Alright, you’ve been getting serious about your paintball game, but you’re struggling to make the long-range shot that can put you and your squad over the edge. You’ve got some good paintball guns, some of which are high-performance markers, but nothing can quite reach… Sound familiar? Some shots just can’t be made by your average paintball gun. For some shots, you need an actual paintball sniper rifle.
The world of the paintball marker keeps growing and growing, and a variety of specialized markers will improve your game, including the sniper. While the sniper paintball gun is not well suited for a speedball field, the sniper rifles shine on recreational and scenario games. The larger areas present many opportunities to set up a hide or an ambush and prey on the more impatient paintball players.
Paintball gun selection is never easy. We like to look at our paintball markers as part of a quiver of options, much like a set of golf clubs. Each can be set up for a different type of shot or environment. Chances are, you are reading this article because you are tired of being on the receiving end of the shot that came out of nowhere. You have decided that those sniper shots will no longer go unanswered. Now you are ready to be more discerning in your shots — preferring accuracy, a reduced noise signature, and additional range to the volume of fire that your other paintball guns offer.
This list will show you the most durable, reliable, and cost-effective paintball gun options for entering the world of the sniper paintball player.
Short on time? Here is a summary of the best paintball sniper guns.
Best Beginner Marker
- Tippmann Cronus Tactical
Affordable all-in-one
- Wrek Paintball Sierra One Sniper
Reliable Beginner Pick
- Tippmann A-5 Sniper
Best Assaulter Rifle
- First Strike FS T15
Customizable Mechanical Gun
- Planet Eclipse EMEK EMF100
Top Of The Line Dual Purpose
- Dye Dam Assault Matrix
Best Bolt-Action Sniper
- Carmatech SAR12C Sniper
Moving to a sniper is bold and will also change your strategy.
Before the game begins, you must start thinking through your sniper process. Start thinking like a sniper. Where are you expecting the opposing team to move? How many are you expecting? Can you catch them in the open, making the run to capture the flag? Or will you wait for them to take up a position in the bunkers before you make your mark?
The best paintball sniper will find themselves playing from the back of the rest of the team, preferring to employ a combination of strategy, tactics, cover, and concealment to eliminate opponents and help their team secure another victory. There is nothing wrong with those that prefer to rush right into the action — those paintball players will distract the opposing team’s best paintball sniper and allow us an opportunity to get into our sniper position. Their rapid rate of fire to suppress the opposing team enables our perfectly aimed sniper paintball shots to make an impact without the other paintball team being the wiser. The sniper paintball gun will make fewer shots per second — but also shots of more importance and tact. If the above sounds like a style of play and adjustment you are excited to make, consider one of these top of the line paintball sniper rifles.
Before we get too far into this article, let us tell you exactly what we use to evaluate these paintball sniper markers.
In helping you find the best paintball sniper rifle, we are taking the following things into account: you want to be able to make an accurate shot from a distance, you want to fire with ease and comfort on the trigger, and you want to improve your precision with a precision barrel, you want something that allows you to improve your overall game and play a vital role in any scenario or recreational games, and you want to make sure that your investment in new paintball marker and equipment is going to be worthwhile.
While we realize we must keep things realistic, the options we list below will get you right into the action in one of the most exciting ways to play paintball. Keep this in mind, just because you own a paintball sniper rifle and a good barrel doesn’t mean you’ll be able to shoot at an inconceivably long-range target.
Features to look for:
Off the top, we are looking for a paintball gun with at least a 14″ barrel and, in an optimum situation, a 16″ – 18″ sniper paintball gun barrel. Suppose the paintball gun does not offer this as a feature; it is not exactly a deal breaker. Just keep a note, and you can always upgrade the barrel later.
A 1913-style rail on your sniper paintball gun is a significant benefit. The rail is typically located at the front of the gun. The 1913 rail is the best option for mounting a bi-pod, front grip, red dot sight, iron sights, and other accessories such as lasers, flashlights, and slings. Typically the rail is a tube placed around the barrel and mounted directly to the gun. The 1913 type of rail is a universal format invented for the military, so tons of accessories are available that utilize this interface style.
The paintball sniper rifle would include a telescoping stock in our perfect world. Many sniper players use the tank to provide gun stability in the shoulder, which is fine for traditional play styles. However, in our case, we are looking to stabilize the paintball marker as much as possible. Many paintball guns for paintball sniper play provide a telescoping stock that lets us customize the fit to suit our different body shapes/sizes better.
1. Tippmann Cronus Sniper Paintball Rifle
The Tippmann Cronus is an excellent option if you are a beginner or intermediate player looking to evolve in the world of snipers and sniping. It doesn’t cost too much and may be the easy-to-use option among high-quality snipers on the market. Color options leave you with a choice of either olive or tan color. The Cronus also runs off of co2 gas and utilizes an A-5 threaded barrel, which leaves plenty of upgrade options available. The overall design is low maintenance, and the price point will help you with tactical gameplay for a reasonable price.
This durable gun also scores high for its reliability but won’t break the bank. It has an M16/AR-15 style six-position collapsible stock, four-panel 1913 Picatinny rails, fixed front and rear sights, a vertical foregrip, and many other cool practical features, but not over the top. We especially like that the tank is run below the grip, which enables you to utilize the collapsible stock best. Also, no gas line can get in the way when crawling through the woods. The carry handle/rear sight is easily removable. Rotate the two screws, and it pops right off your sniper rifle. In our tests, we threw on a red dot sight to see our target without obstructions. The front grip is also removable and can be replaced with a bi-pod if the paintball sniper desires.
