Difference Between Airsoft and Paintball
 

I was hanging out with this old friend of mine from elementary school last night. I haven't seen this guy since then either. So he tells me that he plays paintball often and that I should get into it. So I tell him that I play airsoft and that HE should get into it. He's never even heard of the sport/game/term airsoft before and he starts telling me that it's for gay people and stuff. So me and him get into a heated debate about the difference between airsoft and paintball. He's kind of a hard headed guy, so our debate never really went anywhere. I always grew up thinking that airsoft was way better than paintball from a very young age and I have always thought like that. I don't even know paintball too well because I thought that way and just never bothered to look into it. The only thing I know about paintball is when I see it on extreme sports channels on TV with those guys wearing MotoX gear and playing in tournament games like speedball. But being a guy who's really into military stuff, that stuff really never got me interested in it. So besides the type of guns and ammo we use in airsoft compared to paintball, what is the main difference between the 2 sprots?

sounds like a logical argument for something hes never heard about:rolleyes:

Most paintballers also have a big mouth , always saying airsoft is gay and is for kids. But i know a few paintballers who have tried airsoft and now there hooked. There a ton od difference airsoft is milsim to the max, instead of hiding behind a inflatable square i would sooner be under an old moss covered tree trunk waiting to lay down a 6 mm fusilade.

Besides the difference's in the guns ammo and gear there seem's to be a difference in a player's additued.
I have played both panitball and now airsoft and in airsoft I find more comradery and Honesty in peep's.

Apples and oranges IMO.

I've played paintball for years before coming to airsoft. The sports going down though due to unsportsmanly conduct/immaturity etc. It's become too competitive and over-diversified. I still have my equipment, but I gave up fast shooting speedball type setups and went pump. Pump paintball still has it's charm intact (luckily) and the community is awesome. I never really saw paintball as a mil-sim sport (I was actually somewhat against mil simmers in paintball and, to this day, I still am to an extent). In terms of force on force game quality, paintball is more fun due to the faster paced games and less "tactical" feel of things. The type of pain from getting hit from a paintball is different (hurts a wee bit more) but in some ways that fear of pain makes things more fun. Of course, thats just my humble opinion.

Basically, if you're comparing mil-sim aspects, there isn't much of a difference between the two IN GENERAL. However the age restrictions on paintball are obviously lower, and in terms of the community I've noticed more maturity on ASC. If you're comparing speedball to airsoft matches, its completely different. From what I've noticed, the percentage of people coming into paintball seeking the mil sim side of the sport over the speedball side has been steadily growing (it's now well into the majority). Speedball (the type of game I like play) is somewhat like your typical fast paced league sports like basketball/lacross etc. instead of being like a military simulation. But at this point equipment/over competitiveness etc. have begun to wear at the integrity of the sport :(. Due to these little problems many older speedballers will often opt for a relaxing mil-sim game now and then to get away from buzz. (Immature kids/big kids aside) Many scenario games are actually quite well orchestrated and are very comparable both in atmosphere and intensity (but not cleanliness) to airsoft games.

Basically if I had to sum it up... if you like mil-sim, stick to airsoft. BUT if you want to try something new give paintball a shot as, unto itself (despite the few problems), it's a great sport.

Hope this helps dude :).

I used to play on a paintball team doing speed ball tournaments, really fun but as soon as you head into the bush to do any milsim type of game it just doesn't cut it. I never even heard or see airsoft in my life until I went to my buddies house who him and another friend came home with a glock 17 and a m9 gbb. I was instantly sold on airsoft. Both sports are fun, and the thing about paintball is if your buddies birthday it's not hard to rent a bunch of pantball markers and have a great afternoon where it's not quite like that for airsoft. Like Azuki said, I enjoy the more mature audience at airsoft games than paintball games.

I've said it once before: Paintball is the special olympics of airsoft. :)

Humor aside. You don't have to worry about paint ruining/staining your gear. Although running around in the mud seems like a logical 'other side of the fence' argument against that, it's what our gear is made for. Get it dirty.

Our game isn't as popular as paintball so in my view, it doesn't get as much negative feedback from morons shooting moving cars or pedestrians. There have been a few occasions where this has happened with airsoft guns, but not as many as paintball. That's why I kind of like how it's harder to get AS into Canada.

It's far more realistic than paintball. Having played both games, airsoft is by far a more enjoyable game.

I enjoy airsoft more because of the more mature player and the community that we've built ourselves around.

I can pretty much go anywhere in Canada and meet airsofters who are cool guys. Hey, it happened here in Alberta, I pretty much didn't know anyone before I came to school here and now I'm great friends with one of the other players here. It's like a fraternity except the thing that holds us together is our love of "playing army man" on the weekend.

I have played paintball too but I think it's nice to throw it into the mix to keep things interesting. Airsoft is fun but sometimes if I'm feeling like it I'll play a few rounds of paintball instead.

I wouldn't consider myself a "true milsimmer" though, I prefer a more woodsball-scrim style of play but having said that a milsim isn't too much of a deviation for me, I might as well try it out and see if I like it.

