Recommended Tourney Guns

[TippmannPhreak]

Hey, guys. I'm starting to get serious about paintball, and I don't know if my 98 Custom will be able to hold it's own in a tourney. I'm also on a really tight budget. Can anybody recommend a marker for somebody on a tight budget, but will hold it's own in a tourney? Thanks. I was looking in to a PPS Blazer. How much would one of those run me?

[dpbmustanglax]

Skill comes before the gun. I have seen people with stock 98 customs (highly skilled) beat teams of Timmys and the like (some skill)

You will get a lot more respect winning games with a Tippmann than you would get if you had a really high end gun. The gun doesnt make the player.......the players skill is what matters most.

Any estimate of how much green you will have for a entry level tourny gun?
That will help quite a bit.

[Homer]

Speaking from experience. Work your Tippman til it dies, and until you've saved enough money for a higher end marker.

Most everyone I know (myself included) did the "steps of marker upgrade".

You buy an entry level marker and then realize you want more. SO you upgrade it.

Then you buy an intermediate marker. Then you want more, so you spend another wheelbarrow of money and upgrade it.

Do it once agin for a higher mid-level marker.

Pretty soon you add up hundreds of dollars in upgrades alone, never mind the markers.

Play with the Tippman, upgrade it, but skip steps 2 and 3 and save your money if your gonna play the sport for a while.

Just my suggestion.

[TippmannPhreak]

Ok, thanks alot guys. I asked around other places, and they said my gun would be eaten alive, I appreciate the positive comments. I'm thinking about buying a BKO when the Tippy dies, it's right in my price range, and alot of people say it performs along the lines of Cockers and stuff, so that will be my next gun.

[dpbmustanglax]

They perform well when: a) you use an Egg or any hopper slower than 15 bps or b) you buy a new ball detent before using an Egg with Z-board or higher.

[mariners02]

i would actually suggest getting an ion sure there not as good as intimidators but there more accurate, and much faster than tippmanns not to mention they kick less run on lower pressure and tons of other ups

[Homer]

The Ion does look good, and the initial reviews seem fine.

BUT every single SmartParts amreker that has come out in the past 5 years has not been all the internet hype has cranked them out to be.

Maybe this will be different. But personally I will wait to shoot one, and use one before endorsing a marker that is untested by the General Public.

"Those who do not learn from History, are condemned to repeat it".