Whether you're a serious player or want to be better, making upgrades on your top marker—taking it from off the shelf basic to personalized perfection—is worth the investment.
Since there are so many available, it’s difficult to choose which upgrade is best to get the most out of your marker and get the highest quality out of your game. With all the details related to a marker’s technical abilities and specific measurements, it’s easy to get lost in the world of paintball markers—but just like pinpointing the three top places to visit on a map, here are the three most helpful upgrades that you can get on your marker:
1. Tanks
The Facts:
Most paintball guns out there are equipped with Co2 bottles and since they work efficiently enough, this upgrade is often overlooked.
However, investing in an upgrade to an HPA (high-pressure air) tank, your paintball marker will be more efficient overall and you'll notice an increased accuracy percentage.
Why It Works:
In a Co2-run marker, the Co2 has to expand from a liquid into a gas. Since, scientifically speaking, you have to properly maintain and manage the environment in which the Co2 is entered, this upgrade can be a bit of a work. However, if done correctly at the proper temperature and not overfilled (Co2 tanks can be over-pressured), it is pretty efficient.
However, when you're upgrading to an HPA, you can eliminate the whole expansion problem possibility. With the HPA tank, your marker will come with a regulator, so you can easily see and measure the perfect amount of pressure. That’s not all—the HPA tank also ranks higher by using a cleaner gas, which has an overall positive effect on the rest of your marker. With this gas, the O-rings in your paintball gun will last longer thus making the quality of the mechanisms inside your gun work more efficiently.
2. Barrels
The Facts
One of the most common upgrades for any paintball gun will be the barrel. Not only is it based on aesthetic appeal, the barrel of your paintball can have an impact on your shot—whether it directly influences your accuracy or your distance—or a bit of both.
Accuracy:
If you want to improve your accuracy, you can’t go wrong with a sniper barrel. Also, with the right barrel kit, you can also upgrade your marker’s appearance for the ultimate custom tactical look.
One thing to know before you go: the first six inches of the barrel is the most important—it has the most influence on your shot’s accuracy. After those six inches, it’s all up to you and your skill.
Distance:
For an increase in your range, opt for a high-tech barrel. Choosing a precision barrel that is designed with lightweight material will not only increase the range of your shot, it will also make for quick handling while you're on the field.
Two Types of Barrels: There are more than a few options when it comes to choosing the right barrel. However, two common upgrades you can choose from are rifled barrels and fluted barrels.
Rifled barrels are those with small grooves that run length-wise. They help the paintball glide smoother through the tube and guides it after it has left the barrel. The rifled barrels stabilize the paintball and also reduces its spin.
Fluted barrels are those with tiny holes located at the ends. These holes push air out as the trigger has been pulled, right before the paintball leaves the barrel. That way, drag is reduced and speed is quickened—increasing the range of your shot.
You also don’t want to have your barrel be too long. The longer the length of your barrel, the more possible it is that there’s a ball break inside. Aim for your barrel upgrade to be from 12-16 inches long.
3. Firing mechanism (Trigger)
Still can’t get enough speed? Consider upgrading your paintball marker with an electronic trigger. This will have you shooting in automatic mode, giving you the opportunity to increase your speed and develop your tactic.
There are a few different available upgrades for a trigger:
Double Trigger: This non-electronic option is the most affordable to invest in to increase your firing rate and is the most simple to use. They are also compatible with your paintball gun, regardless of the brand. With the double trigger, you don't have to worry about mechanical and internal grades—just a swap of the trigger and you can shoot much quicker by using your index and middle finger instead of just one finger. If you're a beginner, this upgrade is the way to go.
Response Trigger: Transitioning from an electronic to an air-assisted and non-electronic trigger update, the response trigger allows your marker to stay in a semi-automatic mode but gives your gun a much faster firing rate. Just by installing a small cylinder and piston directly behind the trigger located on your paintball gun, it’ll be much more sensitive and requires much less pressure. This will give you the advantage of a quicker reaction and allows your marker to operate simply off of additional air with no extra batteries. This upgrade is generally suggested for intermediate players since there’s a little bit of prior knowledge necessary to use it effectively.
Electronic Trigger: This upgrade—the electronic trigger-or E-trigger for short—works with your desire for a higher-range when shooting. This upgrade will also give you the highest rate of fire on your paintball gun by using several different firing options: semi-auto, 3 round burst and fully automatic.
There is, of course, the advantage of covering a much wider area with paint and increasing the probability of hitting your target, however, with power comes responsibility. Using a fully automatic paintball gun can make your game more realistic but it can also give you serious speed that you might not be used to. The automatic option gives you a steady stream of paintballs at the simple pull of a trigger, which means you have to be aware that even though you’re shooting out tons of paintballs, it’s also costing you money and giving away your position.
Since you are investing so much money in your paintball marker and time in your paintball game, having the ability to upgrade your marker is a beneficial investment to make. Not only can you upgrade your marker for technical reasons you can also purely customize your equipment to make it as individualized as possible, which brings personality into the game. We hope this guide has helped give you some options to take your game to the next level.