Paintball guns are one reason why some people have started playing the game. We aren’t kidding. These guns are a replica of the real ones and come in trendy, stylish designs. It feels great holding a paintball gun and firing paint pellets at others, isn’t it?
The game is exciting, adventurous, and so much fun! But as a beginner, you might be confused about various things. After all, paintball requires so much equipment, it can get hard to understand the whats, whys, and hows.
The same confusion extends to paintball guns as well. With many types and models to choose from, how can a novice paintball player pick the right gun for a game?
Should you opt for mechanical or automatic ones? Are the automatic/ electronic paintball guns meant only for professional players? Can beginners also use these guns? If yes, which models are suitable for beginners?
How can we choose the best electronic paintball gun? What things should you consider to make the right decision?
Too many questions! But worry not. We’ve got answers for them all. Let’s tackle each question in this post in detail.
Beginners can also invest in electronic paintball guns. You can pick the entry-level models that are easy to use and affordable too. Once you become a better player, you can buy high-end models to suit your skills.
Let’s start by reading about the top 5 best electronic/ automatic paintball guns in the market. Shall we?
Table of Contents
- 1 Table of Contents
- 2 Quick Comparison Table!
- 3 The Best Electronic/Automatic Paintball Guns For The Money
- 4 #1 Empire Axe 2.0 Paintball Gun - EDITOR'S CHOICE
- 5 #2 Tippmann Cronus Paintball Marker Gun Player Package - Best for Beginners
- 6 #3 Empire Paintball BT Dfender Marker - Best Fully Automatic Model
- 7 #4 First Strike Tiberius Arms T15 Paintball Marker Gun Rifle - Best Mag-fed Model
- 8 #5 Tippmann 98 Custom Platinum Series Paintball Gun - Best Affordable Model
- 9 Buying Guide for the Best Electronic/Automatic Paintball Guns
- 10 Wrap Up: Our Choice
Table of Contents
Quick Comparison Table!
The Best Electronic/Automatic Paintball Guns For The Money
#1 Empire Axe 2.0 Paintball Gun - EDITOR'S CHOICE
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
The first electronic paintball gun on our list is by the famous brand Empire. Axe 2.0 is one of the high-quality paintball guns we see in the market. It is an expensive model and has some awesome features that make it a favorite of paintball players. The consistency and accuracy levels of the gun are praiseworthy. And thanks to the different firing styles it offers, we can assure you that Axe 2.0 is a gun that can help you win the game for your team. Shall we read more about this model?
Features & Benefits
Design
The gun is made of aluminum and is durable enough to last for a long time. The grip is comfortable for you to hold from morning till evening. The gun comes with a two-piece detachable 12-inch stock barrel, though some users complained that the barrel was not of good quality.
The shockwave board offers multiple firing modes to choose from, such as semi-automatic, fully-automatic, burst mode, and ramp mode. The gun also lets you switch on and off the ASA. This helps regulate the pressure that goes into the gun to power the shots.
Key Features
- This gun is suitable for speedball as well as woodsball. Just leave it in the fully-automatic mode when you need to fire rapidly during the speedball game.
- The paintballs rarely burst inside the gun. Even during fast firing, the gun has a delicate mechanism that ensures that the paintball doesn’t burst inside due to excess pressure.
- The gun can be disassembled without using any tools. It is easy to take apart, clean, and assemble again. The beginners can also do it without any trouble.
- The gun comes with many accessories like Allen screws, O-rings, springs, and lubricants. The 9V battery required to operate the electronic circuit is also included with the gun.
- The paintballs stay intact inside the gun due to the break-beam anti-chop eyes. The threaded clamping feed-neck makes sure that the paintball gun is secure to use even by novice players.
- Axe 2.0 has a micro switch trigger sensor. This is an upgraded version when compared to the magnet system from the Mini Empire series (which is equally famous).