I don't like ripping on paintball but the times I did play (public session) I found that it's 75% "extreme man, yeah dude totally hardcore" asshat kind of guys and 25% guys who are chill. The time I played in private session (cousin's friend booked a field and we all played) it was great, just like airsoft except with paint.

I don't think there's too much difference, really it's just the composition of people, and the style of play that's different.

I also remember reading somewhere that airsofters don't really get along with paintballers. I guess that was the case with me and my friend.

Paintball never really got me interested in it because of how the guns have huge CO2 tanks on the back and a tube barrel on top to hold the paintballs. It just doesn't look like a real gun. The whole reason what brought me into airsoft is how real the guns look and being a military/gun nut from a young age.

My friend was telling me though that they do have similar mil-sim type of games in paintball. I just don't see it as a true form of mil-sim when you're using paintball guns and wearing MotoX gear.

Compared to the paintball I played...it's the exact same thing except our guns look cooler, ammo is cheaper, and I don't have to wash my gear after every game...well...I should but I'm just gross.

Airsoft has a more real feel to it then paintball.
besides who the hell want paint crap all over your gear.
Personally I’m not a fan of the cyberspace guns and huge hoppers in the corner of my right eye.Most paint ballers assume Airsoft is way too expensive, but in the long hall it's some much cheaper then paintball.I like the realism of a milsim is one of my definitions of F.U.N, but it's next to the real deal only in really life there no Re-spawns.

Wouldn't it be cool if you could respawn though! LOL

Airsoft all the way. When I was younger I wanted to get into paintball, but when I discovered airsoft I was hooked. My buddy is actually into paintball but I'm not sure what aspect of it. His markers are shaped in the form of an MP5k and an M4. Not bad actually, looks close enough. I asked him why he didn't get into airsoft and he told me because with paintball, whenever he gets the itch to play he can just head to the local field and start shooting. Doesn't have to wait for games to show up on the boards for local stuff etc.

To that end I agree. Paintball if you have an itch to shoot somebody and you can just go with your friends for a night and have fun, but thats just to settle. Airsoft all the way.

Alrighty
 

Here is in this debate one of my principle complaints.

The activity of using an object to hurl a projectile to register a "hit" on an opposing player in the context of a competative game is 100% the same regarless of what you are using to hurl the projectile.

Playing " paintball" is exactly the same game as Playing "airsoft" arguing that they are different is like arguing that one glass of water is wetter than another.

The only departure is that paintballs leave a visible mark on the hit person.. wheras airsoft pellets rarely do meaning in one game the scoring is by visual observation.. in the other it is by tactile acknowledgement ( though clearly paintballs enable one to "feel their hits" better than airsoft guns )

Other than that .. its the same game .. you could play it with tennis balls if you wanted.. its essentially "tag at a distance"

Airsoft guns are markedly different .. in that they replicate real guns in form and in some ways function. which allows one to replicate the appearance real world shooters enabling more immersive simulations. Meaning "airsoft" play often takes the fofm of more structured scenarios. Though very many people like unstructured "skirmish" games that differ not at all from typical paintball games.

Personally I detest the term "airsofting" or playing "airsoft"

I prefer "tactical Simulation" or TACSIM or "military simulation" or MILSIM which is something that you really can't do with most paintball markers as they generally do not replicate the form of real weapons ( though some do )

Demographically Paintball is different than airsoft , as often children play paintball and adults participate in TACSIM or MILSIM ( though they don't always behave as adults )

ok.. that was a rant...

Aparently in the US Army you do!.....joking, but ya it would be.

www.pozland.com/avp
Show your friend this and he will understand. (Watch out for the injury page though).

The debate as seen from a field owners perspective.

In paintball I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 yr's experience and with airsoft about 1 yr worth. So take from my opinion what you may.

Paintball in it's inception was started first as woodsball.... a bunch of guys having at each other in what ever camo they could find playing capture the flag. As the sport evolved the challenges changed and speedball was born as well as the development of scenario games for woodsball players. Speedball became more mainstream taking the heat off of the whole shooting people debate by getting sponsors and wearing flashy colors and changing the over all appearance of the paintball gun then referred to as a marker. While the woodsball players got more into the camo and mission orientated side of the game at their local fields. With the development of the NPPL speedball grew in leaps and bounds almost dwarfing woodsball altogether. But non the less woodsball always had its place and survived the onset of speedball. As the speedball genre began to taper off and the publication of many paintball magazines the cheating or "wiping" as its most commonly called became more and more apparent as the prizes got bigger and bigger. With scenario games now picking up speed and the amount of players attending the events increasing at an alarming rate the birth of milisim gear came out. With the development of the milisim gear more and more scenario games became more military orientated and so did the markers which at this point now start to look more and more realistic. To date woodsball is now back on the rise and since the NPPL recently declared bankruptcy the whole speedball arena is now in question. More and more companies are producing military styled markers with numerous accessories and body kits to change the markers overall appearance.
The main differences between the two sports is that airsoft uses a plastic BB and tends to be more hard core military style play as well as the guns them selves are very accurate representations of their real life counter parts. Aside from the gear used the only real difference is the style of play, ammunition used, guns used and their operation.
Paintball is typically more expensive to play on a regular basis simply due to the cost of paint. With players spending on average $25-$35 for entry and $80-$120 plus per case of 2000 rounds it gets expensive really fast. The guns pricing range is similar to those of airsoft from cheap to insane expensive so there is no real difference there when it comes to that part. Airsoft players tend to spend a bit more on admission pricing due to the fact they use their own ammo. Using their own ammo is a benefit as it is cheaper per 2000 rounds then their paintball counterparts. When a player can spend $10 for some quality BBs in the same quantity as an paintball player the cost savings becomes evident. Beyond these points there are very few differences between the two sports other than game play.

