Bob Long Technologies

Bob Long Technologies (BLAST) was an American paintball equipment manufacturer founded by professional player and equipment designer Bob Long. Based in California, the company specialised in high-performance electronic paintball markers for professional and amateur tournament competition.[1][2]

The company's best-known products included the Bob Long Intimidator, Marq, Victory, Bob Long G6R, Insight and Onslaught. It also developed custom mechanical markers and the MVP pump-action marker.[3]

In late 2016, the company's assets and designs were acquired by Field One Paintball, a new business established by members of San Diego Dynasty and team manager Eric Crandall.[2][4]

History

Origins

Bob Long entered the paintball equipment industry during the 1990s, developing custom markers and aftermarket components.

His early work included modified Autococker markers, barrels, bolts, regulators and upgrades for Spyder markers.

Long also developed the Millennium, a customised mechanical semiautomatic marker based on the Spyder platform.[5]

These products established his equipment business before the introduction of the company's electronic tournament markers.

Defiant

In 1999, Long was associated with the development and marketing of the Bob Long Defiant, an electronic paintball marker manufactured in collaboration with Indian Creek Design (ICD).

The Defiant was derived from the ICD Bushmaster 2000 platform and incorporated modifications associated with Long's equipment business.

The original manufacturer's manual, copyrighted in 1999, identified both Long and Indian Creek Design in its manufacturing and intellectual property documentation.[6]

The Defiant preceded the development of the Intimidator.

Intimidator

In 2000, Bob Long Technologies introduced the original Bob Long Intimidator, commonly nicknamed the Timmy.

The Intimidator was an electronically controlled, pneumatically operated marker designed for competitive paintball.

Its operating system used a pneumatic ram and poppet valve, replacing the mechanically operated striker used by conventional stacked-tube blowback markers.

The marker incorporated electronic firing controls and an infrared break-beam system designed to detect paintballs in the breech.[7]

The Intimidator became the company's principal product during the early 2000s.

In 2001, the company introduced the Ground Zero Intimidator, incorporating a revised grip frame, electronics and regulator.

Additional versions followed during 2002, including the Dragon and Ripper.

The range subsequently expanded to include the Alias, Empire, Vice and Protege models.[8]

Contemporary reporting from the 2002 Paintball World Cup documented the launch of new Intimidator models through National Paintball Supply.[9]

The Intimidator became an established platform in professional tournament paintball and remained in production through several generations.

Later marker development

During the second half of the 2000s, Bob Long Technologies introduced additional marker platforms.

The Marq series incorporated an inline firing-engine design, differing from the traditional stacked-tube arrangement of the Intimidator.

The Marq Victory, introduced in 2009, continued the development of the inline poppet-valve platform.

In 2010, the company introduced the G6R, a sixth-generation Intimidator incorporating a redesigned stacked-tube mechanism and internal gas-routing system.[10]

During the early 2010s, the company expanded its range with the Insight, Onslaught and additional Victory variants.

These products incorporated revised firing engines, electronics and marker construction.

The company also introduced the MVP, a mechanical pump-action marker derived from elements of the Marq Victory platform.[3]

Company structure

Bob Long Technologies also operated under the name BLAST.

United States federal court records from October 2007 identify the company as Bob Long Adrenaline Sports Technology.

The court identified Robert M. Long as the company's founder, president and sole shareholder.

The same proceedings documented an established distribution relationship between BLAST and National Paintball Supply, which supplied Bob Long markers through its wholesale network.[1]

A separate Michigan Court of Appeals decision from December 2010 identified BLAST, Inc. as a corporation also known as Bob Long Technologies.[11]

These records establish BLAST as a separate business from National Paintball Supply and its successor, KEE Action Sports.

Acquisition by Field One Paintball

In late 2016, a group associated with professional paintball team San Diego Dynasty established Field One Paintball.

The new business was founded by members of Dynasty and the team's longtime manager, Eric Crandall.

Field One acquired assets and marker designs from Bob Long Technologies.[2]

On 18 January 2017, Dynasty player Ryan Greenspan publicly announced that the team would use Field One markers during the 2017 season.

The announcement confirmed the acquisition of Bob Long Technologies and stated that Field One intended to continue manufacturing selected existing products while collaborating with Bob Long on further designs.[4]

Field One subsequently developed its own equipment range, including the Field One Force.

The new company maintained a connection with Bob Long's engineering work but operated under separate ownership.

Products

Bob Long Technologies manufactured several major paintball marker families.

Product	Description
Millennium	Custom mechanical marker based on the Spyder platform
Bob Long Defiant	Electronic marker developed with Indian Creek Design
Bob Long Intimidator	Electropneumatic tournament marker introduced in 2000
Marq	Inline poppet-valve electronic marker platform
Victory	Development of the Marq platform with a revised removable firing engine
Bob Long G6R	Sixth-generation Intimidator using a stacked-tube poppet-valve system
Insight	Electronic tournament marker using a revised firing engine
Onslaught	Electronic tournament marker with a spool-valve operating system
MVP	Mechanical pump-action marker developed from the Marq Victory platform

The company also manufactured replacement parts, electronic control systems, barrels and other marker accessories.[3][8]

Tournament involvement

Bob Long Technologies maintained a close relationship with professional tournament paintball.

The company's markers were used by several prominent teams during the 2000s and 2010s, including teams associated with Bob Long's playing and coaching career.

Custom Intimidator editions were produced with team-associated designs, including Ground Zero, Ironmen and Naughty Dogs variants.[8][9]

The company's connection to Bob Long's Ironmen, the Assassins and Bob Long's Blast reflected the overlap between Long's competitive involvement and his equipment manufacturing activities.

The Intimidator became one of the prominent electronic marker platforms used during the transition from mechanical semiautomatic equipment to electronic tournament markers.

Legacy

Bob Long Technologies was a notable manufacturer during the development of electronic tournament paintball.

The Intimidator helped establish the use of electronically controlled poppet-valve markers in professional competition.

Later products, including the Marq, Victory and G6R, continued the company's development of alternative pneumatic operating systems.

The company's engineering work and product designs formed part of the foundation of Field One Paintball following the 2016 acquisition.

Field One maintains an archive of manuals and technical documentation for earlier Bob Long markers, although its factory service centre no longer provides servicing for those older generations.[3]

References

External links