Pistol Black Hawk / Black Bird
In April 2006, the Real Action Paintball (RAP4) website announced a new pistol called the Black Bird. However, the image URL contained the file name blackhawk_pistol-j.webp
The photo above shows two identical products with the same logos. Only the signatures under them differ. Perhaps the manufacturer initially decided to diversify brands: "Hawk" for law enforcement, and "Bird" - for paintball. However, on the RAP4 website, it was Black Bird that was called the Tactical Paintball Pistol. The pistol was positioned for MilSim (Military Simulations) and law enforcement. The Black Bird was reported to be a version of the Tiberius Arms Tac8 marker. It is believed that the FN 303-P from FN Herstal was developed on the basis of the Black Bird model.
In the announcement, it was emphasized that the Black Bird has increased power, which is necessary in non-lethal systems. A maximum speed of more than 350 feet per second (about 105 m / s or 385 km / h) was declared.
The manufacturer stated that stainless steel, polyurethane and aircraft-grade aluminum were used in the manufacture of the gun to ensure maximum durability under severe operating conditions. I note, on the forums they wrote: for the base model (Tiberius T8), the trigger is made of ordinary metal, which is prone to corrosion. Perhaps the Black Bird had it made of better quality metal.
The author believes that the characteristics of the Black Bird were not much different from the Tiberius Arms Tac8. Is that the speed of the balloon was increased from 300 to 350 feet per second (from 90 to 105 m / s). There is information that the Tac8 with its "native" barrel showed very average results in range and accuracy. Perhaps the Black Bird got a better barrel as well. For example, from Lapco Paintball.
New type of paintball ammunition
As you may recall, Perfect Circle Paintballs was recognized as the leader and pioneer in the design and manufacture of paintball balls. The one that was the first to switch to the production of more accurate plastic balls instead of gelatinous ones. And the one that developed non-lethal polystyrene bismuth projectiles for the FN 303. But the company didn't stop there.
In 2009, visitors to the international exhibition Paintball Extravaganza could visit the Tiberius Arms stand. Gary Gibson, owner of Perfect Circle, was also at the booth. There he presented fundamentally new projectiles of the First Strike trademark with increased characteristics. It was announced that they would be produced by Perfect Circle Paintball and sold by Tiberius Arms.
The shell in the form of a hemisphere, which ended with a stabilizer in the form of a skirt, resembled a badminton shuttlecock. It also closely resembled the non-lethal projectiles for the FN 303.
To avoid injury, the weight of the more accurate paintball projectile has been reduced to 2.55 grams. (versus 8, 5 gr. for FN 303), since there was no bismuth in it. Instead, paints were used as filler. In addition, the cabinet walls were thinner and made of softer polystyrene. As a result, when hit, the projectile deformed faster and did not produce fragments. The Tiberius Arms shells left the marker barrel at a speed of about 90 m / s, but due to their low weight, they did not penetrate the ballistic gelatin even from a distance of 1.5-2 meters.
Starting in 2009, Tiberius Arms markers were able to fire both traditional balls and a new type (shuttlecocks). When using First Strike shells, you need to replace the feeder spring in the magazine with a harder one (red). And for shooting with traditional balls, the base (silver) spring from the kit is recommended, otherwise the stiffer spring can deform the gelatin balls.
New versions of Tiberius markers
In the fall of the same 2009, Tiberius Arms announced new versions of its markers. They received the designations T8.1 and T9.1. The updated models received more durable hulls and metal sights.
The changes also affected the store. It was lightened as much as possible and the mechanism for pricking the can was improved. For this, the bolt for the polyhedron was replaced with a bolt with a folding eyelet head. Now a tool was not required to "puncture" the balloon: he lifted the lug - tightened the screw - fixed the balloon and at the same time pricked it. When folded, the lugs were flush with the heel of the store.
Only one Russian-language source reported that the main changes were in the bolt and ball-detent (keeps the ball from accidentally hitting the barrel). It was noted that in the markers of the 1st version, these parts were made of aluminum. They were quite reliable, but at the same time very demanding on the quality of the balls. It was said that sometimes the metal parts of the marker literally cut open the inexpensive "rolling" balls of gelatin. To ensure omnivorousness, the metal spring-loaded ball-detector was replaced with a rubber "tongue" (Rubber Nubbin). And for better tightness, the shutter (piston) was equipped with rubber O-rings. Comparing the photo of the old and the new shutter, you can make sure that its design has also undergone changes. Perhaps the entire bolt group (see photo below).
As a result, the T8.1 and T9.1 markers work well with all balls, but not for long. The point is that when fired, the working gas (CO2) strongly “froze” the marker parts. Under the influence of low temperatures, rubber parts quickly lost elasticity and collapsed. So, with a blank shot, the bolt allegedly "chopped" the rubber ball-detents, and the bolt o-rings wore out after only 100 shots. The source also reported that consumers did not have the opportunity to buy small components (for example, the same O-rings), as the manufacturer did not take care of this.
