| Paintball is a sport that has grown - and is growing | | | | weight, speed, rate of fire and gas usage are all |
| - significantly since it's humble beginnings in the | | | | necessary pointers to look at when purchasing a |
| seventies. Paintball markers (or guns) originated | | | | gun, and mostly depend on the kind of game you |
| from gas-powered guns that the forestry | | | | prefer, but these essentials are important in all |
| industry used to mark trees and trails, or farmers | | | | kinds of paintball guns. |
| used to mark cattle. These markers were | | | | Semi-Automatic and Automatic paintball guns have |
| redesigned for speed and safety, and began to | | | | highly sensitive triggers, and are mostly |
| be used for recreation. | | | | recommended for the more serious player. The |
| Since then, it has developed into a highly | | | | speed of an automatic paintball gun is incredibly |
| competitive, professional sport that takes place | | | | fast, and some are capable of releasing 20 balls a |
| outside, inside or in many other forms. According | | | | second. If you're just starting out, a cheaper gun |
| to insurance statistics, paintball is surprisingly one | | | | with the capability for upgrades and cosmetic |
| of the safest sports to choose from. In this | | | | add-ons is the best choice. |
| article, we're going to be taking a brief look at | | | | Many of the paintball guns are capable of being |
| paintball guns - their types, advantages, and | | | | upgraded - adding a double trigger, or a bigger |
| where paintball guns are going technologically wise. | | | | 'hopper' (where the paintballs are loaded) or better |
| Paintball guns (known as 'markers' in many circles, | | | | gas-usage. You can also add some aiming |
| but in this article we will refer to them as 'guns') | | | | cosmetics - a laser, or just better gun sights, to |
| began with the conventional pump action gun. | | | | add to the accuracy of the gun. This is an |
| These needed to be manually cocked, and | | | | inexpensive way of improving your gun while you |
| provided a significantly slow game. Because | | | | improve, and discovering your game and the way |
| rate-of-fire (speed and amount of paintballs | | | | in which you play best. |
| released) became (and still is) important, and the | | | | Paintball guns have begun to move into the |
| need to progress into a faster game arose, | | | | electronic era now, with hair triggers, more |
| paintball guns evolved from the pump action to | | | | accurate velocities, programmable firing modes |
| auto-cocker guns, capable of delivering more | | | | and low gas pressure. Some guns even have LCD |
| paintballs at a greater speed. | | | | panels. These guns are for the serious, |
| Since then, the guns have evolved into automatic | | | | professional competitor. They are very |
| and semi-automatic categories, as well as Sniper | | | | expensive, but the advantages these guns bring |
| rifles and electronic guns. The barrel of the guns | | | | to your game are exemplary. There are |
| have been significantly elongated, to allow for | | | | manufacturers which claim that their electronic |
| more accurate shooting. They also come in many | | | | guns are capable of releasing 30 balls a second - |
| different colors - either camouflage (for the | | | | an unbeaten statistic. |
| purist) or various other colors. | | | | When you play paintball you need something |
| Many paintball gun manufacturers have begun to | | | | reliable, durable, and capable. From semi-automatic, |
| manufacture military replica's - which is ideal for | | | | to automatic, to electronic, you have a great |
| the real combat enthusiast. The gun's accuracy, | | | | choice of paintball guns to suit your level of play. |