Paintball is more than some game teenagers play on the weekend to exert some of that frustration piled up during the week. It’s a huge sport that’s growing for both recreational and professional players. From indoors to outdoors, players are offered a wide variety of locations to play in each with their own unique strategies on how to go about things successfully. Mind you, this game isn’t for the weak of heart or flesh. Those paintballs come at you pretty damn fast and they leave a slightly noticeable mark. It’s just like getting shot except you don’t die. The pain just lingers on.

While that might all sound very scary and off putting, you do get used to getting pelted with dastardly little balls of compressed paint over time. Or you learn to anyway. While most players will spend their paintball careers renting guns from their neighborhood paintball facility, enthusiasts would most probably prefer getting a gun of their own to match their skill. Just like with most things that require a certain amount of ability, paintball requires practice in order to get better. The intermediate or professional player will certainly look to find a gun more suited for their style rather than just stick with the default. But things can get expensive and some people can waste a lot of money on the wrong gun.

This is easily avoidable if people know what to look for when choosing their paintball gun. There are different types of guns for all kinds of players and those wishing to purchase their own should do so with what kind of people they’ll be playing with, the frequency in which they will be playing and the location. It’d be a very big waste of money to spend over four figures on a gun that you’re only going to use once in a blue moon. Woodsball, Mil-sim and Speedball are all different styles of paintball open to players. Different styles means different guns best suited for each one. It’s best to do your research and choose a gun that you can enjoy for the style you play. Otherwise you’re going to have a bad time.

Here are the 15 best paintball guns out there.

15 15. Spyder Victor

The Spyder Victor is a mechanical entry level paintball gun perfect for those just starting out, in need of a reliable option for their first purchase. The semi-automatic value choice is manufactured by Kingman, who’ve been in the game for over ten years. They offer a wide variety of affordable, high quality products so that players can compete while not breaking their bank. The Spyder Victor is easy to clean and repair, which is convenient seeing as you’re more likely to damage it than not. The loader is located atop the gun, ensuring players don’t have to worry about dropping ammo while running around.

14 14. Tippmann 98

The Tippmann 98 has been in use since 1998 and if you’ve ever rented a paintball gun chances are it was this one. Though it’s typically viewed as a beginners gun, the Tippmann 98’s durability is legendary. These models are often rented out several times a day, so considering the average paintball player might go out and play a few times a month, there’s no doubt that it can hold its own in most conditions. But one of the best things about the Tippmann 98 has to be its customizability. Mods of this model are pretty easy to find, opening up a whole new world of possibilities for users.

13 13. GOG eNMEy

This is another solid entry level gun that can be a stellar grab for beginners and veterans as well. GOG’s eNMEy is a specialty gun that’s best suited for players interested in speedball. It’s an incredibly accurate gun, with very minimal blockage. What’s more, the bolt can be removed at any time reducing the chances of balls getting chopped. The eNMEy has fewer moving parts than most guns on the market, and while this might sound bad it just means that there are less parts that players are required to clean. While it may not be considered a high end gun, some of the features mentioned above are available in many top paintball guns making this one a real bang for your buck.

12 12. Tippmann X7 Phenom

Another Tippmann gun – this time a model better suited for slightly more intermediate players – the X7 Phenom is another highly customizable gun best used for Woodsball and Mil-Sim. Since there’s virtually no kickback, the X7 is incredibly accurate as a result. With a firing rate of 20 BPS and a range of up to 150 feet it can hit multiple targets with relative ease. It’s also equipped with “E-grip” which allows players to flick a switch and easily enter semi mode full auto and full auto response modes. Like most Tippmann guns, the X7 Phenom is highly customizable (including the M16 you see above) and allows players to experiment with a wide range of options.

11 11. Dangerous Power G5

The Dangerous Power G5 is an electro-pneumatic gun better suited for speedball players. While it is considered a beginner\intermediate gun, it’s an ideal choice for players looking to get a taste of the tournament scene. The G5 itself is very easy to maintain and the team at Dangerous is usually quick to respond to clients questions and concerns. On its own, the G5 is already pretty accurate and while you can’t do much in terms of modding adding a new barrel will do wonders for an already accurate gun. The low price along with its reliability and compact design make the Power G5 a great option for any competitive player.

10 10. Dye Proto Rail

The Dye Proto Rail gun is perfect for those who want to get to one-up on players who use rentals or are thinking of entering some tournaments. It offers tournament mode switches as well as an auto fire feature and leaves plenty of room for finger spraying. If maintained correctly, it parts can last for years without being replaced and will last for more than 500,000 shots. Apart from that the Proto Rail features a lightweight aluminum body that’s comfortable and helps out with mobility. What’s more it’s affordable and offers a lot of the same features more expensive guns do.

