HomeHistoryJay "The Old Buzzard" Jackson and 1st gen Annihilators/Marauders

Jay “The Old Buzzard” Jackson and 1st gen Annihilators/Marauders

“In the fall of ’87, just a few months before his death, Jay’s friends at the Conquest field in Malibu, Ca. mounted a sign on the wall where Jackson would usually end up positioning himself during games.” This photo was scanned from Jessica Spark’s APG column “New from the Field,” April 1988.

While inventorying classic Action Pursuit Game magazines a few weekends back I came across an article from 1988 remembering Jay Gary “The Old Buzzard” Jackson written by Jessica Sparks.

Jay played on the early Southern California team Havok whose home field was named Tactics, originally located in Simi Valley, California (just north of Los Angles).
Other members of Havok included Dave Youngblood of Dye and Joe Comstock who was the original Havok team captain. Youngblood began his paintball career on Havok in 1986 and after Havok Joe Comstock went on to play for The Good, The Bad & the Deadly.

From the article below (APG April 1988) Jay is also mentioned as a founding member of “Who Are Those Guys?” Mercenary Service. Well know players of “Those Guys” include Jessica Sparks, Robert ‘Termite’ Smith and Jerry Yandell Sr.

Jay ”the old buzzard” jackson passed away while playing paintball in Southern California on December 13, 1987 when “Who Are Those Guys?” were scrimmaging Jay’s old team Havok.

Click above to view Jessica Spark’s article on Jay “The Old Buzzard” Jackson in a PDF format

Southern California paintballers knew The Old Buzzard for his love of the game and his desire to help players in anyway he could.

In times when health problem playing he still arrms prevented Jay froived at games ready to help, one of those ways was offering a mobile kitchen.

In an APG (June 1993) interview between Randy Kamiya and Dave Youngblood, Kamiya’s ask about night games. Youngblood mentions Jackson’s support during night games by providing his “Mobile Mess” at Tactic’s second location, the Agoura field.
“People would bring sleeping bags, tents, and coolers full of food and drinks. Jay Jackson would set up his mobile kitchen and cook. We all had a great time back then.”

Even 20 years after the above quoted interview, Randy’s immediate memory on Jay was his mobile kitchen. In a recent email Kamiya wrote the following to me about Jay:

“I remember when Jay had his first heart attack and stopped playing.

He’d still show up with the grill and try to give us heart attacks! He made some mean hot link sandwiches. “

This picture shows a group picture of the So Cal Teams “Just Us” and “Who Are Those Guys? Mercenary Service.” Photo scanned by DJ Yella (NWA) from the Unique Store in Anaheim, photographer unknown.

Jay “The Old Buzzard” Jackson is number 16. See the complete list below (compiled with the help of mcarterbrown members). If you have someone to add please post a comment or email at dan@baccipaintball.com
1. Russ Parr

2. Arabian Prince

3. Dr. Dre

4. DJ Yella

5.Steve Busick (Rebline / Southern Comfort)

6. Rob “Termite” Smith

7. Tripod

8. Mike “Iceman” Weallan

9. Jerry Yandell Jr aka JY

10. Jerry Yandell Sr aka Senior

11. John Knowles

12.Bill Matthews.

13. Rudy Pardee

14. Gary Casparo of “Los Hombres

15. Peter Miller

16. Jay “The Old Buzzard” Jackson

17.Dennis Martinez

18.David Bert

19. Earon Carter

20. Jessica Sparks

21. Rudy Pardee’s son?

The photo above was posted on mcarterbrown.com at the end of 2009 by DJ Yella (click for link to picture identification thread). Jay “The Old Buzzard” Jackson, is in the center of the bottom row (number 16), and is pictured with him team, “Who Are Those Guys? Mercenary Service” and the other So Cal team “Just Us” which comprised of members of rap group NWA.

The photograph was taken in 1986 at Steve Buzick’s Southern Comfort field in the Northern San Fernando Valley. DJ Yella and Gilbert Martinez, along with the help of several of the other MCarterbrown.com forum members worked together to identify most of the players pictured (not bad for a picture 23 years old at that time).

