Magfed woodsball paintball vs airsoft

[IngloriousBastard]

Hey guys,
I'm looking for some advice on the differences between both sports and which would best suit me.

I've done slot of research on both sports and I can see the obvious differences pros and cons etc. Lots of stuff online about airsoft vs paintball

I haven't found much info on mag fed woods ball compared to airsoft. Mag fed paintball seems to be on the rise and gaining a strong following.

First strike rounds seem like they are changing the game. Triple the distance and accuracy for the first time.

Ive played paintball and was turned off because of the super guns with more ammo than my whole rental group could carry. Mag fed changes that.

Anyway what I'm looking for in one of the sports

- Mature crowd (I'm in my 30s) no kids running around

- I'm not into hard core dress up or pretend. Scenarios sound amazing but I don't want to dress up as a real soldier or wear the fancy gear. No offence to anyone who does. Just not my thing. Basic camo Id be in for.

- I want to shoot people and work as a team

- realistic roles (no high caps for anything other than support players)

- a welcoming group. I dont know anyone else interested in joining. I'd go by myself.

- availability of games. A local paintball field is byop everyday and cheap! How often are there recreational games near the GTA?

- money isn't really an issue regarding the guns.

- big scenario ?

Any thoughts on which would be a better suit for me?

I wrote this on a tablet. I apologize in advance for the typos.

Thanks.

[nardac]

First off, I played paintball for 5 years, woods and speed. First strike is nothing new and people have been talking about how it will change the industry when I got into it. 7 years later and not very many people use first strike, wanna know why? They cost almost a $1 a ball and a lot of fields don't allow you to bring your own. Mag fed and limited ammo are great, I use to run scenarios at our local field, problem was most people want to run high capacity hoppers with high rates of fire, which makes for a very small player base. And really tough for guys to compete with mags.

Since I started Airsoft 3 years ago, these are my observations. The cost of 4000 BB's is $30, the cost of 2000 paintballs BYOB is $40-60 depending on how good a ball you would like to use, and first strike well that's outrageous. I play once a week and that bag of BB's lasts for a month, the box of balls would last me one day out, sometimes two if I was being conservative. So ammo is more costly in paintball for me.

I've found that most airsoft players are 18+ and the people I've been fortunate enough to run with generally play in organized groups, which works well if you like strategy and team work. Get out and play, be honourable, approachable and respectful and you will meet all kinds of great players. There are a number of semi private fields that cater to more mature players, so no birthday, bachelor parties, school trips or 12 year olds to detract from the game.

A middle of the road gun, good set of camo, goggles, gloves, mag holder and mid cap mags will run you less than a similar paintball set up, since you said you don't want to buy all the gear and dress up like a soldier. Once you've been bitten by the bug though, look out, all the gadgets and gear will end up getting pricey, it's more of an addiction.

Hope this helps a bit, I know there will be other replies with far more knowledge and experience

Either one you choose they are both a hell of a lot of fun!

[hollywood...]

Originally Posted by IngloriousBastard

- I want to shoot people and work as a team

- realistic roles (no high caps for anything other than support players)

- a welcoming group. I dont know anyone else interested in joining. I'd go by myself.

- availability of games. A local paintball field is byop everyday and cheap! How often are there recreational games near the GTA?

- money isn't really an issue regarding the guns.

- big scenario ?

you are not going to find this in Paintball

[L473ncy]

Honestly I'd have to say it's kind of a toss up but I'd tend to go towards airsoft because it's a lot cleaner. Paintball is already pretty well established though, however I don't think you're likely to find many games like you describe without going to specific simulation type paintball games because a lot of it is either; speedball, or weekend rec games that are more pickup game styled.

In regards to airsoft it's similar with weekend pickup games, you'd probably be looking more towards daysim (day simulation, eg. 9-4PM) type games with ammo limits and the like. You don't need all the hardcore gear just basic camo and something to hold your stuff.

[nardac]

I agree with Hollywood, and to answer you question about availability of games in GTA, every weekend there most likely is someone running something. Just watch the forums for game post, plus many paintball fields offer airsoft. If you think mag paintball is growing, it's nothing compared to airsoft. In just the past 3 years, I've noticed a huge increase in the London area, fields popping up all over.

[daishi]

Um....

Why has nobody mentioned that Ultimate Airsoft in the GTA is open during week and the weekend and is not gross and disgusting paintball field?

