Paint - Where Custom Still Means Something

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Where Custom Still Means Something

Published Jan 1996
An article by Anthony "Stealth" Surie

During our trip to the United States in September 1995, it was with great pleasure that we met with Glenn Palmer at his workshop in Sacramento, home of the "Typhoon", "Stroker" and "Hurricane" semi-automatics and the legendary "Rock Regulator".

After spending a few hours with Glenn and his staff, we asked him to answer some questions which we thought Australian paintballers would be interested in. We hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did conducting it.

Anthony:
How did you get into Paintball?

Glenn:
One day, when my son and I were coming home from a fishing trip, I spotted a sign along the road telling of the "Survival Game". I stopped in to see just what it was all about and decided then that this was something I wanted to do. I was mistakenly told (by a couple of the players) to get a team together and come on out.

Well, it was about 6 months before I happened on a group that was getting it together to go out to play and I asked if I could join in. If I had known that I could just "walk on" I would have been there the following weekend.

Anthony:
When did you have your first game?

Glenn:
My first game of Paintball was in the Fall of 1984.

Anthony:
Who or what started Palmer's Pursuit Shop?

Glenn:
As a third generation gunsmith, it was just sort of natural for me to improve on the equipment I was using and as I became able to outshoot most everyone else on the field, people would ask me if I could make their guns shoot as well as mine did. Since they were willing to pay me for my work, I was willing to do the work for them.

Palmer's Pursuit Shop didn't really become a business, though, until after I invented the first 12 gram quick changer, that I called QuikSilver. I developed the quick changer in August 1987 and it went on the market in January 1988. I began the filing process for a patent on QuikSilver and placed a small advertisement in the then new magazine "Action Pursuit Games". It was a small, one twelfth page advertisement that read "Attention: Sheridan Owners!! Change your CO2 cartridge in as little as 3 seconds with the QuikSilver quick change. For further information call ..."

Well, I got nearly 1,500 phone calls in the first three weeks and I quit my job of managing an overhead door company (residential and commercial garage doors), got a business licence and went to work. The guns had to be machined to accept the quick change and as the guns came in to be modified, I was often asked what else I could do for the gun. It just grew from there.

Anthony:
Was your first prototype a success?

Glenn:
My first prototype of a semi was definitely a success and I still use that same gun for most of my local play. "Camille" was my first semi and it has never let me down.

Anthony:
What does Paintball mean to you?

Glenn:
Competition, friends and lots of fun.

Anthony:
What prototypes and new products does Palmer's Pursuit Shop have in the future (subject to the secret file marked "your eyes only")?

Glenn:
We are still working on the "Blazer" and it should be ready for the market by mid-1996.

Anthony:
Do you think anything else can be done to improve your, or anybody else's, semi-auto paintball marker's speed, gas stability, etc, etc?

Glenn:
How does one measure the concept of "better"? Better is like beauty being in the eye of the beholder - it is purely subjective. We do paintguns so as to allow the player to have it the way they want it and be comfortable with and confident in whatever it is they are using.

There is much that can be done to most production paintguns to improve on their effectiveness. It is mostly a matter of taking care of the little things that most manufacturers don't or won't do - the detailing and fine tuning that takes more time, effort and patience than most manufacturers are willing to invest. That is what this shop is all about. Most of our work is based on the concept of making the most out of the equipment that is available.

We have a saying here that is very appropriate - "We build the best and finish the rest". We save people a lot of money by bringing the equipment that they already have up to competitive standards, instead of selling them something new or different.

Anthony:
Do you think you will be back to Australia for a visit?

Glenn:
Definitely!!! But, who knows when that will be? The last time I was there was only for 8 days and that simply was not enough time to see Australia the way it should be seen. I want to spend a month the next time I travel "Down Under". You live in a wondrous land!

Anthony:
How is America's Paintball scene at present?

Glenn:
American Paintball is very much alive and well. Paintball is here to stay!! The game is getting faster and faster, making it tougher and tougher for us older folks.

I'd like to thank Glenn Palmer for his time and enthusiasm in answering the above questions. It's great to hear that he wears his VPPA t-shirt often.

If you'd like to contact Glenn Palmer via the Internet, his e-mailing address is wesplat@cris.com. I'm sure he'd like to hear from our Australian Paintballers! Also, the VPPA is now contactable via the Internet. Our e-mailing address is vppa@burwood.starway.net.au. We'd be pleased to hear from anybody who has or needs information on Paintball or membership of the Victorian Paintball Players Association (VPPA). (The VPPA Has Closed - Ed.)