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So many choices, so little time! This seems to be the way of the world nowadays and when you are beginning your journey into the wonderfully fun world of paintball the last thing you want to do is to waste a bunch of time on what paintball gun – or marker as it’s known in the industry. And you certainly do not want to look like the recruit out there on the field either.
So, in this guide, we are going to break down a few considerations you should be using to find the perfect paintball gun for you and your needs. As well as give you some great choices for the best paintball gun under $300. So, are you locked and loaded? Good, let’s storm the field then!
Best Paintball Gun Under $300 Buyer’s Guide
With all the great choices laid out before you as you scroll through the digital paintball marketplace or peruse the aisles at your local sporting good’s store being armed with some key information could mean the difference between being a hero with no regrets or being sidelined with your head in your hands. So here are a few things to consider as you set out to make the most important decision of your milsim career…Which marker should I buy?
Getting the most you can for $300
Getting the most out of your budget is important no matter what decision you are making. But in a sport that can cost so much a lot of new players get really overwhelmed and nervous that they will look like amateurs compared to the rest of their squad. Never fear though! There are plenty of paintball packages that come in under $300 that will get you started on the right foot. Many of these packages come with the basics you need for the field like a mask, Co2 tanks and other key pieces of your paintball kit. The best way to get the biggest bang for the limited budget you are rolling with is to invest in one of these packages. Don’t worry! Most of these packages come with pretty darn good markers too!
Advanced Features
If you are very patient, you can get some amazingly high performing markers for under $300. Some of these may even bring some of the more advanced features available. Features like Picatinny rails or programable tech could be a great way to separate out some of these markers making your choice an even easier one.
Availability of Upgrades
The ability to upgrade later when you get some cash flow coming in is a great way to thin the herd a little further. The ability for your marker to grow and become a more finely tuned paintball beast would mean that you were getting the most out of your money. After all, if you start with an amazing marker that meets your budget and then in the next few paycheck cycles you can add a new barrel or even a new sight there is no way you will feel any buyer’s remorse.
What you may have to do without for less than $300
Honestly, if you go with one of the packages you will not have to hit the field with FOMO. If anything you may have to go without some of the frills like sights or those upgrades we talked about above and that’s okay because eventually, you will be able to kit yourself out with everything you will need to be the big hero on the battlefield.
Breakdown of Each Paintball Gun
So, know you are set with a few things to think about that should help you plow through the plethora of choices laid out before you. We are going to go one step further and breakdown a few of the best paintball guns under $300 in specific fields and hopefully help you out in your quest to get one step closer to the perfect marker for you.
Tippmann TMC Mag-fed
Highlights:
If you join the world of paintball you will hear the name Tippmann come off many of the seasoned vets on the field. The name is one of the paintball gun companies that is synonymous with the sport and for good reason. Tippmann prides themselves on designing durable and performance focused paintball markers. The Tippmann TMC Mag-fed marker is one of those and is one of the paintball guns that comes in a fantastic package deal making it the best Mag-fed paintball gun under $300.
The marker itself is a reliable and high-quality paintball gun that gives the player all these great features and benefits:
- Marker that is fully pneumatic
- In-line bolt system that is tested and verified to be high performing
- Ammo fed options (hopper/mag-fed)
- Trigger with an easy pull mechanism
- Charging handle
The Tippmann TMC is a great beginner’s gun, but let’s get into the final verdict on this marker, shall we?
Takeaway:
The Tippmann TMC is the best mag-fed paintball gun under $300 for many reasons, but the one that stands out the most is the level of adaptability it affords its player. The choice to switch between mag-fed and hopper means that this marker is good for multiple styles of play. Paired with that and the lightweight durable design this paintball gun could give its owner years of play with just a little care. Even with the one slight drawback that being the nonadjustable sight, this gun is still a great way to start your career on the milsim field.
Pro: Lightweight and durable
Pro: Versatile feed source
Con: Non-adjustable height sights
Valken Code
Highlights:
The Valken Code is a compact design electronic marker that comes with a lot of awesome features that are easy to use and that is why it is the best beginner electronic paintball gun under $300. Using standard paintball rounds this paintball marker has plenty of firepower to make your field debut memorable. Some of the great features you get with the Valken Code are:
- Electronics that are programmable
- Easy maintenance w/ one button bolt removal
- Internal regulator that is hose less and adjustable
- Built to be ergonomic
- Powered by a 9-volt battery
- Micro-switch on the trigger to increase the rate of fire
- Multiple firing modes (10)
- Multiple ramping speeds (5)
- Lever that provides an easy on/off for the ASA
The Valken Code is a great paintball gun but what is the final word on it.
Takeaway:
The first thing to consider is that there are a few drawbacks to this paintball gun. It has been reported as having quite a problem with brittle paint and therefore would be difficult to use with tournament style paintballs. For a beginner, this is not a bad thing and you may want to consider getting harder paintballs to keep from experiencing this issue. There have also been some reports of air leakage as well. For the beginner paintballer, this gun will work just fine is light in the hand and with the reduced noise from the Code you can maintain a stealth game. Plus, with the easy maintenance, this marker is worth a look.
