Paintball gun advice

[AlanB]

My son has decided that he wants a paintball gun for Christmas.

Anyone have pointers or suggestions? Brands, or charachteristics to get or to stay away from?

I would like to stay in the $100 range, but would also like some quality and dependability and not sure I can do that in that range.

Kind of scared buying at the pawn shops etc. as I just don't know enough about the brands to know if I am buying a great deal on a wonderful one, or if I am buying the biggest lemon out there.

 

[Gizmo2]

ANY of the Tippman's are good, and pretty much bullet proof.

 

[schmism]

craigslist.

there is like 3 pages full of paintball stuff in the stlouis area.

im wanting a setup and will likely go HPA as i can fill the bottles at the fire house... a perk of being a volinteer.

 

[AlanB]

Thanks guys, looks like I am going with a Tippman platinum something or another from a local shop. A step or two above the Tippman at Wal-mart, with the value added of some back up if I have problems (and a 12 year old running through the woods playing war with this thing makes me think of problems.)

I tried Craig's list but a search on Nashville came up with 1 hit and it was top of the line stuff, HPA type stuff I think.

I am going to go CO2 route as I have an avenue to recharge them.

Going down tonight to scratch my head a bit more and make sure I have it straight. There are so many relatively minor variations on the Tippman stuff I have a tough time keeping it straight as to what I am looking at and comparing apples to apples.

 

[Gizmo2]

Good luck. I am 52, my wife is 53 and my girls are 18 and 22 years old and we all enjoy painball very much. It is a great sport.

 

[Soundguy]

Get a spyder clone.. lots of parts and accessories.

past that for extra $$.. an autococker..

soundguy

 

[Nissan197]

I say go with a Tippman. Very popular and tuff.

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

man, i haven't played in years.......it was still probably the funnest sport i ever played........great times with friends

 

[Soundguy]

Last time i played seriously, ranges all used mirage equipment, and spyder's were the popular upgrade gun.. the cheap-o stuff was brass eagle.. now you can get tippman at box stores.. go figure!

soundguy

 

[schmism]

struck out on CL? wow

FYI

classifieds - craigslist

if your interested and find something interesting ill purchase in person and ship to ya if you want.

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

i'll tell you we had much more fun using the ole' splat master pistols when we first started; limited ammo, co2 ran out quickly, two hands to operate, limited range.......

you REALLY had to make your shot count and be strategic in your attack/assault and retreat......

we then went to the pump action and they added a sniper, cover fire or support.......was a nice combination but changed the game play...

then, i remember the time i got my F1 or F2 illustrator....nice gun but it sure cost a LOT more for a teenage kid to play when you were trigger happy.......sure, the game was faster paced and usually at farther distances but i truly think it changed the game for the worst.......it wasn't enough to make us quit, though! ....seemed we needed a much larger area to play, too

high top cleats were great to play with on your feet.....

Last time i played seriously, ranges all used mirage equipment, and spyder's were the popular upgrade gun.. the cheap-o stuff was brass eagle.. now you can get tippman at box stores.. go figure!

soundguy

 

[AlanB]

Man Schmism, I ran it again last night on the Nashville side thinking of your earlier post.

5 entries, 4 of which I think were games and one where the guy wanted $600 or something.

 

[AlanB]

OK, I am an idiot at times.

Finally realized after finding it impossible to believe that St. Lois could have so much, and Nashville have essentially nothing that I was doing something seriously wrong.

I was searching under "toys" not "sporting goods"

Thanks for steering me straight. And yes, there are a boatload on there. Not sure any are that much better then just buying new while I have no experience, but they are there.