Pros
- The gun has a good range and is accurate
- It doesn’t make any noise when firing
- This model is apt for newbies and professionals
- The gun can be upgraded if required
Cons
- This is an expensive model for beginners
- The barrel that comes with the gun is not of high quality
#2 Tippmann Cronus Paintball Marker Gun Player Package - Best for Beginners
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
The Cronus paintball gun has been designed for beginners and intermediary players. It is affordable, durable, sturdy, and made to last for a while. That also makes this a heavier model. However, the weight shouldn’t be too much of an issue. It weighs about 3.7 pounds, which is manageable. The gun is sold with a 9-inch stock barrel. And since we are looking at the entire package, you will also find a hopper with a 200 paintball capacity. With a gravity-fed ammunition tank, the gun packs a power of 250-325 FPS. Let’s read more about this model.
Features & Benefits
Design
The Cronus has been designed to resemble the original. That is one of the main attractions of this gun. It is capable of sustaining rough external conditions and deliver a good performance. We can definitely say that this model is much better than the previous ones released by Tippmann. The company also gives a one-year warranty on the unit.
You can customize it to suit your style, thanks to the rails provided on the top. While that’s a cool move, the gun cannot be fully upgraded to the next level without buying the tactical kit. This will cost you a lot more than directly buying the tactical gun.
Key Features
- The gun fires in semi-automatic mode at the rate of 8 paintballs per second. It also has a mechanical trigger in case you want to use the gun in mechanical mode.
- This gun works with both CO2 and HPA tanks. Cool, right?
- Disassembling and cleaning the gun is easy, just as assembling it again is. You won’t have issues with maintenance either.
- The shooting range of this gun is up to 150 feet. The grip is comfortable and firm. Also, the gun sits well on the shoulder when you have to aim to shoot.
Pros
- This is an affordable model
- The stock and foregrip are adjustable
- It is a replica of the original
- It is a sturdy model- durable and reliable
Cons
- There are limited options to upgrade the gun
- This gun is not a lightweight model
#3 Empire Paintball BT Dfender Marker - Best Fully Automatic Model
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
We have another Empire paintball gun on our list, and this one also has some wonderful features to talk about. It is a hyper-fast, highly accurate, fully automatic paintball gun with a long firing range. As expected, it is also expensive and comes with a few minus points, but the advantages outweigh the disadvantages quite easily. This is truly a high-end model and is suitable for professional paintball players. Here’s more about the gun.
Features & Benefits
Design
The gun is made of a magnesium frame that makes an ultra-lightweight model. The design is compact and yet aggressive, giving you more than enough power to rapidly fire at your opponents.
It has a self-calibrating sensor, an in-built hopper with a capacity of 230 paintballs, break beam eyes to prevent the paintballs from bursting inside the gun, and many other features that help you have the best shooting experience on the field.
Key Features
- The gun is known for its tool-less maintenance. Even changing the 6 AA batteries is super simple and easy.
- There are three firing modes to choose from- semi-auto, fully-automatic, and burst mode.
- There is a small switch to help you effortlessly switch between the different modes whenever you need. The OLED display screen shows the current mode of the gun.
- There is an ASA regulator that lets you set the operating pressure of around 250 psi.
- The gun kit includes a 12-inch barrel, three inserts, and an internalized firing system that reduces the recoil effect. This helps to increase the velocity of the gun.
- One complaint many users made was that 5-10 paintballs remain in the hopper. You just cannot use them for firing.
- Being a beginner, you might be overwhelmed by the high firing speed and the sensitive touch of the trigger.
Pros
- The gun is ultra-lightweight and durable
- The company gives a limited lifetime warranty on the gun
- The firing rate and accuracy are high
- It has break beam eyes that don’t let the paintball burst inside the gun
Cons
- This is an expensive model
- A few paintballs will always remain in the hopper
#4 First Strike Tiberius Arms T15 Paintball Marker Gun Rifle - Best Mag-fed Model
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
T15 is a replica of the original in many ways. It has the same power and durability to deliver the kind of performance you expect in a MilSim game. This gun has been designed for intermediary and professional players. Beginners may not be too comfortable using this one. The gun is not cost-effective, but it sure is worth the price you pay for it. It is counted among one of the best in the market and hasn’t disappointed its users. Let’s read more about T15, shall we?
Features & Benefits
Design
The gun is made of an aluminum body and is a lightweight model. The grip is comfortable and won’t let the gun slip from your hands. There is a handguard with many 7/8 inches tac rails. These help you customize the gun to suit your style.
