Paintball :: Best Military Surplus

Camo Gun – Firearms That Blend In

by craigkent

June 21st, 2010

When we think of something with camouflage, we usually don’t think of a camo gun. But word on the street is that camouflaging guns will soon be allowed in the U.S. Army.

Just about everything a soldier wears and uses has some form of camouflage, so why not do the same for weapons? Guns are easy to pick out in the desert or forest, especially since black is not a common naturally occurring color in either environment. The shape of guns can also give away a soldier’s position, since they are obviously not shapes that are found in nature.

Soldiers have been using paint to make themselves a camo gun for quite a while, even though it was not recommended by higher-ups within the ranks of the Army. The difference now is that the Army will be giving instructions to soldiers on how to correctly do the process. It is important to paint the guns correctly to prevent paint from getting into small places that could cause a malfunction with the firearm. The announcement that this will be allowed was made last year, and the instructions on how to correctly complete the process are being given to soldiers right now.

The colors of paint used obviously will depend on the environment in which the soldier is stationed, just like any other camouflaged military surplus item. The difference with a camo gun is the camouflage will not necessarily follow an exact pattern. The most common colors used will probably be those that are included in the Woodland Camo pattern: tan, brown, and olive drab.

There actually is a version of a gun in existence that will be soon used by the military that will come out of the factory already camouflaged: the XM25. This gun is projected to hit the battlefield in 2012. Perhaps more guns in the future will be made in camo colors so soldiers don’t have to camouflage guns themselves.

There are definitely uses for someone not in the military for a camo gun. A camouflage paintball or airsoft gun will definitely give you an advantage over opponents. Camouflaging your hunting gun also gives you an edge against whatever you’re hunting.

We’d say you can paint your gun safe camouflage, too, like the one in this Barska Biometric safe review, but that would probably make it stand out more if it’s sitting in your house. So it’s best to stick to just camouflaging guns.

Amazon has a set of four cans of paint which includes the four colors in the Woodland Camo pattern. You can follow these simple directions to paint your gun, but it might be best to wait until the military releases its instructions to the public (if that ever happens). Good luck!

Written by Craig Kent, member of the Best Military Surplus team.

Categories Airsoft, Automatic, Camouflage, Guns, Hand Guns, Paintball, Rifles
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The One-Shoed Paintball Attacker

by Administrator

June 10th, 2010

Paintball is a great asset for the military, you can read the interview with the world’s #1 ranked player we had here: Paintball In The Military (Ollie Lang).

I started this game of paintball like any other. I was wearing a camouflage shirt and yellow with stripes shorts (not exactly great for blending in, in woodsball). It was capture the flag, a group of defenders in a narrow corridor vs. us, the attackers.

I started out following a couple guys up the mountain to get sniper position on the enemy base, but after a few minutes up, the terrain was too steep for my shoes, and my nice shorts were starting to get dirty. I went back down and joined the main group, where two of my teammates had just been shot. I asked them where the enemies were, and they pointed an area of the forest where they think they were shot from.

After several minutes of waiting around to try and hear or see them, I spotted one of them crawling through some concrete tubing. Immediately I shot her, only moments later to find out she was on my team! After apologizing, I found out she was able to stay in the game, since friendly fire wasn’t counted in this match. A couple minutes later, my wait pays off (or so I thought) as I see an enemy emerging from a back-around woods spot that must have take a while to get to. I decide to make his journey fruitless and shoot him too. But guess what? He was on my team too.

I realize my intel was a little bad, and decide to head into deeper enemy territory with the ally I just shot. We jump over a giant mud area, and continue on our way. Suddenly a stream of paint is whistling by us as he is pelted by someone other then me this time. I immediately start heading back the way we came, only to step one foot too close to that giant mud area. My foot sinks in, it must be over 2 feet as my other foot goes next. I struggle to release myself in this big quicksand-like mud that I’ve never seen before. The next thing that happens, I fall over and half my body is covered. I struggle my way free, only to lose one of my shoes in the process.

