Paintball is an exciting game, but you must use the right gun to succeed. Using an automatic gun will take your experience a notch higher, whether you’re a newbie or a professional.
Many automatic gun options are available in the market with different specs and at price points. This review analyzes the best automatic paintball guns in the market – their specs, pros and cons, helping you make an informed choice.
Comparison Table
Best Automatic Paintball Guns
If you’re in the market for an automatic paintball gun, consider these top-ranking markers.
Empire Axe 2.0 Automatic Paintball Gun
The Empire Axe 2.0 is one of the best automatic paintball guns you can find. It’s a significant upgrade from its predecessor, the Empire Axe. Here are some features of the Empire Axe 2.0 automatic paintball gun.
- Detachable 2 piece 12-inch stock barrel
- Anti-chop eye
- ASA on/off switch
- Adjustable firing modes
- Push-button bolt remover
- Accepts OLED screen upgrade
- Adjustable trigger
- Suitable for all paint types
- Aluminum body
- Pressure controlled poppet engine
- Power switch
- Low pressure operation
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There’s a lot to love above the Empire Axe 2.0. Here are some reason to consider buying this impressive and highly efficient paintball gun.
It’s comfortable: The Axe 2.0 is lightweight which makes it easier to carry around without feeling tired. Asides that, it has a wider trigger space, and a spacious and more comfortable rubber foregrip. You won’t complain of finger cramp even if you use it all day. You can fire easily and since there’s enough finger space, you can fire faster and for long.
It has adjustable modes: The various firing modes of the gun make it even more interesting to use. It has four adjustable firing modes:
- Fully-automatic
- Semi-automatic
- Ramp mode
- Burst mode
Players can quickly move from one mode to another to fit the situation they’re in on the field. It’s like having the value of four guns in one gun. How cool is that!
Detachable stock barrel and push-out bolt: It has a 2 piece detachable barrel that is 12″ long. It is accurate and consistent. You can accurately mark and hit a target. The length of the barrel has significantly reduced the sound made when firing. It’s almost noiseless.
When it’s time to clean the gun, you don’t need tools to remove the bolt. There’s is a push-button you can press and the bolt will come off. You just need to be careful when removing or replacing the bolt because it can be a bit difficult.
Air pressure is easy to control: The gun has ASA regulator switch that you can turn on and off. This makes it way easier to control the amount of pressure you use while playing. You can easily increase or reduce pressure just by switching on or off. With this feature, you can use the gun for both woodball and speedball, or in a tournament.
Fast fire: The Axe 2.0 is fast when it comes to taking shots. In burst mode, it sends 3 shots per trigger. In fully-automatic, it fires rapidly in one trigger till you stop it. It can send 10-25 balls per second at a speed of 260 FPS-315 FPS.
Anti-chop eye system: Due to its rapid firing modes, it takes a lot of pressure to send the balls out consistently. If the pressure is too much, balls can break. But its anti-chop eye system makes it almost impossible for the balls to break inside the barrel irrespective of the amount of pressure asserted.
It makes the game smooth and better, because if you have to worry about balls breaking, that means you have to keep detaching and cleaning your gun while playing. It can take away the joy of the game.
Pros of the Empire Axe 2.0
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Easy to assemble and disassemble
- It comes with all you need – spring, lubricant, Allen screws, 9V battery, and O-Rings.
- Accuracy in firing
- It fires faster and has multiple modes to suit your situation
- It’s suitable for beginners, intermediate, and professionals
- Comfortable grip
- Noiseless
- It’s safe to use because of the clamping feed-neck.
Cons of the Empire Axe 2.0
- The barrel can be better
- Difficulty in removing or replacing bolt
- The accuracy is limited to near targets.
- It’s expensive especially for armatures
- The O-rings are fragile so it leaks easily.
Planet Eclipse GTEK Paintball Marker
The Planet Eclipse GTEK Paintball Marker is a fantastic machine. The Gtek170R is a sharp, performance-ready instrument with blade-like lines. Here are some features of this outstanding paint marker.
