Paintball isn't that expensive.

[Vex]

Why? Because they played the game like it was meant to be played, and they made it exciting. It wasn't who could put the most paint downrange, but who could put paint downrange with the most skill.

You just have to work at it, and god forbid, not "hide behind your equipment".

Oh my God...dude, thou hast preached the word of a true paintballer!
You should be given the Congressional Medal of Jesus!


Someone promote Target Practice to the rank of Saint, right now!


Preach on, Brother T.P.!

[stop whining buy a mag]

Exactly. I'm talking about the people who make it more expensive.

I would wager that the caliber of the average player of 15 years ago is higher then that of the average player of today. I think that technology has indeed replaces skill to an extent.

As far as the expense, I should have stated that I was talking about the long term expense. Sure, you may have an initial cost that's higher, but come on, it's not going to amount to an 04 Vike for a decent Phantom.

I have to disagree with you on comparing players of 15 years ago to players of today. It's a different game. The new name of the game is shoot fast and move fast. 15 years ago it wasn't some crazy rate of fire. Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Glenn Palmer make the first operational semi in late '88?

I'll admit that I'm a bit spoiled and I don't have to worry too much about paintball being expensive. I use a Shocker at my local woodsball course. On a normal day I shoot 3 bags of Inferno. I could use White Box but I get discounts from the owner and I hate watching 3 balls in a row bounce off your opponent. My dad will pay for my paint if my grades are up and I have helped him around the house (We are finishing off a room in the basement on our own) etc. I payed for most of my marker and gear so I don't feel like the 12 year old noob who got his gun from mommy. I shop around for the best prices on everything. Before me and my dad ever decide to buy anything more than $20 for paintball we look around online to find the best price. We got our 2005 Shockers for $700 new. That isn't bad at all. All the other guns we have gotten off Ebay, used for a while, then resold for a higher price. Paintball is only expensive to those who don't care what the price is on things. They don't have a problem paying $1700 for a DMC right now when you can get a DM4 for almost $700.

I agree with some of your points but others seem to be for the player that will pay $1,000 for a pink Shocker. Educated paintballers know how to make it less expensive.

[Blazestorm]

I play every weekend, usually both days, shoot 6-8 bags per day.

I'm 16, and I have no job.

I make money by being creative on the interweb, and reselling stuff for way less than I paid (Example - Bought 05 dragon for 1600 w/ pro jersey, am trading gun for a nasty shocker completely upped that could bring in 800-1000, plus he added 800 cash, plus I'm selling the jersey for 300 That's atleast 300 profit.)

Plus playing on sponsored teams allows me to play for cheaper :)

And ofcourse the parents help out along the way.

But ya, I don't see paintball as too expensive, It's worth it.

[Lohman446]

I make money by being creative on the interweb, and reselling stuff for way less than I paid .

Hmm... remind me not to hire you to run my shop for any amount of time...

______________________________________________

[Vex]

Hmm... remind me not to hire you to run my shop for any amount of time...

I was thinking the same thing...

(we know that's not what you meant, Blaze)

[St Elmo's Fire]

you play within your means. it's life. deal with it.

I do play within my means, and I love it. I don't have to "deal with it". But the last thing I need is for some egotistical chap who spends $30 for his 20 rounds of tourney paint to tell me that paintball isn't expensive. If I had a quarter of his funding, I could play so much more paintball than I do now.

Furthermore, I never buy paint online. In fact, everything I get comes off fields and local proshops. I am not about to support some cheap corporations and let my local small businesses collapse.

[Blazestorm]

I was thinking the same thing...

(we know that's not what you meant, Blaze)

Hahaha

I would probably do it too... that's the sad thing.

But really that's how I do things, I'll find a good deal, or get something I know I can make profit off of, and get it!

Here's a rediculous story...

Bought a cyborg brand new for 980$, You're thinking, how can you possibly make money off that?

I use it for 2 months, then decide to trade for an A4 Fly... or what I thought was a Fly... apparently it was just an A4 (Worth about 200$ less), so I was like WTF, he was like OH NOEZ, and sent me a BKO to compensate. I sold the BKO for $250. I was using the A4 at the field and a guy on Cartel (10man Pro last year, they missed 1st at world cup by 2 points) was like holy crap that's sweet, I'll trade you, I'm getting a dm5 soon (He got kicked off cartel haha) so I get a Dm4, used by him, beat up, ugly, and ya... I put it up on AO and get offered an Angel Speed, 45/45, 3 stiffi barrels, and an RT Mag. I sell the Speed for $525, the Stiffis for $150, the tank for $125, and the RT for $400. add that ontop of the $250 from the BKO... I just made $1450 out of $980 in a matter of 3-4 months.