Pro: Easy Maintenance
Pro: Reduced noise
Con: Paint breakage
Con: Air Leakage
Tippmann TiPX
Highlights:
The Tippmann TiPX is perfect as a sidearm or for close quarter combat scenarios. Though many players start with a rifle marker is that is the style of play you are looking to do the TiPX pistol maybe be perfect for you. The Tippmann TiPX is a true military style pistol and offers a compact, lightweight design as well as the following features:
- Picatinny rail mounted under the barrel
- Peripheral velocity adjuster
- Ammo windows that are clear
- Removable barrel w/ A5 threads
- Add a remote line easily
- Foam-lined, hard shell carrying case
- Under barrel Co2 air system that is simple to load
- Has a trigger that punctures Co2 first squeeze
- Valve system that enhances efficiency of air and decreases recoil
With all those awesome features the Tippmann TiPX was an easy choice for the best pistol paintball gun under $300.
Takeaway:
The realistic look of the TiPX along with the durable lightweight design are just some of the things that stand out about this paintball sidearm. Paired with a high level of accuracy and performance Tippmann has reached its overall mission statement of creating high quality for a fraction of the price of some of their competition. The only drawback is the limited ammo capacity but there are ways around that so there should be no reason to turn away from this option as the perfect fit for you.
Pro: Durable
Pro: Accuracy
Con: Small round capacity
Tippmann Stryker MP2 Elite
Highlights:
Another entry on the list of the best paintball guns for under $300 from the team over at Tippmann. This time we are talking about the Stryker MP2 Elite which is one of the Stryker series and offers many great features that will enhance your milsim game. For that reason, it makes it in at the best milsim paintball gun category with all its advanced features this marker is a steal for the price tag. Some of the cool features you get with this marker are:
- Multiple firing modes (x4) that are fully and easily programmable (just takes an Allen wrench)
- Shrouded APEX2 barrel
- Collapsible stock
- Accessory rail (Picatinny)
- Pneumatic design
- Spool valve that makes it a smooth shooter
- Uses Tippmann standard barrel thread
- Built-in anti-chop mechanism
- Easy maintenance
- Crafted with high quality, durable stainless-steel hose for the bottom-line ASA
So, what does all that mean?
Takeaway:
The Tippmann Stryker MP2 Elite is a great marker for the player that is looking to enter the game with as much realism as possible. On top of that, this marker offers a high level of performance and the option for upgrades after the fact. So, the durability and the high level of accuracy just adds more to the pluses. Though there are a few negatives to think about as well. The Stryker does have a low BPS and if you are not careful you can eat your batter up as it does not auto shut off when not in use. Though these two points are important neither of these two is a deal breaker.
Pro: Easy maintenance
Pro: Barrel backspin system
Con: Low fire rate (10BPS)
Con: No auto shut off
Dye Precision Proto Rize
Highlights:
The list of the best paintball guns under $300 has been primarily filled with one name, but there are other big names in the paintball world other than Tippmann and one of those is Dye. So, the next entry comes from that team and is the best electronic paintball. For many reasons, it was easy to place this marker in this category. The Dye Precision Proto Rize is a tournament level marker for those that are dealing with a tight budget. This marker offers the player all these cool features:
- One-piece barrel
- Dye patented spool valve technology
- Grips built for comfort
- Multiple firing modes (x4)
The Dye Precision Proto Rize is a fantastic marker to add to your combat equipment. Now let’s breakdown the final verdict on this piece.
Takeaway:
The Rize is a comfortable and lightweight marker good for any type of play you are setting out to get into including tournament. With its ergonomic design and performance capabilities, this marker is by far the best electronic paintball gun under $300. Even with that glowing recommendation, there is one con that you should be aware of and that is the plastic parts associated with the feed neck. There have been some complaints regarding the use of sub-par plastic making this piece less durable than the rest of the mechanisms and parts in this gun. That is a minute detail that except for maintenance should have no bearing on your actual gameplay.
Pro: Rapid rate of fire
Pro: Good for any level of experience
Con: Feed neck made of sub-par plastic
Empire Mini GS
Highlights:
With the Empire Mini GS, it is all about accuracy and an updated design. The team at Empire worked hard to improve on this markers predecessor and they have done a great job which is why this marker finds itself on a list of the best paintball guns under $300. The Mini GS has all these great features:
- Limited tools needed to maintain the marker
- ASA regulator that is the vent-style w/an easy to reach on/off lever
- Engine protection with an ergonomically designed foregrip
- Ant-chop mechanism installed
- Unique engine designed for enhanced pressure control
- 12” barrel (ported)
The Empire Mini GS is a great way for you to start your milsim adventure with. Let’s breakdown the why.
Takeaway:
For the price tag, this marker gives you a quality, lightweight, durable designed marker that will make your time on the field so much more enjoyable. The easy switch out of some of the components makes this an easy fit for even the most rookie player. It may appear simple, but this marker is anything but. However there are some players who will say that the fact it is solely powered by 1 battery is a problem, but seeing as how most paintball guns use some sort of battery to power them this should not deter you from looking into whether this is your perfect paintball gun.
Pro: Easy hopper/tank removal
Pro: Accuracy
Con: Battery only operated
Final Word
That’s a wrap on the best paintball guns under $300 and hopefully, with the information and breakdowns, the idea of choosing a paintball marker on a budget is less daunting. We broke down a couple of key factors that you should think about when whittling the field down to the perfect marker for you and your style. We dissected some of the best options in different categories including the best one for speedball and the best paintball pistol. Now all that’s left for you to do is to make your decision, suit up for the field, and get out there on the battlefield.