The author was unable to find photographs of a metal ball-detector. Perhaps they were actually produced. Also, the author could not find confirmation of the words about the rapid failure of rubber seals and ball-detectors, as well as a shortage of components. It is doubtful that with the poor quality of the products, the manufacturer managed to successfully compete in the market for 8 years. Perhaps the quality of parts and service left much to be desired only at the very beginning of sales of the updated versions of the T8.1 and T9.1 markers. Below is a photo of modern details.
Veritas Tactical VT-P8
The VT-P8 was announced on September 24, 2007 at the specialized security exhibition ASIS (Las Vegas, USA). The manufacturer positioned its "less lethal" pistol as a special tool for law enforcement officers and security companies. It was the same Tiberius Arms 8-round T8 marker, but with an orange shroud. It was only produced for Veritas Tactical, which was part of the Security With Advanced Technology (SWAT) group.
Veritas Tactical offered several types of ammunition (balls) under its trademark:
Irritant: with pepper (Live PAVA rounds).
Gel (Clear gel rounds).
For breaking glass (Glass breaker rounds).
Inert rounds.
Rubber (Rubber rounds).
Indelible ink rounds.
Powder training rounds.
On June 16, 2008, financial portal ADVFN reported that Veritas Tactical had received a purchase order from the Denver City Police Department. The order included non-lethal launchers, ammunition and accessories. It was announced that the first delivery will include 88 MK-IV units (imitation M4 carbine) and about 20 compact VT-P8s. The total number of items to be shipped is expressed in 6-digit numbers. It was also reported that the merger of the parent company SWAT with rival PepperBall was launched.
SWAT-C8 pistol for the civilian market
On October 5, 2007, SWAT recalled that it continues to develop the Avurt IM-5 non-lethal system for the civilian market. And so that consumers do not languish in anticipation - announced a new product SWAT-C8, designed and manufactured by Tiberius Arms. As ammunition, the system used pepper extract balls (PAVA), which leave the barrel at a speed of more than 400 feet per second (about 122 m / s). Strange, but this figure is the same in all sources.
As you can see, the picture shows the same T8 marker, only with a different logo. SWAT President Scott Sutton acknowledged that Tiberius Arms has developed the best solution for them, and it is available today. The SWAT-C8 pistol was offered in blue or orange for $ 399.99. Note that the Avurt IM-5 (very futuristic look) was never finished.
Since there are very few references to the SWAT-C8 pistol on the Internet, the author concludes that very few of them were sold. SWAT has attempted to sell its C8 overseas as well. So, on November 1, 2007 (a month after the announcement of the civilian version), the media published a note that the South African police were interested in the C8 pistol, and they began testing the product there. No other news came from South Africa.
About a year later, Bloomberg reported on September 19, 2008 that PepperBall Technologies had acquired Security With Advanced Technology (SWAT) in a reverse takeover deal. Thus, all property and client bases of both SWAT and subsidiaries were transferred to their direct competitors.
PepperBall TMP
Following the merger, PepperBall offered the TMP pistol to the market, which was also virtually a copy of Tiberius Arms' T8. Externally, the product differed only in the shape of the muzzle. This was because a Split Shot muzzle was developed for the TMP.
For effective use of the muzzle attachment, the pistol should be equipped with balls filled with irritants. When fired, the ball passes through the splitter and collapses. As a result, an irritating substance flies out of the trunk, which forms a cloud, effective at a distance of 1.5-2 meters. That is, the effect is comparable to a shot from a gas pistol, with all the ensuing advantages and disadvantages.
PepperBall VKS
The author was unable to find data confirming the sale of large quantities of PepperBall TMP pistols. But on the manufacturer's website on June 13, 2018, the news was published that the US Army signed a contract with PepperBall for the supply of VKS carbines (almost identical with the T4 from Tiberius Arms and MK-IV from Veritas Tactical). The contract amount was $ 650 thousand. All PepperBall VKS carbines were designed to equip the US Armed Forces in Afghanistan (USFOR-A). In the civilian market, the unit cost ranges from $ 600 to $ 1000 depending on the configuration. Considering that the contract contained ammunition, spare parts, and so on, the army received about 500 non-lethal carbines.
The author found information about several legal proceedings in which almost all the companies mentioned in the article were involved. Lawsuits, counterclaims, violations of the rights of the patent owner - all this is of interest primarily to lawyers.
At the time of publication, the following situation developed: when you try to enter the Tiberius Arms website, you are redirected to the First Strike website. And on the sites First Strike and PepperBall, in the Privacy Policy, the same company, United Tactical Systems (UTS) LLC, is indicated. Bloggers believe that the merger could have happened in 2015-16. They write that at the beginning of 2018, PepperBall and First Strike had the same legal address. The merger stemmed from PepperBall's inability to repay loans. As a result, First Strike solved the competitor's financial problems and gained control over it. Prior to updating the marker line, both companies offered the same products: T8.1 and T9.1 pistols, T4 and T15 carbines, and modifications to the M98 marker. The fact is that PepperBall sold Tippmann products under its trademark for some time.
