A Salute to the Basic Paintball Gun
Saturday April 26, 2008
Most players have, at one time or another, used a basic, blowback paintball gun such as a Tippmann, Spyder, Piranha or any of the dozens of other guns that rely on the same basic principles to operate. These semi-automatic shooters are what changed the sport from a pump-centered survival game to the broad, accessible sport paintball is today. While few advanced players continue to rely solely on their basic blowback, they are an integral part of how many of us found the sport. We either upgrade our basic gun with e-grips and high-efficiency bolts or buy fancier electro-pneumatic guns, but we never forget our first Spyder or our original Model 98. With the dozens of paintball guns that I own, I still never go to the field without at least one basic blowback tucked into my bag as a battery-free backup.
In this age where advanced paintball guns can be purchased by the masses, I'd like to take a minute and salute the basic, semi-automatic paintball gun. If it weren't for my first Spyder, I never would have adopted the sport, and I'm sure countless other paintballers feel the same way. So when you're tired of ramping to 20 balls per second or just sick of replacing the batteries on your Halo, take a minute and dig out a basic gun, screw on a CO2 tank, fill up a gravity-fed hopper and hit the field. Such a great gun deserves at least as much.
(Photo Courtesy of PriceGrabber)
Comments
I agree. I used a Spyder many years ago and still gave me the greatest thrill ever. It may of been because it was the first, or just becasue they are simple and functional, but I love them.
Basic mechanical guns have gotten very good in the last couple of years. I’ve been tempted many times to buy another mechanical gun based solely on the fact that I was amazed at how well engineered a certain gun was. Some of the newer mechanicals have become very light, comfortable, and easy to maintain. The fact that there are now guns on the market that can be stripped and cleaned without any tools is amazing! Look around, there are many impressive mechanicals out there right now.
Great article. I have several higher-end markers for speedball tournaments and yet when at the local field I use my Autococker Trilogy Sport every time. It’s great in the woods, in scenarios or playing a quick round of speedball with friends. This $70.00 marker is reliable, accurate, and fun. We joke about the way the first ball usually rolls out the barrel as a warning shot but I still get plenty of tags with it. It’s lightweight, low cost, runs on CO2 or compressed air, and keeps on shooting with little maintenance.