My overall opinion is that it is far cheaper to play airsoft on a regular basis then it is to play paintball.

Cheers,
BlackRain.

haha thats good and funny :) thanks i was i need of a laugh

The only time I played paintball, it was speedball, and I didn't really didn't enjoy it a whole lot. I had fun, but it really wasn't what I expected, and quite frankly, the immaturity and idiocy of the players and the gameplay left a rather sour taste in my mouth. Couldn't say I cared much for the style of the markers either.

Fast forward about 10 years, and not it's airsoft. I love airsoft and have no complaints at all. Yeah, there's the odd asshole player here and there, but for the most part, the community is much better all around.

I'm sure paintball can be more fun than my 1 experience with it, but when I compare the 2, airsoft will always be a clear winner for me.

The range of posts so far pretty much hit the mark so I don't wish to repeat. However, from an equipment point of view there exists in Canada a very small, no thanks to CBSA/replica firearm issues being the same for them as for airsoft, community of milsim paintball players using 43 cal guns. You've probably heard of these very realistic, gas-powered (CO2 or HPA), magazine-fed, ejecting-shell paintball guns retailed by RAP4/RAM. These things are pretty much the closest to airsoft in their form and function but with the added tactile feedback of ejected "shells" landing on the floor with a satisfyingly metallic ring, a small paint splat and perhaps a short but painful sting when hit, followed closely by a trip to the laundromat the next day for clean-up.

Otherwise, the need for a more tactical style of play (great for CQB scenarios) and limited ammo (realistic reloads), etc. when compared against the "mainstream" paintball forms such speedball or woodsball where noisy 200 round targets, err...paint hoppers stick up from the gun taking away somewhat from the realism means that with the right crowd, playing milsim/scenario paintball with these RAM/RAP4 guns can be equally as fun as anything that hurls a 6mm plastic BB.

FYI: Here's just one (mine) example of the kind of custom loadout one can achieve with these guns:

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/l...DSC03679sm.jpg

Unfortunately, like I said earlier, CBSA enforcement of replica imports has had a dramatic stifling effect on the 43 cal community in Canada. Without a steady supply of these guns and more paintball operations supporting their use at the fields, it hasn't seen the interest amongst players who like milsim/tactical but are unaware of the 43 cal gun's existence.

Some field operators and their insurance companies say that because these things shoot @ 350 fps compared with the 250 fps limits for 68 cal paintball, that they are dangerous and should not be allowed. This is a popular misconception. Sure, at point blank range, it can hurt a bit more but if these folks knew anything about basic physics, they'd realise that 43 cal paintballs actually suffer a disadvantage in terms of "breakability" of the paintball down range due to the lighter mass of the paintball and it's more rapid loss of kinetic energy as it travels towards the target. Meaning, you're less likely to get a paint break on a distant target using 43 cal paint than you are using 68 cal paint (higher mass = more kinetic energy upon reaching the target), and that forces you to play "smarter" than the average Joe. I've been shot at point blank with both 68 cal and 43 cal paintballs and believe me, I much rather prefer getting hit with the 43...it stings more initially, but doesn't leave the massive bruises a 68 cal ball can.

As for the quality of the players, yes paintball has attracted younger more immature players to the game, but they just make better, more satisfying targets for the older guns. As in airsoft, you can find like-minded players in paintball to hang out with. There are a multitude of special interest groups in paintball catering to all kinds of players including milsim/tactical ones, though you will have to look a bit harder to find them, and whichever path you choose remember the ultimate goal is to have fun and be safe out there. :D


Ready...FIRE...Aim!
'Fly

That pretty much resume what I think.

:salute:

I think one of the beauties of airsoft is you can play the role/character that you want be have a 1:1 outfit, gun and accessories (well almost considering we are playing with airsoft guns).

Good example is when "I am Legend" by Will Smith came out my teammate wanted the look of he's m4. After a few online buying....BOOM! exact replica. You want a PMC, russian ops, navy seal look....no problem! You can take a pic of a full geared airsofter and the real character and you can't tell the difference (with some exceptions of our heavy weight comardes. :) )

The role playing + imagination + the 1:1 replica guns just gives the edge for me when playing airsoft.

gay porn :( :(


.43 paintball is interesting though, and the guns look good:

http://www.sub-silentsuppressors.com...20.43%2008.jpg

http://rap4.com/images/T68_Gen5/T68_Gen5_VN_M16_Gun.jpg

^^^ still doesn't cut it as a 1:1 replica. Good try though.