Luckily another mcb member, Ta2maki, had the bright idea to number the players and from that the list above was put together. If anyone has anything to add to this list please post or email and the list will be updated. Email at dan@baccipaintball.com

Update/added to article on 2013-1-24

Randy Kamiya wrote the following after looking over the above photo:
”I think 5 is Steve Busick.” and Randy goes on to write, “I’m thinking #12 is John Barber but it’s hard to tell from the picture. Jessica or Earon would know if it’s Barber or not. I’m also thinking #17 is Dennis Martinez but not sure. Just throwing some names out there.”
Bob Fowlie added that 18 was David Bert and that 10 is Jerry Yandell and 9 is Yandell Jr.
Bob also thinks 12’s name was John but it wasn’t John Barber.

After emailing Jerry Yandell he wrote back:
“Here is a start:
#7 Tripod. Called that because he walked with 1 crutch, don’t remember his real name.
#9 Jerry Yandell Jr aka JY
#10 Jerry Yandell Sr aka Senior
#11 John Knowles
#12 Bill Matthews
#14 Gary Casparo
#15 Peter Miller”

Phuong ”PK-5” Nguyen asked Earon Carter about this photo and he told Phuong that 21’s last name was Pratt.

End of update

A first generation Annihilator.Marauder built by Stan Russell and Earon Carter for Tim McMurray of Mac-1

Not as common as second generation Annihilators, these unique early sheridan based constant air guns ruled the mid 80 So Cal fields.

This super clean first MK1 Annihilator/Marauder is left feed and has a green paint finish. No quick strip slots were present on these first gen paintguns.

Jackson also worked (or at least hung out) with Earon Carter and Stan Russell at South Bay Arms. During 1986-1987 the duo were likely beginning to customizing Nelsons and Sheridans, building their first Annihilators for Tim McMurray at Mac-1 and producing their own Sheridans which Russell marketed as Marauders. Around this time Carter was probably on his way to producing his early version Carter Comp.

Jay’s presence on and off the field touched a lot of fellow paintballers, whether it was, as Jessica Sparks writes, “trying to convince [county government] officials that paintball – like tennis, hiking and horsebackriding – ought to have space on public lands,” or helping players low on fund to continue a day after supplies have run dry. “Take what you need and replace it when you can,” Sparks quotes Jay.
Earon Carter even went as far as “immortalizing” Jay by naming his dual armed nelson pump “Buzzard” after “the Old Buzzard”, and numerous mentions of Jay have popped up year after year in Action Pursuit Games magazines.

After Jay passed away in 1987 most of his paintguns went to Jessica Sparks but one Annihilator/Maurader went to a fellow Havok team member.

Jay “The Old Buzzard” Jackson’s rebuilt early Annihilator/Marauder (likely c. 1986) with Carter stickfeed.

In 2001 or 2002, a Mcarterbrown member (Sal for those who remember) posted about how he picked up a classic Sheridan Marauder/Annihilator from a member of the Southern Calfornia team Havok. He wrote how it belonged to Jay “The Buzzard” Jackson but was in run down shape and missing parts. I ended up trading Sal for Jay’s gun and received the custom Sheridan in March 2006.

Another early (c.1986?) first generation Marauder which was purchased from it’s original owner, Stanley Kowalski.

Kowalski played for Delta Forces out of S.C. Village and received this gun new from Russell when a fellow teammate quit before the build was complete.

The first generation of South Bay Arms’s Marauders and Mac-1’s Annihilators (which are virtually identical) used a unique longer than standard Centerfire Sheridan bolt which was produced by Mac-1 and South Bay Arms. When these guns were produced there was no standard Sheridan Centerfire bolt (PMI1 standard length), only Rimfire PG/PGP bolts and extra long rifle bolts. This bolt is the key to identifing these early guns from later Mac-1 MK-1 Annihilators which use the standard PMI1 length bolt.

The direct feedport on Jackson’s and other first generation Annihilator/Marauders is directly over the trigger and need to use a longer centerfire bolt (standard PMI-1 or K series bolts don’t work). Also, these early paintguns often don’t feature quickstrip slots.

Second Generation Mac-1 MK-1 Annihilators have the direct feedport behind the trigger and use a standard PMI-1 length bolt. The pictured Annihilator is using a black Cooper-T bolt. This Annihilator also uses the Mac-1 standard right side quick strip slot.

