Post by Admin on Oct 6, 2014 7:59:24 GMT
You’re Not Going To Be A Paintball Sniper
Posted on July 17, 2014 by Peter Manktelow
If you find this post, I hope it’s because you are thinking about being a paintball sniper. Chances are—if you are thinking about it—you are a new player looking for all of the paintball sniping tips and tricks you can find.
Here’s the deal…
If you are a new player just getting into paintball, there is a good chance it’s not going to work out. You are not going to be a paintball sniper.
First, let’s talk about sniper-style paintball markers.
We’d be happy to sell you a Milsig M17 DMR. Go ahead, go over to our website right now and buy one.
It’s a pretty slick marker, it’s first strike ready and it has rails to mount your favorite long-range scope.
Chances are, however, that you aren’t going to get one. Even if you do, you’re going to have to shell out $1,300 and you might end up disappointed at sniping performance, even with first strike rounds.
First Strike rounds are expensive. At $20 for 40 rounds on our website, you’re going to end up spending a premium for accuracy. You’re not going to find them much cheaper elsewhere.
They are a definite improvement over traditional paintballs. Beyond the cost issue, however, they are likely not accurate enough over long range to make sniping viable as a paintball strategy.
If right now you close your eyes and picture long-range engagements over 80 or 100 yards—sitting and waiting, firing one shot and delivering a single hit—you are in for a real awakening when it comes to playing as a paintball sniper.
Another problem you will run into is with the Ghillie suit that you’re interested in. I’m guilty of it. I was a younger player when Tippmann released the Flatline barrel for the 98—I was excited to put on a Ghillie suit, get the cammo face paint from the army surplus store, get my jungle boots on and sit. I was excited to wait for 20 minutes out in the woods at our home game to get the perfect shot.
I never got that Ghillie suit or the Flatline.
But, if I had, there is a good chance I would have been disappointed.
The first problem is that other players and organized fields HATE Ghillie suits. Paint doesn’t like to break on them. People get upset if you are wearing them and some fields ban them. Plus, unless it is a massive open woodsball course, you’re going to have trouble finding the range to engage people as a sniper anywhere. All of this drama happens before you get sick of wearing it because it’s too warm.The point is, paintball—even scenario woodsball or milsim—is a game of speed and tactical movement. Long range players can fit in in some situations, but the romanticized idea of move-style sniping—laying back 100 to 200 yards away from the field and slowly picking off players one by one while you are out of range, just isn’t that realistic.
If you are an experienced player and you enjoy the novelty of a sniper style paintball gun, go ahead and get the M17 DMR or a similar marker. Buy about $1000 of first strike rounds, and have fun.
If you are a new player, you are better off with a less expensive marker and setup for close quarters engagements. You learn more about the sport, more about teamwork, and—in my opinion—you end up having more fun running and gunning up close and making fast-action tactical decisions while working and communicating with your team.
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