During this past SPEW (Spring Pump Event West), at the end of March 2015, I got to check out a couple of Palmer’s Pursuit Shops new Lance open class (and stock class) pump builds that Craig Palmer has been putting together.
I’ve been shooting PPS’ paintguns as some of my main stock class pumps, open class pumps and semis for the last ten years, and I’m excited to see the changes that Palmer’s has incorporated into this series.
Aside from a lot of custom creations, Palmer’s last major release was the Pyre pump (pictured above), which uses Blazer body extrusion but has had the Blazer’s low pressure regulator (Rock) replaced with an internal high pressure regulator (Stabilizer) to eliminated the need for an inline reg.
The Pyre, like the Blazer, uses a 45 Blazer frame, Blazer barrels, and an adapted Blazer pump kit, all of which are (mostly) proprietary to Palmer’s guns.
But Craig is building the Lance around a more open and “universal design,” with the lower tube/chassis as the heart. He writes, “Basically what makes a Lance is the lower tube. Everything else is optional.” The removable barrel is also optional, as he points out since, “Some of the Lances are fixed barrel.”
In a post on mcb on the introduction of the Lance platform, Craig writes:
“Since we can no longer get the proper Sheridan frames, we are converting over to Blazer frame spacing. (Pgp, mag, cocker).”
Find that post at:
http://www.mcarterbrown.com/forums/palmer-pursuit-shop/253462-new-pps-gun-palmer-lance.html
By this, I believe Craig is referring to the spacing used on Typhoons which have had the front of the frame drilled out for the different valve spacing.
So with the Lance, the owner can use, not only their Sniper 2 / Autococker grip frame, but also their Autococker barrels (if they choose removable barrel as an option) and Sniper pump kits rather than Pyre or Sheridan pump kits, grip frames and barrel that are proprietary to Palmer’s (or sheridan guns).
This opens up so many options for different set ups. Craig even suggests in his post on mcarterbrown that an Autococker front end can go on the Lance:
“You will even be able to install cocker front end, or put a rock in the front and use Typhoon pneumatics. I tried to make the gun as universal as possible.”
Craig wrote to me that:
“A customer ordered an auto Lance. So we should get to see one in about 6 months.”
The lower tube in the Lance uses Palmer’s Pyre and Blazers valves but with a longer RVA Sheridan spring and standard Palmer’s RVA. Craig writes that “The lower tube is brass with no valve body soldered in. Due to the way its built. I should be able to make it out of aluminum or stainless.”
From the three Lances at SPEW, Luke’s Stock Class, Mitch’s pictured Vert Feed, and Lee’s right feed, I get the impression that the Lance will mostly be a built to order custom guns. With parts on hands to set one up, but very few in stock to order.
Craig explains on mcb: “I plan to make a bunch of lowers then a batch of blank uppers that we can turn into just about anything. IE ‘Cocker, Angel, a5, Blazer, BBT, Sterling, Tippmann, and any [threads] I left out.”
The vert feed Lance in the video above, which belongs to Mitch “Dack Maddy” Gainer, is totally decked out and I didn’t even want to ask what he spent, but Craig gives a rough estimate on price on mcb and writes:
“If we supply all the parts, expect to pay around 1k with shipping and the full list of options. Since we are a custom shop, duplicate guns are rare. Thus the price can vary. If you supply the frame, pump kit, and neck, the price is reduced considerably.”
Craig also goes on to explain price breakdown in more detail in this post on mcb:
http://www.mcarterbrown.com/forums/2929068-post17.html
And later in the thread he explains where each part comes from:
“Specs of a true hybrid marker.
Blazer Valve
Lance aluminum cartridge valve body
Typhoon Bolt
Lengthened PGP Hammer
Cocker Sear Lug , barrel threads and air passages
PGP/cocker/mag frame spacing
KP rifle hammer spring
Typhoon RVA.”
Find Palmer’s on facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/PalmersPursuitShop
Join the Palmer’s group on facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/PalmersPursuitShop/
And Palmer’s online at:
http://co2reg.com/
