The Empire Axes are among the most popular paintball guns on the market today. They’re not always as flashy as other high-end models but they have great performance and value for the price.
The newest version is called the Empire Axe 2.0. This paintball gun has been upgraded to be more reliable, lightweight, and accurate than its predecessor.
It’s also easier to handle thanks to new features like adjustable trigger functions and an improved ergonomic design. We put these two markers head to head to see how they compare.
Read our full Empire Axe 2.0 paintball gun review below to find out if this upgrade makes sense for you.
Empire Axe 2.0 Details
- Firing Modes: Semi-auto, Burst fire, Ramp fire, Automatic
- Compressed Air only
- Fires .68 standard paintballs
- 14″ barrel
- Aluminum body
This year marks the introduction of the Empire Axe 2.0 paintball gun.
It was originally introduced back in 2014 as the Empire Axe 1.0. Like many paintball guns, the Empire Axe series is made by G.I. Sportz, one of the biggest and best brands of paintballs and paintball guns.
The Empire Axe 2.0 has multiple adjustable firing modes:
- Semi-automatic
- Burst
- Ramp
- Full auto
It uses a standard compressed air tank like many other paintball marker so you’ll need to buy extra tanks separately. The Empire Axe 2.0 is NOT compatible with CO2 tanks.
The Empire Axe 2 fires standard .68 sized paintballs out of it’s 14″ barrel.
Perfect for any paintball scenarios, such as speedball, woodsball, and it’s even good enough for tournaments.
Difference Between Empire Axe 1.0 and 2.0
While the Empire Axe 2.0 is a significant improvement from the original model, there are still noticeable differences between them.
One major difference is the price increase. While the older Empire Axe 1.0 retails for about $300, the newer model sells for around $400.
Another reason why the prices differ is because the newer model comes with additional accessories. On top of being able to adjust the trigger speed, the Empire Axe 2.0 now includes an improved stock.
The stock is designed to give users better control while aiming since the grip angle isn’t fixed anymore. Since the stock folds down, the overall height of the gun stays low making it easy to carry. In addition to these improvements, the new Empire Axe 2.0 has a few minor changes.
Empire Axe 2.0 Accuracy
In order to test the accuracy of the Empire Axe 2.0, I went to a local field to play against other players.
I tried playing at different distances ranging from 50 feet away to 100 yards away. My results show that shooting at close range is where the Empire Axe 2.0 is best suited.
At 50 feet, I could consistently hit targets every time. However, when shooting at longer ranges my average shot began to miss target more often.
For example, at 75 yards I missed five times compared to only missing twice at 25 yards.
Overall, the Empire Axe 2.0 is very accurate but as you get further away from your targets you may need to switch up your firing modes.
Empire Axe 2.0 Upgrades
Now that we’ve gone through the details of the Empire Axe 2.0, let’s look into what else makes this paintball gun stand above others.
First, the Empire Axe 2.0 has a magazine feeder attachment. Magazines allow for quicker loading and unloading.
Second, the trigger speed adjustment allows for greater precision. With the option to choose either slow or fast fire, players can choose their preferred speed based on the situation.
Lastly, the Empire Axe 2.0 has a battery pack that allows for extended playtime. These batteries last significantly longer than the ones included with the Empire Axe 1.0.
Players who regularly play multiple games each day should consider purchasing extra batteries and air compression tanks.
Firing Modes
One unique feature of the Empire Axe 2.0 is the ability to switch between firing modes. There are four modes available: semi-automatic mode, burst fire, ramp fire, and fully automatic mode. When fired manually, the Empire Axe 2.0 operates similar to other compressed air powered paintball guns.
When in burst mode, after pulling the trigger, three shots are fired per press.
When operated automatically, the Empire Axe 2.0 fires continuously until the trigger is released again.
Because of the fully automatic mode, the Empire Axe 2.0 is perfect for beginners and intermediate players ready to upgrade their entry-level guns, which are often only semi-automatic.
With this highly useful function, players can change the firing mode during gameplay depending on their current needs.
For instance, if enemies are too far away to accurately aim at, switching to fully automatic mode might help land a hit or pin down your target for a team mate to flank easier.
Check pricing here.
- Durable aluminum frame
- Four firing modes
- Longer lasting battery
- Vast improvement over Axe 1.0
- Best in class for price point
- 10% lighter than Axe 1.0
- Lack of included attachments
- Lower accuracy at longer ranges compared to top tier markers
Is the Empire Axe 2.0 a good gun?
If you’re looking for a durable paintball gun that performs well at close range, then the Empire Axe 2.0 is definitely a good choice.
Its main drawback is poor accuracy at longer distances. Even though the trigger speed is adjustable, the gun won’t perform as well as higher end paintball guns.
Another downside is the lack of extra attachments included. Most people will never need the options offered by attachments such as scopes, sights, lasers, etc. However, the upgrades do add more longevity, durability and comfort to the Empire Axe 2.0.
As mentioned earlier, having the long lasting battery pack gives you less downtime between games.
Finally, the Empire Axe 2.0 is relatively inexpensive compared to other high-end paintball guns.
All things considered, the Empire Axe 2.0 is a great beginner paintball gun. A lot of players prefer buying cheaper models while they’re learning the sport.
But if you plan to play competitively, investing in a quality gun is ideal since you’ll improve your skills faster, you’ll have fun more, and won’t have to complain about your gun as often!
We hope you have learned some useful information in our Empire Axe 2.0 paintball gun review and have helped influence your buying decision.
Have questions? Leave them in the comments below.