Yeah... I don't know how I do it either... I traded a phantom I paid $200 for locally for an RT Mag, I attempt to trade it for a shocker, he tries to rip me off, I threaten mail-fraud, comes back to me, and he lets me keep the shocker. I sold both for $600...

And I already told the 05 Dragon Story... but ya for the most part I make money off my deals.

[frontrunner]

pumps are for people who enjoy the game not for the want to be pro, i play some of the cleanist paintball ever a few weeks ago at a local pump event. it wasn't cuase everyone had pumps it cause everyone just wanted to play and have fun. i can not tell you how many games my teams won that day and i'm willing to bet no one can. simply put the less you care the more fun you'll have

[LeatherPants]

Yes it is a choice to make it expensive just as it is a choice to play at all.

Like anything in life if you can't afford it don't do it. It's your choice to continue this sport. You can't complain playing pump against semis because again it's your choice. You could opt not to play.

By no means am I a rich person but I find the deal where I can get them. I play an average of 3 times a month and playing back I average 2-3 cases a weekend. It's my choice to spend my income on paintball. It's my choice to buy highend markers.

Target Practice it right. Suck it up. Deal with it. If you don't like it then you should take a look to where you should be spending your disposable income. Maybe it shouldn't be paintball. I hear laser tag is cheap.

[OneEyedPimp]

I have to pay 30 dollars for 20 shots if I want match-grade ammo. .

And that is if you shoot the small stuff. For match grade ammo on my 30-06 it can be up to $3 per shot. On my .50BMG it can sometimes be $8-10 a shot(and that is is not including the $2 per shot for practice stuff).

By the way, very good topic.

[Target Practice]

And that is if you shoot the small stuff. For match grade ammo on my 30-06 it can be up to $3 per shot. On my .50BMG it can sometimes be $8-10 a shot(and that is is not including the $2 per shot for practice stuff).

By the way, very good topic.

That price was for .308...It's not that small... :)

And when it comes to rimfire, Even if you spluge and buy the nice stuff, you're still only paying around 25-30 bucks for a brick.

[TDonovan]

When I play stock class the most expensive thing I'll pay for is entry. It's pretty sweet knowing I spent only $15 entry, shooting 100 balls at most, playing all day, and having fun doing it. I'm just sad there isn't a pump scene in Chicago like there is in Cali.

When I use my intimidator it's a different story. I still probably shoot less than everyone else, but I use a 12v and I play on a budget.

[OneEyedPimp]

That price was for .308...It's not that small... :)

And when it comes to rimfire, Even if you spluge and buy the nice stuff, you're still only paying around 25-30 bucks for a brick.

I know, I own several .308s. I was just pointing out that in proportion that if you are really into shooting, you can drop an upwards of $5000 on a .50BMG the sniper rifle, and then have to put the good $8-10 per shot stuff through it.

What I was trying to do was make a correlation between the higher and lower gun shooting with the higher and lower paintball shooting. I.E., with both sports, you spend what you want to. I made the mistake of buying the $5000 BMG just because they were outlawing them. Go figure.

[Mr. BoBo]

I play once a month. I used to run a variety of electro's and got up to 1.5 cases a day playing recball.

I took up a phantom and haven't used another marker in over a year. I use between 100 and 300 rnds a day depending on the field. I've been getting better and I regularly bunker guys (not kids) with the usual high end electros.

This weekend I took up an Ion and after I got over the wierd feeling (what's this lumpy thing on top? Why's it so heavy?) I played and had fun with it.

I shot 1/3 to 1/2 a hopper per game (indoor) and my shots were well on the money.

I love electo games where everybody camps and shoots cases at each other - depending on the field, I sneak off and walk up on them or camp until the numbers decrease and then bunker them as they aren't expecting anyone to move.

Upshot:

Paintball is expensive but perhaps not relative to you.
Pump helps you save money as you shoot less paint and learn to rely less on paint.
Pump sharpens your skill and makes you work the field more.
Pump makes you do things you think are insane, like run throughs on 2 electro backmen.

Pump reawakened the fun in paintball as I'm always at a technical disadvantage, even against renters. I have to use my brain, judgement and skill rather than laying down ropes.

Shoot whatever makes you happy and you can afford but don't knock pump 'til you've tried it.

[Target Practice]

What I was trying to do was make a correlation between the higher and lower gun shooting with the higher and lower paintball shooting. I.E., with both sports, you spend what you want to. I made the mistake of buying the $5000 BMG just because they were outlawing them. Go figure.

I understand where you're coming from. In that vein, imagine that I own a .50BMG, and I hand load it with only the finest AP boattails, using the highest grade, fastest, and cleanest-burning powder, all lovingly assembled on my $1000 press. Then I go and shoot it off as fast as I can.

Then I go to the range, and piss and moan and complain about how expensive the sport is, while the kid with the Taurus pump .22 is having the time of his life AND keeping his groups in the X ring.