Thought that this might be an interesting awareness entry so that everyone is aware about the cost of a paintball marker (gun) in Singapore. I have heard this so many many times and thought that it might be good to clear the air so that everybody is on the same page. From hereon, I am going to use the word "gun" instead of "paintball marker" so that it will be easier for you to relate to this topic though in the world of paintball, the word "marker" is often used for the promotion of the game to mummies and daddies. We wouldn't want to see a kid relating his paintball experiences with his family using words such as "guns", "kills", "dead", "bullets". While some might disagree with the use of these industry naming convention, we are pretty clear about our direction for paintball which is to make it more welcoming for everyone to play. Paintball is after all one of the safest activity in the world!
But isn't it illegal to possess a paintball gun in Singapore? Yes, you can't own a personal paintball gun in Singapore. I hope this does not kill your interest to continue reading this article as I am about to share with you what if it is entirely legal to possess your own personal marker in Singapore? Not that it is already legal (though we were very very close...) but WHAT IF....
Before doing that, let us take a step back to understand that if this regulation does change, it doesn't mean that you can own the world. It only means that you can individually possess a personal paintball gun in the eyes of our law enforcers. So what does this really mean for you? Firstly, congratulations, the paintball gun is now lawfully yours. So what's the catch now? Simple... you are now entirely responsible for your paintball gun, meaning if it is stolen, damaged or lost, you are the main man who is now responsible for its safekeeping, repairs and whereabouts. Spiderman says "With great powers come great responsibilities". Surely, there will be terms and conditions that you will have to follow since you are now the licencee of your own personal paintball gun. Let me remind you again that a paintball gun is considered as a firearm in Singapore so quit asking if you are able to take your paintball gun home and keep it at there. I am sorry but it doesn't work that way. But surely, this might be a redundant condition in years to come but we'll never know what lies in our future.
This exact question was asked: "I want to own a Dye NT, let me know what you can do for me? I have budgeted $800.00 for it". No offence to this question, it is definitely legit. So what must you know about owning a paintball gun in Singapore, IF it really happens for us. I am also going to draw a comparison to our daily activities so that it will be easy for everyone to comprehend.
1) Membership. To possess a paintball gun in Singapore, you will need to be a registered member of the paintball field. There is a annual membership fee. Taking Red Dynasty Paintball Park (www.weplaypaintball.com) for example, this paintball field has an existing incentive membership program for regular players which cost $150.00 per year and $95.00 for subsequent renewal. Being an incentive program, regular players pay for discounted game packages at the paintball field. The common question: "Cannot you not be a member but purchase a paintball gun in Singapore?" The answer is, not possible. This is a directive.
Comparison = You can only borrow books from the library if you are a member of the library.
2) Cost of a paintball gun. Simple, just google it. Pick up a calculator and multiply by a conversion rate. Add another couple of cents to round up a more realistic figure. For example, if the conversion rate is USD1=SIN1.29 (based on XE.com, 26 Dec 2011), add another couple of cents to these figures in relation to bank charges, credit card conversions, etc. A reasonable figure in will be USD1 = SIN1.35.
Comparison = Petrol prices that you pay for at the petrol station is surely different from the market value at the stock exchange.
3) Shipping charges. Unlike conventional postage charges. A paintball gun is a firearm as such it cannot be posted like a conventional mail. Charges include shipping, handling, registered mail and custom clearance. A good estimate for one unit of paintball gun is about $450.00. Again, this is just an estimate and might be cheaper or more expensive depending on your shipping agent and the quantity of guns shipped.
Comparison = Imagine yourself in the shipping business and you are shipping a fleet of cars into Singapore. Surely, you cannot do it through parcel post. Unforeseen charges such as GST, handling fee, delivery fee, etc do apply.
4) Licence fee. Unlike other countries, you will need to possess a licence for your gun and yes, you will need to pay for this licence. The cost of this licence is $220.00 for 2 years. Who do you pay this amount to? The governing agency of course, in this case, the Singapore Police Force. Consider it with 730 days (2 years), you are effectively investing $0.30 a day.
Comparison = In Singapore, you need a licence to do anything and everything.
5) Storage fee. Surely you are unable to keep a paintball gun at home so you will NOT be able to bring it home as such you will have to store it at a paintball field. A reasonable fee will be $150.00 a year which works out to be about $0.40 a day. Slightly more expensive than a packet of tissue.
Comparison = Just consider this as parking your car at a shopping mall. A space is allocated for your car and thus it is only reasonable that you are charge a fee for using the space.
So if you are still reading this article... let's do an example for a Dye NT11.
A Dye NT11 with a free Rotor cost USD1350.00 on the internet.
Membership = $150.00 (to the paintball field)
Cost of the marker = USD1350.00 x 1.35 = SIN1822.50 (to whom you buy the gun from)
Shipping charges = $450.00 (to the forwarding agent)
Storage charges = $150.00 (to the paintball field)
Licence fee = $220.00 (to the Singapore Police Force)
Total investment = $2792.50.
And say if you use this gun for a span of 2 years (which is a normal lifespan of a paintball gun), you will be paying about $3.87 a day. Yeah, we made assumptions that you have your own paintball tank.
Will you be ready when it is time to buy your own personal paintball gun?