They're not perfect 1:1 replicas, but still an assload better than your standard paintball marker... The lack of a hopper is a BIG plus for me. I'll still stick with airsoft, but I'll give credit where it's due for those .43 guns.

Paintball is rather like attending a Gay Pride Parade.............. one is free and I assume fun, one is expensive and I assume still fun, but at the end of the day, you are still covered in rainbow coloured spluge.

Iv played paintball for about 6 years now, still play alot, i mostly play speedball, I compete a bit, Im playing a local tournament tomorow actually. For the mostpart, the community of airsofting allot better. In paintball fourms most of them are all kids, whos parents buy them all their stuff and just run their mouth. When you try and sell something on a paintball forum, you can say (550 firm no trades) and you will stell get lots of offers like 500 shipped or a dm6 plus cash. From my experiences trades have all gone good for me here, also alot less chance of being scammed with the age verification.
Iv never competed in airsoft, however in paintball the players attitudes are horrible. Almost everybody wipes hits, everyone accuses everyone of cheating, people overshoot ect, however i imagine in airsoft people are more mature and honorable.

Nice mental image you just painted there Stalker...thanks ever so much for that! Kinda like the mess Mercer left behind in the Falcon after the taping?? :D :D -LOL!


Cheers!
'Fly

Started out in paintball, played with a CCI Phantom (I actually speedballed with it once or twice, which lead to some absolutely fantastic moments and memories... "You shot me with THAT?!"). Taught me how to make fast and accurate snap shots. Sold it eventually to Gish actually.

Bought an AGD 68 Minimag that I still have in my room. It's tagged many a surprised player that's sniffed their nose at a paintball gun released from the 1990's, and I still break it out sometimes and head out to Cochrane to play some woodsball with whatever group that shows up. Sure you'll get the annoying kid now and then but for the most part the attitude of people showing up for woodsball is pretty good, even some hardcore speedball players tend to mellow out once you get there.

Moved onto airsoft, play airsoft more then paintball because of economic reasons (which looking back, makes no sense now since I've spent more money on airsoft then on paintball). Liked airsoft more because the guns were closer to counter strike. Grew up, now getting into real steel shooting.

Still don't understand why airsofters don't like paintballers and vice versa.

Bahahaha that was a well put link. It kinda looks like FR old field. I was recently at their new field and I was one of the few Airsofters to talk to the paintballers...needless to say. there was one guy who was actually gay and openly admitted to it, but on a more serious note. He was actually quite nice and his buddies were respectfully interested in airsoft. I told em I use to "ball" a little bit when I was a kid, but they were amazed and the shape/replica and that in reality they both felt similar even at pointblank ranges.
I still think paintball is gay though and dont care too much to respect it. lol

+10

I am part of the ww2 guys, and you would be hard pressed to find paintballers who take any ww2 impression half seriously, let alone respecting others who would. Also consider that airsofters call their own hits, and this is not usually a problem, while most of the times I have been paintballing I have watched people wiping it off, which is just the tip of the iceberg.

You would be amazed who doesn't call their hits.

Gotta agree. There's one person in our province who seems to think that since he is obese, he can take extra shots without dieing. Or so I'd assume. Nailed the bugger in the chest, in the gun and ACCIDENTALLY hit him in the goggles... he just kept playing.

(And for those of you local boys reading this: it's NOT Kip or Jody)

LOL I play paintball all the time still (under 18) and I’ve never had trouble with people not calling their shots. I just shoot them until they do because the club I play at sells paint at 60$ a case instead of the usual 80-120$. The reason I’ve had a better experience is the fact that I play at a club that is non profit and my friend and I help out whenever we can. Not to mention the average age there is 25-30 not 12-18

Well that extra fat probably make him not feel the hits...

:D

Worst experience with paintballers I've had would be after a mil-sim, myself and two friends were just chillin' relaxin' all cool in the parking lot when some dickmouth from a paintball game that was the next day decided it'd be fun to throw a smoke grenade at us and scream, "WELCOME TO REAL GUNS."

Real paintball guns.

However we were talking to others who were attending that same game who seemed to be very interested in the stuff we had. I agree, paintballers on the whole don't exactly project an image of maturity, though thank god those guys are still a marginal demographic... I hope.

But yeah, they're two different games, and no one's better than the other. Though Airsoft is really my cup of tea.

As far as the game is concened, one isn't better than the other. The players on the other hand...

Lol, ya no shit! At least we have a couple high school students around here on co-op with the AMEs who had the pleasure of cleaning out the plane. Unless you have a younger brother to clean your gear and clothes after paintball.............. you are S.O.L!