Since it is a mag-fed model, you can fire up to 20 paintballs in one go. After that, you’ll have to remove the empty magazine and attach a new one to continue again. The accuracy and range of the gun are impressive. It aims well at both short and long ranges, with equal ease.
Key Features
- The air tank can be regulated to suit the firing needs. Tweak it to get a consistent supply of pressure to power the gun.
- You can switch between different optics, depending on the combat situations. This gun has been designed for MilSim and works best in such scenarios.
- The mag-feed system has a built-in mechanism to avoid malfunctioning of the gun at the most unexpected times.
- Maintenance of the gun is quite easy too. It takes hardly any time to take it apart. The two-pin assembly system lets you separate the parts, clean the insides, and put them back together without causing any issue.
- However, the gun is costly due to all the upgrades it needs to work as a high-end model.
Pros
- It is a lightweight and durable model
- This is best suitable for MilSim and other such paintball games
- You can disassemble the gun in less than a minute
- The grip is firm and comfortable
Cons
- The gun needs more investment to deliver better results
- You need to upgrade the gun to use it
#5 Tippmann 98 Custom Platinum Series Paintball Gun - Best Affordable Model
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
The last best electronic paintball gun on our list is by Tippmann, and you should not be surprised. Tippmann is, after all, one of the leading paintball brands in the market. The 98 Custom Platinum series gun is a budget-friendly model that is versatile, durable, easy to use, and reliable. The fact that you get so much and more for less than $200 is something beginners love. Let’s see what else we can love about this model, shall we?
Features & Benefits
Design
The design of the gun is quite simple though it still has the universal Picatinny rail system, allowing you to customize it as per your taste. Many users call it a workhorse, and we’ve seen that the gun live up to the name.
This comes with a semi-automatic firing mode, which you can upgrade to the fully-automatic one to get better results on the field. You can use both CO2 and HPA gas tanks to power the gun. Versatile, indeed, isn’t it?
Key Features
- The firing is just as accurate as of the high-end ones. The trigger is of the right size so that beginners won’t end up pulling it too hard to firing at the wrong place and time.
- Compared to other paintball guns, this model uses up very little air. That means your tank will last for a longer time and power more shots.
- It shoots up to 8 paintballs per second which is easy and manageable for newbies. The recoil isn’t that great, though.
- While disassembling the gun is simple enough, putting it back together requires some care and expertise. The tiny components can break and mess up if you are haphazard with the re-assembling process.
Pros
- The semi-automatic mode can be upgraded
- It is fast and accurate
- The gun is a budget-friendly model
- Can fire up to 15 paintball per second without batteries
Cons
- Re-assembling the gun is complex
- This is not a lightweight model
Buying Guide for the Best Electronic/Automatic Paintball Guns
After reading about some of the best electronic paintball guns, it is now time to know the other important details. Have you wondered how automatic guns work? We know they have a circuit in them and run with the help of a battery, but do you want to know a little more?
How does an Electronic Paintball Gun Work?
Don’t you worry now; we won’t be giving you a detailed lesson here. We’ll just explain how the electronic paintball gun is different from the mechanical one (that’s easier to use).
The automatic guns have battery-powered circuit boards. The battery activates the solenoids that trigger the gun to fire (the trigger is connected to the circuit board). The firing mode depends on the model of the paintball gun. Some offer multiple speeds, while other models allow 2-3 speed settings.
In games like speedball, you can let the setting in the rapid mode so that the gun fires one paintball after another in the automatic mode. You are not required to pull the trigger for each shot.
Similar to how the mechanical guns rely on CO2 tanks for power, the electronic ones rely on HPA (High-Pressure Air) tanks. These tanks are lighter and more effective in powering the guns to fire the shots. Since many paintball events offer free air-filling for players on the day of the game, you don’t have to worry about the gas tank going empty on the field. That said, make sure the battery is full and carry a spare if required.
Advantages of Using an Electronic Paintball Gun
Using an electronic paintball gun offers many advantages. Let’s have a look at some of them.
- You can choose your firing speeds and program the firing modes to suit the game. That makes automatic guns a suitable choice for speedball and woodsball.
- Compared to mechanical paintball guns, the automatic ones are lightweight and smaller. They are also trendy and sleek.
- Since the automatic guns operate at lower pressure, the number of shots you can get per tank will increase. That means the automatic guns are actually economical if you use them wisely.
