Whether you’re new to paintball or just don’t know which type of paintball gun to get next, we’re here to help you sort it out! Mechanical paintball guns are great for beginners, and generally more affordable, but they lack the speed and some of the features that electronic paintball guns offer. In this article, we’ll be discussing mechanical vs electronic paintball guns and talking about their differences, their pros, and their cons.
Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Mechanical Paintball Guns
When it comes to mechanical vs electronic paintball guns, mechanical paintball guns have worse performance. That said, they’re not terrible paintball guns by any means, and they still serve their purpose on the field. Mechanical paintball guns include pump paintball guns and semi-automatics and are as quick as the player behind them.
This is because their shooting comes from manual labor and relies on the player to pump the action and pull the trigger that engages the springs, valves, pump handles, and sears so that they can do their part and throw the paintball up and out at your target.
Pros
Mechanical paintball guns come in a pretty vast assortment, giving you lots of room to decide on the style that looks and performs the best for your needs.
They’re also great budget-buys and all-in-all much more affordable than electronic paintball guns due to their lack of complicated internal parts. Of course, as with anything, you can find expensive mechanical paintball guns that can cost you a few thousand bucks, but for the most part, you’ll be able to find a dependable gun in virtually any price range.
Another pro about mechanical paintball guns is that they won’t require much upkeep. If you’re a beginner or just don’t play paintball all that often, a mechanical paintball gun may suit you best. Maintenance for these paintball guns is basically cleaning and greasing them up every now and again, which isn’t too difficult considering how easy it is to take these guns apart and reassemble them.
Parts are also relatively simple to find, so there won’t be much need to worry if you lose or break a part.
The last advantage of mechanical paintball guns is that they’re easier to customize. If there’s something you want to add to your mechanical paintball gun, such as a new sight or place for a flashlight, it’s really not that big of a deal. You could probably even do the work yourself without having to run to a professional. This means that these paintball guns are highly flexible to your whims.
Cons
The main downfall of mechanical paintball guns is that they’re not as accurate or as speedy as their electronic counterparts. Their speed basically relies on how fast you can manually cock the gun and pull the trigger.
Plus, they’re pretty loud — definitely louder than an electronic option. You’ll want to be sure that you have the right gear, including a reliable paintball mask, to protect your hearing when using these paintball guns.
Electronic Paintball Guns
Electronic paintball guns are definitely the higher quality of the two paintball gun types. These paintball guns rely on an electronic circuit board to fire and their energy comes from batteries that are rechargeable (generally taking around 3 to 5 hours to charge completely, depending on what model you get).
Pros
They give you more shots per air tank, they’re faster and more accurate, they’re quieter, they have more features, and they can shoot in different modes including fully automatic.
There’s no cocking the gun or fiddling with anything to shoot. With electronic paintball guns, you simply pull the trigger and you’re off to the races.
You’re also not too terribly limited in your options with electronic paintball guns. You can find them in a variety of styles, weights, FPS’s, etc. They’re also lighter weight than mechanical paintball guns, making them easier to carry around on the field during a 2 or 3-hour game.
Cons
Though there are lots of cool features that electronic paintball guns possess, they don’t come without a large price tag. You could easily spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on a generic electronic paintball gun. That’s without any customization.
And, if you do want to customize your electric paintball gun or if ever it gets damaged, you’ll have to take it to a professional. Electronic paintball guns aren’t easy to take apart nor are they a breeze to put back together; and if you’re inexperienced, you could really do some harm to the internal components.
While the battery makes shooting the paintball gun faster and simpler, it does mean you’ll have to make sure it’s completely charged before you head off for a game. Failure to do so will certainly result in a slower shot and eventual kaput of your gun during the game — which is aggravating and would surely ruin your fun.
The Verdict
Well, there you have it! Our guide for mechanical vs electronic paintball guns.
Overall, they’re both solid options. The decision on which type you get basically falls down to two things:
- Your budget
- Your experience
If you’re someone who is new to paintball or you don’t play that often, we’d recommend that you go for a mechanical paintball gun. They’re easy to use, aside from being a tad slower, they’re significantly less expensive than an electronic paintball gun, and they don’t require much TLC. Plus, they can be customized and fixed more easily.
On the other hand, if you’re serious about paintball and want the best possible option you can get, we’d recommend you try out electronic paintball options. These paintball guns are incredibly quick, reliable, and more accurate than mechanical airsoft guns. They’re also simpler to shoot than mechanical choices and only require you to pull the trigger for them to activate.
No matter which type of paintball gun you end up with, we hope our article helped to lay out the differences, and highlight the pros and cons of each type in a comprehensible manner to set you on the right path.
