Paintball was originally inspired by Richard Connell’s The Most Dangerous Game, a short story in which a Russian big-game hunter, bored with hunting animals, turns to hunting humans for sport. Since its inception in 1976, the game has exploded in popularity. Each year, over 10 million people play paintball in the US alone. It’s little wonder, then, that companies like WDP and Planet Eclipse seek to outdo each other by making the fanciest and most expensive paintball guns.
WDP Angel G7 – $1,500
Last year, WDP wowed paintball enthusiasts with the Angel G7. Billed as the fastest paintball gun in the world, it was capable of firing thirty-one pellets per second at a muzzle velocity of 300 feet per second. It was also the most expensive paintball gun at the time, priced at just under $1,500. That didn’t keep it from selling, though; WDP sold a thousand of these expensive guns in just one week.
Planet Exclipse SL74 – $1,995
More recently, however, Planet Eclipse unveiled their SL74. Weighing less than two pounds, it may just be the lightest paintball gun in the world. The gun also offers less kick than previous models in the series and even features a mechanism to allow its user to choose between lower pressure and a higher shot count. Of course, it’s the most expensive paintball gun in the world; it’s priced at $1,995.
Breda M37 8mm Machine Gun replica by Real Action Paintball – $4,999
Blowing WDP and Planet Eclipse out of the water in terms of price, this custom made replica by Real Action Paintball weighs 30 lbs and can fire in semi-automatic, short burst and full auto modes. The gun features at least one major point of departure from the weapon on which it’s based—the Q-Loader automatic paintball feed system. The gun is custom built from an Airgun Designs Automag RT Pro paintgun, which features x-valve, a level 10 anti-chop bolt and an ultra-light trigger pull kit. Of course, being a custom, it takes four weeks for the thing to be built and delivered.
Unfortunately, electronic guns like these may not perform so well in woodsball—paintball played in a wooded area rather than an indoor location—as the firing mechanisms may freeze up if you get them dirty. In these cases, it may be best to go with a less expensive, mechanical gun.
