Paintball Snipers – Understanding Limitations
Paintball snipers often try to copy their military counterparts when it comes tactics and general sniping. The problem is the two have some major differences. Without recognizing these differences, you will just embarrass yourself and your team.
Without a doubt the biggest difference between the two are their guns. The biggest mistake a paintball sniper can make is believing his gun is comparable to a military sniper rifle. For this argument I will compare a standard paintball setup with a Barrett M82 military rifle.
The Barret M82 or Barret.50 cal can shoot over 3,000 feet while still retaining accuracy. Many report it can even hit accurately from almost a mile away.
A paintball gun would be lucky to make it 500 feet, even when arching your barrel. To that end, a sniper scope on a paintball gun is completely unnecessary because you can easily see a couple hundred feet.
The only thing that has been shown to increase a paintball gun’s range is a tippmann flatline barrel, because it puts a backspin on paintball.
As far as tactics are concerned there is one big difference between military and paintball. Paintball snipers have a massive disadvantage in terms of being able to shoot from a distance. Because of this they must get extremely close to their targets before they can shoot. Whereas military can get a shot off from half a mile away without a problem.
So tactically, paintball snipers have to usually wait till their targets run by them. After, the sniper will have to slowly turn around and shoot them in the back. If they don’t use that method they will usually hang around the side and wait till they are nearly parallel so start shooting.
Don’t be fooled by any salesmen who tires you convince you that his 2 thousand dollar “sniper” paintball gun is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Almost all paintball guns can be used to “snipe”. If anything, all a paintball sniper really is, is a player who is using a specific set of tactics to eliminate his opponent.
In conclusion, paintball snipers are not military snipers. Once you accept your limitations on the paintball field you will be a much better player. The worst thing you can do is go out and try shooting at someone a half a mile away through your 20x optic scope and call yourself a sniper. You may be able to see them, but your gun just can’t shoot that far!
Know your limitations, know your plan, and stick with it.
By: Devin Kerns
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