Paintball history questions

[Will Wood]

OK just about every web page I'm going to has a different answer so I'm hoping the more knowledgeable players here will be able to help me out.

I'm presenting a speech on Paintball. It's going to consist of three main body topics: Paintball in the 80s, 90s and 2000s.

Researching the 80s right now. The invention of marker dates seems to be impossible to track down.

When was the Splatmaster introduced?
The first Semi-Auto was the Tippmann SMG, right? Can't find a solid date for that either.
When did the first C02 tanks show up to replace 12 grams?
First hopper? Both commercailly available and "ghetto" (Everyone just use a tube load before?)


Any suggestions for what I might mention from the 80s couldn't hurt, either :) I've already gone over how the sport started and evolved. So pretty much all I need is technology information from early on.


Thanks for your help in advance.
I'll post the speech when I'm done with it. I'm pretty sure I can handle the 90s and 2000s without trouble, but the early paintball history is a bit hard to dig up accurate info.

[Alpha]

Mention some of the big names.. Mention how cockers actually evolved from pumps.

I know theres lots of more experienced (old hags) people here who can help you out since they experienced it. :headbang:

[slade]

Mention some of the big names.. Mention how cockers actually evolved from pumps.

I know theres lots of more experienced (old hags) people here who can help you out since they experienced it. :headbang:
yeah, the time period hes looking for info on was before we were born ;)

briefly cover the start of paintball (from what ive heard, pump markers for marking cattle, a few guys used them in maine for a game of ctf) then talk about early markers, the splatmaster, the evolution of semis, CA and HPA, and different operating systems. then things like advancement of hoppers, maybe ramping, and tourneyball/scenarios.

it all really depends on the audience of your speech. are you going to focus on the evolution of equipment/mechanical design? the evolution of the sport itself? cover both equally?

[cdacda13]

There was a sports illistrated artical on the start of paintball not too long ago.

[onedude36]

Tippmann smgs were the first full auto, as well as the first banned gun in many fields. I think...

The first semi auto was palmer's camille. It operated like an early autococker. It was eventually stolen, but some legends say that WGP stole the gun or some how ended up with it, and thats how autocockers started.

[HateMachine]

I remember reading an old ad for a paintball gun, it was used to mark trails in the woods ( shooting trees so you could find your way home)

[TheAngryDrunkenRussian]

I remeber reading a article that cattle ranchers used the first ones to mark cattle for the slaughter.

Forest services used them to mark trees to be cut

[Jeffy-CanCon]

The first game was played in June 1981, in southern New Hampshire. Thjey used Nelspot 007s, which were commonly used by foresters and cattlemen (note: forest industry was still buying Nelspots into the mid 90's). Splatmasters came along in 1985.

The first semi-auto was the Splatmaster Rapide, but most people don't consider it a true semi-auto because it was double action. Glenn Palmer built Camille, but I think Tippmann was the first to offered a semi-auto marker for sale: the smg-60, and then the 68-Special.

Constant Air was invented by Gramps & Grizzly, a southern California shop, about 1988. They are still in business, I think, and could probably say fro sure.

As far as I know, the first commercially available bulk feeder was the WGP Ammo Box (40rds!). Per VintageRex, it debuted in 1987. People had started using homemade loaders (plastic oil-cans) sometime before that. APG ran an article on how to make your own.

More 80's paintball history to mention would be the IPPA (International Paintball Players Assoc), which lasted until 1996.

[Vex]

Constant Air was invented by Gramps & Grizzly, a southern California shop, about 1988. They are still in business, I think, and could probably say fro sure.

There used to be a rumor of a controversy over who actually invented the Autococker--Bud Orr, or Gramps & Grizzly.

At least, that's what I've been told many times when I first started playing in '93 (in SoCal).

[MadPSIence]

If I am correct, were the first paintball markers not used for marking TREES?

[Vex]

If I am correct, were the first paintball markers not used for marking TREES?
Trees and cattle--sort of simulataneous.

Here's a good link about the invention of the paintball marker by James Hale:

Daisy Splotchmarker (http://www.nwanews.com/story.php?paper=adg&section=Business%20Matters&storyid=128912)

[Raven001]

You might find some of these links usefull.

http://www.stockclasspaintball.com/articles/gunfaqs/007faq.shtml
http://pukindogspaintball.com/nelsons/NELSON.htm
http://paintball-guns.com/paintball_history.html
http://airsoldier.com/~haveblue/tech/patents/
http://www.ody.ca/~cwells/history.htm

There used to be a site that I didn't bookmark and it had info on when every marker ever built was introduced. If anyone knows where it is let me know...

As for the Splatmaster, don't know when it was first made but the patent is dated Jul 30 1985.

[Muzikman]

There used to be a rumor of a controversy over who actually invented the Autococker--Bud Orr, or Gramps & Grizzly.

At least, that's what I've been told many times when I first started playing in '93 (in SoCal).

No, it's a debate over Glenn Palmer and Budd Orr.

I know the truth, do you?

[Vex]

No, it's a debate over Glenn Palmer and Budd Orr.

I know the truth, do you?
I know that...as I clearly stated--that was the rumor when I first started playing. Jeffy-CanCon mentioned Gramps & Grizzly, so I thought I'd throw that out as well.

[rkjunior303]

Will, PM me your address..

I have the PB2X issue here on my desk at work, that will be a great reference material for you.

'The Moments that Changes Paintball: A Complete History of the Sport'

I'll drop it in the mail for you.