CCI Phantom - Design

Design

The term Nelson-based lends itself from the Nelson Paint Company and its first marker, the Nel-Spot 007. The basic valve design found in these early markers laid the groundwork for many other manufacturers, including CCI, to develop their own paintball guns. The Nelson design is in-line which means that the bolt, hammer, and valve follow the barrel and form a line as opposed to being stacked. It fires from a closed bolt position meaning that when it fires the bolt is secured into the breech end of the barrel with a paintball loaded. In comparison, the bolt in an open bolt marker is not secured until the marker fires, at which point the paintball is chambered, fired, and the bolt is then re-opened. There is no evidence showing that either design is more or less efficient than the other in the sport of paintball. Another characteristic of the Phantom that varies within the Nelson-based family of markers is that it features the original breech drop design as opposed to the bore drop variation of the design, meaning that the paintballs drop into breech, or rear of the barrel, rather than dropping into the bore of the barrel. Again, there is no evidence showing that one variation is noticeably superior to the other in this case.