- The trigger is super easy to use. It is more of a switch button or a click button, similar to clicking a computer mouse. With just one touch, you can start firing the gun.
- The maintenance of some electronic paintball guns is also easy.
Maintenance of the Electronic Paintball Gun
We did say that maintaining an electronic paintball gun is easy enough. But that doesn’t mean you’ll not be careful. The best way to look after your paintball gun is to follow the instructions provided in the user manual.
However, the basic cleaning and maintenance program for an electronic paintball gun is regular cleaning (preferably after every game) and lubricating it with either grease or oil.
The durability of the electronic paintball guns also depends on how well you care for them. Guns that are properly maintained will last for a longer time.
If you are a beginner, choose a model that is easy to disassemble. Some electronic guns can be complex and need various tools to disassemble. Leave those for the professionals and pick the ones that can be taken apart without using any tool.
Factors to Consider When Buying the Best Electronic/Automatic Paintball Guns
Many factors like the caliber, the feed system, the operating pressure, handguard, trigger touch sensitivity, etc., play a role in deciding the performance of a paintball gun. However, the following are some of the other important factors you should consider when buying the best electronic paintball gun.
Durability and Reliability
Paintball, as a game, requires a lot of investment. We want to make sure that our equipment lasts for a decent time and doesn’t breakdown during the game. Durability and reliability should be the primary factors to consider when buying a paintball gun. Some brands are known for the quality of manufacturing. We suggest opting for well-known paintball brands as they tend to be more reliable than other smaller brands.
Features of the Gun
Is the gun lightweight? What kind of feed system does it support? Does it come with a barrel? Which barrel suits that particular model? Is the touch-trigger too sensitive? Does the manufacturer provide a carrying case with the gun? Is there a warranty period? What is the length of the paintball gun?
Check the product specifications of each shortlisted model so that you get answers to the above questions. Lightweight guns are naturally more in demand as they are easier to carry for long hours. Some players prefer using hoppers to feed paintballs to the gun, while others like to rely on magazines to limit their shooting. Electronic paintball guns can have either a feed system and even both.
The Materials Used
Aluminum is one of the highly used materials for manufacturing the paintball gun. That’s how the guns turn out to be lightweight. Though it not the most durable material, high-quality aluminum guns can last for a long time.
Your Game Style
Now, how does your gaming style affect the type of electronic paintball gun you choose? Paintball is classified into different types such as speedball, woodsball, scenario games, MilSim, and more. The rules and procedures for each game are different, and hence, you will need a different gun for each game.
An automatic paintball gun with a rapid-firing mode is more suitable for speedball as the focus here is more on how fast you shoot. Woodsball is played in the forests where the players are scattered across a wider arena. You need to be more calculative with your shots in woodsball. An entry-level electronic game will also be enough for a woodsball game.
Budget Limitations
The price range of electronic paintball guns spans from $40 to $2000. You can easily get a model that fits your budget. However, remember that when you buy a paintball gun, you also need to buy a gas tank, hopper, tank harness, paintballs, etc. These are related only to the gun. There are various other items like the protective gear (masks, gloves, armor, arm, and knee pads) you will need to play the game.
When you decide your budget, start by listing all the items you need for the game. You can get many of them for lease or buy second-hand items for a lesser price.
That said, when it comes to a paintball gun, especially the electronic model, investing in a new paintball gun is the best option. If you wish to play often and master the game, go for a slightly higher-priced gun with extra features. Your gaming experience will also improve.
Customer Reviews
Customers don’t mind calling a spade a spade. And why should they not when they pay to buy a product? Customer reviews are a good way to understand what’s good and not in a product. Electronic paintball guns are no exception. Read through more than a couple of reviews and compare what the users say. This will give you a clear picture of the pros and cons and help you make a better decision.
Wrap Up: Our Choice
If you are still a little doubtful about which electronic paintball gun to choose, we recommend Empire Axe 2.0 Paintball Gun for its accuracy, reliability, durability, and other noted features. The gun is silent, suitable for players of all kinds, and can be further upgraded.
Since we have seen the features and benefits of the Empire Axe 2.0 Paintball Gun in detail, we can safely say that it is worth the price.