Indications of the first gen Annihilator/Marauders are:
*The feed port being farther forward than a standard sheridan (over the front of the trigger frame)
*A unique sight rail
*The direct feed comes stright out of the barrel at 45 degrees rather than slightly resting on top of it as the more standard Annihilators do.
*Longer sight rail because of the direct feed port located farther forward.

*No quick strip slot
*Usually these generation of paintguns are made from Sheridan pellet guns, or from unmarked PG bodies (top tube pgs were produced by Sheridan from 1984-1986(?))

Two second generation Mac-1 MK-1 Annihilators. Top built off a PGP base and bottom built off a PMI1 base. Both feature Mac-1 quick config dropout slots.

Second Generation Mac-1 MK-1 Annihilator (c.early 1988) with right side quick strip, right side tapped, Mac-1 bolt in standard centerfire PMI 1 length, RVA and quick config 12 gram changer.

The larger pump handle is used on my of the Second Generation Annihilators and Avengers (Mac-1 Avenger=direct feed but not rebarreled).

Being built for Jay, this particular Marauder/Annihilator was likely built in late 1986 and is distinctly different than most early first generation Mac 1/South Bay Arms Sheridans.

Jay “The Old Buzzard” Jackson’s First Generation Annihilator/Marauder

Jackson’s Annihilator/Marauder’s unique features which suggest to me it was one of the earliest sheridans that South Bay Arms built include:
*The sight rail is not as tall as other early first gen Annihilator/Marauders and heavily soldered on to the top of the body rather than just soldered underneath.
*The silver finish (not nickel but I believe a chrome plating?) is very primative looking.
*The stick feed which uses the Carter style thick ring with an thumb screw lock (made from 3/4 inch copper) is a little more crude than later styles of Mac-1 and Carter Stick feeds.
*As with the easiest Annihilator/Marauders, the feedneck is at a lower angle (closer to horizontal but also has a ring around it to add diameter which is unique to this paintgun.
*Stock is flimsy and not as tough as a standard assault line stock which many Annihilators used
*The lower tube is unmarked indicating it was likely an early PG pistol that was used for the conversion

 

Jackson’s paint gun has an early Sheridan UMB Style stock likely built by South Bay Arms and wears a chrome style finish and not the green or black paint coating common on most Annihilators and Marauders.

The feedport on Jackson’s paintgun come off at a lower angle than most with a ring around the direct feed to along a Carter Stickfeed to be used.

Jay’s gun also has “Jay” cut into both the front of the grip frame and the stock under the back grip frame screw.
When I got this paintgun it was empty internally, missing the hard to find bolt, the pump arm and pump handle but luckily came with the stock and grip handle which identified it as Jay’s Annihilator.
Over the next 3 years I found a replacement bolt for Jay’s gun and pieced it back together with appropriate parts.

Jay is cut into the front of the sheridan grip frame below the trigger.

Jay is also cut into the stock under where the back grip frame screw connects to the body. Looks like it was cut before anodizing.

 

After putting this paintgun back together in 2009 I emailed Manny Medina, who works for Earon Carter, with pictures wondering if he could ask Earon Carter about it. Manny helps Carter with sales, promoting Carter Machine products at pump gatherings and is sometimes the public face for customer support

Manny got back to me that Carter confirmed this Marauder/Annihilator belonged to Jay “The Old Buzzard” who passed away during a game in 1987 and as Manny wrote, “Earon immortalized Jay by naming his Buzzard pump” after him.

Earon also commented that an engraving of Jay’s name may have been removed from the right side of the sight rail. Some early Marauder/Annihilators did have these engravings. Shown below is another picture of Stankey Kowalski’s first generation Annihilator/Marauder which features the engraving and was made for a player on the Mid 80s team Delta Force by Stan Russell (Sight rail was engraved for another Delta Forces Player but Kowalski ended up with the gun when that player left the team before the build was completed).

A first generation Annihilator.Marauder built by Stan Russell and Earon Carter for Tim McMurray of Mac-1

Not as common as second generation Annihilators, these unique early sheridan based constant air guns ruled the mid 90 So Cal fields.

