Best Tournament Paintball Guns (Complete Buying Guide)

We all enjoy playing paintball especially tournaments or at least I do. Whether you’re just starting out in the sports or you’re planning on playing tournaments, there comes a time when we actually need to invest in a new paintball gun.

It’s always important to go for the best paintball gun so that you can get the best value for your money. However, shopping for the perfect paintball gun for your needs can be quite challenging, especially if you’re a complete beginner.

Don’t worry, in this article we will be listing the best tournament paintball guns on the market right now. It’s always necessary to get the right paintball gun which is suitable for your level of expertise – whether you are a beginner, an intermediate or advanced player.

Best Tournament Paintball Guns

 

1. Empire Paintball Mini GS Marker – Editor’s Choice

The Empire Mini GS is definitely what you need if you’re looking for a tournament paintball gun, which takes paintball to another level. What I truly appreciate about this paintball gun is that it is capable of outshooting and outlasting its competition.

Empire is well known to produce some of the most reliable as well as high end paintball markers. As you can see this paintball gun is based on the Mini model which is known to be a legendary category. There are lots of updates to the new Mini GS that integrates the latest Empire technology.

The Empire GS is a very popular marker which is known for its efficiency and versatility. It is a great choice for intermediate and advanced players and you can get this marker at a very reasonable price, making it truly cost effective. Therefore, you can easily invest in it if you wish to upgrade from your older paintball gun to a more high end model.

The main purpose of this marker is actually speedball but it is versatile enough that it can work for pretty much any other type of paintball game. It’s considered to be one of the smallest paintball guns on the market. This makes it extremely lightweight and easy to maneuver.

Another thing about this marker is its updated micro switch trigger that offers great resistance, unlike the typical trigger. As soon as you remove the marker from the box, you will be able to shoot at approximately 275 fps. Over a period of time, you will be able to get to around 293 fps which is pretty great.

You will definitely appreciate the fact that it comes equipped with an On/Off ASA switch which is an amazing addition to the Mini GS. This is without a doubt a significant improvement over the older Mini since it can be easily used to remove the tank.

There isn’t many flaws when it comes to the Empire Mini GS paintball gun. It is by far one of the best paintball markers we have reviewed up to this day. The only downside that you’ll notice with this marker is the maintenance. Nevertheless, it might not be a problem for experience players.

Pros

• Has multiple firing modes
• Comes equipped with an ASA On/Off switch
• Has a pretty decent accuracy
• High speed firing capability
• Extremely versatile as you can use it for various games
• Easy and comfortable to maneuver

Cons

• A bit challenging to maintain for beginners

 

2. Tippmann A5 (.68 Caliber) – Great Value For The Money

If you’re looking for the best tournament paintball gun for the money, then look no further than the Tippmann A5. It is a superb choice for beginners as well as intermediate players. It comes at a very affordable price, plus easy to customize and upgrade.

I strongly believe this is the perfect marker for those who are interested in scenario play and woodsball. The gun itself has a fire selector on the grip for safety and single shot modes, and you have the option to fire up to 15 balls per second. You even have the opportunity to swap out the grip for an upgraded electronic trigger that supports full auto as well as single shot fire modes.

The Tippmann A5 also comes with an amazing loader right out of the box, the Cyclone loading system, an awesome air powered hopper system that does not rely on batteries to operate. It uses the same air that fires the gun and the performance is next level. It’s extremely great to have a high end feed system out of the box without the need for any expensive upgrades.

Like the Mini GS, the Tippmann A5 is built to last. This paintball gun is made with a super durable metal frame and the other parts of the gun are constructed with high density plastic. While this makes the gun feel a but heavier, I personally found that the weight gives it a more realistic feel.

The maintenance of this paintball gun is relatively easy, if there’s a where the ball does break inside, you can easily pull apart the gun in under 2 minutes without using tools. Once you have done this on a regular basis, it becomes extremely fast and easy to disassemble and clean.

The Tippmann A5 is considered to be the AK-47 of the paintball gun world. While there might be lighter, faster, more advanced markers out there on the market, none of them have the reliability, durability and customization options of the Tippmann A5. You can use this marker for many years without experiencing any serious problems and there are lots of replaceable parts available if there’s any issue.

Paintball players who are looking for a balance price, high-end performance and a gun that has tons of accessories available for upgrades should definitely consider getting the Tippmann A5 paintball gun. It is without a doubt one of the best tournament paintball guns you can find on the market for your money right now.

Pros

• Comes at a very affordable price
• Great choice for beginners and intermediate players
• Better ergonomics than the others
• Easy to use and maintain
• Fully customizable

Cons

• Little heavier

 

3. Planet Eclipse Etha 2 – High End Performance

The Planet Eclipse Etha 2 is a superb upgrade of its older model. It has been refine and redesigned to provide maximum reliability to its users. What I really like about this paintball marker apart from its design is that it’s extremely durable and comes packed with a lot of features.

This paintball marker is extremely lightweight only weighing 2.2 lbs, which means it is very easy to carry around and won’t slow you down while playing. Another thing you’ll appreciate about this marker is the fact that it is very easy to clean, because there is only one screw used to hold the main grip in place, which makes it easy to take apart.

It also has Gamma Core spool valve that enables the gun to withstand some of the roughest weather conditions. It is designed with a strong frame that connects to the body without wires and foregrip. You also have the ability to access the foregrip easily without the need of tools.

The Eclipse Etha 2 also has various firing modes which includes a capped and uncapped semi-automatic mode. The gun fires up to 1,000 shots on a 4,000 psi fill up before you notice a drop off. Of most of the paintball gun on the market, the Etha 2 looks, feel and shoots exactly like a top end tournament gun.

It even has a SL3 regulator which controls the tank pressure variations. You have the ability to change the pressure controlling the firepower of the gun. The Etha 2 is known to be quite efficient as it uses both air and battery effective. With this comes various shots with minimal breakage as many players would like.

As you can see, it is the perfect choice for a wide range of users, including beginners and experience players looking for a paintball gun in the mid price range category. When you consider that this marker is only a few bucks more expensive than many markers with less than half of its features, it makes a solid buying decision.

The Planet Eclipse Etha 2 is a very fun paintball marker to play with and it’s considered to be extremely reliable to use for beginners as well as experience players because of all the features it packs. It is a pretty lightweight gun that is also very accurate and easy to maneuver.

Pros

• Extremely easy to use and suitable for beginners and experience players
• Lightweight and easy to control
• Able to withstand all weather conditions
• Has tons of advanced features

Cons

• The gun is louder compared to other markers

 

Conclusion

Finding the best tournament paintball guns on the market for your needs can sometimes be quite challenging especially if you are new to the sports. By taking our review guide into consideration, you have a much easier chance of picking the most reliable paintball gun in the world right now.

We truly hope you find this review article helpful.

Related Guide:

• Tippmann Cronus Review