Ever since I first fired a paintball gun, I knew it’d become a life-long love. It’s now pretty much all I do with my free time. Hitting the paintball range is one of my favorite ways to relieve a bit of stress and get some quality unwind-time. There’s nothing better than getting a couple of buddies together, grabbing some beers, and heading down to the paintball fields. Sometimes we enter large events for an all-out paintball war, but most of the time we prefer to get a small group of people together and practice honing our accuracy and skills. Regardless, it’s a fantastic way to get the adrenaline pumping and just have a good time.  

Everyone who’s played paintball more than a few times knows it takes skill and a great deal of practice. Upping your game really just takes time and patience, but good equipment can definitely make a difference. In this article, I’ve picked some paintball guns that are still considered the best of the best in 2019. So, whether you’re looking to absolutely smoke your friends on the paintball field this summer, or you’re just looking to get into paintballing and need some recommendations, I’ve picked out a couple of the finest and most reliable paintball guns on the market. 

Beginner & Intermediate Paintball Guns 
These paintball guns aren’t necessarily new to 2019, but they’re so good on performance and price that they still hold up today. If you’re new to paintball, these are the best paintball guns to get started with. 

1. Tippman Cronus – The Cronus is an absolute perfect choice for budding paintball enthusiasts. It’s a direct descendant of the 98 Custom, which was the original perfect beginner’s choice for a long time. Tippman is a trusted brand among paintball enthusiasts. They make anything from a long-range to up close and personal paintball guns. Their guns are durable, affordable, and widely accessible—they suit the needs of beginners and seasoned veterans alike.
2. Tippmann 98 Custom – I’ve decided to include the 98 simply because it’s still considered the ultimate beginner paintball gun. Despite the fact that the Cronus is a superior version, the 98 is a timeless classic and extremely reliable. It offers everything you need in a paintball gun: great accuracy, it’s lightweight, and it’s affordable (but not cheaply made). 
3. Spyder MR6– The MR6 is a great choice for beginners who prefer a different style of a paintball gun. This gun just has an overall “cool” feel to it. It looks pretty sleek and it offers two different loading choices, magazine loading, and the traditional hopper loading. The magazine is a little small but it’s a great choice for the casual paintballer. 

Pro Competition Paintball Guns 

These guns are meant for intermediate to advanced players. Of course, anyone can use them, but their price range and learning curve are a bit steeper for the average paintballer. They’re specifically designed for those who take paintball competitions pretty seriously. If you’re looking for a gun to compliment your skills and stomp your competitors, these are the top 3 paintball guns for the job. 

1. Planet Eclipse Etha2 – One of the best professional paintball guns for under $500. The Etha2 is packed with dozens of features including a hose-less air transfer system, tool-less grip access, and an exceptionally durable, GRN composite body. It’s a favorite among paintball pros for a reason! 
2. Empire Axe Pro – The Empire Axe boasts one of the highest accuracy ratings for any paintball gun on the market. It’s lightweight, durable, easy to handle, and has an OLED board for easy access to adjustable features.  The Empire Axe Pro is perfect for the advanced paintball player who needs accuracy without having to lug around a heavy gun.  
   
3. Tippmann A5 – Coming in at only $200, the Tippmann A5 is the best paintball gun for the advanced player on a budget. Though the A5 is suitable for any use, it’s specifically designed to excel in woodsball or scenario play. It boasts a fire rate of 15 balls per second, enhanced ergonomics for comfortable use, and a wide range of customization and upgrades options.

This article is my attempt at providing a brief but helpful list of guns to choose from as a beginner or professional. Besides my job at a Milwaukee drywall construction company, paintball fills up most of my time, so I did my best to pick out the absolute top-quality paintball guns to use in 2019.

This list is pretty short, there are plenty of other great paintball guns to choose from! Though it’s not exactly easy, you really have to test out a couple of different guns and do a bit of trial-and-error in order to narrow down what works best for you. Some guns are mag-fed, meaning you actually switch out clips of paintballs. I’ve even seen a mini-gun paintball gun—which offers a true Terminator 2 feel. To get a feel of the guns before making a purchase, be sure to check out your local paintball shops, camps, or ranges. Many have a large variety of different paintball guns to offer and they’ll let you rent them out!  

Before I wrap up, just remember that what gun you have isn’t all that matters! Paintball, especially competitive, is heavily focused on teamwork. If you’re interested in becoming a pro, you should of course not be using a $25 paintball gun from Walmart. But, understanding the importance of teamwork will carry you much farther than a $500 paintball gun ever will.