Hey guys -

I'm already concocting ideas for Christmas and I've got my roommate's three bothers I have to shop for. If you have brothers, you know these guys - loud, obnoxious, like to set things on fire, like to have things explode, fun as hell to be around - ie: typical guys.

So, in a move which I'm sure will make the rest of their family just <i>love</i> me (/sarcasm), I've decided to buy them some grown-up toys for Christmas. I was thinking along the line of airsoft or paintball guns.

Unfortunately, I know next to nothing about either, so I was hoping I could get some info from the board.

They don't need the super-expensive, automatic, laser scope, blah blah blah guns. My budget would like to stay around the $25-45 mark.

Suggestions or hints on what to look for?

<i>*edit - yes, they will be shooting at each other, I'm sure (yes, I know about goggles). Yes, they do have kids, but I'm sure they will <b>not</b> let the kids play with them without direct adult supervision - they're not that irresponsible.</i>

I'm not sure you can get paintball guns for 25-45 bucks per anymore.

I'd go airsoft...its a fun lil toy to keep around in your house and shoot at the net target that comes with them.

Paintball is fun, but more expensive to buy and use and more involved to get out and enjoy.

Yea I don't think you're going to find a paintball gun in that price range. Paintball also has a sound to them that makes old people in the neighborhood call the cops. Unless they have a place to play regularly and that doesn't charge an arm and a leg for paint they make you use, go airsoft.

They come with a little target, you can shoot them inside. You can get little plastic BBs that don't hurt too bad if you get shot (but still a ton of danger, eyesite etc.) My brother picked up a pistol (http://www.hobbytron.com/berretasilver.html) you have to cock after each shot for about 25 and a friend got a battery powered semi-automatic pistol for ~$45 in Vegas.

I'm not sure you can get paintball guns for 25-45 bucks per anymore.

I'd go airsoft...its a fun lil toy to keep around in your house and shoot at the net target that comes with them.

Paintball is fun, but more expensive to buy and use and more involved to get out and enjoy.

I don't think you ever could find a paintball gun for that price.

After a bit of lookig, probably airsoft is the way to go. There are a ton of them on Ebay.

I used to play Paintball a lot. Fun game.

<a href="http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=CATLIST&PRO_SUB_CAT=800&PRO_SSUB_CAT=2289">Overstock</a> has a few of them, most are refurb, but from most of the buyer ratings, they're ok.

Any suggestions on good airsoft guns? They seem to hop from the ultimately crappy to the "first born child" prices.