Best Paintball Pistols for 2023- Reviewed & Buying Guide

Best Paintball Pistols Reviewed

Best paintball pistols are one of the key factors that play an important role in the success of your paintballing games. Either you are a new player or want to take your game to the next level, a good paintball pistol is a must-have.

These pistols come with lightweight, strong, and sturdy construction, easy to use, and require less maintenance. As the market is full of many types of pistols, finding the one to fulfill your requirements is the real game. 

In this review article, we have put together top paintball pistols to give you the best of our research and a top-notch gun. 

In addition to that, a buying guide will also help you to narrow down your research to have the best paintball pistol according to your needs, budget, and choice. 

If you want to read reviews of paintball guns you can read them here.

Our Top Picks for You

Product Name
Speciality
Rating
Price
T4E TPM1 .43 Caliber
Powered by economical Co2
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
T4E Smith & Wesson
Metal barrel and metal slide
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Umarex T4E TR50
Shoots .50 caliber paint and rubber balls
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
GI Sportz Menace
7 round magazine
⭐⭐⭐
HSA T4E S&W M&P9 M2
Co2 Hard Kick Blow Back
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Top Eight Paintball Pistols for 2023

1.T4E TPM1 .43 Caliber 

T4E TPM1 .43 Caliber 

T4E TPM1 is a solid-looking gun with strong and sturdy construction. It is highly suitable as a starter gun or training pistol because of its lightweight and easy-to-operate options.

You can efficiently use this pistol as it uses blowback action to fire 0.43 caliber paintballs or rubber balls. Moreover, the ammunition capacity of the paintball pistol is 8 rounds, so you get quite a handful of bullets to use. 

As this pistol uses CO2 as fuel, it is cost-effective to maintain and use. Furthermore, the main construction of the pistol is based on metallic material, and the rest is made up of polymer. The hard-wearing metallic parts include barrel, catch, slide, and the magazine, and many others. 

The pistol also has polymeric material in its construction to keep the weight low and the pistol’s balance intact. 

Pros
  • Lightweight
  • Realistic looking pistol with solid looks
  • Easy to use
  • Best choice for beginners
  • Training gun
Cons
  • Odd and uncommon paintball size of 0.43 caliber
  • Fragile and expensive magazines

Final Words

When we tested the pistol, we found it to be precise, accurate, and a good starting gun for beginners. But in realism, it didn’t do well. The gun does not look like a real gun, and one has to work hard to find 0.43 caliber odd size paintballs, only available online in most cases.

Furthermore, the magazine is designed to shoot the paintballs rather than just keeping them, so it becomes fragile as compared to other paintball pistols. You can either use it as a beginner’s gun for training or a secondary pistol. 

2.T4E Smith & Wesson M&P M2.0 .43 Caliber 

T4E Smith & Wesson M&P M2.0 .43 Caliber 

T4E Smith & Wesson is another cost-effective real-looking pistol among the best paintball pistols on the market and known as the best replica. It is easy to control, uses CO2 as fuel, and costs only 9 cents a round,, so it turns up the best training pistol so far.

Moreover, there is a solid construction of the significant parts of the pistol with hard-wearing metal. The paintball pistol uses 0.43 caliber shots and replicates T4E TPM1 in terms of working but weighs a bit heavier than that.

Being 750 grams heavy makes it quite a handful and easy to grip with polyester construction and metal to keep the weight balanced. 

The metallic parts of the pistol include barrel, slide, catch, and magazine. The pistol comes with a Picatinny accessory rail which accommodates the mounting of accessories,, including lights, lasers, and lenses. 

Pros
  • Easy to use
  • Good beginners’ gun
  • Lightweight
  • Economical
  • Real looking pistol
Cons
  • Fragile magazine

Final Words

This paintball pistol can be rated as the best self-defense pistol and an accurate replica for pistol lovers. We observed that the magazine is too fragile, which is the biggest downside of this pistol.

Moreover, if anything breaks, the parts are not readily available in the market. Other than these minor issues, the gun is a real-looking gun but great for self-defense, even if you use rubber balls. 

3.Umarex T4E TR50 Revolver .50 Caliber

Umarex T4E TR50 Revolver .50 Caliber

Umarex T4E TR50 hits the sweet spot of durability, real-looking replica, and double action of a classic revolver. It consists of a smoothbore barrel that is highly compatible with 0.50 caliber paintballs.

