Editing TASO Paintball

'''TASO Paintball''' ('''TASO''') was an American paintball equipment manufacturer and distributor based in Southern California. Active during the late 1980s and 1990s, the company produced and marketed paintball markers, aftermarket barrels, [[Autococker]] components, pod harnesses and accessories. Its products included the Vindicator, Centurion and Lightning markers, the Signature Series Autococker and the Stone Cold barrel range.[1][2][3]

== History ==

=== Origins ===

TASO was associated with the earlier Southern California paintball business [[Adventure Game Supplies]] (AGS).

In a historical account of his early semi-automatic paintball marker development, [[Glenn Palmer]] identified David Craig and Mat Brown as partners in Adventure Game Supplies, which he described as the business that later became TASO.[1]

Palmer recalled encountering Craig's experimental pneumatically operated Sheridan marker during the late 1980s. The prototype was among the early attempts to develop a gravity-fed semi-automatic paintball marker.[1]

The precise date of TASO's establishment has not been independently confirmed.

=== Expansion during the 1990s ===

By June 1992, TASO was operating from Paramount, California. A contemporary article in ''The Paintball Trader'' identified Paul Price as the company's marketing director.

At that time, the company's product range included pod harnesses, knee protectors, an eight-tube holster, barrel plugs and accessories for stock-class paintball markers. TASO also advertised customisation services for stock-class equipment.[2]

During the early 1990s, TASO expanded its range of aftermarket components for popular semi-automatic markers, particularly the [[WGP Autococker]].

=== Signature Series Autococker ===

TASO marketed its own customised Autococker under the '''TASO Signature Series''' name.

A full-page advertisement in the January 1995 issue of ''Paintball Sports International'' featured the Signature Series Autococker alongside aftermarket barrels, bolts, regulators and other components.[3]

The pictured marker incorporated decorative body milling similar to the contemporary custom Autocockers produced by [[Carter Machine]]. Historical collector research has suggested that Carter Machine may have performed the machining, although the original manufacturing arrangement has not been conclusively established.[3]

The same advertisement documented several TASO-branded accessories, including its Power Barrel, Streamline bottom-line air adapter and components for the [[Palmer's Pursuit Shop]] Rock regulator.[3]

=== Later products ===

TASO continued marketing aftermarket equipment during the later 1990s.

The Stone Cold II barrel appeared during this period. [[Sanchez Machine]], whose founder Luis Sanchez manufactured components for TASO and other paintball companies, records developing the Stone Cold II design in 1998.[4]

TASO also supported organised tournament paintball. Contemporary [[WARPIG]] reporting lists TASO/Powerball among the sponsors of the 1998 [[Rocky Mountain Championship Series]].[5]

The exact date when TASO ceased manufacturing paintball equipment has not been established. Original products and unused replacement components remain documented in specialist paintball retailer inventories.[6]

== Products ==

=== Paintball markers ===

TASO marketed several pump-action and semi-automatic paintball markers.

Documented models included:

* '''Vindicator''' - Pump-action marker.
* '''Centurion''' - Pump-action marker listed in historical equipment records around 1990.
* '''Bloodsucker II''' - Pump marker listed in historical equipment records around 1990.
* '''Lightning''' - Semi-automatic marker introduced during the early 1990s, with a design resembling the [[F1 Illustrator]].
* '''Spartan''' - Entry-level paintball marker.
* '''Target Master''' - Paintball marker listed in historical catalogues.
* '''Typhoon''' - Pump-action marker marketed under the TASO name.
* '''Signature Series Autococker''' - Customised version of the WGP Autococker.[3][7][8]

=== Barrels ===

TASO produced and marketed aftermarket barrels for several popular paintball marker platforms.

Documented barrel products included:

* '''Power Barrel''' - Barrel advertised in the company's January 1995 product range.
* '''Stone Cold''' - Aftermarket paintball barrel.
* '''Stone Cold II''' - Later barrel design offered in configurations for markers including the Autococker and [[Automag]].[3][4][6]

=== Autococker accessories ===

TASO supplied a range of replacement and performance components for the WGP Autococker.

These included:

* Three-way pneumatic valves.
* Aftermarket bolts.
* Regulator adjustment components.
* Velocity adjustment rods.
* Pump arm components.
* Grip frames.
* Bottom-line air adapters.
* Streamline air adapters.[3][6]

The company also distributed components produced by other Southern California paintball equipment manufacturers.[3]

=== Other equipment ===

TASO's broader product range included pod harnesses, protective knee pads, stock-class accessories, marker stocks and equipment holsters.[2][6]

== References ==

# [https://palmerspursuit.com/blogs/news/camille-the-first-functional-semi-automatic-gravity-fed-paintball-gun-by-glenn-palmer Palmer's Pursuit Shop: Camille, The First Functional Semi Automatic Gravity Fed Paintball Gun, by Glenn Palmer, published 30 December 2016.]
# [https://mcarterbrown.com/pda/Paintball%20Trader/Paintball%20Trader%20June%201992.pdf The Paintball Trader: June 1992, page 18, Paul Price of TASO, contemporary company profile.]
# [https://paintballhistory.com/taso-autococker-advertisement-january-1995/ Paintball History: TASO Autococker Advertisement, January 1995 Paintball Sports International, historical advertisement reproduced 10 April 2015.]
# [https://sanchezmachine.com/ Sanchez Machine: Company history, including TASO manufacturing relationships and Stone Cold II development.]
# [https://www.warpig.com/paintball/tournament/rmcs/index.shtml WARPIG: 1998 Rocky Mountain Championship Series, tournament report and sponsor listing.]
# [https://ansgear.com/paintball-manufacturers/taso-paintball/ ANSgear: TASO Paintball, historical manufacturer catalogue and replacement components.]
# [https://www.vintagerex.com/bluebook/ VintageRex: Historical Paintball Marker Blue Book, TASO marker listings.]
# [https://paintballhistory.com/f1-illustrator/ Paintball History: F1 Illustrator archive, including TASO Lightning historical documentation.]

[[Category:Paintball equipment manufacturers]]
[[Category:Paintball marker manufacturers]]
[[Category:Defunct paintball brands]]
[[Category:American paintball companies]]