If you want your paintball shots to consistently make contact with the enemy, you need to learn how to aim your paintball marker correctly. How you aim your paintball gun will be determined by a few things, including the type of marker you are using.
How to Aim a Paintball Gun
You can also make some adjustments to how you hold your paintball marker. Below, we outline some key pointers on how to improve your aim when playing paintball.
Overcoming Obstruction by Hoppers
If your paintball gun has a topper attached to the top of its body, you can make aiming simple by aiming along the side edge of your marker. Essentially, all you need to is adjust your marker slightly so the hopper is not causing an obstruction to your vision. Once you have done this, you should align your eye with the main body of your paintball marker. With this approach, you will be looking along the side of the paintball gun ad barrel. If you have aligned your marker properly, the end of the barrel should be perfectly aligned with your sight line.
Use Your Finger as a Pointer
Using your finger as a pointer is another simple way of ensuring reliable aim with your paintball marker. Basically, you should be using your index finger as a pointer, faced the direction of your target. Instead of using your index finger to pull the trigger, you will instead make use of your middle finger. This is a good approach if you find it difficult to use your eyes to aim, with the pointed finger providing you with an easier way to align your market with a target. However, you may find it slightly awkward to pull the trigger with your middle finger. This approach to aiming takes some getting used to, but can prove very effective once mastered.
Make Use of Both Eyes
Paintball scenarios can vary wildly, which is why it makes sense to be able to use both your eyes when aiming your marker. Learning how to use both your eyes to aim will improve things like target acquisition, especially when aiming for targets at varying distances. Using both eyes also makes it easier to get a handle of where your shots are landing. You will also find it easier to adjust your overall aim, as well as maintain maximum awareness of your surroundings. Many players who use a single eye to aim find it difficult to track the path of their fired paintball rounds. Keeping on eye closed also narrows your field of vision, preventing you from staying alert to nearby threats and incoming fire from enemy combatants. If you can master aiming with both eyes open, you will benefit from being far more alert in the field and able to more quickly respond to threats.
How to Handle a Paintball Marker for Better Aim
The way you hold your paintball marker will have a big impact on how you aim. One way to hold your gun is to keep the compressed air tank pressed against your shoulder. This is the most common approach adopted by paintballers and provides you with more reliable aim and consistent firing. Holding your marker in this way will allow you to adjust your aim slightly, while also ensuring you maintain maximum control at all times.
You can also place the tank on your shoulder when aiming. However, this method is only really suitable for when you are aiming from a stationary position. It is fine when stuck in a bunker, but not ideal if you are on the move. Using this approach means a lot more pressure is placed on the hand pulling the trigger.