Moreover, it weighs only 975 grams which makes it easy to grab and use because of lightweight. Furthermore, there is a high-grade finish which makes it feel and look just like a real pistol. 

The paintball pistol is made of metal and polymer, a perfect combination to provide a good balance. You can enjoy a feel of a classic double-action revolver with this pistol, although it is not a revolver. 

It features a Picatinny, so it is easy to mount parts like lights, lasers, and other accessories on the pistol. It is run on economical gas CO2, so it is budget-friendly and easy to use without hassle. 

Pros
  • Looks like a real revolver
  • Comes with six rounds of paintball magazines
  • Lightweight 
  • Durable
  • simple
Cons
  • All components are not metallic
  • You need to refuel CO2 continuously

Final words

Umarex T4E TR50 is famous for its double-action revolver looks and real-looking replica pistol for paintballs. When we tested the paintball marker, it appeared solid and durable at first glance.

It shoots the paintballs and rubber balls at a precise speed, and one feels like shooting with a real pistol. The only downside of the paintball pistol is its unstable shooting speed. The first round goes at 345 fps, but the speed drops gradually at the second round.

Although the manufacturer has claimed a consistent speed for 20-25 rounds of paintball per one cartridge of CO2, we experienced a drop in the speed right after 1st round.

4.GI Sportz Menace .50 Cal 

GI Sportz Menace .50 Cal

GI Sportz Menace is one of the best paintball pistols for those people who want a continuous game without getting tired. This paintball marker is best for repeated play because of its lightweight, easy to grip design, and low impact construction. 

The pistol comes with 7 rounds of paintball magazines of 0.5 calibers and uses CO2 for its action. Furthermore, it uses 12 grams CO2 cartridge that keeps the shooting speed consistent and smooth as the pistol weighs 793 grams only.So it offers a strong grip and easy to hold design being so lightweight.  

The pistol is made of a combination of metallic parts and polymeric components. This combination design keeps the pistol lightweight and balanced. 

Pros
  • Lightweight
  • Strong and sturdy built
  • Features 7 rounds magazine
  • 12 grams CO2 Cartridge
  • Economical
Cons
  • Small CO2 tanks need refueling very often during the play

Final Words

As the pistol features a 7 rounds magazine, you can get enough ammunition if you use this pistol as a sidearm pistol. But if you use it without a marker, you may feel that the ammunition is not ample so additional load magazines to have a full-fledged supply at your side. 

5.HSA T4E S&W M&P9 M2 .43Cal 

HSA T4E S&W M&P9 M2 .43Cal Co2 Semi-Auto 

T4E S&W M&P9 M2 is a semi-automatic paintball pistol that comes with a complete pack of accessories and cleaning tools. It is made for enthusiastic players who want to have next-level play with its advanced performance and easy-to-handle features.

It uses blowback technology along with CO2 with provides enough speed to have a pro-like shooting experience even for newbies. 

The paintball pistol looks like a real pistol because of its balanced weight, composed of metallic and polymeric parts. Its major parts like a barrel, trigger, slide, catch are composed of metal, while the exterior case is made of hard-wearing polymeric material.

This overall composition of dual materials keeps the integrity and weight balanced. Furthermore, the pistol includes interchangeable grip sizes, 1 magazine, and one hard case. The other included items are cleaning tools, rubber balls, and a manual. 

Pros
  • Real looking replica
  • Strong and sturdy grip
  • The package comes with many useful accessories
  • 8 shots per magazine
  • Easy to use for newbies
Cons
  • High price product
  • Hard to assemble and take apart

Final Words

T4E S&W M&P9 M2 .43cal is not only used by players and hobbyists but has also been used by law enforcement departments and military individuals for high-end training. Upon testing, we found out the shooting experience was as perfect as the manufacturer and other reviewers described.

However, the only drawback was the hard trigger which was supposed to be double action. But it didn’t perform well in the first place.

After few adjustments, it becomes regular at shooting the paintballs. This might be the case with this particular unit as we have not observed it getting stuck after we fixed it.

6.JT ER4 RTP .68Cal Kit

JT ER4 RTP .68Cal Kit

JT ER4 RTP .68Cal Paintball is a low-profile vertical feed port gun that is capable of withstanding high impacts and knocks. It comes with a strong and sturdy construction that is made up of composite material. 

