[hindubandit]

I know this sounds funny. Would anyone use one on somebody snooping around your property? Do the most restrictive states hassle people over buying a paintball gun like requiring a permit? I heard some are pretty powerful.

[cpttango30]

I can't really believe some one asked this question.

This is FIREarmstalk not a paintball forum.

I dunno 9mmL vs paintball gun. 9mm

380 auto vs paintball W 380 auto

22lr vs paintball W 22lr

[dnthmn2004]

I would not suggest it. You might get charged with A&B. If you could convince the police the person was serving as a target, have fun. But municipalities have started adopting legislation to regulate the discharge of paintball guns and rifles, and similar weapons that propel projectiles, in public. The exception is discharging it on your property at a designated "target" for practice.

No, I would not use a paintball gun for self defense. Paintballs are not structurally designed to cause any more than a welt. If you turn the CO2 up on the gun, the paintball will just break in the barrel.

[hindubandit]

well according to NJ, air guns are firearms which I think includes paintball. I never went paint ballin so that's why I asked.

[Rare Faction]

It's a bad choice, as everyone else has said. A 3-gram projectile which is made up of, essentially, Jello, will do little/nothing to deter an attacker. Add to that the threat of Assault and Battery charges if you shoot someone outside your house, and you're asking for big trouble.

As a home defense weapon, a paintball marker is ranked below a bucket of moderately sized rocks. Buy a gun/taser for self defense. Buy a paintball gun to play paintball

[dragunovsks]

It's not a good idea, paintballs don't hurt that bad and I'm sure a punk hopped up on drugs will come after you even if you light him up good.

A paintball gun is NOT a firearm. The dictionary states that a firearm is a weapon, can be a rifle, or pistol from which a projectile is fired by gunpowder. That's why we call them "FIRE"arms. NJ is another one of those "we hate everything fun" states and they invent their own defintions so that they can restrict whatever they want.

[WDB]

Shoot someone with a painball gun and they respond with a REAL gun, you get the darwin award!

[LegatoRedrivers]

I agree that it's a bad idea. If you aren't eligible for firearm ownership, buy a taser, DO NOT rely on a paintball gun. While it is fairly dangerous if not wearing adequate protection, it's still not dangerous enough to be classified as a weapon.

That being said, I have heard that one can freeze paintballs, thus increasing the amount of damage they would do to a potential attacker. I've never tried it, can't swear to it, and I personally think it might cause the paintballs to expand, thus rendering them to large to exit the barrel. And keep in mind that if you planned on doing this you would have to get to the kitchen, to the freezer, put together the paintball gun, and load it during an emergency where time may very well be a factor. Not a good plan.

[Mark F]

This doesn't warrant a response...

[skullcrusher]

Big Bad Dog the Bounty Hunter uses a paintball gun with pepper balls. Of course, he's not allowed to own a firearm and he is trying to apprehend scum.