After getting out, I decide to go back in and try and find my shoe, the mud is much too deep to find a shoe that is worth getting back, so I leave the area to start walking back and be done with the game.

On my way back, covered with mud, without one shoe, I think about how in every story, there is always this moment of adversity before victory, and how great a story it would be if I was to capture the flag despite all that had happened. I had to decide if I was going to be the guy that fell in the mud, missing a shoe, defeated…or the one that capture the flag despite it all.

The decision was an easy one, I turn to the two fellows from earlier who are standing by watching the action, I tell them I’m going to go capture the flag.

I head back, this time with nothing to lose, no worry about the shoe, or getting shot at. I run up and take cover behind a box and get eyes on the first defender near the flag. I run up shooting like a wild man at him, when he pops up to see me, he ducks down for cover as I run around his wooden shield and give him a clean shot on the behind. I take his wooden cover from the other side and look for the next poor soul to cross my path.

Thankfully the two teammates who I was originally following were up in the mountain, and ready to lay down some great cover fire. They yell down to me that they will cover me while I run up to the ‘Alamo’ base for one othe last 2 remaining enemies. He says on 3, but I start running on one (didn’t hear that part until I was mid-run). In a furious charge I get within a few feet of the next defender who is yelling “out out”, he says “i’m out of paint”, I tell him to hold his gun up and head back, no need to make him feel the pain too.

With just one defender left, covered somewhere in the brush area behind the flag, and having no visual on him. I dash with the fastest one-shoed sprint I can come up with. I reach the flag, and know that I am almost immediately home free, but that doesn’t stop me from sprinting for another 30 seconds. As I pass the two teammates who were standing around watching, I realize that I kept my word, and for the first time in my life had capture the flag in paintball.

The previous is a true story by one of our servicemen overseas. If you would like to know what kind of equipment he was using, it was a Tippman 98 Custom. You can see them below:

Categories Articles, Guns, Paintball
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Paintball for Military? Interview with #1 Player Ollie Lang

by Administrator

February 5th, 2010

Can paintball help those in the military? Who would know better then the #1 player in the world. Oliver Lang became one of the youngest professional paintball players at the age of 17. He has won awards such as: 14 Pro Series Titles, #1 PGI Paintball Player of All Time, 2007 World Champion, Several Player of The Year awards. He has written a guide sharing his techniques and strategies, you can see that here. He was generous enough to share some of his time to answer our questions.

Click to see more on the DM10

Bill: What are the top 3 paintball guns you recommend?
Oliver: It’s depends on the level of play you are playing in. We make a wide range of markers from the fundamental level to top professional level I would have to say the slg for beginners The dm10 for intermidiate and the NT for top level

Bill: Do you think playing paintball can help with real life firefights for the military?
Oliver: Yes it can help a lot it’s practice although very different the small things can be learned from playing paintball on a regular basis.

Bill: Can paintball be as tactical as a real life fire fight?
Oliver: Absolutely I would bet my gun skills are a lot better than some on a military level. But with the combination of both could save your life in a real fire fight

Bill: Do you ever use Ghillie suits or any special camouflage gear for woodsball?
Oliver: No they are to difficult to navigate in

Bill: What kind of course is your favorite?
Oliver: I like all I would say thick brush is my favorite

Bill: Have you ever been asked to train military or law enforcement in tactics?
Oliver: Yes I trained with white water employees

Bill: How good of shots are the best paintball players (distances approx.)?
Oliver: It’s different but could be taught very easily to paintball players. Our shots or not precise like military shooters

Bill: What does it take to be a professional like yourself?
Oliver: Commitment like anything if you want to be good at it

If you would like to discover more about Ollie Lang or Paintball, he has a guide called Power Paintball. I have purchased this guide myself, and have not finished it yet, because it has so much information in it. From flanking and team communication, to courses and how to get a sponsor, he spills it all, even if you’ve never picked up a paintball gun before. It’s pocket change for what you can learn from it. Don’t take my word for it, see it for yourself on his page here.

Interview conducted by Bill Wayne, Member of the Best Military Surplus team

Categories Guns, Paintball
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