Due to composite construction, it is not only lightweight but also capable of carrying more accessories without getting heavier for the user. Furthermore, the vertical feed port is a wonderful feature for the easy loading of ammunition.

The push-button safety feature helps to keep you safe from any mishap, and you get a conscious and precise command of the trigger. 

Other than a pistol, the package includes many helpful accessories to maximize your adventures of paintballing. The best accessory is the protective goggles that have fog-proof lenses to give you a non-stop playing experience. Moreover, a 40-round loader is another big threat for the players.

There is another safety feature in the pistol in the form of a barrel plug. This plug stops the pre-mature shooting of the paintballs within the chamber accidentally. 

Pros
  • Offers maximum safety with push-button and barrel plug
  • Strong and sturdy built
  • Comes with many accessories
  • Reliable
Cons
  • Expensive than other models
  • Hard for newbies

Final words

The gun has a real-like look with strong and sturdy construction as described by the manufacturers. While testing, we found that the shooting speed is quite inefficient and it is even lower than 200 FPS.

The speed drops down after the 15th ball, and the CO2 cartridge got dried. The trigger is so hard that kids can barely use the pistol. The biggest plus of the gun is its safety equipment that comes as accessories. 

7.Umarex T4E Walther PPQ .43 Caliber 

Umarex T4E Walther PPQ .43 Caliber 

Umarex T4E serves as a reliable performing pistol for those who use it as a sidearm. The paintball pistol is capable of shooting 0.43 caliber at the maximum speed of 355 FPS.

There is no need to say that the paintball pistol is one of the top-tier products among its fellows because of its lightweight, high performance, and authentic looks. The composite construction keeps the integrity intact with a lightweight and real-looking finish.

Another important part is the 8 rounds magazine which provides ample ammunition during the play in the field area. The pistol also has metallic construction of its major components.

These components include a metallic barrel, slide, catch and chamber. This balanced metallic construction with polymeric exterior creates the perfect combo of easy to grip, strong built and lightweight pistol. 

The pistol has a fixed front side to keep your focus and targeted on your aim, while the rare side can be adjusted according to your choice. Being easy to use and user-friendly, the pistol can be used by newbies as well as professionals. 

Pros
  • The package includes an accessory rail
  • Lightweight
  • Real looks and authentic replica
  • Shoots at a high speed of 355 FPS
Cons
  • Does not have high impact resistance
  • CO2 cartridges dry very often

Final words

The gun looks and feels great because of its perfect balance of weight and looks. The CO2 cartridge dries even after 5 rounds, and you need to refill it again.

Furthermore, the CO2 seal was not perfectly tight, and we made some adjustments to fix it. This can be a pretty good pistol for self-defense or home security, but for field play, its CO2 will exhaust very soon. 

8.JT ER2 

JT ER2 

JT ER2 Pump pistol is the best paintball marker pistol for beginners and those who are just starting out paintballing. The pistol is famous for its ready-to-shoot kit that offers 30 paintballs right out of the box.

Moreover, the package includes two 12 grams CO2 cartridges, which can be used instantly to start shooting. Based on pump-action, this paintball marker is an easy-to-use option for all types of age groups. 

The paintball marker is made of composite material and ends up having a smoked translucent body. This makes it lightweight, easy to grip, and control for newbies and kids. 

Pros
  • Strong and sturdy construction
  • Made up of composite material
  • Works on pump action
  • Comes with 30 paintballs and 2 CO2 cartridges
Cons
  • The translucent body does not give a real feel 

Final words

JT ER2 Pump pistol is the best starter gun because it comes with everything in the kit you want to have. It appears to have a sturdy look but not the real one.

Furthermore, it shoots approximately 25 paintballs at the expense of one cartridge. We found it to be the best paintball pump gun for home defense and personal security rather than a field play. 

How to Buy a Paintball Pistol?

Like any other thing, buying a paintball marker can be difficult because of the many types on the market. Moreover, the paintball pistols are evaluated on different parameters, so getting one can be a little techy.

These few considerations can help you narrow down your search to choose the best product for you. 

1.Types of paintball pistols

Some pistols work on simple pump-action or are semi-automatic. They are easy to handle, work and maintain, so appear to be the best pistols for beginners or newbies.

