Tippmann 98 Custom Review: Best Woodsball Gun for Beginners?

Tippmann 98 Custom Review
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There is no paintball gun better suited for the beginner woodsball player than the Tippmann 98 Custom.

Why so?

Simple, the 98 Custom has everything you need in a paintball gun to start your woodsball career off right. It’s highly durable and robust, can be easily customized and has an offset loader design to help you with aiming. It’s also extremely affordable at a price range of right over $100.

In this review of the Tippmann 98 Custom I will teach you everything you need to know about this paintball gun and why it’s a great marker for the beginner woodsball player. I will also discuss the cons of the 98 Custom as well so you can be fully prepared to choose if this is the right paintball gun for you.

So sit back, relax and let’s dive right into this review.

Won’t Easily Break Down

One of the main reasons the Tippmann 98 Custom is a great entry level marker for beginners is because of its durability.

In fact, almost every paintball gun made by Tippmann is extremely well designed and built from high quality materials that won’t let you down on the woodsball field. The 98 Custom can be dragged through the dirt and mud, dropped onto the hard ground and virtually anything else that can happen in a woodsball or scenario setting.

For the reason above, the Tippmann 98 Custom (click to check price on Amazon.com) is also one of the most popular rental markers of all time. Unlike other paintball guns at the same price range, the 98 Custom won’t easily break down and can typically take whatever punishment is thrown its way.

And in the rare case that the 98 does actually break down, it can be easily fixed by anyone whose owned one or worked on one before. Which is basically everyone.

Lots of Customizable Options

Another reason so many players are drawn to the 98 Custom is because of its wide array of customizable options. 

Some of these customizable options include upgraded internals, a new barrel, a buttstock and even a Picatinny rail on top of the marker to allow for the attachment of accessories such as a red dot, scope, etc..

Although I would have to say that my favorite upgrades for the 98 Custom is the cyclone feed system and the magfed conversion kit. The cyclone feed will allow you to shoot up to 15+ BPS without the use of batteries and the magfed conversion kit will allow you to shoot First Strike paintball rounds from a magazine. You can also use an electronic loader if you don’t mind having to use batteries.

Sale
Tippmann 98 Custom Platinum Series .68 Caliber Paintball Marker Gun with ACT , Black
Tippmann 98 Custom Platinum Series .68 Caliber Paintball Marker Gun with ACT , Black
Picatinny Rails, which makes adding a carry handle, scopes and other accessories a snap

Now if you want to upgrade the RoF (Rate of Fire) of the 98 Custom then you can buy the E-Grip (Electronic Grip) or the response trigger. The E-Grip or E-Trigger will allow you to unleash the full potential of the Tippmann 98 Custom by increasing the RoF of the marker to 15 bps. The E-Grip also comes with five firing modes: semi-auto, auto-response, full-auto, 3-shot burst (my favorite) and turbo.

The response trigger will also increase the RoF of the 98 Custom to 15 bps and the best part is that it doesn’t require the use of batteries. This is great news for woodsball players because all you need is a response trigger and a cyclone feed system and you’ll be able to shoot up to 15 bps without the use of a single battery. 

Easy to Aim

Looking down the iron sights of a Tippmann 98 Custom

While having an offset loader is fairly common amongst woodsball markers, it’s still a necessary feature for woodsball players who want every advantage possible.

The main advantage of using a paintball gun with an offset loader is that it’s easier to aim with than a paintball gun with a centerfeed loader. This is because the loader is “offset” to the side of the marker, giving you a clear field of view over the top of your gun. Having a clear field of view over the top of your marker will greatly increase your first shot accuracy.

The only downside of using a paintball gun with an offset loader is you won’t be able to switch hands to help you shoot from both sides of a bunker. So if you’re more interested in playing speedball or hyperball then you may be better off buying a marker with a centerfeed loader instead.

Comes With an Offset Loader 

While having an offset loader is fairly common amongst woodsball markers, it’s still a necessary feature for woodsball players who want every advantage possible. 

The main advantage of using a paintball gun with an offset loader is that it’s easier to aim with than a paintball gun with a centerfeed loader. This is because the loader is “offset” to the side of the marker, giving you a clear field of view over the top of your gun. Having a clear field of view over the top of your marker will greatly increase your first shot accuracy.

The only downside of using a paintball gun with an offset loader is you won’t be able to switch hands to help you shoot from both sides of a bunker. So if you’re more interested in playing speedball or hyperball, then you may be better off buying a marker with a centerfeed loader instead.

Affordable for Beginners

Back in the day the 98 Custom was the only paintball gun from Tippmann in the $100 to $150 price range. Essentially making it the best paintball gun for beginners interested in playing woodsball. 

However, nowadays there are multiple entry-level markers you can buy from Tippmann at a similar price range. There’s the Tippmann Cronus, the Tippmann Gryphon (centerfeed), and there’s also the two US Army markers: the Project Salvo and the US Army Alpha Black Elite. 

Pros
  • Durable
  • Affordable
  • Easy to aim
  • Cool tactical look
  • Highly customizable
  • Can use both CO2 and HPA
Cons
  • Paint on 98 Custom label wore off
  • Can be hard to aim with most buttstocks (not sure why Tippmann discontinued the Dogleg stock)

Important Specifications

  • Split receiver design for easy maintenance
  • Secure front sight spring and trigger pin for easy maintenance
  • Newly designed power tube and proven inline bolt system
  • Anti-Chop Technology to minimize paint breakage
  • Picatinny rails for the attachment of accessories
  • Offset loader design
  • Quick release feeder elbow
  • Highly durable all aluminum die-cast receiver
  • Matte black finish that will resist impact and wear
  • 2 year warranty

Conclusion

In this Tippmann 98 Custom review, I’ve listed all of the main benefits, the pros and cons, and the most important features of this paintball gun. Now it’s your turn to decide if this right paintball gun for you. 

If you’re not 100% positive on the 98 Custom then you should check out our reviews of the top 10 paintball guns of all time or the top 5 woodsball markers. Any of these markers will be sure to serve you well on the paintball field. 

Oh and don’t be afraid to leave a comment below on what you think of the Tippmann 98 Custom. I look forward to hearing what you have to say!

Sale
Tippmann 98 Custom Platinum Series .68 Caliber Paintball Marker Gun with ACT , Black
  • Split Receiver Design, which provides easier access to internal components for simplified installation of grip upgrades and modifications
  • Picatinny Rails, which makes adding a carry handle, scopes and other accessories a snap
  • Secure Front Sight Spring and Trigger Pins, which makes the marker easier to service and reassemble

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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