When a paintball player brings and uses a pump on the field, many semi-automatic fancy electronic marker players scratch their head. “Why would anyone want to play with a pump?”, is the question many ask themselves.
A pump paintball gun presents a big disadvantage in terms of BPS (balls per second). Many electronic guns can shoot 15+ BPS. With a pump and shoot marker you aren’t going to be able to shoot anywhere even remotely close to that. Going up against electronic markers, pump players have a serious disadvantage. So why would anyone want to play with one? Below are a few reasons.
First off, playing with a pump is a huge money saver. It is no secret that paintball is expensive. It is extremely expensive if you play regularly and have the latest and greatest gear. If you don’t want to go the route of chasing the newest upgrades, and the latest fastest marker, getting a pump is a much cheaper option. CCI, Tippmann, and Arrow Precision make durable and dependable pump guns. They are much cheaper than a brand new high-end electronic gun too. Besides saving money on gear, you also will will drastically save money on paint because you can’t shoot 15+ balls in a second. With all the money you’ll save, you’ll be able to play more frequently, and longer.
It goes without saying that playing with the disadvantage of such a low BPS rate isn’t for many players out there today. For some reason or another, there are people out there that, if they come to a fork in the road, they will choose the road that looks the hardest, just because they want a challenge. These kinds of people are drawn to pump play because it is a challenge.
Many people argue whether or not playing pump makes you into a better player. Honestly I don’t see how there is an argument. The bottom line is that when you are playing with a pump, in order to take out opponents and survive you have to play smarter and more effectively, because you have a big rate of fire disadvantage. You have to compensate for your low rate of fire by making smarter moves, finding better angles, and making all of your shots count. Because you can’t shoot as fast each shot needs to be accurately shot. Playing pump builds these skills by forcing you to use them. With an electronic marker it is too easy to just spray paint and hope one hits someone. You would be incredibly ineffective if you tried that with a pump.
There you have just a few of the reasons why someone would want to play this way. Playing with a low rate of fire helps you save a ton of money on expensive paintballs. It also gives you an exciting challenge, and helps you build up your skills. Snap-shooting, moving on the field, strategy, and accuracy are all skills pump play can help you build up.
Pump paintball is a ton of fun to play. For more reasons why you should get a pump, read Why Play Pump Paintball?
