Editing SplatMaster (section)

=== Development ===

During the early 1980s, National Survival Game supplied [[Nelspot 007]] marking pistols to its network of recreational paintball fields.

Although the Nelspot had been used in the first recorded organised paintball game in 1981, it had originally been designed for forestry and agricultural marking.

As recreational paintball expanded, NSG sought to develop a purpose-built marker that was inexpensive to manufacture, lightweight and suitable for use by new players.[2][6]

Bob Gurnsey directed the development of the SplatMaster, working with engineer Robert G. Shepherd.

The resulting design used a reinforced polymer body rather than the predominantly metal construction of earlier marking pistols.

According to Gurnsey's recollections in a 1992 interview with ''[[Action Pursuit Games]]'', development discussions concerning the polymer construction took place during 1983.[2]

Shepherd filed a patent application for the mechanism on 21 February 1984.

United States Patent 4,531,503, titled ''Fluid pressure repeating pistol with unitary barrel and hammer assembly'', was granted on 30 July 1985.[3]