- Two bolt tips
- Aluminum 14 ½ inch Barrel
- 3 Shaft FL barrel tip
- Powered by GP Core
- 16-bit RISC-based microcontrollers
- AA Batteries
- Hose-less
- Anti-chop eye system
- On and Off bottle adapter
- Low operating pressure
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Here’s what we loved about the Planet Eclipse paintball marker.
Slim body: The Planet Eclipse paintball marker has streamlined contours that you can easily clean. It’s lightweight and very easy to handle. The egronomics is comfortable and has enough hand space for either big or small hands.
The triggers are easily adjustable: It has two triggers that are easily adjustable without the use of tools. The triggers are Blade and Scythe, and a player can use any that suits the situation.
Features a GP Core: It’s engine is made of GP Core. The GP Core enhances the overall functionality of the gun. It maximises the large volume of the firing chamber and significantly reduces the operating pressure to 105psi. It also enables it to fire even the most fragile balls due to the presence of the soft and hard bolts available.The Core is so powerful that it preserves the gun in any kind of weather. The gun can take a hit and still function effectively.
Aluminum barrel: The barrel is made of aluminium which makes it easy to tweak the gun’s balance down . It also has three Shaft FL bore sections – .681, .685, .689 – that gives the player control of the gun and makes targeting more accurate and consistent.
AA batteries: ThePlanet Eclipse makes use of two AA batteries that are easy to remove without a tool.
Pros
- Easy to clean and maintain without much tools
- Strong and durable
- Fast and efficient
- Comfortable grip
- Fully customisable
Cons
- It’s expensive
Tippmann Cronus Paintball Marker Gun Player Package
The Cronus is efficient, durable, and strong. It’s a good choice for entry, beginners and intermediate players. It has an adjustable front grip and a rubber back grip that makes it comfortable to hold firmly and mount if need be. It’s also made to withstand adverse weather conditions.
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Here’s what we loved about the Tipmann Cronus Paintball Marker
Multiple Picatinny Rails: The gun has four Picatinny Rails where you can hang all the accessories you need to use. With the rail, it’s easy to pick and use whatever you need while playing.
Complete package: As it’s name implies, it comes with everything you’d need to play the paintball game. You don’t have to buy anything else, except it’s something you personally want.
Semi-automatic: It means it shoots as fast as an automatic gun but you will need to keep pressing the trigger. The trigger is light touch so you can press as fast as your fingers can go without stress.
Speed. It has a 200 ball hopper which means it has enough balls to shoot with. It can shoot 10-15 balls per second with an adjustable velocity of 250-325 feet per second (FSP).
Features
- Bolt system
- Front and back grips
- 200 ball hopper
- Semi-automatic
- Composite body
- Four Picatinny rails
- Customisable
Pros
- It’s can withstand rough terrains
- It’s customizable
- Adjustable foregrip and stock
- Low maintenance
- 200 ball hopper
- 1 year warranty
- It’s a reasonable price for beginners
- Easily mountable
Cons
- It’s not suitable for professionals
- It’s not suited for tournaments
Tippmann A-5
The Tippmann A-5 paintball gun is a remarkable gun. One of its top features is the amount of possible upgrades you can make. You can change almost every part of the gun and you’re still assured of its efficiency. It’s lightweight, accurate, and appropriate mostly for beginners.
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Here’s what to love about the Tipmann A-5 paint marker:
Ease of maintenance: It is easily detachable therefore, it’s easy to clean and maintain. It’s held with pins that are easily removable. It has a comfortable four-hand front and back grip. You can adjust the front grip by loosening it a little for flexibility.
Upgradable: There are many adjustments you can make on the gun to make it look like a real one. You can install an electronic kit, an RT kit, E-Grip, flatline barrel system, a different hopper, Tacamo magazine kit, etc. It’s one of the most flexible and versatile guns and there are tons of parts you can add to improve its performance and aesthetics.
You can even use parts from other brands asides Tippmann. It is quite expensive but also saves you more because you can replace its parts instead of buying another gun. You can also enjoy the benefits of two to three guns in one.
As much as the A5 is versatile, some parts are strictly Tippmann. You need to find out these parts before doing any replacing.
