Here is some info on the different kind of guns:
Pumps
Firstly, pumps are not what they sound like. They are not like the air rifles that you need to pump up before you can fire a pellet. Paintball pump guns just require you to pull back the arm to recock the gun to load another paintball and trigger more CO2. There are some very good pump guns out there, along with customized ones by Palmer's Pursuit Shop. They make a good beginner gun just to get into the sport. The gun pictured here is the Maverick (the gun I currently own). It makes a good beginners gun, this isn't the best picture though.
Semi-Auto's
Semi-Auto's are close to pumps, except for the fact that you don't need to cock the gun. The left over gas from the CO2 that is released is used to push the bolt of the gun back to load up another ball and acquire new CO2. This allows you to fire repeatedly as long as you continue to pull the trigger. Essentially, you can fire as fast as you pull the trigger, though this might not always happen. Unlike pumps, semi-auto's are not quite as accurate or have the same range. This is because they
have an open-bolt valve that is used for the recocking (except for the Autococker) feature while the pump has a closed-bolt which does not release excess gas, thus giving better range (i think this is the reason). Semi-auto's make up the majority of the paintball guns out in the world. This is because they are not too expensive and make a GREAT gun. You may want to get this when you become an intermediate player. The gun pictured here is, obviously, the Thundercat. I hear it is an excellent semi-auto made by Indian Creek Designs.
Full Automatics
Automatics are the top of the line in fire rate. Some guns (like the Angel made by WDP) are capable of firing up to 15 shots per second! You could fire up to 900 balls per minute! This is very costy, so I would NOT recommend this gun for any beginning players. But, if you are capable of affording this and prefer to just spray bullets, check this out. You can usually find people using these at your local paintball field but probably not too many. Now, this gun shown here is a top of the line kind of gun! This is the ANGEL! It fires 15 shots/second. This is one crazy gun but I'm sure it's worth it (if you can afford the paintballs). This thing ranges around $1300.
Stock Class Guns!
Now, this is my personal favorite because I plan to get one soon. These can help you conserve money on CO2 and paintballs. The main purpose of stock guns is to learn to move more (to conserve paintballs) and really get into the sport by crawling around on the ground, running a lot, etc. The other purpose is because, they are a LOT lighter than other guns. Rather than using CO2 tanks, they use 12 gram cartridges of CO2 which are small and light. And instead of a big hopper to hold your balls on top of your gun, they use 10 round tubes. The BEST place to get stock class guns (so i've heard) is Palmer's Pursuit Shop. These are rare guns and help improve skill GREATLY. So if you want to get better at paintball, I've heard that starting with a stock gun is a good idea. These guns usually aren't used much anymore (since things like the Angel came out) on the East Coast but I have heard they are used on the West Coast occasionally. This is a phantom stock class gun that has been anodized blue. It is also a stock class gun. This is a great stock gun and pump gun. Though it costs $200, I am sure it is worth it. And for all of you who know about stock guns and paintball and think stock guns suck, THEN YOU"RE PROBABLY JUST SOMEONE WHO WASTES MONEY SPRAYING A LOT OF PAINT! Have a nice day :)
The Gun I currently own!
This is the gun I want! It is the PGP Pump Pistol. For all those wondering, this is a total beginners gun and yes, I know this. For those also wanting this gun, this is a good beginner's stock and pump gun. It is a very accurate pistol (in fact one of the best besides the Wolf II and Sydarm) and is good for crawling since you can holster it (this is one of the main reasons I am getting this gun). This gun usually ranges from $80-$90. And with a little bit of extra money, you can get a stick squeegie, a holster, a CO2 12 gram cartridge pouch, a 10 round tube holder, and many other accessories. For those paintballers or potential paintballers out there, this is one of the better pistols out there, even though it is a pump gun. I highly recommend this (as do many other people) for a back-up pistol or beginner gun.
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