Rather reminds me of something I read in one of those kids dinosaur books years ago regarding the Bronosaurus, it had a small brain and because of it's size, it woud take a while for it to feel the pain of being bit in the tail due to distance the signal woudl take to reach the brain, so evolution developed a brain at the base of it's tail to ensure survival.................... maybe the obese guy's skin is so far away from his brain that he doesn't feel the hits? Maybe more brains need to develope in his body so they are close to the skin. Lol, I can't see evolution considering calling airsoft hits as 'survival'. Hahaha

And finally............Kip is obese? I thought he was just "big boned". Lol

this is a tippmann A5, a commen woodsball and scenario marker
http://www.cozmopaintball.com/store/...nn-a5-side.jpg

this is my A5, as I play milsim paintball:
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/342...ssir011bs0.jpg

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/285...ssir029iu4.jpg

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/6...4026209sp9.jpg

so you see, its not all flashy jerseys and equipment, the milsim community is a growing one. its really pointless to sit on a computer and bash another way to play army, just do your thing.

this is my first post here by the way, and I chose this thread to introduce myself because I play milsim paintball.

Have fun washing the flourescent paint out of your pretty BDU's lol jk

Welcome to ASC!! and congrats on seeing the light :)

The biggest thing I've noticed between the airsoft and paintball community in my area is the attitude... I find there's much less arrogance with airsoft. A good example of this is I was playing paintball with a couple of my friends at a local place, and out the blue some random jackoff walked up to me and told me; "My grandma could shoot faster than that."

I don't understand what the obsession with getting out as many shots as possible is...

and that is different from the typical AS obsession with ROF how?

please take more "glamor" shots as it looks when being used, with bug bull testicle hovering overtop and a chunky CO2 tank sticking out the end. Then tell me how cool paintball is.

Damn, there goes my first guess. BAH! ON WITH THE OWL HUNT!:cool:

You know one of the other big differences? Airsofters make "Airsoft vs Paintball" threads almost like clockwork! :eek:

After switching to airsoft, I went for a day of paintball over the summer. Once you're used to an AEG, the lack of accuracy in a marker is maddening. I couldn't even hit people crouching at a distance where quarters would have been at risk with my M16.

You need pure rate of fire just to hit anything it seems.

I dunno seems to me that the only winning move you can do is not arguing at all.

or kick him in the sack and repeatedly smack him in the face with the butt of your airsoft rifle.

If I don't mind adding to this discussion as a CBQ Paintball player. There are some paintball players like myself and the team I am with who do enjoy playing in the woods, but scenario play is much more fun. Our group is now getting into what is big in Europe and that is CQB. Urban environments, we are playing with limited ammo, so you have to ensure your shots count. It is also not for the young ones.

With this type of play, it doesn't matter what type of gun you are using, because your body and brain are going a mile a second. I like to think at this high level, the only difference is the "bullet". Outside of that, we probably could interchange roles and guns with only some minor knowledge to be shared.

That's one thing (most) airsoft guns have over (most) paintball guns :P
Can't butt-whip someone with a CO2 tank :D



*No anti-paintball-ism there, just having a bit of fun*

There both great sports... just depends who you play with... theres nothing more fun than owning or sneaking up and shooting the heck out of some stupid trash talking 12 year olds that think they know everything.... Airsoft is more serious and the people are more mature ! paintball is all fast and fun, at least can be. I like both, but it depends who im playing with.

you talkin ta me? because there is a shot of it in action, and there is no tank stickin out the back. your right about the loader though, my newest gun project will take care of that. you see I have airsoft to thank for providing me with the parts I needed to make a boxmag fed paintball gun,

There is no difference. We're all just retards with expensive toys running around shooting each other with them.

And We Love It.

Yep, was referring to you. I don't care much for paintballers who show off their M16's, etc without a gas tank and hopper attached. If you're going to show off, show what's real, not what is trying to look like airsoft (IMO).

As for your project: as long as you don't use those stupid looking air-hopper feeder tube thingamabobbers. Those look even dumber than a paintballer in full multicam BDU's with pink paint splattered on his chest.

Lol it's true eh, they always take pics without the parts that make it functional, as if their guns (if you can call them that) operate in that state :rolleyes:

Actually we like to call them markers, but aren't we all striving for the same goal? It's the experience of being shot at and shooting other people, with a slight risk of pain. You want to rag on someone, go after those laser tag pussies.

It's not how you do it, it's that you did it in a fair, fun, and safe manner, and if you gained some experience, and met some cool new people all the better, maybe even convert a few.


All you need is love and a loaded gun to make the world go round.:popcorn:

duely noted, as for the glory shot, the marker was shot like that because I dont load the marker until I'm ready to play, when I take a picture of it, its safe. at no time do I attach a tank to the back of the gun.
the compressed air tank is mounted on my back in a specialized pouch.
the air gets to the gun via an air line, that is camoflauged by a multicam cover. as for the loader, I do use a streamline version of the hopper and it is on top of the gun in the 2nd pic.
however, there is a smaller version of the loader called a tac cap, when mounted it looks like nothing more than a small cylinder attached to the side of the gun, and carries 30 rounds.
here is another pic of me using the a5 and one of my new project.

http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/3...p5olwjrcm3.jpg

http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/3130/070fn7.jpg

Much better, thank you.

Keeping this in mind, does paintball really have to meet real-steel standards? I understand why anyone who is serious about mil-simming would dislike the CO2/hopper's bulging from the sides. When you state that you don't like it, thats from an airsofter's perspective. IIRC (correct me if I'm wrong here) airsoft was started in Japan due to the laws that prohibited the ownership of firearms. Firearms enthusiasts created airsoft to allow them to have "guns" without breaking the law.