Adjustable velocity: You can adjust the air pressure with the set screw. If you want the balls to come out slower, tighten the set screws. You can do this probably when practicing or shooting alone. On the other hand, if you loosen the screw, the balls come out faster. This will be useful in a competition.
Features a cyclone feed system: It’s 200 hopper sits on a cyclone feed system. The cyclone feed system propels the balls faster into the chamber so the player makes quicker shots. In the semi-automatic mode, you will have to pull the trigger to propel the balls. The faster you shot, the faster the balls come out but the cyclone makes sure it comes out fast.
Fast-firing: It can fire 1-15 balls per second at above 150 FPS. You can use it in the semi-automatic or the automatic mode using the E-Grip. With the E-Grip, you can take 20 shots per second.
Five firing modes: The A5 has five firing modes that you can easily switch to using the external switch selector.
Short barrel: The barrel is 8.5 inches. Now, while some players will complain that it’s too short, others would find it okay. A short barrel means you can quickly turn and mark your next target. However, if you’re not comfortable with it, you can simply change it to a longer one as it’s detachable.
Features
- Cyclone feed system
- Customisable
- Composite frame
- Metal body
- 0.68mm Calibre
- Accessory rails
- Front and rear sights
- Adjustable velocity
- 8.5 inch barrel
Pros
- Highly adjustable and customisable
- Controlled speed
- Efficient and perfect for beginner and intermediate levels
- Easy to assemble and disassemble
- It’s durable because of its metal and aluminium body
- Tool-less disassembling and easy maintenance
- It gives you the benefits of two to three guns in one
- Reasonably accurate
- Strong and can take hits
Cons
- Not suitable for professional players
- A bit heavy
- A bit expensive for beginners
- The accuracy is not so consistent.
Empire Paintball BT Defender
The BT Defender is an admirable and beautiful paintball gun. It’s like a glimpse away from the norm, ranging from its make to its features. For instance, it’s hopper doesn’t stand on the marker, but is integrated in it. It is lightweight and a great choice for professionals.
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Here’s what to love about the Empire BT paint marker.:
Five modes: It’s has five modes you can swipe in an out of. The modes are the full-auto, semi-auto, select, ramping and burst modes. You can change to any of the modes, and to the safety mode by switching the selector switch on the marker. Each mode you change to is represented by a different colour that will appear on the OLED display on the marker.
Fast-shooter feature: At full-auto mode, it shoots 15 balls per second. Generally, it can go up to 20 balls per second. Ensure the gun is in safety mode before turning it on.
Tool-less maintenance: You don’t need tools to disassemble when you want to adjust or clean. If you want to remove the top rail, press in and pull out the two black pins and the silver pin on the rail.
Features a hidden hopper: The hopper position is one remarkable difference in the BT Defender. The hopper is located at the back of the marker and it also serves as the stock. The top of the marker where the hopper should be is covered by a flat metallic cover. You would open the cover and pour in your balls, and the cover will snap shut. It’s loader is connected directly to the trigger and not to the firing chamber like other markers. This makes the refill and firing process quicker, and the balls come out faster.
Body is comfy and lightweight: It’s body is made of ultralight magnesium material which makes the gun not as heavy as it looks. However, what gives the body a different look is its unibody shell. The shell houses the balls and other internal parts of the gun. It serves as a protective shell. Asides that, the body also hides the user. You may not see him coming till you’re out.
Other Features
- Simple press power button
- Ultralight magnesium body and a unibody shell
- Integrated hopper
- Anti-jam system
- 230 hopper capacity
- OLED display
- Selector switch
- 6AA battery
- 3 modes- semi-auto, full-auto and burst
- An adjustable ASA regulator ( it’s normally at 250psi)
- 0.68 calibre
- Break beam eyes
- Adjustable foregrip
- 3 bore inserts – 0.680, 0.685 & 0.690
Pros
- It’s durable
- Easy assembling and disassembling
- Easy cleanup and maintenance
- Accurate and consistent
- High firing rate
- Reduced user profile
- The batteries are easy to change
- It comes with an Apex 2 barrel, three inserts, 6AA battery, parts kit, and a speed feed
- The break beams reduces the rate of balls that break
- The shell houses and protects vital parts of the gun
- It has two comfortable grips
- It’s lightweight, durable, efficient, accurate and consistent
- It’s a great choice for professional tournaments
Cons
- It’s expensive
- Not all balls come out. You’d need to tilt the gun for the last few balls to come out.
