HomeClassic Paintball ScansWGP's Auto-Nelson and Line Si's Automaster

WGP’s Auto-Nelson and Line Si’s Automaster

orr_patch

Old WGP Patch scanned off Ron Kilbourne’s vest

The Automaster Nelson Auto-Cocking-Kit (c. late 1992-1994)

Nelson Auto-Nelson-Kit on VintageRex

Relevant mcarterbrown.com post by Carter Brown on PCI (Paintball Connection Inc)

You’re stuck in late 1992/early 1993 and you want a semi automatic paint gun. Up to this point you have been slinging paint with your WGP Ranger or Line SI Bushmaster and you really don’t have enough cash for that fancy autococker with the neoprene shroud to cover whatever is under there. You don’t even want to get rid of your pump to get the remaining cash you need?

orr_patch

WGP V1 Auto-Nelson Kit, left side view.

orr_patch

WGP V1 Auto-Nelson Kit, right side view.

12-1992 paintball sports

Bud Orr of WGP (left) and Ross Alexander of Line SI (right) show off the Auto-Nelson Automaster kit (december 1992 issue of Paintball Sports)

Well then just buy the Auto-Cocking-Kit from WGP and Line Si! The Dynamic Duo Does it again!

The neat thing about this ad (besides Ross Alexander’s shirt!) is that the version of WGP autonelson kit shown is not the more common V2 AutoTrracer kit but a more rare early version. This version is essentially the same but is made from a 2 pieces attached (welded together) and smoothed down and then anodized instead of one solid cast piece.

12-1992 paintball sports

Full article from the december 1992 issue of Paintball Sports

Based on the article on VintageRex it would seem this kit was made by WGP for Ross Alexander to possibly offer as a Bushmaster upgrade. The promaster was being sold in 1992 along side the Bushmaster and it would make sense Alexander would market this kit on a Bushmaster with Pneumatics as the “AutoMaster.”

The gun pictured below is mounted it on a Stainless Ranger body that didn’t get painted with a WGP barrel with some milling on the end. It also uses the early model all brass pneumatics and looks great all around.

The material taken away from the sides are also makes the kit a little more stylish. This kit came from Peter Salgado who received it along with a bunch of V2 Autotrracer kits from the WGP factory when they were closing.

auto nelson left side

V1 Auto Nelson Automaster kit left side

Here is another scan which comes from Chris Mader’s scan archive which is now hosted by Have Blue. Chris’s website is VM68.com This scan is from the November 1992 issue of APG and is another photo from the same wild shoot pictured above showing Orr and Alexander.

Bud Orr and Ross Alexander v1 auto nelsons

Orr and Alexander show off the V1 Auto nelsons (November 1992 issue of APG)

ad showing v1 auto nelson

Article from APG showing the Auto Nelson V1 as a new product

Below is an advertisment from the January 30th 1993 edition of the paintball newspaper Paintball News showing the upcoming V1 autonelson kit. Another neat bit of info on this ad is that it lists Pacific Paintball as a dealer for WGP. Pacific Paintball, later turned into KAPP.

auto nelson paintball news 1-1993 close up

Paintball News January 1993 issue showing the V1 Autonelson

auto nelson paintball news 1-1993

Paintball News January 1993 issue showing the V1 Autonelson

Here are additional pictures of the V1 kit. I received it with the current set of pneumatics on it. The V1 kit appears to a standard autococker shroud, not the same shroud as an auto trracer V2.

auto nelson v1 04 auto nelson v1 05 auto nelson v1 06
auto nelson v1 07 auto nelson v1 08

Below is a new product announcement for the later V2 Auto Trracer kit. This scan is also from Chris Mader’s archive and unfortunately I don’t have the date to post with it.

V2 auto trracer kit new product

More common V2 Auto Trracer kit ( scan courtesy of Chris Mader’s scan archive, hosted by Have Blue )

The second version, which is more commonly reffered to as WGP’s AutoTrracer, kit was tailored to be more of a drop in for Trracers/Mavericks and was produced in higher quantities and more common. The V2 kit is one solid rail and front block which takes an autococker frame bolted on with a special trigger plate which is designed to trip the Nelson hammer sear.

v2 auto trracer kit 01

v2 auto trracer kit 02

v2 auto trracer kit 03

v2 auto trracer kit 04

Written material and photographs copyright Daniel Bacci baccipaintball.com 2012. Scans copyright original owners. For permission to repost please ask. Thanks to Chris Mader for compiling the original scans (collecting, scanning not sure?) and Have Blue for archiving Chris’s collection of Scans. Thanks to Carter Brown for his curiosity about PCI and finding the paper work for the Auto Nelson.

Liked it? Take a second to support dan@paintballhistory on Patreon!

3 COMMENTS

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here