Missed shots are the most frustrating thing after chopped paintballs on the field. For accurate shots, you are compelled to play close to your opponents, which is pretty dangerous. It’s just like giving your enemy a clear way to hit you. But if you use a sniper paintball gun, you can not only target accurately from a longer range but also you can play at a safe distance.
There is a thin, hair-like difference between paintball sniper rifles and the normal paintball marker. It is a common practice that upgrading a barrel and using the first strike ammos will transform your normal PB gun into a paintball sniper rifle. That is clearly a huge misconception. Many other factors make the best sniper paintball rifles, like fed system, stock, rails, and others.
That’s the reason choosing the best sniper paintball gun is a difficult task, but not now. We have selected a few of the best paintball sniper rifles, tested them thoroughly and presented unbiased reviews below, which are then followed by buying guides to help you make the right decision.
5 Best Paintball Sniper Rifles 2023
IMAGE | PRODUCT | RATING | PRICE |
---|---|---|---|
EDITORS CHOICE
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First Strike T15 – Best Sniper Paintball Gun
|
9.7
|
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Custom Rifle
|
Tippmann 98 – Best Paintball Sniper
|
9.3
|
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Comfort Grip
|
Empire – Best Paintball Sniper Rifle
|
9.1
|
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Easy to clean
|
US Army – Best Sniper Rifles
|
8.9
|
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CO2 Powered Rifle
|
Umarex T4E HK416 -.43 Caliber Paintball Rifle
|
8.7
|
Check on Amazon |
1. First Strike T15 – Best Sniper Paintball Gun
First Strike T15 is a typical bolt action paintball sniper rifle that looks like a real AR-15 combat rifle. The design and looks of the T15 look exactly like the actual AR-15 rifle. While holding First Strike T15 in our hands, we realized that its body is made up of military-grade aluminum, so you can expect the amount of durability it has. We believe that it can easily withstand rough and tough paintballing conditions. It features a 14″ micro honed barrel, which is the real characteristic of a sniper paintball gun.
It is a Mag-fed gun, so you can use a magazine along with a hopper on a T15 paintball gun. Just fill the magazine with ammo and you are ready to shoot T15 first strike. T15 is compatible with the first strike rounds only. While testing it with first strike rounds, it delivers shots with exceptional accuracy, whereas when we tested it using ordinary paintball rounds, the resulting shots were not so much accurate. Therefore, if you need highly accurate shots, then it’s better to use First Strike rounds.
The magazine of T15 gun is capable of holding around 19 to 20 paintball ammo. It is pretty light in weight which is around 4 pounds; one can easily carry it without any trouble.
Apart from this, it features multiple Picatinny rails for mounting different accessories on the rifle to have a real soldier-like feel. T15 First strike is a gun that can be hopper-fed and magazine-fed. You can switch from hopper to magazine fed via a simple adapter. One downside that we observed is, its barrel is of twist-lock style, which means it is not compatible with Autococker and A5 Threaded barrels.
T15 is one of the top sniper paintball refiles that is powered by compressed air. You will get a 13/3000HPA tank along with it in the box.
- Dual fed gun that is magazine and hopper
- 4 Picatinny rails for installing multiple accessories
- Made up of aluminum
- Can be customized easily
- Not a choice of gun for indoor players
- Shots with high accuracy with FS rounds only
First Strike T15 full auto has a twist-lock barrel, which most indoor paintballers don’t prefer. Apart from this, for outdoor paintballers, it’s a great sniper paintball gun, firstly, because it’s Mag-fed which is amazing, and secondly because it imitates an authentic AR gun.
2. Tippmann 98
If you are more into gun modifications, new installation, and grip updates, then Tippmann 98 Custom is the best choice of sniper paintball rifle for you. Tippmann 98 offers endless possibilities for customization, like adding a MagFed conversion kit and transforming your Tippmann 98 into a Mag-fed sniper gun. Also, you can add an e-grip if you want to boost up the rate of firing to 15bps. In short, you can add, upgrade, and customize your 98 custom Tippmann paintball maker in different ways.
Besides being one of the best paintball snipers, Tippmann 98 is one of the most affordable sniper paintball refiles that any beginner can easily buy. Its barrel length is about 8 inches, but you can upgrade to a long barrel easily.
We have thoroughly tested Tippmann 98 custom in various woodsball and speedball tournaments and it delivers exceptional performance every time. Apart from this, it is an air-efficient marker that efficiently uses CO2 and compressed air. That’s because of its inline bolt system that decreases the use of air for each shot.
One of the most surprising things that came to our observation was it does not chop any balls. That is pretty impressive, later on, after going through the manual, we came to know that Tippmann 98 is equipped with an amazing Anti-chop technology that reduces the chances of paint breakage.
Apart from this, Tippmann 98 custom is one of the most durable paintball sniper rifles. No matter how many times it drops on the terrain, it won’t break at all. The reason is its sturdy metal construction. Tippmann 98 custom is a great marker indeed, but we observe a flaw that is cumbersome for beginners. It recoils after every shot, which ultimately reduces the number of shots by beginners to even less than 8 bps.
