Just as 4 other people have other said, Tippman Model 98 or tippman Model 98 Custom. They'll both cost you about the same with a MSRP from Tippman themselves of $199.95. However, you can find them a lot cheaper than that,
www.888paintball.com has the Custom going for $123.88 for the base model. There are some others they sell with some upgrades on them for more (going into the $200+ range) though. For someone starting out, this is the best gun to get, all other 'starting out' guns are CRAP. Seriously, no joking here,
every single other gun out there that is in the same price range as the 98 is complete and total junk, do not be fooled, Tippman was the only one able to make a good quality gun in that range that won't fail on you every weekend, and won't chop balls, etc. And not only is it a great gun to start out with, but the Custom can be upgraded to no end. A lot of experts still play with their 98 Customs after they have tricked them way out. A flat line barrel with a good air system can kick some hard ass. I was at the Tippman challenge in Pinckney several weeks back, was using my brother's WGP Autococker with a decent barrel (definitely better than the stock one) and those fools on the other team were blasting me to hell with their 98 Customs and flat line barrels. By time they were hitting me I would have had to come another 15 or 20 ft closer to even start hitting them, kind sucked lol. He needs to do some more upgrading on his gun though, most everything else is still stock on it.
Having said that, if you get really good and want to pick up another gun with some more features, perhaps a little better range or quicker firing capabilities, then you can move into the $350+ guns plus upgrades galore (I know some guys that have put several grand into their guns :\ seems kinda crazy to me, but their setups are
really nice). Angels, Autocockers, Bob Longs, Bushmasters, here Tippman does not own the market at all, but they are still a good player with upgraded 98 Customs.
After you get your gun, everything else is little more subjective. You can pick up a regular thermal mask pretty cheap, or you can go with something like a Proteus with fans, etc for a little more dough. Hoppers aren't that big of a deal, but if you find that your balls keep getting stuck, you can get one with an automatic stirrer. You'll need a barrel plug/condom for your gun, but that'll usually come with your gun purchase. Air system wise, there are some nice upgrades, but you'll probably just wanna start out with a regular CO2 tank, probably a 20 oz size. If you want to play some more extended games, you'll want to pick up a pod holder that you can strap on, and some pods to hold extra paint. Forget protection, you don't need it. I just go out and play with my camo t shirt and pants. I've been hit in the neck a couple times, but it just stings for a while, that's about the worse you'll have. It is almost impossible to get hit in the nads unless you stand out in the open flaunting them at your enemy, but I don't recommend that . Check out some review sin pball magazines and online for advice on the more subjective equipment.
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