Editing Bob Gurnsey (section)

== Splatmaster Rapide ==

=== Development ===

National Survival Game subsequently introduced the [[Splatmaster Rapide]].

The Rapide was a double-action paintball pistol designed to provide faster firing than the original Splatmaster.

=== Operation ===

The Rapide used a trigger-operated mechanism rather than requiring the player to manually cock the marker between shots.

It incorporated a rotating magazine with four five-round sections.

The magazine held 20 paintballs.

=== Commercial availability ===

The Rapide appeared during the late 1980s.

Historical promotional material and contemporary advertisements document the product during 1988 and 1989.[5][8]

=== Retail pricing ===

A historical review of advertisements from October 1989 identified Rapide retail prices around $95–$100.

This positioned the marker as a relatively affordable option compared with several other paintball markers available at the time.[5]

=== Recognition ===

The Rapide received an American firearms industry product award in 1989, according to historical equipment reporting.[5]

=== Historical importance ===

The Rapide helped demonstrate the commercial viability of affordable double-action paintball markers.

It remains a recognised product among collectors of early paintball equipment.