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The Top Historical Paintball Product Innovations, P
1996, Smart Parts
Shocker
Smart Parts Shocker
The Shocker (also known as the “Shoebox Shocker”) was not the first electronic paintgun ever made. There had
been at least two others before it (John
Sosta’s marker and the Pulse Rifle, see
graphic this page). But it was without
question the first electronic paintgun
available for purchase to the masses.
Manufactured by PneuVentures Inc.,
and distributed exclusively by Smart
Parts, the Shocker was the electronic
marker that started the electronic gun
movement that is still thriving today.
Early versions of the Shocker used a
closed bolt, hammerless design. Dual
solenoids were used in place of the
hammer/spring combination (to open
and close the valve and cycle the bolt)
common in paintball markers (and
real guns). Although the Shocker was
large and heavy (hence the “shoebox”
nickname) it quickly became popular
on tournament paintball fields, with
teams like the All Americans, TonTons
and Bad Company shooting the gun in
major events. Within two years of the
Shocker being introduced production at
PneuVentures as halted on the marker
and Smart Parts began producing the
marker in-house in the Western Pennsylvania facility.
Early Electronic Marker Timeline
• 1992: John Sosta shows off custom
made electronic marker (never made
it to commercial market).
• 1994: The Pulse electronic marker is
shown at the NPPL DC Cup but never
becomes available to players.
• 1996: Smart Parts debuts the
Shocker, the first electronic marker
commercially available to players.
January 2015
dECEMBER 2013