There's also TTAC that runs games every now and then. Mature people and a very smalll group. Watch the games thread to see posts about games in the GTA.

If you are a good player and a regular to some venues you will eventually find out about other places and may get invited out.

Living in the GTA its not hard to get to airsoft games every week.

[Ricochet]

Go with whatever floats your boat. I've played both, abd found airsoft to be all around better and with a greater potential. Others will argue for paintball, and that's their opinion. The more I play airsoft the less I appreciate paintball. Paintball has a more established rule set due it being around longer. I find them less and less similar, although they are both shooting based sports, you get a better combat feel with airsoft.

[grantmac]

Airsoft hands-down is the better experience for me. Forgetting all about realism and cost the quality of the player is simply better.

Adding in the cost of BBs vs PBs and the realism offered in the weapons (I'm exclusively GBBR) and airsoft just blows PB away in my mind.

-Grant

[Slodin]

limited cap is not gonna happen in paintball unless it's milsim..
on both sports, the guns are actually redeemed to me to be cheap..
problem with paintball is that its $10/100balls on fields, and first strike..that's a joke, $1/1ball. The normal paintballs are so inaccurate it's not even enjoyable, probably upgrade your barrel to make that somewhat workable.

I don't know about your area, but in mine..There are more paintball fields than airsoft..they all do airsoft, but less, like biweekly.

[brock0]

Asking this question in an airsoft forum you're guaranteed to get the truth, which is that paintball sucks

[Ricochet]

There's more paintball fields than airsoft everywhere, but to be fair most should be considered both. Unless it's strictly paintball, then it's an airsoft field as well. I've played at many fields, across many provinces, and this is what I mostly see; twenty to fifty airsofter's show up, usually sixteen years of age to adult, most are fully geared, and they play all day. On the other side of the parking lot is an unknown amount of paintballers; somewhere between ten and a hundred depending on the day, but they only hang around for a few hours, until the next batch show up. Most are renting gear, and don't even have their own eyewear or coveralls. The majority are youths aged ten to fifteen, with the odd group of men, whom are there for a bachelor party or something. You may, in the odd occasion get some fully geared paintballers show up, but usually between two and six, and they play alongside the kids. This is just the most notable patterns I have witnessed. If you want realism, then airsoft has the edge. If you want diversity, then airsoft has the edge. If you want structure, then paintball has the edge in some places; for now.

[Kayn]

Well i can talk from a perspective of someone that has spent thousands on mag fed paintball and eventually switched to airsoft.

Milsig MRK II, rifled barrel, bore sizing kit, HPA. Probably one of the most accurate paintball markers on the market. After that in a straight out accuracy test, i could hit maybe a 2 foot target at 20 yards. The rifling of a paintball barrel does nothing for a sphere full of fluid, it will go the way it wants to. And putting balls in a mag will dimple them, causing even more inaccuracy. One way that i found you could get around this is using powder balls. Almost as expensive as first strike. And equally not bio friendly. Bio friendly fields will not allow first strike or powder balls. (pretty sure powder balls are only made by one manufacturer, they can set the price they want.)

The pros of paintball. ( and sometimes also the cons) Here are some thing that i miss from paintball since switching to airsoft.

-You can always tell when you hit someone. (usually because you are so close to them you could walk over and point it out.)
-The loud bang (I miss that a little)
-Most paint ball markers need to be charged to work. Unlike all AEG's that work as soon as you switch that selector.

What i love about airsoft.

- Reaching out and touching someone at 90 yards. (Yeah that feels good, and having a grouping less that a foot is awesome)
- The gear is way better, and not covered with slime.
- guys with Nods...i mean that's cool.
- The equipment works better. ( i don't know how many times a team member was down for a game because something went wrong with his, seals, remote line, cylinder, spring. ( not to say airsoft doesn't have its own equipment failures. but they seem to just be few and farther between.)

And a mess of other things other people have said in this post.

Both are fun. And truly the secondary line of equipment is similar in both. I would say try both out.

[BioRage]

For me it was the realistic feel, and feature. Airsoft hands down. Even though I do miss my 2005 Angel, I have never though of ever playing paintball again after trying out airsoft.

Also I rather not spend $150 for a case of 2000 premium paintballs

I rather spend $30 for 4000 bb's.

[Styrak]

If you're spending $30 for 4000 BBs you should find a cheaper source of BBs!

[pusangani]

What the fuck i reading on my asc? Paintball fuckery gtfo