- The weight of the gun is not evenly distributed, especially when it’s loaded, as the hopper is at the back.
Maddog Titanium Paintball Gun Marker
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The Maddog paintball marker lightweight, easy to handle and use, efficient, durable, comes in full package and it’s not expensive. It’s the perfect gun for entry, beginner, and intermediate levels.
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Here’s what to love about the Maddog paintball marker.
Lightweight and easy to handle: The gun is lightweight and easy to use. It has a gas-thru grip that makes firefight easy to handle and more fun. The grip is comfortable and the trigger frame is a slim nylon double trigger frame.
It comes with a starter package: One interesting thing about the Maddog marker is that it comes with all you need to get started. In the package you’ll find an empty 20-ounce tank, anti-fog paintball mask, 6 paintball pods, 200 round gravity loader, Maddog 6+1 depadded harness, and a barrel squeegee. All you need to do is feed your loader with 200 gravity balls, fill up your tank and you’re good to go.
Fast-firing: It shoots 18 balls per second at an adjustable rate of 250-325fps. When the 20 ounce CO2 tank is full, you’re sure of getting up to 800-1100 shots before it runs out. The only mode available is the semi-auto mode which is very good for close range shots, especially if you know how to play it well.
Other Feature
- Nylon M-Grip frame
- Semi-automatic.68 calibre
- 12 inches multiphase honed barrel
- Slim Dovetail ASA
- Adjustable fps
- Autococker barrel thread
- Braided hose
- Feather striker
- Double trigger
- Easy to strip bolt and striker assembly
Pros
- One year warranty
- Durable
- Easy to use
- Accurate shots
- The price is decent enough for the product
- It’s aesthetically pleasing
- Comes in various colours
Cons
- It consumes air fast
- You’d need to upgrade the barrel, and loader to something better if you’re competing in a tournament
- Noisy
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Action Village Empire Mini Paintball Gun
The Empire Mini gun has lots of features that makes it suitable for all levels, but particularly for entry level. It’s accurate, consistent, lightweight, and has a consistent velocity. In summary, it can get the work done.
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Here’s what to love about this paintball marker:
Comfortable to handle: The gun is made of metal with an aluminium two-piece barrel. Its fore and back grips are made of rubber that makes it comfortable and firm for players. It has one trigger and the trigger space is spacious enough for your fingers to go fast.
Comes in four modes: The Empire Mini CS BT Core has four modes you can switch in and out of while playing. The modes are the Burst, Semi-auto, Full-auto, and the Ramp modes. It also has modes for leagues, so you can do a lot with the gun.
Fast-firing machine: It shoots over 20 balls per second. It’s fast and reliable. It uses a 48 cubic high pressure aluminium air tank that can go 3000psi. The pressure for feet per second is 800 and it’s unadjustable.
So you’re sure of around 500-700 psi shots before you run out of air. Due to the pressure, some balls might break. But, never worry. The gun has an ANS flex swab that soaks in the paint from broken balls. So cleaning your gun is easy and you get to shoot longer without cleaning all the time.
Come with a starter package: The gun comes with all you need to start playing the game. You can add some other things later but it’s based on preference. The package includes 38/3000 high compressed air tank, Empire loader, ANS Flex Swab, Halo Too Paintball Loader w/RIP Drive.
