Hidden the inside back page of the 1997 World Cup program (published by Paintball Sports International), is a column taking up about a third of the page. This column advertises pneuVenture’s (PVI’s) new marker, the Cyber 9000 and explains that PVI had recently parted ways with their distributor for the PVI Shocker, Smart Parts.
The PVI Shocker, displayed a year before at the 1996 World Cup, was originally designed and manufactured by Pneuventures and distributed by Smart Parts. But in 1997, PVI and Smart Parts split ways, and Smart Parts went on to develop the Shocker Sport and PVI continued with the Warrior/Cyber 9000.
In coverage of the 1996 World Cup Vendors, Dawn Mills, of Warpig.com, writes the following:
“Smart Parts continues to show off their marker, the Shocker. This electro-pneumatic paintgun operates at the low pressures they say are needed for the ultimate in accuracy. Smart Parts also held a number of technical seminars to teach participants about proper Shocker maintenance. The Shocker runs on such low pressure that according to Smart Parts’ Bill Gardner, there is no reason to use nitrogen over CO2.”
Find that write up at:
http://www.warpig.com/paintball/tournament/wc96/vendor.shtml#shocker
PVI also had a booth at the 1997 World Cup with PVI representative, Mary Ellen Mest, displaying the Cyber 9000.
In this post, on pbnation, user Precision-Capt writes that Mary Ellen was actually the owner of PVI. I’m not sure if this is accurate or not.
“Kinda a funny story over the original shocker, or the PVI shocker. The first shocker was made out of a company called Pnuventures. They were based just outside of Buffalo, NY in West Seneca. The original shop was probably like 30ftX50ft kind of small but it did what they needed it to. The owner Mary Ellen was really nice, i had a problem with my shocker one time, so i drove down there and they took care of it. No problems, no questions, no charge.”
Precision-Capt goes on to explain the Cyber 9K’s operation and the split between PVI and Smart Parts:
“Right around when Smart Parts came out with the Shocker 4X4, PVI was about to release they’re “Cyber-9000”, The first paintball gun on the market to have LCD on it. Had a game timer, shot counter and a few other things, cant remember it all. The fire selector was a function of the LCD, you could set it to shoot in bursts from like 1-200 or something. Or full Auto, making it first working Full Auto. I only remember seeing one of them. The Cyber had a pocket chrono that hooked up to the gun, showing the reading on the back LCD. Not only that, but i remember my PVI shocker had a port on it for a remote firing switch. The idea behind that one was so that someone in a wheel chair could operate the gun if they wanted with a switch. And all of this happened some time around 1997-1998, Right around the time the first angel came into production, and all the NPPL teams were having them go down on the field. Can’t remember the exact count, but there were under 20 cyber 9000’s produced. “
Find Precision-Capt’s post on pbnation at:
http://www.pbnation.com/showthread.php?t=278201&page=5
More info on the Cyber 9000 in future articles. Find other articles on the Cyber 9K and PVI at:
https://paintballhistory.com/tag/pneuventures/