In summary, I would like to inform you that since September 15, 2016, United Tactical Systems (UTS) LLC, as well as its subsidiaries and independent businesses, have been offering products and services under the following brands: First Strike, PepperBall, Tiberius Arms, and Guerilla Air.
Understanding the intricacies of the relationships between these manufacturers - the author was convinced that the situation in the paintball industry is the same as in other industries. For example, in the pharmaceutical or automotive industry. The same analogue of Aspirin is produced by many companies, but under different names. Or the Logan car, which is produced by Renault and Dacia.
Zarc International
In the late 1980s, the FBI took an interest in capsaicin-based pepper sprays. Therefore, in the period from 1989 to 1991, the "office" conducted research on the effectiveness of this special means. FBI Special Agent Thomas Ward was appointed in charge. Research results have demonstrated the effectiveness of CAP-STUN pepper sprays, and the product has been recommended for use in the police, army and special services. By the way, many manufacturers to this day refer to the results of research carried out 30 years ago. And soon, multimillion-dollar contracts were signed for the supply of "gas cartridges" to operators.
However, in 1996, a scandal erupted. The head of the research department, FBI special agent Thomas Ward, was accused of bribery. At the trial, the accused admitted that for 2 years (1989-1990) his wife's firm regularly received amounts of about $ 5 thousand as a “kickback”. The total amount of the bribe was $ 57.5 thousand. The bribes were transferred in order to increase the effectiveness of CAP-STUN on paper. This product was manufactured by Luckey Police Products of Luckey, Ohio. According to The New York Times, the company was based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The company may have grown and moved to Florida. By the way, the perpetrator received a very symbolic term of several months in prison.
Immediately after the end of research (1991), Zarc International (Minonk, Illinois) acquired all rights to CAP-STUN from Luckey Police Products. It is alleged that the buyer was not involved in the bribe story. However, the American Firearm Directory states that CAP-STUN pepper spray was developed in 1982 by Zarc International.
Zarc also manufactures pepper sprays and irritant balloons under the VEXOR brand. It is noteworthy that the balls contain an irritant in liquid form. The manufacturer says its hot cayenne pepper balls "will make even the Devil think twice about whether to commit an offense." Over time, Zarc decided to sell their ammunition complete with launchers. So, in 2010 at the SHOT Show, Zarc demonstrated a pistol with a ball feeder and an external cylinder, which served as a butt. Take a closer look at the photo and make sure it's a Tiberius Arms T9.1 marker with a VEXOR sticker.
A year later, the company offered the SHOT Show visitors the same marker, but with a full-fledged stock with a built-in cylinder.
The author was unable to find data on the sale of Tiberius Arms markers under the VEXOR trademark. But at the time of publication, the manufacturer offers a VEXOR VM-LE900 pistol on its website, which is actually a Tippmann LE-900 marker. And to completely confuse the reader, I inform you: PepperBall offers an almost identical product under the TAC 700 brand.
First Strike FSC Paintball Marker
The FSC (First Strike Compact) pistol is an even more compact paintball marker than the T8. The author, by his own initiative, classifies FSC as a subcompact, since its dimensions and weight are much less than that of the previous model. The standard FSC magazine holds 6 shells and a more compact 8 gram CO2 canister. However, the design of the marker allows the use of magazines from the older T8 model for 8 rounds with 12-gram cartridges. The manufacturer's website lists a price of $ 299.99 for the basic kit.
PepperBall TCP Pistol for Law Enforcement
PepperBall offers the TCP model, which stands for Tactical Compact Pistol. The main performance characteristics of the First Strike marker and the PepperBall pistol are identical.
The principal difference is the type of ammunition used. First Strike FSC is a civilian paintball version, therefore it is powered by paintball balls and lightweight bismuth-free shuttlecocks. PepperBall TCP is a non-lethal weapon for law enforcement. He can shoot the same balls and shuttlecocks for the civilian market. But for its intended purpose, it uses special ammunition: both spheres and stabilized shells. PepperBall currently offers 9 types of balls and 7 types of stabilized projectiles. Among them are educational, coloring, glass breaking, with irritants, etc. These ammunitions are not much different from those offered by Fabrique Nationale, so we will skip a detailed description. In principle, any civilian paintball marker can use non-lethal police ammunition. The question is where to get them.
Perhaps the PepperBall TCP has a better barrel. It is also possible that the trigger is made of stainless steel. And most likely, the projectile departure speed is higher. And outwardly, the differences, as you can see, are minimal.
Epilogue
With the material about the FN 303-P pistol, I planned to end the series about non-lethal systems offered by FN Herstal. However, during my work, I discovered models of other brands that, in my opinion, are directly related to today's topic. I decided to include third party models in the article. The result is a review article to broaden your horizons. No matter how hard I tried to do without digressions this time, I again failed. Apparently, the author's style of the writer Dmitry Cherkasov (about the biologist Rokotov) made a strong impression on me, and I'm trying to imitate him. Hopefully not too bad.
The author thanks for the advice:
Bongo (Sergey Linnik).
