Paintball guns, also called paintball markers, are used to mark an opposite player with paint in a paintball game. Paintball guns were once used by forestry groups and farmers to mark trees and cattle. The origin of paintball guns can be traced back to 1981. The first paintball gun, invented by James C. Hal, was commonly used by the forestry industry and not for a paintball game. Later, the first gun specially intended for playing paintball was invented by Robert G. Shepherd in 1985.

Paintball guns are meant to move the paintball at a high rate of speed. They use compressed gas to shoot the paintball. The velocity required to force the ball from the barrel is nearly 300 ft/s (100 m/s). Usually, the compressed gases used in the paintball guns are carbon dixide, nitrogen or ordinary air. It is stored in tanks that are attached to the gun.

Modern paintball guns have four major components. These include body, tank, hoppers, and barrel. Body is one of the major components used in the paintball guns. It includes four diffent types of paintball marker firing systems. These include electro-pneumatic firing system, mechanical firing system, pump, and electo-mechanical guns. Hoppers, often called as loaders, are used to hold paintballs. Tanks are used to store the compressed gas in order to accelerate the paintballs which is attached to paintball gun. Barrels used for paintball guns come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials.

Pump-action, Semi-automatic and stockguns are some of the important paintball gun types. Stockguns use markers which require a low rate of ammunition capacity and fire. Stock class guns are also called pump action paintball guns. These guns or markers are powered by 12 gram cabondioxide cartridges and have small carbondioxide tanks. All guns maintain the international speed limit of 300 fps and the range is 50 yards.

Nowadays, a wide range of paintball guns in different designs are offered for sale in the market at affordable prices.