- Customizable to an unlimited extent
- Air efficient
- Chops no paintballs at all
- Compatible with every upgrade
- It recoils more than other paintball guns
Tippmann 98 custom is a favorite sniper paintball rifle of the majority of paintballers. It does not have any notable flaws other than its recoil problem. Once you get familiar with it, you won’t get bothered by its recoil. All in all, it’s a great marker for paintball enthusiasts.
3. Empire Axe – Best Paintball Sniper Rifle
Who doesn’t know paintball gear from Empire? No doubt they are of topmost quality. When it comes to paintball sniper rifle, how come one forgets Empire Axe 2.0 sniper-style paintball marker. Axe is known to deliver shots with great accuracy and consistency. Thanks to its 14” barrel. The frame is nicely built with a wrap-around style grip to ensure players about firm hold. Its auto-cocker design lets ballers to fire continuously by placing their finger on the trigger. Whereas, the second hand can be used to move the pump.
For players who feel the hopper is a hindrance, Empire Axe is great for them, as it features a stock class adapter. Therefore, players can switch from hopper feed neck system to a stock class feed neck system. We haven’t tested Empire Axe personally, but according to our acquaintances who have used Empire Axe, it’s a great entry level pump style marker.
When you want shots with great accuracy and consistency, get your hands on Empire Axe 2.0 paintball sniper rifle. Its sleek, compact, and lightweight design with a sniper-style barrel keeps you on the winning line throughout the game.
4. US Army – Best Sniper Rifles
If you want to have a paintball marker that looks exactly like a real gun, then Tippmann’s Us Army elite paintball sniper rifle is the best option for you. Look wise, it resembles the US Army M4 small arms rifle, which is the predecessor of M16. It even has got the same weight as the original firearm. You know, a marker that looks real gives you another level of enthusiasm in the game.
We have tested the US Army Elite paintball sniper rifle on numerous paintball fields while playing different scenario games and we totally love this firearm.
The entire body of the gun is made up of aluminum, so you can expect the amount of durability it has. In fact, unintentionally, I dropped it on very hard and rough terrain. To my amazement, it was all fine with no dent or malfunction. So, in terms of durability, US Army Elite is a great marker.
Mind you, the add-ons are made up of plastic.
It features a 6 points adjustable stock which allows you to adjust the gun position according to your comfort level. Tippmann US army comes with all the necessary accessories that you would need during the game. To simulate real military warfare, it even comes with a magazine, but that’s not for holding, but rather for adding weight to the gun. You can store Allen’s keys in the magazine.
The Picatinny rails on the top of the gun allow you to install different gadgets, like red dot sight which you will get within the package.
Us Army Alpha Elite Marker is a semi automatic sniper gun with different kinds of firing rates. You can upgrade the firing rate by installing an e-grip. Apart from this, the gas lines are reinforced with a weave. This is the biggest sigh of relief for any player, as it will assure you that no gas will leak from the hose line.
Overall, it’s a great sniper paintball gun but it features a 12 inch barrel. The good news is, the barrel thread is compatible with all trending barrels in the market. We upgraded our barrel with a 14” J & J ceramic barrel, which was a great decision, as it reduces the friction and gives longer, more accurate shots.
- Comes with all the necessary gears
- Real military-style firearm
- Highly durable
- Highly customizable
- Its weight seems heavy to naïve players
Tippmann Us Army Elite paintball marker is an economical and durable gun that you can transform into sniper rifle for a very nominal amount. The performance, shots, and durability it delivers are super exceptional. Though it comes with the necessary gear, you can upgrade it for better performance.
5. Umarex T4E HK416 – .43 Caliber Paintball Rifle
Umarex T4E HK 416 is a sniper rifle that is specially designed for law enforcement and military training, but paintballers also used Umarex HK 416 to have lots of fun on the paintball field. It’s a magfed style paintball gun, which means you have to use a magazine instead of a hopper to load the paintball ammo. The magazine is capacious enough to hold up to 14 ammos. Unlike other sniper paintball refiles, Umarex T4E HK 416 uses 0.43 caliber paintball ammo, which means it won’t hurt our opponent.
The original T4E HK 416 rifle is made up of metal, and Umarex has used a sturdy and durable metal-like material to build this replica gun. Moreover, it features a trigger selector that allows you to select between different firing modes, like semi-auto and full-auto.
The Umarex T4E is powered by CO2, and you will get 5 cartridges of 12 gm CO2 within the package. The reason why we have added Umarex T4E to our sniper paintball gun list is its 14.5” ported barrel. The long barrel gives more precise and accurate shooting that snipers demand. Moreover, the barrel has some adjustable Picatinny rails on which you can mount different gears for aiming and targeting, like a laser light.
