Full-auto Paintball Machine Guns
by Jayson Orvis aka JOracle on Jan 22, 2005
If you’ve ever tried it then you know: playing paintball full-auto kicks butt. With full-auto, a relatively inexpensive paintball gun can match the fastest tourney guns on the market. But, the world of full-auto paintball is complicated. If you buy yourself a paintball machine gun, you may be disappointed to find that your local field won’t allow it. And, yet, there are many full-auto options that most fields DO accept.
As I said, it’s complicated. Let’s explore the options.
Pure Full-auto
Since most fields don’t allow paintball machine guns, most gun manufacturers don’t set their guns up to go full-auto. One notable exception is Tippmann Pnuematics, maker of the legendary A-5 and 98 Custom. The A-5 accepts an aftermarket mod called the E-Grip. This electronic trigger allows you to select full-auto, three-shot burst or a variety of other modes. The eGrip allows true full-auto and you can even adjust your rate of fire. If you crank it all the way up, you’ll be shooting on par with some
of the fastest tourney markers out there – and you’ll do it all with a single pull of the trigger. The eGrip isn’t without its issues, but it is the best (and most economical) full-auto solution on the market. Don’t forget, if you show up to your local field and start ripping away with your full-auto A-5, you may find yourself on a quick trip back to your car. Most fields’ insurance doesn’t cover full-auto and they take it pretty seriously. If you’re just playing ‘ball in the woods with your buddies, however, you’ll probably be just fine.
Kinda Full-auto
While most fields won’t allow pure full-auto, the majority will allow alternatives. For starters, tourney markers have made a joke out of the no-full-auto rule. With their "cheater boards" and "bounce triggers" most tourney guns can shoot well over sixteen balls per second in "semi-auto." Somehow, the insurance companies that won’t allow full-auto have no problem with this super-semi action. It’s really lame, but that’s the system (for the time being.) So, if you’re into the tourney thing, you can pick up just about any electro and learn to "fan" the trigger up to full-auto rates of fire.
A more sensible approach for woodsballers might be to try Tippmann’s line of Response Triggers for the A-5 and the 98 Custom. By resetting the trigger with excess gas, the Response Trigger can give you full-auto rates of fire by causing the trigger to bounce off your finger in long strings of machinegun fire. Response triggers take some practice and tuning to get just right, but they’re a reasonable way to "sneak up" on full-auto.
Another great option is the Equalizer Paintball Firestorm Crank. The Firestorm attaches to your trigger guard and allows you to crank off full-auto fire without violating field rules. Since the crank fires only one shot per pull of the trigger, all insurance companies that we know of allow its use.
Massive Full-auto
If you’re looking for heavy firepower, and you don’t care how much it costs, then the Double-trouble Gatlin is calling for you. This pair of team-cranked Tippmann A-5s can lay down over thirty rounds per second. There’s no electro in the world that can match it. If you’re interested, visit our Heavy Gunner page and find out about the paint-spattered world of suppressive fire. It’s big. It’s heavy. And, it’s legal on most fields.
Full-auto Safety
As with some of the fastest electros, a full-auto woodsball™ marker can put a lot of paint in the air at once. There is risk of "lighting up" another player by shooting them multiple times in one stream of shots. There is even a slight danger of multiple shots pushing a paintball player’s mask off their face. While we’ve never heard of a full-auto related injury, safety is worth mentioning. If you’re going to play full-auto, we recommend setting your rate of fire below twelve balls per second. Also, we suggest firing in short bursts. By taking it easy, you ensure that other player’s fun isn’t ruined by your heavy firepower. Don’t forget, you’ve got to carry and pay for all that paint you’ll be shooting. Go easy and it’ll be better for everyone.