Choosing Between Mechanical vs Electronic Markers: Pros and Cons

You’re thinking about having a paintball marker, but you’re not uncertain whether to choose a mechanical or electric one. Both kinds can fire paintballs, but they work inversely. Understanding their differences and benefits will support you in determining which marker suits you best.

Paintball Gun Basics

All types of paintball markers are intended to shoot paintballs at fast speeds consuming compressed gas such as CO2 or air.

Paintball-Gun-Basics

After a paintball marker shoots, a small bolt drives a paintball into the ball barrel and instantaneously closes the paintball in the barrel. Then, a controller discharges compacted gas which inflates in the barrel and forces the ball at the end.

The main variance between different paintball guns lies in their working of the release of the ball into the barrel, and how the barrel closes and gas is discharged into the barrel. 

Although there are huge variety of paintball guns and their working ways are also different, we can categorize them into two main types: mechanical and electronic 

Basically, mechanically triggered guns are mechanical guns whereas battery and circuit board-driven guns are electric guns. You can find a third type of paintball gun which is a combination of electric and mechanical guns known as electro-mechanical markers. 

Mechanical Paintball Guns

Many half-automatic paintball markers work with a blowback mechanism. Here’s how it works: when you tweak the trigger, a bolt is out. This bolt is pressed forward by a coil, and it thrusts the paintball into the container.

Mechanical-Paintball-Guns

When the paintball is inside the barrel, the bolt knocks a pin, which further unlocks a valve, letting air move down the barrel. The air’s force drives the bolt back to its initial position. The word “blowback” is used because the bolt is put back into place by the air.

Types of Mechanical Guns

There are several different kinds of mechanical markers available in the market. Every mechanical gun has a different price range from simple plastic guns to delicate military-style guns. In this article, we will talk about the most simple and eagerly accessible mechanical markers. 

The Required Maintenance

Mechanical guns are usually very trustworthy and don’t require much regular upkeep. It’s a worthy idea to clean and grease them after a few practices, or even better if they clean them after each practice. 

If the O-rings wear out, you should exchange them as required. These guns are generally stress-free to take apart. If an issue arises, spare parts are reasonably priced, and someone with mechanical skills can regularly renovate them without much struggle.

  • Mechanical paintball guns cost less than electric ones and are easy to find for novices.
  • They can work with CO2 or compacted air and are simple to fix up and practice, even if you’re fresh to paintball.
  • Most mechanical guns share parts that are the same size, making it unproblematic to find substitutes from various brands.

Compared to electric guns, mechanical guns are generally slower, less accurate, and less reliable. The expanse of air pushing the paintball out of the barrel contrasts from one shot to another shot. It causes minor variations in ball speed which can disturb accuracy, yet only slightly.

  • Moreover, mechanical markers opt to be noisier than electric ones and require tilting before firing. 
  • They also mandate a greater air pressure in the tank to work. 
  • While electronic markers can shoot with just 200 psi, mechanical markers regularly need 600-800 psi. Thus, you’ll get fewer shots in each tank of air.
  • Planet Eclipse Emek 100
  • Tippmann A-5
  • Piranha GTI marker
  • Spyder Victor

Electronic Paintball Guns

Electronic markers, sometimes titled electro-pneumatic markers, shoot paintballs via battery-driven circuit panels. These circuit panels have solenoids that make the gunfire when you pull the trigger. The circuit panel can be automated to make the gun shoot spontaneously, in spurts of three shots, or in other ways.

Electronic guns also use controllers to make sure they shoot reliably. These controllers are like machines that fill in the air at altered pressures from a chamber and then discharge the air at a steady, lower pressure.

Types of Electronic Guns

Electronic markers are available in different varieties with changed interior systems. However, the basic advantages and disadvantages remain the same in all types of electric guns despite the fact they have altered controllers, bolts, and valves that can affect working.

The Required Maintenance

Various types of electronic guns involve particular regular upkeep. It usually involves simple cleaning and applying lubricant, either with grease or oil, according to the gun. It’s important to declaim your guidebook and wisely follow the provided guidelines.

Electronic guns can be more challenging to take parts separately. They generally include comprehensive manuals that clarify how to undo and reconvene every part of the marker. You have to follow these guidelines cautiously during routine upkeep.

Since electronic markers are sophisticated, it’s best to leave any important upkeep or upgrades to an expert.

Electric guns are superior to mechanical ones in numerous ways. They are more trustworthy, accurate, and can shoot quicker. 

  • They can also be smaller and lighter than mechanical. 
  • When you tweak the trigger on an electronic gun, it only requires to activate a circuit board, making it relaxed to pull with less energy and at a smaller distance. 
  • Electronic guns can run with lower force than mechanical ones and fire more rounds from a tank.
  • Electric markers are more costly as compared to mechanical markers and not as easy to access. 
  • Setting them is hard, and you frequently need a pro for repairs or renovations. 
  • They normally want compressed air, so you can’t use CO2
  • Batteries must be charged before playing with electric guns 
  • WDP Angel
  • HK army 
  • Empire Axe 2.0
  • Proto Matrix Rail

Electro – Mechanical Guns

Electro-mechanical guns are similar to regular guns, but they have an electronic button that makes the gunfire by pushing a screw. The mode in which they shoot is almost the same as a simple mechanical gun. Though, the electronic circuit panel inside them permits you to shoot in altered ways like constantly, in bursts of three, and further modes.

Omen_Stitched

The Required Maintenance

The required upkeep for electro-mechanical markers is mostly the same as for mechanical markers.

  • You have to clean daily and do lubrication after practice.
  •  Keep the electric parts dry every time.

This marker is a combination of two varieties, so it offers you the benefits of both. 

  • It’s like having a consistent and up-front gun, but it can also fire really fast in reflex mode or other modes. 
  • You can make it easier to tweak the trigger (less effort) and make the trigger tweak shorter.
  • Electro-mechanical markers are more inexpensive than fully electronic ones, similar in expense to many simple markers. 
  • These guns have many parts just like simple mechanical guns, so you can easily access spare parts. 
  • Excluding the electronics (usually in the grip), they are also pretty simple to fix. 
  • These guns utilize both compressed air and CO2 with them.

Electro-mechanical markers share alike drawbacks with mechanical markers. These drawbacks include:

  • Lower accuracy and consistency compared to most electronic guns. 
  • They also produce the same level of noise as mechanical guns.
  • Compared to electric guns, they need greater air pressure, typically exceeding 600 psi.
  • Spyder VS3
  • Evil Omen
  • X7 phenom
  • Spyder victor 
  • Tippmann X7 Electronic

I am a software engineer and also a paintball dye hard with a great vision about the safe promotion of paintball around the world. I am fond of buying different paintball guns and paintball masks for experiments and reviews on those for my users, for that purpose i made this website.

Leave a Comment