Hence should the two sports be held to the same standards? If this is taken from the mil-sim perspective, paintball is absolutely ruining everything with it's ugly... no fugly attempts at replicas (I hate the old Tippmans so much... I'm sorry but I do). But from an each-their-own perspective looks shouldn't matter should they? It's like getting a 4-door saloon, taking it to the track for a bit of fun on the weekend, and complaining that it couldn't over take the Porche in a million years. Just my O...

Tippmann used to make (way back) a Sten box mag fed paintball gun that shot smaller rounds. In terms of closeness to real guns in the operation a co2/hpa blowback marker functions more like a real firearm then an AEG. If nothing else only because it uses compression to cycle (reload and fire) like a carbine not a mechbox this is also seen in the distinct crack made by some paintball guns compared to the sound of an AEG (the obvious exception being GBB's). The only deviation with paintball is its hard as hell to make a 68 cal marker look realistic due to the amount of air required to cycle and shoot them, the space required to store the paintballs and that the barrel opening is like a howitzer comparatively. Now what would I rather play? Airsoft is the answer; the accuracy is what does it for me.

Hop up for airsoft: Approximately 3cm
http://www.airsoftparts.ca/store2/im...ber-sleeve.jpg

Hop up for paintball: Approximately 13inches
http://www.paintballbonanza.com/Larg...pex_barrel.gif

Airsoft will always in hands down in terms of mil-sim, unless you can create a 1-1 scale 68 cal machine gun (or bore out a 50 cal)... which would be pretty sweet come to think of it.

I owned one of those tippmanns, it was full auto and fed by a stripper clip system. the co2 was screwed on the back and it shot .62 caliber balls
the size of the ball just didnt take off, and a lot of the people running paintball chose not to develope anything that looked milsim.

its left up to people to make it as real as possible in terms of looks. as far as accuracy goes, there is none beyond 100feet so most battles take place pretty close. learning how to snapshoot and use cover is important.

most of the players in milsim paintball are switching to the use of the tac cap(30rounds) or to the ats mag fed or milsig magfed markers, while they are not 1to1 replicas of m4 they do the job intended, which is limit the paint carried by the gun. in terms of realism, it is pretty close to a real loadout ammo count

paintball fields dont like people that use minimal paint because they make money selling the paint, they always smile and encourage the use of fast guns and large hoppers. but as the sport evolves who knows what will happen.

The SMG60/62/68s were a lot of fun, I shot one last fall and it was great fun. Not as cool as ATS guns (Which are my personal favourite), especially since it's almost impossible to find paint for them, though. Although there are the 68 Specials, which do full auto as well, just without the stripper clips.

Having played both paintball and airsoft, completely disregarding the crowd, I still prefer paintball. While the gear is a bit more cumbersome, I get a lot more of a visceral experience out of paintball. The fact that most airsoft guns are extremely quiet actually is a huge turn-off for me (But I also run the loudest gun ever produced as my main). And I could barely feel the hits in airsoft. Call it weird, but the pain (Or, rather, the drive to avoid it) is a big aspect for me.

A lot of you are dead-on about a lot of the crowd in paintball, although I'd associate that to two main things. One is the tournament crowd. The tourny mentality, especially in the last five years, has brought out the worst in that crowd-cheating, overshooting, insane rates of fire, the whole 'agg' mindset in general. Trust me, it pisses me off more then it does you, because they're...well, they're ruining my goddamn sport! Second, is the growth. Paintball has been either the fastest or one of the fastest growing sports every for the past 20 years. When you suck in an audience that fast, you get a lot of pricks. Airsoft has the fortune of being able to somewhat exclude a lot of people, and pick-and-choose the crowd to an extent.

Still, over the past year, the tourny mindset has really started to collapse. The insane rates of fire have driven a lot of people out, and a lot of the fields and stores that relied on that mindset are going out of business. On the other hand, woodsball/scenario, milsim and pump play are growing by leaps and bounds-new companies along those lines seem to be popping up every week, and it seems for every speedball-oriented field that closes its doors, a scenario-style field opens up. This crowd is a much better crowd-while you still get plenty of the 'army reject' crowd, airsoft gets that just as much.

One of the problems that I see with airsoft and growth is...well, the very nature of the sport. Paintball really started to take off when people started to stop looking, at least in the eyes of the general public, like a bunch of scary militia guys. Airsoft's problem here is that the gear is just too damn realistic-many people will never realize that airsofters aren't scary militia guys.

Also, ox71-nice Milsig, I love their guns. I'm doing the same boxmag mod for my ATS guns right now. However, a lot of fields are starting to get away from that 'more paint = more monies' attitude. A lot of field owners are starting to realize that more paint = a lot of pissed-off renters who never come back. Take a look at TNT Paintball in BC. They host West Coast Pump Weekend each year, and have a heavy emphasis on pump, limited paint and slow ROFs. They don't hold any real competitive events, but host a lot of scenario games. Consequently, they're the fastest-growing and one of the most successful fields in paintball-even when a huge segment of their player base shoot pumps or mechs, they've got a fantastic atmosphere that keeps the owners AND renters constantly coming back. The owner's a great guy, too.

well said, and did you see the new rule set for the psp? they are down to 10 or 12 balls per second.
currently I'm trying to get my a5 as loud as possible, the milsig boxmag is now working and I just need to test it to be sure of the feed ramp setup.
it still looks ugly.

