Editing Pump paintball (section)

== History ==

=== Origins ===

The earliest organised paintball games used manually operated marking equipment originally developed for forestry and agricultural applications.

The first recorded organised paintball game took place on 27 June 1981 near Henniker, New Hampshire, United States. Participants used [[Nelspot 007]] pistols powered by disposable 12-gram CO2 cartridges.[1]

During the early 1980s, manufacturers developed purpose-built paintball markers incorporating manual loading and cocking mechanisms.

Companies including [[National Survival Game]], [[Pursuit Marketing Inc.]] and Sheridan introduced equipment that contributed to the development of pump-action paintball.

The introduction of larger CO2 cylinders and improved ammunition-feeding systems subsequently allowed pump markers to operate with greater ammunition capacities.

=== Development of pump markers ===

During the mid-to-late 1980s, several manufacturers introduced pump markers that became associated with recreational and tournament paintball.

[[Worr Game Products]], established by [[Bud Orr]], developed the [[WGP Sniper]], which subsequently provided the mechanical basis for the semiautomatic [[Autococker]].

[[Component Concepts Inc.]] (CCI) began developing a pump-action paintball marker in 1986 and introduced the [[CCI Phantom]] in 1987.

The Phantom became available in several configurations, including stock-class versions using horizontal feed tubes and 12-gram CO2 cartridges, and open-class configurations using bulk gas systems and conventional loaders.[3]

Other historical pump marker designs included the Line SI Bushmaster, Sheridan PGP and PMI pump series.

=== Transition to semiautomatic competition ===

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, semiautomatic markers became increasingly common in tournament paintball.

The [[Automag]] and Autococker allowed players to fire successive paintballs without manually operating a pump mechanism.

These developments contributed to the decline of pump markers in mainstream professional competition.

However, dedicated pump and stock-class tournaments continued alongside semiautomatic competitions.

At the 1997 Great Western Tournament Series event in Las Vegas, organisers held a stock-class competition using rental pump markers, 10-round ammunition tubes and 12-gram CO2 cartridges.[4]

=== Pump tournaments during the 2000s ===

Pump paintball continued as a specialist tournament format during the 2000s.

The [[International Amateur Open]] offered pump competition, while the [[Pan Am Circuit]] organised stock-class tournament divisions.

At the 2002 Pan Am Seattle tournament, eight teams entered the stock-class competition. Maxit won the event, receiving Phantom pump markers and equipment sponsorship.[5]

The 2002 Pan Am Las Vegas tournament also included a three-player stock-class competition.

Blowfish won the event, defeating Cobra Kai 1 in the final.[6]

These competitions maintained organised pump play during a period when semiautomatic and electronic markers dominated the principal professional tournament circuits.

=== Contemporary competition ===

Pump paintball continues to be played recreationally and in dedicated tournaments.

Modern events may use woodland fields, artificial-bunker fields or conventional speedball layouts.

The [[West Coast Paintball Players League]] included an open five-player pump division during its 2025 season.

The division featured tournaments at SC Village in California, with L.A. Aztecas winning the 2025 season championship ahead of KAMANDAG and Party Animals.[7]