1988 - The Termite Gun





As I wrote above, Frank Postle, who played on the Malibu California team, the Wolfpack (and possibly the Landsharks), created one of the first direct feed long barrel Nelson paintguns in fall of 1986. And in 1987, the Wolfpack (likely combined with the Landsharks) won the 1987 Challenge cup at Sat Cong Village with their Frank Guns.

I've been trying to get in touch with Rob "Termite" Smith, to get the exact detail on the transition from Steel to Aluminum barrels and the time frame from 1986 until 1987 when Postle stopped the production of his paintgun and Termite began selling his barrels.





In the last year, after talking with Colin Thompson, of Lapco, and Tony Verbeek, of Sudden Death and Sigma, I believe I can trace Termite's earliest barrels and parts, based on their construction, back to actually being manufactured at Sigma.

Verbeek, played on the Malibu based team, Sudden Death and worked at his cousin Randy Christoph's machine shop, which was (either named or manufactured products under the name) Sigma. At the time Sigma was making barrels for Line SI, I believe Colin Thompson, possibly AGS and Rob "Termite" Smith.



More history on the Frank Gun, the Termite Gun and the Buzzard at:

http://www.baccipaintball.com/oldnew...he-widowmakers



Here is Kevin Donaldson of Action Sports Outfitters and the Master Blasters, explaining some of his history selling and playing with Termite and his markers.





And Earon explaining making some of the barrels for Termite. After Earon and Termite's friend and teammate, Jay "The Old Buzzard" Jackson passed away in a match between Havok and Who Are Those Guys Mercenary Service, Termite renamed the Termite Gun to the Buzzard. Around this same time Earon Carter took over production, with Termite still selling guns with a few of his own personal touches or components, such as the howdy bolt.





This example of the Termite Gun is one of the neatest I've come across. The pump has a hidden return spring concealed inside it, similar to Ghosts. The rail, between the body and the receiver, has hidden and visible milling, the adjustable internals were likely made by Sigma as some of the first anti Kink internals, the pump handle has a flat top and a non symmetric window milling. The asa and sight were made for (and are stamped) Lapco. The grips were made by Tim Stone, of the Kamikaze Shooters. The receiver was made for an NW pump and is stamped NW1002, and the stock (not visible in this photos) was made by Stan Russell, of South Bay arms.

Later models of the Termite (after the passing of Jay "The Old Buzzard" Jackson) would become the Buzzard and would have a barrels made by Earon Carter and internals machined by Jim "Howdy" Guffog of the Master Blasters.







1988, Summer - Hand Tooled NSG Rapide Prototype





In 1983, Bob Gurnsey, and National Survival Games, introduced the Splatmasters, made of high quality and very durable polymers.

Millions of Splatmasters sold through out the early to late 1980s, but by the mid to late 80s the game was changing. At NSG franchises, the game could be regulated but at the rising number of non NSG locations the game was changing and paintguns were evolving. Stock horizontal feeds and 12 grams were phasing out and direct feed and constant air were replacing them as the desired features.

Another change was also taking place, the implementation of paintguns that were almost semi automatics, or more specifically double actions. The AGA revolver, the Joe Survival Mark V 50 Revolver were being offered and the U.S.A. Crossfire Equalizer was also reaching production. And the Tippmann SMG 60 was released in March of 1987.

National Survival Games needed to innovate, or loose its edge. So in the summer of 1988, National Survival Games released the Rapide.

A double action built from high quality polymers, the Rapide could still retail for under 100 dollars. It wasn't constant air, and it wasn't direct feed (it featured a 20 revolving loader), so it could still be used at most fields requiring 12 gram cartridges, but it could adapt more easily to the Splatmaster and various manufacturers would release conversion kits. The Rapide would go on to sell thousands, or even hundreds of thousands.







This Prototype Rapide came from Bob Gurnsey's collection earlier this year. Bob first sent me photos of this and a few other markers in 2009 and I immediately expressed my interest but at the time Bob decided to hold onto it. Earlier this year, Bob contacted me and I purchased it and hope to share it with tons of paintballers at future events I set up displays at.

I haven't aired it up and shot it yet, but as far as I can tell, it is complete and will function (after a rebuild). I need to modify a magazine for it since I believe the clip plate is slightly larger than standard.

