a paintball transfer apparatus and method for operating the apparatus to move a paintball enable a user to load a paintball into a paintball marker . the apparatus has an housing forming a cavity for storing paintballs , a path around the wall of the cavity that is shaped to guide paintballs , and a driver that rotates a roller within the cavity . rotation of the roller moves paintballs along the path . the path may have one of a variety of shapes , such as circular or helical . the surface speed of the roller may be greater than the speed of the paintballs along the path . the roller may be made of a high friction material , and also may be a brush . the apparatus may be used to move paintballs within and about a marker , such as vertically upwards or downwards , or horizontally left or right .