Editing Delta Archery (section)

== History ==

=== Early paintball involvement ===

Bob Long operated Delta Archery when he became involved in paintball during the mid-to-late 1980s.

According to historical research published by [[Daniel Bacci]], Long sold paintball equipment through the shop in California's East Bay region.[1]

Long subsequently became associated with the professional tournament team [[Ironmen]] and the development of customised paintball markers.

During the early 1990s, Delta Archery was among the California businesses involved in modifying the [[Autococker]] platform manufactured by [[Worr Game Products]].

Contemporary and historical accounts document the use of customised Autocockers by Long and the Ironmen.

These included equipment modified by independent specialists such as [[Skip Swift]] of SwiftLine Industries.[4]

=== Millennium ===

During the 1990s, Long developed the '''Millennium''', a customised mechanical semi-automatic marker based on the [[Kingman Spyder]] operating system.

The Millennium used a stacked-tube blowback mechanism and was available as a complete marker or as replacement components for existing Spyder markers.

Its principal differences from the standard Spyder platform included custom receiver machining and alternative mechanical components.

Surviving examples have been documented with single and double trigger frames, different cocking arrangements and aftermarket regulators.[5][6]

The exact introduction date of the Millennium has not been established.

=== Delta Defiant prototype ===

In 1997, Bob Long began publicly demonstrating a new mechanical semi-automatic marker known as the '''Delta Defiant'''.

The design was intended as an alternative development of the pneumatic recocking system used by the Autococker.

Unlike a conventional Autococker, which used a pneumatic ram mounted outside the receiver, the Delta Defiant incorporated an internal ram and bolt assembly.[7]

[[VintageRex]] describes the prototype as using two separate two-way valves mounted near the trigger frame instead of a conventional four-way control valve.

Its pneumatic ram and bolt were connected to the hammer through a vertical linkage.

The design also incorporated a low-pressure regulator positioned beneath the front of the receiver.[7]

Contemporary coverage of the 1997 Pittsburgh NPPL tournament included footage of Bob Long demonstrating the original Delta Defiant.[3]

=== Development during 1998 ===

At the June 1998 [[NPPL]] tournament in Chicago, [[WARPIG]] reported that Long was testing what was described as the final prototype of the Delta Defiant.

The revised design incorporated an internal pneumatic ram and a vertical connecting pin between the bolt and hammer.

WARPIG documented an operating pressure of approximately 160 psi and described the internal valve system as using a spiral gas-flow arrangement intended to reduce turbulence.[8]

Long expected production markers to become available later that year.

However, the original mechanical Defiant design did not enter commercial production.

VintageRex records that the project was abandoned in favour of a modified [[Indian Creek Designs Bushmaster 2000]] platform.[7]

=== Production Defiant ===

By February 1999, Bob Long was using an electronic '''Delta Defiant''' based on the Bushmaster 2000.

WARPIG's contemporary coverage of [[Skyball 1999]] described the Defiant as a higher-end version of the Bushmaster, incorporating different receiver machining and decorative anodising.[9]

The production Defiant used electronic control and an electropneumatic operating system rather than the mechanical pneumatic arrangement of the earlier prototype.

It was manufactured in association with [[Indian Creek Designs]] and included modifications such as Autococker-compatible barrel threading.

The production Defiant was used by Long during professional tournament competition in 1999.[9][10]

=== Intimidator ===

Long subsequently developed the '''Intimidator''' electronic marker platform.

The original Intimidator used a stacked-tube electropneumatic operating system and became the foundation of several later Bob Long marker families.

Although VintageRex lists the Intimidator under the Delta Archery manufacturer heading, the Intimidator is primarily associated with Long's later paintball equipment business.

The VintageRex entry is dated 2005, but contemporary WARPIG coverage confirms that Intimidator models were commercially available before that year.

At the October 2002 Paintball World Cup, National Paintball Supply exhibited Bob Long Intimidators, including the Ironmen and Ground Zero editions of the 2003 product range.[11]

The Intimidator's development and subsequent generations are covered separately under [[Bob Long Intimidator]].