Stock-class paintball

Stock-class paintball is a traditional format of paintball in which players use manually operated markers with limited ammunition capacity and gas supplies. The format is based on equipment similar to that used during the earliest years of organised paintball, particularly markers with horizontal feed tubes powered by individual 12-gram CO2 cartridges.[1][2]

Stock-class is a specialised form of pump paintball, although some rules also permit other manually operated mechanisms, including bolt-action and lever-action markers. It is distinguished from open-class pump paintball by restrictions on ammunition feeding and propellant systems.

History

Origins

Stock-class paintball traces its equipment and playing style to the earliest organised paintball games.

The first recorded paintball game, held on 27 June 1981 in Henniker, New Hampshire, used Nelspot 007 marking pistols. These were manually operated, used horizontal ammunition tubes and were powered by 12-gram CO2 cartridges.[1]

During the early 1980s, similar equipment was commonly used at National Survival Game fields and other recreational paintball venues.

As the sport developed, manufacturers introduced pump markers with larger gas supplies, gravity-fed loaders and improved firing mechanisms. Semi-automatic markers subsequently became increasingly common.

Players who preferred the limitations of earlier equipment began organising games in which these technological advantages were restricted.

Development as a separate format

By the late 1980s, some paintball fields had begun distinguishing between games using original-style equipment and those allowing more modern markers.

According to an account published by Stock-Class Headquarters, Jim Iulo, operator of Strategy Plus Paintball in Connecticut, organised games using traditional equipment under the name stock games, while permitting more advanced equipment in separate competition games.[2]

The precise origin of the term stock-class has not been conclusively established.

In 1992, Dr Martin "Marty" Nation established the Stock Gun Players Association (SGPA), an organisation promoting traditional stock-gun competition.

An interview with Nation published in The Paintball Trader in June 1992 documented the association's activities and efforts to establish tournaments specifically for stock-class players.[3]

The association developed equipment restrictions intended to maintain competitive balance between players using different manufacturers' markers.

Stock-class tournaments

During the 1990s, dedicated stock-class tournaments were held alongside the expanding professional paintball circuit.

One established event was the Earon Carter Stock Class Invitational, named after Earon Carter of Carter Machine.

The 1996 tournament took place on 16–17 March at SC Village in Corona, California.

Sixteen teams participated, including the Kamikaze Shooters, Dragoon and Combat Crew. Combat Crew, travelling from Hawaii, won the tournament.[4]

The competition required pump-action markers powered by 12-gram CO2 cartridges, with horizontal feed tubes holding no more than 20 paintballs. Some equipment modifications were permitted at the organisers' discretion.

The 1997 competition was held in San Diego.

In 1998, the Earon Carter Stock Gun Championship was organised by DYE Precision alongside the National Professional Paintball League (NPPL) tournament in Las Vegas.[5]

Community development

Stock-class remained a specialised form of paintball during the 2000s as electronic markers and modern tournament formats became dominant.

The Stock-Class Paintball Network, established in 2001 by Hao Chen of Mafic Productions, provided an online community and archive for stock-class and pump players.[6]

Other websites, particularly M.CarterBrown, became important places for players to exchange equipment, organise games and preserve technical information.

During the 2000s and 2010s, regional stock-class communities continued organising dedicated games in the United States and Canada.

These included SoCal Stock in California and groups in the northeastern United States.

In 2011, organisers in Connecticut and neighbouring states began holding regular events using an updated set of stock-class rules at commercial paintball fields.[2]

The events subsequently developed into recurring gatherings, including Slim's Stocktoberfest and the Spring Stock Classic.[7]

Equipment and rules

Traditional stock-class

Traditional stock-class rules restrict the operation, ammunition capacity and propellant supply of paintball markers.

The principal requirements are:

Manual operation: Markers must be manually cycled between shots, generally by pump, bolt or lever action.
Horizontal feed: Paintballs must be supplied from a tube running parallel to the barrel, without a conventional hopper.
Limited ammunition: Feed tubes generally contain approximately 10 to 20 paintballs.
12-gram CO2: Markers must be powered by a single 12-gram CO2 cartridge.
No semi-automatic firing: Markers must not cycle automatically between shots.

Traditional tournament rules also restricted certain modifications, including autotrigger mechanisms, check valves and rapid CO2 cartridge changers.[4][8]

There is no universally enforced stock-class rulebook, and individual event organisers may permit different configurations.

