The Paintball Gun That Started it All

Back in the 60s, Nelson Paint Company was asked by foresters to find a new way to mark trees, and what they came up with totally changed the game—literally. They encapsulated paint in .68 caliber gelatin balls, which we now know as paintballs. But the real kicker was how to deliver them. They teamed up with Crosman Air Guns to create the Nelspot 707, a CO2-powered gun designed specifically for paintball. Unfortunately, it didn’t sell well enough, and Crosman pulled the plug. That's when Daisy Air Guns stepped in, took over, and made the Nelspot 007. They stamped it with the Nelson name, and the rest is history.

If you’ve ever seen a Daisy air gun, you know the drill—dark gray paint and that classic steel/cast alloy build. The early 007s didn’t have a removable barrel sleeve and used threaded aluminum paintball tubes, which meant a lot of issues with the plastic pellet stop snapping off. But Nelson kept improving it. They switched to plastic paint tubes that fit by friction, added the removable barrel sleeve for barrel extensions, and replaced that fragile pellet stop with a screw post.

What made the 007 awesome was how simple it was to take apart with no special tools. Plus, it had just two seals to keep CO2 leaks in check. That made it a favorite for players and sparked the whole aftermarket scene—mods, clones, you name it. It was basically the OG of paintball markers.

Fast forward to the 90s, and Nelson dropped the Nelspot 007 Challenger. This was their attempt at going direct-feed, and it came with a Nylafil plastic receiver, direct-feed elbow, and a sight rail. The barrel was 8 inches long, threaded, and made with a molded Nylafil plastic over a brass core. The early models had a wraparound pump handle with rubber grips, but later versions upgraded to a knurled aluminum grip. They also added a quick-change valve that made swapping 12-grams a breeze—just a quick quarter-turn, and you’re good to go. Plus, it came with all kinds of customizable parts like finger-grooved rubber grips and a plastic slip-on trigger shoe.

But the Challenger couldn't keep up with the aluminum direct-feed receivers the aftermarket was making, which offered more barrel options and dual-arm pump handles. By 1996, the 007 and Challenger were both discontinued, though you can still find parts and service from Nelson today.

For those of us who grew up on the 007, it’s a true classic. The nostalgia, the mods, the simplicity—it’s what made paintball what it is today.

Looking to get your own? Although they are not in production, they can be seen on auction sites like ebay.com from time to time. Keep your eyes open, if you love the game, you want to find one to add you your collection.