I just heard that kingman is developing a .43 cal pistol, if it takes off maybe fields will finally allow the .43 cal marker. that will open up a lot of oppertunities for more realistic markers.

Yes, and I think it's a great step in the right direction. Some days, when I get really optimistic, I even think it might help bring mechanicals (Automags!) back to common use.

I've got a loudener on my AT-10. Don't know who made it, though. It's about as loud as a Black Cat (firework) each time it fires. It makes me happy. :D

I doubt that Kingman's pistol will do anything. It's not much different from cRAP4's .43 pistols, and there still aren't any major companies producing .43 paint, nor are there any non-niche guns-they're all mag-feds or pistols.

hey, I have one of the crap4's , it actually works great if you keep it well lubed. I wish I could use it though. its the p99

The P99 is actually really cool. I'd never play with one, but it's nice to dick around with. I shot one at OK D-Day last year, the slide action was pretty bad-ass.

I love how this thread has devolved into paintballers talking about sub-par guns/markers lol.

i cant say i really mind,

it gives us insite into the enemies minds.... jokes

its cool to see the different perspectives and gear that are used in the different sports

The problem is that the sub-par ones are the cool looking ones. The high quality ones are mostly space dildos. The only really 'high-quality' milsim guns out there are ATS guns. Milsigs are pretty good, but not great.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3438/...45f523.jpg?v=0
Never seen a paintball gun look like this. Who knew?

I think that one needs a darth vader helmet to qualify as a space dildo.

I know the ats are quality, they fire from a closed bolt like the nelson pumps no?
I cant really say I'm dissapointed about anything on my a5. I get decent consistancy from it, the J&J barrel is pretty accurat(as paintball barrels go) and its very reliable.
I've had impulses, ions, minis and an ego, they all served well for what I was doing at the time. now I just have a sniper pump, impulse, a5, gen5 and the p99
I use the a5 the most.

https://secure.paintballshop.com/ima..._2288036_0.jpg

It's pretty close.

A-5s aren't bad, I played with A-5s and 98Cs for years. I've tried just about everything there is, really (Went through about 50 different guns in less then 2 years), and Tippmanns are up there once you replace those craptastic plastic power tubes.

Yeah, ATS guns are semi-automatic Nelsons. A bit-OK, lots on the complicated side, but they're pretty durable.

fuckin right, don't they have paintball forums for that

They're not breaking the rules by talking about paintball markers.

However, if this thread intends on continuing to deviate from being about the difference between airsoft and PB to one about PB markers, it will be moved to Off-Topic.

Though really, the differences have been rehashed to death anyways.

it's been offtopic for while now, just ox71 and M_P talkin about their markers, anyone care to join me on paintballforum.com to discuss the WE M4 GBB's?

Good thing about paintball: a lot of local fields, although they usually over charge for paint.

But I love Airsoft for the WW2 games/gear and guns!

LOL

That sounds like shitdisturbing in it's finest.

this is an airsoft forum, so why not take comments like that in stride.

actually, over on milsim empire, there's an airsoft section.
http://milsimempire.com/viewforum.php?f=109
FYI.

Doesn't mean we have a paintball section, or want one.

Well after playing paintball for almost 20 years, I'm looking at jumping over to airsoft for a few reasons.

First is the ridiculous cost of paint every weekend. With a membership, paint still costs $120/case (2000rnds) and that will last you the day if you're running a super semi. Even running my mech cocker I still shot almost that. If I'm playing pump then I'll go through maybe 500 in the day.

Second, is the attitude and cheating that seems to have become the norm. I started out playing woodsball, then back in 2004 got into tourney ball. Did that for 2 years and couldn't stand the cheating and teen-punk attitude. I went back to the woods and was having alot of fun again. Then it seemed every 18-22 year old kid with some cash were buying cheap electros and coming to the field walking around like they owned the place cause they had fast guns. Well not half the day would go buy with us more experianced players handing them their asses on a platter that they'd actually want to start fights because they sucked so bad.
Soon it got to the point where the field owners wouldn't let us shoot fast even though we had our guns capped at 15bps. Then we weren't allowed to use our radios. Then we weren't allowed to yell because it intimidated new players. Then we weren't allowed to walk our triggers on semi auto. Etc, etc. so I decided enough was enough.

So in conclusion I'm looking to get into airsoft for the more mature participants and the reduced cost of actually playing.

Good god, you must have played at an uber shitty paintball place.

The field was Tsawassen Paintball in BC. A couple of my friends were even given shit for having their guns on ramp at the chrono station.They weren't playing, just tuning and teching their guns to be ready for the next weeks scenario game. Ive been reading as much as I can on this site, but the tech still is a little overwhelming for me to grasp at the moment.

Dude, if you're in BC, check out TNT Paintball. It's a fantastic field.

