HomeClassic Paintball ScansThe Constable / Gatenby FN-49 .62 cal Rifle c.1987

The Constable / Gatenby FN-49 .62 cal Rifle c.1987

Here is a video I recorded in December of 2014, airing up and shooting the FN-49 .62 Cal rifle. This rifle was brought to the United States in 1987 by Steve Constable, of PSI, and given to David Freeman, of Tippmann Pneumatics, Inc. Direct Connect and PMI.
In the video I refer to this rifle as the PSI 1200, but the actual name is the FN-49, likely manufactured by Gatenby Automatic Engineering in early 1987, for Constable and his field, the Ultimate Game.  I believe the serial number, “8703266,” stamped on the live air chamber, gives an idea to the date this exact rifle was manufactured. Likely March of 1987 and it would either be the 6th gun stamped on the 26th or the 266th FN-49 paintgun produced.

FN-49 Live Chamber Magazine
FN-49 Live Air Chamber Magazine stamped with the serial number and patent number.

In this video I am filling from a 20lb co2 tank that is running low, so the FN-49 has the potential to get a lot more shots off a better fill.

This rifle was brought to the United States by Steve Constable when he traveled over from New Zealand in mid 1987 and stayed with David Freeman. At that time Constable gave this rifle to Freeman and they traveled together to Fort Wayne, Indiana to visit Tippmann Pneumatics Inc.
During this time Freeman would have been the President of Tippmann.

Fall 1987 APG Tippmann smg 60 scan
Early Tippmann SMG-60 advertisement. Scanned from the Premiere issue of Action Pursuit Games, Fall 1987. David Freeman is listed as the President of TPI.

With the help of Steve Constable, of Pursuit Supplies International and the Ultimate Game, Michael Earley, of Asylum Paintball​ in New Zealand and Ian Warren, of Gatenby Automatic Engineering, I’ve discovered a little more history on the production of the various New Zealand “live chamber” paint rifles which I’ll be posting more articles on eventually.

And Michael Earley’s start on his Paintball History timeline, on the Asylum Paintball website:
http://asylumpaintball.co.nz/paintball-history/

Carter Machine T-Shirt provided William Kapes at http://www.pacnwdesign.com/

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1 COMMENT

  1. fill with a flexible a remote will work flip the gun on ut back and open the relief plug behind the inlet fill till solid CO2 comes out…good for at least 60 shots

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