Besides this, the adjustable and sturdy stock gives you the freedom to choose your comfortable shooting position. Surprisingly, it can be adjusted into 6 positions. Umarex T4E is a paintball gun that can be maintained easily, and that’s the reason it is a choice of gun for beginner players. Also, its weight is an added advantage for naive players that is 3020gms.
- With drop-out magazine of full size
- Adjustable and removable stock
- Polymer and metal build-up
- The bolt carrier is of flimsy quality
Umarex T4E HK 416 gives you military-like realism. The sturdy quality of marker, with drop-out magazine and with front grip gives you the real joy of paintballing. Indeed it’s a great, averagely priced sniper paintball gun.
How to Buy the Best Sniper Paintball Rifle
Even though we have tested and reviewed the five best paintball sniper rifles, I believe if you are new to sniper guns, it would be a tough decision for you to choose the best sniper gun. obviously, there are many factors that one should keep into consideration while buying a sniper paintball gun. The first and the foremost factor before investing in a sniper gun is to check out your style of play, which paintball variation you prefer to play, and how often do you play. Apart from these, there are other points too. Let’s read them to have one of the most accurate and long range sniper guns in your hand.
Paintball Variation and Your Style
Being a paintballer, you are fully aware of the different variations of paintball. If you are thinking of buying a sniper gun and using it for all your paintballing tournaments, then let me tell you, you are 100% wrong. You can’t use one type of gun for all variations of paintball if you really want to give a tough time to your competitors.
For instance, in the speedball field, using a sniper gun will give you nothing but a big title of LOSER to you and your team. Whereas, for MilSim style and Scenario games, paintball sniper rifles will guarantee the winning position for your team. Similarly, sniper paintball markers are best for playing in a woodsball setting.
Style of play is one of the most crucial factors that determine the actual need for a sniper paintball gun. If you play strategically with slow moves, then a sniper-style gun with a longer profile is a great option. The longer barreled guns keep you less mobile in the field. You can hide behind trees or bunkers and shoot your target just by simple peeping. Usually a barrel of 16” is ideal if you wish to play from a longer distance. A sniper paintball gun in hand will be useless for a fast and speedy game that you just play to have fun without any strategies. You can play such games even with paintball pistols; you don’t need to have long barreled guns.
Barrel
Paintball Sniper guns are actually longer range paintball guns, such guns have a longer barrel of about 14” till 16”. If a gun doesn’t offer these features, then sorry to say, it’s not a sniper gun. But yes, there are some guns, which can be upgraded to long barrel guns, such as the Tippmann US Army Elite Paintball Marker, which is a 12” barrel gun, but it can be upgraded to a longer barrel because of its compatibility with the barrel threads.
Picatinny Rails
Almost every paintball gun has Picatinny rails. There are very few guns that lack Picatinny rails, but for a sniper-style paintball gun, a Picatinny rail is mandatory. With Picatinny rails, you can take your sniper rifle to a whole new level. On these rails, you have the freedom to mount useful accessories like bi-pods, front grips, red dot sights, lasers, slings, and many other accessories. All the paintball sniper guns that we have reviewed above have Picatinny rails.
Stock
The stock of the gun is a great option to give perfect stability. You will find the stock in the majority of guns, but mind you, for a sniper paintball gun, the stock should be telescoping and adjustable.It is how paintballers can customize the stability level of the gun according to their body size. US Army Alpha Elite and Umarex T4E have 6 positions telescoping stock for better stability.
Feeding System
For paintball guns, we have two types of feeding systems: the hopper-fed and the magazine-fed feeding systems. Though both systems are great concerning sniper paintball guns, they both have their own sets of pros and cons.
Hopper Fed System
Pros for sniper paintball gun:
- It offers a higher capacity
- You can hold up to 200 ammos
- You rarely need to refill the hopper
Cons for sniper paintball gun:
Placement of hopper is the biggest con for a sniper paintball gun. Usually, it is placed at the top center which hinders the user’s line of sight. You can place it off sight, but if you added a scope on your sniper gun with an off-set hopper, this will increase the weight of your gun to the cumbersome level.
Magazine Fed System
Pros for sniper paintball gun:
- They are small and compact
- You can freely add scopes or sights to the gun
- They make the marker looks like a real-life firearm
Cons for sniper paintball gun:
- It can hold up to 10-14 paintball rounds only
- You have to change or reload the magazine every now and then
If you are choosing the top sniper paintball gun, we recommend you to go for a mag-fed system because it offers more space on the top of the gun, which lets players to mount different accessories. For instance, First Strike T15 and Tippmann 98 are the best options with the mag-fed system.
FAQs
Conclusion
We have incorporated all the relevant and useful information about sniper paintball guns that will help you in your decision-making. Apart from this, the reviews are only shared after testing, so you can trust them blindly and choose any of the reviewed sniper paintball guns for your next scenario-based game. Still, if it’s a problem for you to choose, then go with our recommendation, which is Tippmann 98, if you want lots of customization and US army Alpha Elite, if you want a real look-alike of US army rifles.