| Yes, the venerable Autococker. In the world of | | | | weren't of extremely high quality, leading them to |
| paintball, few other guns have the same level of | | | | be replaced by aftermarket pieces. However, all |
| legacy that the Autococker has. As a marker, it | | | | this made the Autococker amazingly popular with |
| has spanned all eras of paintball history. Starting | | | | tinkers, who took the gun as a platform for their |
| out as a pump gun in the form of the Sniper, and | | | | own custom creations. |
| evolving all the way up to a a high end, | | | | It was the aftermarket that really helped the |
| tournament grade gun with todays high precision | | | | Autococker take off. After a few modifications |
| electronic versions. In this article, I will outline the | | | | were made, the Autococker became a fast, |
| basic steps on how this transformation occurred, | | | | accurate, and decently reliable paintball gun. |
| and how it has changed the game of paintball. | | | | This helped it pick up momentum among paintball |
| In the beginning, there were pump guns. One of | | | | enthusiasts. Worr Games noted this popularity, |
| the most well respect of these pump guns was | | | | and quickly began to improve the quality of the |
| Bud Orr's Sniper. With it solid, robust design, the | | | | stock Autococker, which helped boost the guns |
| Sniper proved to be a force to be reckoned with. | | | | popularity among recreational players. The |
| Even in the pump gun days, the Sniper developed | | | | Autococker had secured its niche in the paintball |
| a reputation for accuracy and reliability. | | | | world. |
| Of course, the era of pump guns didn't last | | | | However, things were changing in the paintball |
| forever. With the advent of semi automatic | | | | world. With guns such as the Angel, it became |
| paintball guns such as the VM-68 and the | | | | clear that electronic markers offered a serious |
| Automag, it was clear that the days of pump | | | | speed advantage to serious players. The |
| guns in the mainstream of paintball were | | | | Autococker was slow in comparison, and began |
| numbered. Bud Orr, ever inventive, set to | | | | to loose ground among professional players. Of |
| tinkering. Since he already had a solid design with | | | | course, the tinkers weren't unauware of this |
| his Sniper, he set out to convert the design to a | | | | problem, and began to create electronic triggering |
| semi automatic. | | | | systems for the Autococker. At first, these |
| To accomplish this, Orr devised an ingenious | | | | systems were plagued by ball chopping problems, |
| pneumatic system that would automatically | | | | but with the advent of electronic anti chop eyes |
| actuate the pump on the Sniper when the trigger | | | | and high speed loader systems, these problems |
| was pulled. It was this system that gives the | | | | were quickly solved. Electronic Autocockers |
| Autococker its name, as it is simply an | | | | became a common site in the professional circuit. |
| automatically pumped pump gun. Orr refined his | | | | As time went on, simpler electronic markers |
| design, and put it into production. | | | | began to dominate in many areas. However, the |
| When the Autococker was first released, it | | | | Autococker is still used by many who enjoy its |
| quickly developed a reputation for being unreliable. | | | | unique feel, sound, and limitless configurability. It |
| This was due mainly to the complexity of the | | | | should be interesting to see what the future holds |
| pneumatic system, which required a skill mechanic | | | | for this venerable marker. |
| to set up properly. Also, many of the stock parts | | | | |