Other Features
- Four modes – NXL Full-auto, PSP/Burst, NPPL/Semi-auto, and Millennium/Ramp
- Power switch
- Semi-automatic- .68 calibre
- On/Off ASA
- 2 piece 14-inch barrel
- ANS Flex Swab
- Pressure controlled poppet engine
- OLED board
- Integrated break beam anti-chop eyes
- Integrated air line
- Clamping feed neck
Pros
- Easily programmable
- Comes in various colours
- Different modes
- Comfortable grip that protects from paint and stain
- The air tank can last for up to 15 years
- It has a swab that mops broken paint
Cons
- A bit difficult to clean and lubricate
- The psi is not adjustable
- You need two Allen keys to disassemble, so it’s not tool-less
Things To Look Out For Before Buying An Automatic Paintball Gun
Automatic guns are the players to-go gun during a tournament because of its speed. However, there are lots of automatic products available in the market. As such, you may get confused on which to buy, especially of you’re new to paintball guns.
Nevertheless, there are certain factors that serve as pointers to a good quality paintball gun. Here are some things to check out before buying an automatic gun or any paintball gun at all.
- Reviews speak a lot about a product. You should go online and read the reviews about the product you intend to buy. You’ll learn a lot.
- The purpose of the gun is another factor. What do you want to use the gun for? What level are you playing? If you just want to play with friends and not compete, then you should go for a cheaper version. Cheap doesn’t necessarily mean bad, it mean appropriate.
- If you’re not sure what to buy, seek advice from a professional or the seller.
- When you get a paintball gun you like, hold it and feel it to know if you’re comfortable with it. Then take it out for testing.
- You can choose a customizable gun so you can try out other features on one gun without buying another one.
- Check out the features of the product, like the durability, accuracy, trigger, operating pressure, calibre, feed system, etc.
- You should also consider the weight of the gun. You don’t want something that is too heavy so you don’t have cramp for carrying it for too long. You should go for a lightweight, a gun around 2-4 pounds.
Reasons To Buy Automatic Paintball Guns
Automatic paintball guns are cool for the game. There are currently lots of options with lots of amazing features available. There are lots of reasons why people would naturally opt for automatic guns. It has many advantages.
- These guns are adorable, and boasts fine glossy finish, and comes in multiple colours
- They’re lightweight and small
- They have high velocity and the trigger is quick
- They’re easy to maintain, assemble and disassemble
- They’re customisable and adjustable, especially their modes.
Reasons We Don’t Go For Automatic Paintball Guns
As much as the automatic paintball guns have lots of advantages, they also have disadvantages. The disadvantage doesn’t necessarily make them bad, but it’s worth considering before you think of buying one.
- It’s more expensive.
- The parts are not cheap and it’s expensive to repair
- They mostly make use of HPA and not CO2
- They make use of batteries, so the batteries must be fully charged. If the battery runs all low and you don’t have a spare, your game stops.
Semi-Auto Vs. Full-Auto
All paintball players know that there’s a big positive difference between playing with automatic guns as against mechanical guns. However, as interesting as the automatic guns are, it’s important you choose an automatic gun that’ll suit your need and ability as a player.
The automatic gun can be divided into the semi-auto and the full-auto. Now, some automatic guns can have both modes on it so the player can switch from one to another. However, some guns are strictly semi-auto or full-auto. Here’s what to know to pick a suitable one.
Semi-Auto: The semi-auto gun is like a combination of mechanical and electronics. It shoots faster and at greater speed than the mechanical, but will require you to press the trigger to release the balls. If you’re a player that wants to be able to control the rate at which your gun fires, then you should go for the semi-auto guns.
Full-Auto: The full-auto gun is a rapid firer. It only takes a press of the trigger and it shoots continuously till you pull your hand away from the trigger. If you’re a learner and you can’t control a gun, you won’t be able to use this gun despite its advantages. It may become a disadvantage to you as you won’t be able to control the gun while maintaining your target at the same time. However, if you’re a professional and you feel you can control the speed, then, it’s a super cool option.
Final Thought
So these are the best automatic paintball guns out there. We provided features for each gun, so you can make informed decision when buying.
The quality of paintball marker you’re using can have a massive impact on your performance. It will determine if you can outperform your competitors.
Automatic paintball guns are lightweight, portable and are a breeze to maintain. You’ll enjoy using them for both big and small games.
You can check out the list of automatic paintball guns here and make your choice.