Rock and cock

A defining characteristic of traditional stock-class equipment is the horizontal ammunition feed.

Because the ammunition tube is positioned parallel to the barrel, players generally tilt the marker to allow the next paintball to enter the breech.

The process of tilting the marker and cycling its action is commonly known as rock and cock.

Unlike conventional gravity-fed loaders, the system does not continuously position paintballs directly above the breech.

This restricts the rate at which successive shots can be loaded and fired.

Stock-Class 2.0

Stock-Class 2.0 is an updated ruleset developed by Mark "Slim" Hatfield and used at recreational stock-class events in the northeastern United States.

The rules were developed from games organised beginning in 2003 and formally documented during 2011.[2]

Stock-Class 2.0 retains three principal requirements:

A manually operated marker.
An unassisted horizontal ammunition feed.
Power from a single 12-gram CO2 cartridge.

Unlike some earlier tournament rules, Stock-Class 2.0 permits certain quick-change cartridge systems and markers fitted with autotrigger mechanisms, although using the autotrigger to fire automatically during pumping is prohibited.

The rules also specify a maximum 20-round feed tube and prohibit spring-assisted feeds, magazine-fed systems and multiple-cartridge gas supplies.[9]

The rules are used by participating organisers rather than universally adopted across the sport.

Related formats

Modified stock-class

Modified stock-class is a term applied to pump paintball configurations that retain some traditional stock-class restrictions while permitting additional equipment.

Depending on the rules, modified stock-class may allow external gas tanks, vertical feed tubes, different cartridge-changing systems or other modifications.

The term has not been defined consistently across all paintball organisations and events.[2][8]

Open-class pump

Open-class pump paintball permits manually operated markers with conventional gravity-fed loaders, larger CO2 or compressed-air tanks and other modifications.

Unlike stock-class, open-class pump competition generally does not restrict players to horizontal feeds and individual 12-gram CO2 cartridges.

The distinction between stock-class and open-class therefore concerns ammunition feeding and gas capacity as well as the marker's firing mechanism.[2]

Notable markers

Markers associated with traditional stock-class paintball include:

Nelspot 007: The bolt-action marking pistol used during the first recorded paintball game in 1981.
CCI Phantom: A modular Nelson-based pump marker introduced in 1987 and produced in stock-class configurations.
LAPCO Grey Ghost: A pump marker introduced in 1988, subsequently produced in dedicated stock-class configurations.
Carter Buzzard: A custom pump-action marker manufactured by Carter Machine.
PMI PGP: A compact brass pump pistol manufactured by Sheridan.
Palmer's Pursuit Shop Super Stocker: A customised Sheridan-based pump marker.

Other markers can be configured for stock-class play through modifications to their feed and gas systems.[4][9]

Playing style

Stock-class places restrictions on ammunition capacity, sustained firing and the number of shots available from each CO2 cartridge.

These limitations influence player movement, ammunition management and shooting decisions.

Players frequently emphasise accurate single shots, positioning and the use of available cover rather than sustained firing.

Stock-class equipment may be used in dedicated stock-class games, pump-only events or recreational games alongside players using other types of markers.

The format is particularly associated with historical paintball equipment collectors and players interested in traditional marker operation.

References

The Survival Game: The Story of the First Recorded Paintball Match. WBUR, Taylor Quimby, 20 July 2018.
About Stock-Class Paintball. Stock-Class Headquarters, Mark Hatfield. History of stock-class, the Stock Gun Players Association and the development of Stock-Class 2.0.
Dr. Martin Nation Speaks Out!. The Paintball Trader, June 1992, pages 8–10. Contemporary interview with the founder of the Stock Gun Players Association.
Earon Carter Stock Class Invitational. WARPIG, Bill Mills, 16–17 March 1996. Contemporary tournament report, equipment rules and results.
1998 Las Vegas NPPL Tournament and Earon Carter Stock Gun Championship. WARPIG, Bill Mills, 1998.
About the Stock-Class Paintball Network. Stock-Class Paintball Network. Website history and establishment in 2001.
Stock-Class Event Schedule. Stock-Class Headquarters. Historical and contemporary stock-class events, including Stocktoberfest and Spring Stock Classic.
Stock-Class Tournament Rules. Stock-Class Paintball Network, 8 August 2001. Historical equipment restrictions and tournament rules.
Stock-Class 2.0 Rules. Stock-Class Headquarters. Updated equipment definitions and restrictions.

External links