Find two articles I recently put together on the Rapide's features:

http://www.baccipaintball.com/oldnew...or-bob-gurnsey



And the Prototype Rapide:

http://www.baccipaintball.com/oldnew...l-games-rapide



This video from 1988/89 shows what you might expect to experience at a National Survival Games Franchise and how the NSG Rapie could stand up to all types of abuse, including a quick cleaning from an in boundary stream mid game.







1988-89 - Rick Cendejas' Ironmen Line SI Bushmaster





In 1988, the Ironmen took on players from the Northern California team The Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Delta.

Rick Cendejas, who played on both the Mutant Ninja Tutrles and Delta joined the team along with Bob Long and a few others. Around 1989 the Ironmen also received a sponsorship from Line SI and shot Bushmasters pumps.







This pictured paintgun is at least part of Rick's original Bushmaster, with a custom diagonal foregrip extending perpendicular off the pump handle.

Cendejas is cut into the loader, arms, and the receiver. The body was either polished or replaced at some point and I'm not sure if this was done by Rick or by another owner in between Rick and myself.

I sent photos to Rick and he replied:

"That was from the late 1980's and it looks pretty much the same as I used it. I may have used it last with remote air. Those are my etch marks too. I remember that welding the knob on the pump distorted the roundness and I had a hell of a time honing it back to where it would work again."

The Ironmen's sponsorship from Line SI lasted either until they began competing with their Palmer's Pursuit Shop Hurricanes, or until Worr Game Products picked them up in late 1990/early 1991.



More on Rick's paintball history in the following article:

http://www.baccipaintball.com/oldnew...ournament-play



1989 - Steve Copeland's Lord of Discipline PMI Long Barrel Piranha







In the mid to late 1980s the Lords of Discipline were one of the most competative professional teams competing in Lively Series events.

In 1989 they won both the 5 man and 15 man Line SI Masters event playing wth their PMI Piranha Long Barrel's and 6 Pak / Micro CA 12 gram changers.







In 1991, during a game with the Crow Warriors at a Lively Event (possibly the Chicago Open), an argument escalated which led to the Lord of Discipline being banned from the Lively Series. After this event, many of the Lord's players merged with Scream to form Aftershock.

This Piranha Long barrel belonged to Steve Copeland, of the Lords, and was sold to Glenn Pensinger of Hole in the Wall Paintball. Pensinger sold it to me in 2014. Pensinger, and his team, Guns of Paradise would skirmish the Lords (and then Aftershock) during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The barrel on this Piranha LB was factory engraved for the the Lords and the side of the breech was engraved for the AGD turbo valve used in it.



Find more photos and some brief history on the Lords at:

