Back in October of 2014, I talked to David Freeman of PMI, Direct Connect and T.P.I. (Tippmann Pneumatics Inc.). David mentioned he had one of the original investor packets for the U.S.A. Crossfire Equalizer.
I’m not going to post photos of the packet yet, (it’s mostly estimated production costs for each piece in 1987) but with the mentioned packet from Freeman I received a BE-90 and the BE-90 manual.
Download a pdf of the manual at:
http://www.baccipaintball.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/be-90-manual.pdf
The Equalizer was the original name for what later became known as the Blue Enterprises Corp’s BE-90. I don’t know the details on how the transition occurred and why there was a several year gap occurred between prototyping and out sourcing production but I hope to find out eventually, if I can get in touch with Brian Sullivan of ACI, Tagline and U.S.A. Crossfire. Brian is one of the two names listed on the packet.
I’d also like to eventually figure out how the BE-90 ended up being sold by Taso?
My assumption would be that by the time Blue Enterprises actually ended up with the BE-90s from China it was summer or later 1990 and Semi Automatics had just hit the scene (Tippmann’s 68 Special was released at the 1990 Bay City Open) all but eliminating demand for a limited capacity spring fed double action. And Blue Enterprises, which was based out of El Monte, California decided to just unload their inventory to Taso.
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Skimming through the bad quality, hand drawn and photocopied manual, there are a couple of interesting portions to note.
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The user’s guide clearly labels the BE-90 as the “The Paint Ball Rifle For the 90s.” And recognizes that the paintgun is being introduced in 1990.
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The person writing the manual was likely not familiar with paintball. On page 1, the manual states: “Fast and easy to use (just aim, and pull trigger) from afoot, horseback, wheeled vehicle, helicopter, or other conveyance.”
The BE-90 was made for Blue Enterprises, who, as the manual states, were the “Exclusive Agent” (or distributor?). The Manufacturer was “China State-owned Qianjun Aresen, P.R.C.”
The serial number on Freeman’s BE-90 is 90-000111 which makes me think it was the one hundred and eleventh BE-90 made in 1990.
Internal photos are also a little scare on the BE-90, but Blaise “RulesOfSines” Rienzo has been documenting his recent rebuild and has uploaded a couple informative videos, which are embedded above.
Blaise has also started a BE-90 information thread on MCB, where he has been posting additional break down photos.
Find that thread at:
http://www.mcarterbrown.com/forums/miscellaneous-markers/267523-taso-90-internals-disassembly-etc.html
Thanks to Blaise Rienzo for his recent videos on the BE-90 which I will inevitably consult when I repair Freeman’s paintgun. And thanks to David Freeman for the BE-90 and literature, and thanks to Renick Miller, for helping to get the items shipped my way.
Find Blaise’s youtube channel with other informative videos on disassembling and reassembling Brass Eagle Nightmares and Brass Sheridans at:
https://www.youtube.com/user/XanthReturns