At the same time, others use advanced technologies to meet industry standards to do well in the field.  

  • Simple pistols

You can categorize these pistols as general or simple pistols. These are basic pump-action pistols that require simple and general operation during working. All you need is to load the pistol with ammunition, and you are ready to enjoy your shooting experience.

These pistols are simple to use, maintain, clean, and operate. Moreover, their strong and sturdy build makes them work more efficiently, and you won’t find them doing anything less than other advanced guns. 

Another common type of pistol is the semi-automatic paintball pistol. These pistols also work on a pull of a trigger and don’t require much of a hassle for their operation. Electronic pistols also lie in this basic model of simple pistols and getting popularity among its users day by day.

  • Advance pistols

For all the players who want an exciting and thrilling game with fast rate pistols, ramping pistols are for you. You can increase the shooting rate just by pressing the trigger more, and it gives a shooting rate of 20 rounds per second.

Furthermore , the paintballers who like the ramping pistols give priority to its rate of shooting rather than accuracy and precision.

Three shot burst paintball pistols also lie in the category of advanced pistols. They work by pulling the trigger and shooting three rounds at the same time. This type of pistol is not recommended for newbies and only experienced players can handle this fast rate shooting. 

Fully automatic pistols are also a type of advanced pistols. These pistols provide high strength with fast shooting rates, ending up being high performing pistols for pros. The firing rates differ from pistol to pistol, depending upon the description of the manufacturer. 

2.Knowing your requirements

Before buying any paintball pistols, knowing your requirements is the main step. Are you a beginner in this field or looking for a training gun?

Do you want to take your shooting skills to the next level or are you looking for a pistol for self defense or home security?

If you want to play in the field then an advance leve pistol with side arm is crucial for you. But for occasional use, you can have a beginner’s pistol to enjoy paintballing. 

3.Budget

Depending on your requirement, the next thing that decides the type of pistol is your budget. What type of pistol comes in which price, this decides your budget.

If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on just a pistol that you need once a month, go for entery level pistols. But for a professional pistol or a training gun, you must dedicate a handsome budget to get a full set of paintball pistols and accessories to be skillful. 

4.Maintenance

You need to maintain your paintball pistol in order to keep it upto the mark. Maintenance does not let your pistol deteriorate and gives premium quality working in the long run.

So before buying a pistol have a complete information of the parts of the pistol.what tools will be required for the maintenance or how long will the parts need to get replaced? All these factors can get you an idea of the cost, time and energy you will be spending on maintaining a pistol.

For beginner guns, choose a model that requires minimum or no maintenance. It will make you more proficient in your paintballing and will need less money, time and effort. 

5.Accessories

Every paintball pistol needs a set of accessories to start function. As most pistols are CO2 based you need a gas tank to start your shooting. All the models of pistols have different compatibilities with the air tanks.

So firstly your selected pistol will require an air tank. Then the next accessories will include a hopper, paintballs, rubber balls,goggles, CO2 cartridges , ammo feeders and other necessities.

So pairing a high quality pistol with premium quality accessories is an essential part of your paintballing journey. 

FAQs

1.What is the difference between paintball pistol and marker?

There is no difference between paintball pistols and paintball markers as both refer to smae process of shooting paintballs with air powered guns

2.Are the community paintball guns real?

The community pistols are modified Tippmann TPX paintball pistols which use a 0.68 calibre paintballs with one 12 grams CO2. These guns are rated as the smallest guns with minimum weight and thought to be best beginner’s guns. 

3.What is the best paintball gun for self Defence?

Umarex T4E Walther PPQ .43 Caliber is the one of the best paintball pistols for home security and self defense.

Conclusion

Best paintball pistols can increase your paintballing experience to professional level and you can choose any paintball pistol depending upon your choice, needs, requirements and budget. Either you take a beginner’s gun or an advanced level raining paintball handgun.

We have covered all of them in this review article to give you an honest opinion about all the technical aspects and after use experiences. It is always recommended to use paintball masks along with other protective gears while using these paintball guns to keep your security maximum. 

Jonathan is a retired FBI analyst. I now own a ranch and hunt regularly. I also like to write about my experiences occasionally. In scenario training, paintball is one of those things. You may find some interesting information about it!