Nelspot 007
The Nelspot 007 (also styled Nel-Spot 007) is an early .68-calibre paintball marker manufactured by Daisy Manufacturing Company for the Nelson Paint Company. Developed during the early 1970s for marking trees and livestock, it became the marker used in the first recorded organised paintball game on 27 June 1981 in Henniker, New Hampshire, United States.[1][2]
The Nelspot 007 was a manually operated, bolt-action pistol powered by a 12-gram CO2 cartridge. Its operating mechanism became the basis for numerous later pump-action paintball markers and aftermarket modifications.[3]
History
[edit]Development
[edit]The Nelspot 007 originated from the Nelson Paint Company's development of paint-filled capsules for forestry and agricultural marking.
Nelson initially worked with Crosman to produce the earlier Nelspot 707 marking pistol. Following the end of that arrangement, Nelson commissioned Daisy Manufacturing Company to develop a replacement.[3][4]
The resulting marker was based on a design by engineer James C. Hale. His patent for a compressed-gas-powered marking gun was filed on 19 June 1972 and granted on 29 January 1974 as US Patent 3,788,298.[5]
The Nelspot 007 was manufactured by Daisy and distributed under the Nelson Paint Company name.
Unlike later paintball markers, it was originally intended for industrial and agricultural marking rather than recreational use. Its paint-filled capsules were used to mark trees for forestry operations and animals for agricultural purposes.
First organised paintball game
[edit]The Nelspot 007 became associated with the origins of paintball when Charles Gaines, Hayes Noel and Bob Gurnsey selected it for an organised survival game.
The three developed the game following discussions about whether people with outdoor experience would outperform those accustomed to urban environments.
On 27 June 1981, twelve participants competed in the first recorded organised paintball game in Henniker, New Hampshire.
Each participant was equipped with a Nelspot pistol, paintballs, protective goggles, a compass and a map.
The objective was to collect coloured flags distributed across approximately 100 acres of woodland without being eliminated.
The game was won by Ritchie White, a forester, who completed the objective without firing his marker.[2]
National Survival Game
[edit]Following the 1981 game, Gurnsey and his partners established the National Survival Game (NSG), developing a commercial system for organising and operating paintball games.
The Nelspot 007 was included in early National Survival Game equipment packages, together with paintballs, CO2 cartridges and protective equipment.[6]
During the early 1980s, it became one of the principal markers used at newly established commercial paintball fields.
The increasing popularity of paintball created demand for improvements to the original design, particularly its loading system, barrel and method of cocking.
Design
[edit]The original Nelspot 007 used a manually operated bolt-action mechanism and an in-line valve design subsequently known as the Nelson valve.
The marker had a fixed barrel and an ammunition tube positioned above it. Paintballs entered the breech by gravity when the bolt was manually opened.[3]
A 12-gram CO2 cartridge was housed inside the grip.
The original marker had the following specifications:[7]
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Daisy Manufacturing Company |
| Distributor | Nelson Paint Company |
| Calibre | .68 |
| Action | Manual bolt-action |
| Valve | Nelson in-line valve |
| Propellant | 12-gram CO2 cartridge |
| Feed system | Gravity-fed horizontal tube |
| Magazine capacity | 8 paintballs, or 10 using an inserted feed tube |
| Barrel | Fixed |
| Overall length | Approximately 11 inches |
| Weight | Approximately 3 lb |
The original Nelson valve used a spring-driven hammer and hollow power tube to release compressed gas behind the paintball.
This operating principle subsequently appeared in numerous purpose-built pump paintball markers.[3]
Modifications and variants
[edit]Pump conversions
[edit]The original Nelspot 007 required the player to manually operate a bolt handle between shots.
As recreational paintball developed, aftermarket manufacturers introduced pump handles that allowed players to cock the marker using a sliding foregrip.
Other modifications included longer barrels, removable barrel extensions, revised feed systems, quick-change CO2 adapters and improved grips.[7]
Companies such as Line SI, LAPCO and TASO developed replacement components and modifications for Nelson-based markers.
These modifications contributed to the development of later pump-action paintball equipment.
Nelspot 007 Challenger
[edit]Around 1990, Nelson introduced the Nelspot 007 Challenger, a redesigned version incorporating several features previously available through aftermarket modifications.[7]
The Challenger used a Nylafil composite receiver, direct-feed system, removable barrel and dedicated pump handle.
It also incorporated an improved CO2 cartridge-changing mechanism.
The Challenger was available both as a complete marker and as a conversion kit for existing Nelspot 007 owners.[8]
Influence on paintball equipment
[edit]The Nelspot 007's valve and operating mechanism influenced numerous subsequent paintball markers.
The Nelson-style in-line valve was incorporated into later pump designs, including the Line SI Bushmaster, LAPCO Grey Ghost and CCI Phantom.[3]
The marker also supported an early aftermarket industry, with manufacturers producing replacement components, pump conversions, barrels and other upgrades.
The Nelspot 007 remains of historical interest to collectors because of its direct association with the first organised paintball game and its influence on early equipment development.
Original markers, modified examples and surviving accessories are documented by historical paintball resources including VintageRex, M.CarterBrown and Bacci Paintball.
See also
[edit]- Nelson Paint Company
- National Survival Game
- Pump paintball
- Stock-class paintball
- CCI Phantom
- Paintball history
References
[edit]- Nelson Paint History. Nelson Paint Company. Official company history and development of marking equipment.
- The Survival Game: The Story of the First Recorded Paintball Match. WBUR, Taylor Quimby, 20 July 2018. Interviews with participants in the original 1981 game.
- Paintgun Valves: Structure and Operation. WARPIG, Bill Mills. Technical history of the Nelson valve and its influence on subsequent marker designs.
- Nelson Paint Company 707. VintageRex. Historical record of the Crosman-manufactured predecessor.
- US Patent 3,788,298: Compressed Gas Gun with Trigger Operated Hammer Release Latching Structure. James C. Hale. Filed 19 June 1972, granted 29 January 1974.
- Pioneering the Sport of Paintball: The History of PMI. Paintball History, Daniel Bacci, 31 January 2023. Documents early National Survival Game equipment and the Nelspot 007.
- Nelson Paint Company's Nelspot 007. Stock-Class Paintball Network, Friendly Fire. Technical specifications, model history and aftermarket modifications.
- Challenger 007. VintageRex. Historical specifications and advertising material for the Challenger conversion.