9 9. Empire Sniper

No, the Empire Sniper doesn’t actually look like a real sniper rifle. Despite what you may have been expecting from the name, the gun looks great and is able to withstand a multitude of different weather conditions. Geared towards tournament players, the Sniper has great balance allowing for precise shots. It might be a pump model but it’s considered to be on the same level as a lot of semi-automatic markers. Players can re-cock the gun while still pointing its barrel at opposing targets, potentially saving them in a pinch. All in all, the Empire Sniper is great at what it does, and isn’t too pricey for those willing to spend just a little more on a higher end gun.

8 8. Empire Axe

This one is popular among beginners and pros, despite the somewhat hefty price tag. The Empire Axe is another gun that’s perfect for speedball and comes complete with a system that allows users to degas it with ease, not having to worry about struggling when taking off the air tank. It’s really simple to clean and gives off pretty much no recoil, making shots more accurate. This is bad news for anyone on the other side of the barrel. Especially if the opposing player has had it modified to 300 fps. What’s more is its reputation for not chopping balls, meaning it wastes less paintballs and saves them up for more productive uses.

7 7. Tiberius Arms T9.1 Elite

Another gun best suited for Mil-Sim, Tiberius Arms’ T9.1 Elite looks as like an actual damn rifle and while it thankfully isn’t as dangerous as a real one it can definitely do a number on opposing players. With this baby in their hands, players can go about things two ways. They can carefully and meticulously stalk their prey, waiting for the right moment to pounce – or they can go in guns blazing and do their best Battlefield impression to hit anything that moves. Their call. Because of its high accuracy rate along with multiple available mods, the T9.1 Elite is a sniper's dream gun.

6 6. Planet Eclipse Ego 11

The Planet Eclipse Ego 11 is a gun better suited and preferred by advanced paintball players – and it’s not because it looks pretty. Since the gun’s bolt moves slower than other guns, there’s not as much kickback, making shots very smooth. Additional features include an LED screen, easily adjustable settings and a lightweight frame. The quality of the gun, along with its accuracy and reliability, make it a top choice for all kinds of players, so long as they’re willing to spend a larger than usual amount of money on it. The first Ego was released back in 2005 and they’ve just been getting better ever since. This is no exception.

5 5. Planet Eclipse Geo 3.5

A relative of the Ego, the Planet Eclipse Geo 3.5 is a speedball specialty gun that comes in at just a pinch pricier than its counterpart. The Geo 3.5 is a step up from older models in the series, outperforming them with ease. It’s a high-end marker and is incredibly consistent with its shots. While a player’s accuracy differs from person to person the Geo 3.5 can pull off the same shots again and again. Control on this gun is great even when firing from a distance. The Geo 3.5 gives tournament players both beginners and experienced a reliable tool that will last them a long time.

4 4. DLX Luxe 2.0

The DLX Luxe 2.0 is considered to be one of the best out there, a near perfect paintball gun. While it is extremely pricey, veterans will understand what they’re getting in it. The Luxe 2.0 is one of the most reliable guns on the market and offers smooth cycling along with a new and improved circuit board allowing longer battery usage in between games. It’s also very user friendly and extremely easy to program. The newest version – the Luxe 2.0 OLED – includes an LED screen on the guns grip making programming the thing even easier.

3 3. Dye DAM

This is the best gun out there for anyone interested in Mil-Sim. The Dye DAM not only looks like the real deal, but it’s got plenty of bite to back up the bark. It has a feed-switching system that allows players to easily make the change between magazine fed and hopper feeding at any time during a game. It also comes with a dual sized magazine that lets players use .68 caliber paintballs and first strike paintballs. Its aluminum body is incredibly lightweight making it ideal for those wishing to be efficient while on the move. The DAM is certainly one of the best – and most expensive – paintball guns on the market today.

2 2. Dye DM14

Dye Matrix guns have been around for a while now and are generally considered to be top of the line equipment. The DM14 is a very quiet and smooth gun that’s very easy to maintain and program. Low recoil makes it a breeze to shoot, and it comes fully equipped with some of the Dye DAM’s features, such as the feed-switching system and the dual sized magazines. At the touch of a button it can switch from semi-auto to three round burst to fully automatic. That’s pretty convenient if you’re trying to hit a moving target on the go.

1 1. Empire Vanquish

This is one of the most expensive guns you can buy and it’s worth it. Empire tried their hand at a high end tournament paintball gun and it worked out perfectly. The Vanquish comes complete with temperature settings allowing players to adjust on the fly, as well as the ability to connect it to external devices in order to receive updates and setting changes. An accuracy issue at this level would be disturbing. Luckily the Vanquish has great accuracy along with a cool design and comfortable handling ensuring players can take on any challenge that awaits them on the battlefield with relative ease.