Tippmann has earned an excellent reputation in the paintball world, providing players with well-built, high-quality products for several generations. The Cronus Tactical incorporates an inline bolt system that, among players, is widely celebrated as reliable in many environments. This is a solid choice if you’re interested in starting the journey of shooting like a sniper.
The paintball gun package we suggest is available at $204.99 when writing. This paintball gear package includes everything you need to play other than gas and a box of paint. You can pick those up at the field on the day of play. This kit has a 20 oz tank, a six-pod pack harness, anti-fog goggles, a basic loader, a parts kit, and the Cronus Tactical Edition marker.
If you have some extra coins to spend, the best upgrade we could recommend would be a remote hose to run the 20oz tank in the back center of your pod pack (there is a pouch included). This would help you reduce the weight of the paintball gun and also help you keep a low profile when you are lying prone, waiting to take your shot. Speaking of your pod pack, the included six pods carry 140 paintballs each, but as a sniper, you might not find yourself shooting as much.
We recommend reducing your profile by filling only the left or suitable side pouches, closing the velcro on the unused pouches to as tight as possible, then rotating the pack a bit, so it’s off-center. Place the pods on the side of your body, not pulling the trigger, so you can reload in a hurry if need be. It might look funky, but you’re keeping your footprint tight to reduce your profile.
The other upgrade we would suggest is a performance barrel. The carbon fiber barrel from Deadlywind is an excellent option. It’s super lightweight, easy to clean, and very accurate. In our research, among options for A5 threaded barrels, the Deadlywind was the best choice.
Upgrades for later include the hopper and paintball goggles. The included gear will get you through the first games and get you started. Or, if you already have your goggles or hopper, these are great as spares for a friend. Hopefully, you are bringing a friend to help you take down the opposing team and cover your flank. 🙂
2. Wrek Sierra One Sniper Rifle
With a high-performance barrel and a sizable, easy-to-use red dot sight proven to increase your accuracy and improve your shot, and an accompanying high-quality metal bi-pod, this is an optimal sniper for any experienced paintballer. The barrel is 16 inches long and fires paint quietly and effectively.
Just looking at this beast of a sniper, you realize this is a gun that means business. The bipod works wonders for sniping, providing stability for those long-range, ultra-detailed shots when the stakes are high. The bipod is made entirely of metal, too, which means that– like the gun itself– it is very durable and resilient.
3. Tippmann A5 Paintball Gun
This paintball sniper set is jacked up and ready to roll out against the competition. The A5 paintball gun has a response trigger grip and potential add-ons like a 20 oz. CO2 tank, 140-round pods, and more insane features, this is the ultimate kit for the sniper paintball player who wants to get serious about sniping and long-range play.
With the purchase, you get a gun that can maintain a maximum feeding rate of 17 balls per second (a high rate of fire for a sniper rifle) and a red dot sight that provides fantastic accuracy and precision, even at long range. The A5 paintball gun is our best all-around option for those who prefer rush play, sniper rifle play, and opportunities to upgrade the weapon to support either style of play, all with ironclad Tippmann reliability.
First Strike T15, Planet Eclipse MG100, Dye DAM, and the Carmatech SAR12C
Currently, the Pro Paintball Team is hard at work finalizing the testing for the T15, MG100, DAM, and SAR12C. We look forward to providing you with incredible insight into the performance as we finish our stress tests! Stay Tuned!
Best Paintball Snipers – A Final Note
Many videos on youtube share methods of creating camouflage gillie suits, strategies to camouflage your gear, and tips on sneaking around the woods. Before your first sniper game, watch a few videos to understand what to do.
If you scan Amazon, you will notice that many of the best sniper options are guns with various add-ons sold as sets rather than proper snipers made by major manufacturers. Our advice is simple: if there are many reviews and it seems like a legitimate option, go for it. We expect sniper rifles to pick up in popularity in time. Still, until then, many independent projects are based on creating killer gun sets with authentic, high-quality materials by leaders in the paintball scene. More than just a sniper paintball gun with a red dot sight, many of these sets will also contain co2 tanks, goggles or masks, gloves, vests, and other gear to accompany the marker.
FAQ
What’s the best paintball sniper rifle?
With several all of the best paintball guns in the market, choosing the best surely is a task and features you require, e.g., barrel size, caliber, add-ons, and many more things, including overall aesthetics for some users. We believe a good start for any beginner or intermediate gamer is the Tippmann Cronus Sniper Paintball Rifle. With it running off CO2 gas, it utilizes A-5 threaded barrel with a low maintenance design at a more than fair price point. You also have plenty of options in upgrades available with this piece.
Are there paintball snipers?
Most definitely, paintball snipers are available for you to add to your paintball game and range. Be sure to look at our review for more insights on the best paintball sniper rifle.
How far can a paintball sniper rifle shoot?
With a majority of paintball sniper rifles shooting at about 200 miles per hour, they can travel lengths of 80-100 feet.
What’s the most accurate paintball gun?
It all comes to user ability, upgrades, and creativity for paintball guns. Factors from the quality of the paintballs to the status of the barrel, breach, and hopper, can make your rifle the most accurate on the field. You can also consider the air source and upgrade to a better reliable one if possible.
Why does my paintball gun not shoot straight?
Being highly skilled at aiming is not the only factor that matters for you to make that straight shot. Every factor counts. This ranged from paintballs that were easily ruined from improper storage and paintball manufacture quality, resulting in different weights and sizes, to barrels with slight differences in tolerance sizes. All factors work together to help improve user accuracy. Other factors can include a reliable air source; compressed air and CO2 can also be additional variables aiding in improving accuracy and getting you to the ultimate goal of having straighter shots.