Knowing how to shoot a paintball gun accurately is crucial if you want to maintain an edge over competitors.
How to Shoot a Paintball Gun
Novice paintballers will want to allot plenty of time to practising with a variety of targets. However, even the most experienced player will want to take the time to get familiar with a new marker, especially when it comes to firing accuracy.
Selecting a Suitable Paintball Marker
Picking the right paintball gun has a huge impact on how well you can shoot. Some guns are designed to provide more accurate firing as standard, while others are engineered to allow you to cover greater distances.
You will also find more expensive guns that are designed to fire more rapidly. All marker varieties have their unique benefits, but each type requires slightly different handling to ensure you shoot as accurately as possible.
Regardless of what type of paintball gun you go for, models with a longer barrel will usually provide you with better firing accuracy. You should also avoid using guns with too many upgrades and additional components attached. These can slow you down in the field, as well as impair your handling and firing accuracy. If you are fairly inexperienced with paintball guns, you should also think about purchasing a model that has little recoil. Substantial recoil will have a huge impact on accuracy if you are firing off multiple shots.
Take the Time to Practice
You will want to allot some time to practising with a new paintball marker. This is not just to become accustomed to the way it handles and operates, but also allows you to inspect for any damage or issues that might require urgent maintenance. Undertake some target practice at varying distances, checking to see if paintball rounds fire off in straight trajectories. By doing this, you will get an idea of what adjustments you might need to make when taking aim to ensure you get accurate results, each and every time you pull the trigger.
Marker Alignment
Properly aligning your marker will also improve your firing accuracy. You should always aim to line your marker up with your eyes. This centred approach makes it far easier to get a paintball round exactly where you want it go. Provided you align your marker closely to the centre of your body, you have some leeway when it comes to tilting the barrel slightly. However, if you have a marker that is prone to a lot of recoil, make sure you are wearing a decent mask with eye visors to protect you from injury as your marker moves backwards.
Maintaining Good Posture
If you want to enjoy accurate shots every time, you need to think about your posture. Adapting good posture for paintball is relatively straightforward. Whenever possible, make sure your chest and feet are pointing in the direction of your desired target.
Shooting at Moving Targets
There will be times when you will have to fire at moving targets. Although the basic principles of accurate shooting apply here, there are additional things you can do to improve your odds at landing a paintball on a moving target. Once you have locked onto a target visually, take a moment to determine their speed. You should then keep your marker pointed slightly ahead of their path, moving your aim slowly to match their speed. You also need to factor in how long a paintball round will take to reach the desired distance. Once you have all of these mental calculations sorted, you can pull the trigger and fire your shot.
