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Realistic Magazine Fed Paintball Guns

There is a common complaint among many in our sport about the realism of the weaponry used: it just isn’t very realistic. Even some of the best tactical markers continue to lose realism, leaving players hungry for a more authentic experience. In most cases, it’s pretty easy to spot a paintball marker because of the large hopper on top to hold the ammo. This is problematic for at least two reasons: 1) it takes some of the realism out of your gun, and 2) the hopper can easily give away your position in the field if you’re trying to hide behind cover – this piece sticks out! This can defeat the purpose of “low key play”, which means stealthy and subtle movement styles during the game, sometimes consisting of a complete non-exposure of the player and his position on the field.

Fortunately, there is a viable solution to this problem in both realism and profile: magazine-fed markers. Just like a real rifle, magazine-fed paintball guns are equipped with a functional magazine that holds paintballs and uses spring pressure to feed them into the marker. This makes the gun look and function much more like “the real thing”, adding more realism and excitement to the sport of stage paintball. These new markers provide a much-desired change to the traditional hopper-fed paintball gun. While there is some cost associated with upgrading to this type of marker, many players are proud to make the switch. Top mag gun brands include the Rap4 468 and MK5 series, Honorcore, Tiberius Arms, Spyder, and even Tippmann offers a new version.

Owning a good magazine fed paintball marker has many advantages. The most obvious is that it looks completely real. For many players, this is a very important factor. Some of the best brands of magazine fed tactical paintball guns are virtually indistinguishable from the real thing. Removing the hopper also makes for much better low-profile play, making your gun smaller and much easier to handle. A large, fully loaded hopper on top of your marker gives it a different balance, making it trickier to be more accurate compared to a good mag feed system. Once you attach the clip, your gun is a closed system that won’t spill paintballs everywhere. It is common for a hopper to come loose during gameplay or lose ammo when removing it. Compared to the sleek profile of newer magazine-fed paintball guns, hopper-fed systems are clunky, bulky, and make your marker look like a toy.

However, magnetic bookmarks are not without their critics. Opponents of the magazine-fueled movement make some valid claims against this change. The biggest of these is that a magazine cannot hold as much ammo as a traditional hopper. For long scenarios that may require a lot of shots, you should go in with as much ammo as possible. With the standard hopper holding at least 200 rounds, at least ten 18- or 20-round magazines will be needed to equal the same capacity; this is a lot to take. Fortunately, there are other realistic accessories that offer ways to wear these accessories, such as tactical vests. Like its real-life counterpart, a tactical paintball vest equipped with multiple mag pouches is a great way to pack numerous loaded mags in a very balanced, close-to-body fashion. A good vest not only offers excellent support for carrying your magazines, but also gives a cool look to your stage attire and adds extra protection from incoming bullets.

Another valid complaint about magazine fed paintball guns is the magazines themselves. Most magazines for tactical markers rely on spring and mechanical actions to feed the ammunition, which creates a higher chance of the marker jamming, misfiring, or breaking completely. While this was more of an issue at first, most magazine fed paintball guns have been out long enough for these bugs to have been ironed out, however some brands are definitely better than others. Rap4’s Dmags are some of the easiest to use in terms of durability, function and price. While most paintball gun mags are between $25 and $40, Dmags are around $10 and even less if purchased in a pack. The best paintball gun magazines are also compatible with shaped projectiles like First Strike ammo; Dmags will also work with this precision paintball bullet.

If you’re just starting out in the sport, keep in mind that a hopper-based system will be your cheapest, easiest, and most common route. If you’ve been in the sport for a while and are considering switching to a charger-powered system, weigh the pros and cons before committing. Do you play a position where you need a lot of ammo quickly? Will you have time to recharge if you run out? Is stealth critical in your scenario? Do you yearn for a realistic scenario but feel like you’re using a “toy”? These are all valid considerations. So the debate continues, and probably will from now on. Players have made it clear that they want options and want to intensify the reality factor in their game. Manufacturers have heard this request loud and clear and magazine fed markers are definitely moving in the right direction to become the primary choice in paintball.

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