I want to try Tankball

wow, same problem as PC nerd and Mac nerd.

Response to Ghost271's pball story
 

idk if im allowed to do this on this forum or w.e so if admins wanna whack me go for it
but in response to ghosts post on the paintball vs airsoft thread comment. i just figured id post this cuz i think that experience you had reeeally sucks.
i played paintball for about 2 years going recreationally, then did a year of tourney, hated it and went pump for a year, went back to semi for a bit and now im back playing pump. Im from edmonton, and the paintball scene out here is preeetty big. so is pump. i think maybe that field you attended may not have been the best. the field i frequent sells paint for $80 regular, $60 on team nights and if you know the right people you can get it for as low as $40 for xball silver. I can totally identify with your feelings of the 'teen punks.' i guess im still a teen punk being only 18, but here we get your scenario with 13 and 14 year olds. these teenie boppers are even brazen enough to confront the older and experienced players as if they want to fight... kinda pathetic. but that crap aside, i think the field you play at makes a huggggeeee difference. I went out to some place (i wont name the field cuz i caused a rather large ruccus on edmontonpaintball.com when i brought it up) in the boons with a buddy and our pumps. There was a 'team' decked out to the 9's in brand new shiny semigear. we joined their group, and they also threw in a birthday party of 14 year old renters. so this 'team' tells us they want to play them stick all of us. my buddy and i laughed having both played rookie as PUMPS and novice as semi taking podium in both divisions. so anyways we figure why not. this 'team' immidiately starts tearing through the renters on this bushball field, overshooting and reffing at the same time. After seeing a few kiddies come off near tears for being lit up so hard on their first ever outing, my bud and i get a bit annoyed. so we go off and take down 3 of their guys. 1 of the remaining two figures it would be a good tactic to just start yelling and screaming at us that he had shot us, when he hadnt even fired his marker in our direction all game. eventually the 2 just turn on the ol ramping modes on their guns and lane me and my bud. which is fine, we didnt care they were newbs anyways. but after the game, 1 of the players walks over getting all in my buddies face and screaming at him for not calling out when he was 'shot.' some heated words were exchanged, and both us and the birthday party left. i talked to their field owner about it after, who SUPPORTED this 'team' for shitstorming the renters and absolutely dominating stating that it was 'good practice' for the 'team.' we pointed out that ganging up on a bunch of kids is not practice and would in fact lessen his business as these kids probably wont return.
the owner then hops on this other forum in which i posted my experience, and begins flaming my buddy and i for our 'conduct' having found out our personal tourny experience, giving US shit for coming to a field and trying to ruin his 'best paying customers.' (these guys hadnt even played a tourny btw). so as you can tell i am not going to be attending that field ever again.
my case in point. my regular field, Paintball Action Indoor, would never allow such conduct and even ban players were they to gang up on a pile of renters like that. The staff go out of their way to make sure this is enforced, and i always have a good time at that field. If the field owner allows shit like this to go, 14 year olds to run their mouths and ppl to gang up on lesser players, then bad experiences will be had and it will certainly give the sport a bad name. If you havnt given up on paintball altogether, may i suggest trying a new field? it makes all the difference in the world.

lol paragraph much?

sorry? haha i suck at paraphrasing :(

Seriously... I can't even read that.

paraphrase != paragraph

paraphrasing is repating with different words.
paragraphing is

Hey I have a copy of Effective Business Writing 4th Edition by Humber College with your name on it.

So begins the flame squad brigade

Let their flames never tire

uhm, no?

just read Jimski's paragraphed version. if you don't like it - no need to comment.

I am tired of the flaming.

Jimski's paragraphed version does little to help bring the post to a level of literate English writing that most of us are accustom to reading. If the OP expects people to respond with meaningful responses then he/she should take to time to compose a proper statement that follows even just the very basic rules of the English language.

Seriously, Jimski, Thanks for the translation.

Yes that is true how you treat yourself will often implicitly or explicitly reciprocate the same response. Although maybe not all the time.

I did not say I did not like it am I merely citing a trend that might occur. Which usually occurs.

I like paintball, I love the take your company to paintball events. Thats when you can lace your ass of a boss. But as for crappy fields people ranting about them is good. Complaining about them out in the open when the field owners did not listen to you is great. One complaint can be passed on to many. And then business is loss which I hope will make the owners smarten up.

So far I want to add Soldier Gear paintball and Defcon paintball have been one of the best friendly staff I have ever met, they will even play a game or two with us. And they are not noobs, they are just as good or maybe better than some of the vets I've seen.

One last wish goes to Area51. Wherever you guys are, I hope the best.

BURN I SAY! BURNNNNNNNN!

Seriously wtf dude how old are you to write like that? 12?

good story, I am not the best at writing either but i did manage to read it. By the way guys, this is kamikaze33 6th post on our forum. Remember when our moms taught us, if you dont have something nice to say dont say anything at all. My experiences at paintball fields have always been playing airsoft. Wasaga beach always takes care of us but the Soldier Gear staff in Angus are really the cats ass.
I guess I have been lucky never really got into paintball. Just straight into airsoft and for the most part everyone i play with is great.