http://www.baccipaintball.com/oldnew...-brief-history As I wrote above, Frank Postle, who played on the Malibu California team, the Wolfpack (and possibly the Landsharks), created one of the first direct feed long barrel Nelson paintguns in fall of 1986. And in 1987, the Wolfpack (likely combined with the Landsharks) won the 1987 Challenge cup at Sat Cong Village with their Frank Guns.I've been trying to get in touch with Rob "Termite" Smith, to get the exact detail on the transition from Steel to Aluminum barrels and the time frame from 1986 until 1987 when Postle stopped the production of his paintgun and Termite began selling his barrels.In the last year, after talking with Colin Thompson, of Lapco, and Tony Verbeek, of Sudden Death and Sigma, I believe I can trace Termite's earliest barrels and parts, based on their construction, back to actually being manufactured at Sigma.Verbeek, played on the Malibu based team, Sudden Death and worked at his cousin Randy Christoph's machine shop, which was (either named or manufactured products under the name) Sigma. At the time Sigma was making barrels for Line SI, I believe Colin Thompson, possibly AGS and Rob "Termite" Smith.More history on the Frank Gun, the Termite Gun and the Buzzard at:Here is Kevin Donaldson of Action Sports Outfitters and the Master Blasters, explaining some of his history selling and playing with Termite and his markers.And Earon explaining making some of the barrels for Termite. After Earon and Termite's friend and teammate, Jay "The Old Buzzard" Jackson passed away in a match between Havok and Who Are Those Guys Mercenary Service, Termite renamed the Termite Gun to the Buzzard. Around this same time Earon Carter took over production, with Termite still selling guns with a few of his own personal touches or components, such as the howdy bolt.This example of the Termite Gun is one of the neatest I've come across. The pump has a hidden return spring concealed inside it, similar to Ghosts. The rail, between the body and the receiver, has hidden and visible milling, the adjustable internals were likely made by Sigma as some of the first anti Kink internals, the pump handle has a flat top and a non symmetric window milling. The asa and sight were made for (and are stamped) Lapco. The grips were made by Tim Stone, of the Kamikaze Shooters. The receiver was made for an NW pump and is stamped NW1002, and the stock (not visible in this photos) was made by Stan Russell, of South Bay arms.Later models of the Termite (after the passing of Jay "The Old Buzzard" Jackson) would become the Buzzard and would have a barrels made by Earon Carter and internals machined by Jim "Howdy" Guffog of the Master Blasters.In 1983, Bob Gurnsey, and National Survival Games, introduced the Splatmasters, made of high quality and very durable polymers.Millions of Splatmasters sold through out the early to late 1980s, but by the mid to late 80s the game was changing. At NSG franchises, the game could be regulated but at the rising number of non NSG locations the game was changing and paintguns were evolving. Stock horizontal feeds and 12 grams were phasing out and direct feed and constant air were replacing them as the desired features.Another change was also taking place, the implementation of paintguns that were almost semi automatics, or more specifically double actions. The AGA revolver, the Joe Survival Mark V 50 Revolver were being offered and the U.S.A. Crossfire Equalizer was also reaching production. And the Tippmann SMG 60 was released in March of 1987.National Survival Games needed to innovate, or loose its edge. So in the summer of 1988, National Survival Games released the Rapide.A double action built from high quality polymers, the Rapide could still retail for under 100 dollars. It wasn't constant air, and it wasn't direct feed (it featured a 20 revolving loader), so it could still be used at most fields requiring 12 gram cartridges, but it could adapt more easily to the Splatmaster and various manufacturers would release conversion kits. The Rapide would go on to sell thousands, or even hundreds of thousands.This Prototype Rapide came from Bob Gurnsey's collection earlier this year. Bob first sent me photos of this and a few other markers in 2009 and I immediately expressed my interest but at the time Bob decided to hold onto it. Earlier this year, Bob contacted me and I purchased it and hope to share it with tons of paintballers at future events I set up displays at.I haven't aired it up and shot it yet, but as far as I can tell, it is complete and will function (after a rebuild). I need to modify a magazine for it since I believe the clip plate is slightly larger than standard.Find two articles I recently put together on the Rapide's features:And the Prototype Rapide:This video from 1988/89 shows what you might expect to experience at a National Survival Games Franchise and how the NSG Rapie could stand up to all types of abuse, including a quick cleaning from an in boundary stream mid game.In 1988, the Ironmen took on players from the Northern California team The Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Delta.Rick Cendejas, who played on both the Mutant Ninja Tutrles and Delta joined the team along with Bob Long and a few others. Around 1989 the Ironmen also received a sponsorship from Line SI and shot Bushmasters pumps.This pictured paintgun is at least part of Rick's original Bushmaster, with a custom diagonal foregrip extending perpendicular off the pump handle.Cendejas is cut into the loader, arms, and the receiver. The body was either polished or replaced at some point and I'm not sure if this was done by Rick or by another owner in between Rick and myself.I sent photos to Rick and he replied:"That was from the late 1980's and it looks pretty much the same as I used it. I may have used it last with remote air. Those are my etch marks too. I remember that welding the knob on the pump distorted the roundness and I had a hell of a time honing it back to where it would work again."The Ironmen's sponsorship from Line SI lasted either until they began competing with their Palmer's Pursuit Shop Hurricanes, or until Worr Game Products picked them up in late 1990/early 1991.More on Rick's paintball history in the following article:In the mid to late 1980s the Lords of Discipline were one of the most competative professional teams competing in Lively Series events.In 1989 they won both the 5 man and 15 man Line SI Masters event playing wth their PMI Piranha Long Barrel's and 6 Pak / Micro CA 12 gram changers.In 1991, during a game with the Crow Warriors at a Lively Event (possibly the Chicago Open), an argument escalated which led to the Lord of Discipline being banned from the Lively Series. After this event, many of the Lord's players merged with Scream to form Aftershock.This Piranha Long barrel belonged to Steve Copeland, of the Lords, and was sold to Glenn Pensinger of Hole in the Wall Paintball. Pensinger sold it to me in 2014. Pensinger, and his team, Guns of Paradise would skirmish the Lords (and then Aftershock) during the late 1980s and early 1990s.The barrel on this Piranha LB was factory engraved for the the Lords and the side of the breech was engraved for the AGD turbo valve used in it.Find more photos and some brief history on the Lords at:

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