for your first speedball paintball gun or any other paintball outfitting, head on over to our online paintball store. At Lone Wolf Paintball, we have the best selection of markers and accessories you’ll find anywhere. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our knowledgeable team who will point you in the right direction.
Happy paintballing!