Looking at the sight rail on Jay’s Annihilator/Marauder, the silver finish, which I believe is original is still intact and the site rail is a little smaller than the engraved rail on the Delta Forces Annihilator/Marauder. Unless the finish was redone this particular sight rail was likely never engraved but who knows, maybe the right rail was replaced?

If someone did tried to remove the name from the rail I think they would likely attempt to remove it from the stock and grip frame as well.

“The Old Buzzard’s” Annihilator/Marauder sight rail. Finish is still in tact and sight rail sits slightly lower than a Kowalski’s Marauder.

Quick strip slot is cut at angle, and sight rail height is lower than normal.

Center of sight rail has a hole which is unlike other first generation Annihilators/Marauders.

After learning what a great ambassador Jay “The Buzzard” Jackson was to paintball and his dedication to help show the world the positive view on the game it makes sense that at the end of Jessica Spark’s article remembering Jackson she list Jay’s family and friends request that in his memory the reader should:
“Make it your responsibility to improve the safety of the sport, including having team members and field personnel trained in CPR and first aid; encourage the growth of paintball by helping rather than exploiting rookies, and bring a friend to play; and above all, give more to the sport and your fellow paintballers than you take.”

A Termite which soon after became marketed as the Buzzard, likely built around the time when Jessica Spark’s article remember Jay was Published (c.1988).

 
These early Termites/Buzzards were built by Robert “Termite” Smith and Earon Carter out of South Bay Arms. This beautiful gun is left feed (only one mounting point on the block) and was likely sold as a Termite because of the NW frame and Howdy Bolt.

While Jay was around the constant air custom Annihilators may have ruled the early So Cal scene but custom nelsons were there from around the same time. The “The Frank Gun,” which was originally produced by Frank Postle, was one of the earliest custom nelsons, made for the Southern California Team, the Wolf Pack. After these guns were no longer produced Robert “Termite” Smith along with Earon Carter began producing these guns and marketing them as the “Termite.” After “The Old Buzzard” passed away Bob “Termite” Smith and Earon Carter changed the name of their dual pump arm Nelson based gun to “The Buzzard” in Jay’s honor.

The “Dragoon” Buzzard, built by Earon Carter for John Roehm, a friend of Carters who played on Team America and Border Bandits (c. early 1990s).

A 1989s early or early 1990s Buzzard built for Carter Machine Shop Manager Fernando Castillo.

Today Jay’s legacy lives on through the custom Buzzards and Mini Buzzards (No Collar) that Earon Carter still creates, along with his Comps, Mini Comps, Box Guns and Ducks out of his shop in Southern California.

And while most stock class players have drooled over Carter’s beautiful cuts finishes, smooth pump stroke and excellent performance, the history of the gun they are shooting is just as interesting.

Carter Machine can be visited online at http://www.cartermachine.com

If anyone has any scans, pictures, or patches they would like to see added to this article relating to Jay Jackson, “Who are Those Guys? Mercenary Service,” Havok please email me at dan@baccipaintball.com

I can also scan or take pictures relevant physical items (such as patches) and return them.

Thanks to Manny Medina for help with getting Jay’s gun identified, Earon Carter for his ability to remember fine details of guns he worked on almost 25-30 years back, Gilbert Martinez for his infinite knowledge of players, teams and Southern California fields, “Sal” for trading me Jay’s paint gun, “DJ Yella” for letting me use his scans of the group photo above which is a very significant piece of paintball history, Ta2maki for helping to organize the names of players thrown out left and right by old timers on mcb, Adam Coker, Fernando Castillo, John Roehm and others for the guns needed to take the required pictures.

Paintball magazine articles, photos, and advertistment from APG are property of their respected owners.

Written material and photographs copyright Daniel Bacci baccipaintball.com 2012. For permission to repost please ask.

Updated on 1/24/13 with quotes from Randy Kamiya, Bob Fowlie and Jerry Yandell Sr.

 

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3 COMMENTS

  1. Great article! I bought a mk 2 annihilator from Tim Macmurray back in the summer of 89. I later bought my first carter comp from Earon in early 1990, followed by a custom carter buzzard a few months later. Sadly, I no longer own these markers or know of their status.

    These were beloved markers. Thank you for the memories. I played at many of those fields you mentioned, including the old Fields of Fire run by Jed Burns in the late 80’s and early 90’s.

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