Darkside Inc
Darkside Inc. (also styled Dark Side Inc.) was a Canadian paintball equipment manufacturer based in Mississauga, Ontario. Active by 1987, the company marketed .68-calibre pump-action paintball markers, including the Mark II, Mark IV and RAM-68 Auto Trigger.[1][2]
Darkside's early markers were distinguished by their unusual body designs, including the Mark series with integrated paintball magazines. The RAM-68 was a Nelson-based marker offered with a removable barrel, direct feed and mechanical auto-trigger.[1][3]
History
[edit]Early operations
[edit]Darkside Inc. operated from 7050-A Bramalea Road, Unit 17, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
This address and the company's telephone number, (416) 671-3056, appear in original advertisements preserved by VintageRex.[2][3]
The earliest model documented in the VintageRex catalogue is the Mark II, dated to 1987.[4]
The company's founding date, ownership and initial manufacturing arrangements have not been established.
Mark series
[edit]Darkside manufactured a series of pump-action markers commonly described by collectors as the Darkside Uzi range because of their appearance.
The markers featured an elongated body resembling a compact submachine gun, with a pistol grip and an integrated paintball magazine.
The Mark II incorporated an angled internal magazine that fed paintballs towards the firing mechanism without requiring a separate hopper.
An original manufacturer advertisement described the magazine as holding up to 38 paintballs.[2]
The later Mark IV retained the general arrangement but incorporated a slanted gravity-fed magazine described by VintageRex as holding approximately 40 paintballs.[5]
Historical equipment specialist Bacci Paintball identifies the wider range as including Mark I, II, III, IV and V models. However, detailed specifications for every generation have not been established.[6]
RAM-68 Auto Trigger
[edit]Darkside also marketed the RAM-68 Auto Trigger, a .68-calibre marker based on the Nel-Spot 007 operating system.
An original advertisement described the RAM-68 as compatible with both 12-gram CO₂ cartridges and constant-air operation.
The marker was offered with a 14-inch removable barrel, direct-feed arrangement and mechanical auto-trigger.[3]
The RAM-68 differed substantially in appearance and construction from the Mark series.
Later history
[edit]Darkside equipment remained known among paintball collectors after the original models were discontinued.
A 1997 discussion on the alt.sport.paintball newsgroup documented the RAM-68 and its original accessories, demonstrating that the marker remained familiar to players during the late 1990s.[7]
Historical collector discussions have also noted that Darkside's Mississauga address was associated with Brass Eagle. The precise business relationship between the two manufacturers has not been independently established.[8]
The date and circumstances of Darkside Inc.'s closure are unknown.
Paintball markers
[edit]VintageRex lists three markers directly under Darkside Inc.[1]
| Marker | Catalogue year | Action | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark II | 1987 | Pump-action | Nelson-based marker with an integrated magazine holding up to 38 paintballs. |
| Mark IV | 1991 | Pump-action | Revised Mark-series marker with a slanted internal magazine holding approximately 40 paintballs. |
| RAM-68 Auto Trigger | Unknown | Mechanical, Nelson-based | .68-calibre marker with a removable barrel, direct feed and advertised auto-trigger. |
The listed dates are taken from VintageRex and should not necessarily be interpreted as independently verified production dates.
Mark II
[edit]The Mark II was a .68-calibre pump-action marker using a Nelson-style valve.
Unlike conventional paintball markers, which typically required an external hopper or feed tube, the Mark II incorporated an internal magazine within its elongated receiver.
The bottom of the magazine was angled to allow paintballs to feed towards the breech under gravity.[4]
An original manufacturer advertisement documented:
- Integrated magazine capacity of up to 38 paintballs.
- Manually operated pump mechanism.
- Pistol-grip safety.
- External CO₂ quick-change option.
- Optional 7-ounce constant-air tank.
Two configurations were illustrated, with advertised prices of $79 and $119. The advertisement did not explicitly identify the currency.[2]
VintageRex also lists an original price of $79.95.[4]
Mark IV
[edit]The Mark IV was a later version of the Darkside Mark series.
VintageRex dates the marker to 1991 and records the following specifications:[5]
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Calibre | .68 |
| Action | Pump-action |
| Valve system | Nelson |
| Feed system | Integrated gravity-fed magazine |
| Magazine capacity | Approximately 40 paintballs |
| Barrel | Fixed |
| Gas source | 12-gram CO₂ |
VintageRex describes an external CO₂ changer on the Mark IV and contrasts this with an internal arrangement on the Mark II. However, the original Mark II advertisement also illustrates an external quick-change system.
The surviving descriptions are therefore insufficient to establish a definitive distinction between the models based solely on their CO₂ arrangements.[2][5]
RAM-68 Auto Trigger
[edit]The RAM-68 Auto Trigger was a .68-calibre marker based on the Nel-Spot 007 design.
The original advertisement documented the following features:[3]
- 14-inch removable barrel.
- Direct-feed arrangement.
- Mechanical auto-trigger.
- 3/8-inch dovetail sight mount.
- Ammunition box.
- Field-stripping kit.
- Compatibility with 12-gram CO₂ or constant-air operation.
The RAM-68 was advertised at $169, or $199 when supplied with a CAM Air gas system.
VintageRex classifies its action as bolt-operated, while the manufacturer's advertisement prominently identifies an auto-trigger. The precise operation of this mechanism has not been fully established from the available documentation.[1][3]
Relationship with Brass Eagle
[edit]Darkside Inc.'s original advertising identifies its business address as 7050-A Bramalea Road, Unit 17, Mississauga, Ontario.[2][3]
Later discussions among Canadian paintball collectors identified the same premises as an early Brass Eagle business address.[8]
This establishes a documented geographical connection between the businesses, but does not independently confirm common ownership, a corporate succession or a manufacturing agreement.
Historical documentation
[edit]The principal surviving documentation for Darkside Inc. consists of original advertisements and equipment photographs preserved by VintageRex, supplemented by surviving examples recorded in specialist paintball collections.
Bacci Paintball documents examples of the early Darkside Uzi-style markers and identifies additional Mark-series variations.[6]
Production quantities, complete model chronology and the company's corporate history remain incompletely documented.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- VintageRex, "Darkside Inc", historical manufacturer catalogue.
- Dark Side Inc., "Mark II Paintball Gun", original manufacturer advertisement preserved by VintageRex.
- Dark Side Inc., "RAM-68 Auto Trigger", original manufacturer advertisement preserved by VintageRex.
- VintageRex, "Mark II", historical marker specifications.
- VintageRex, "Mark IV", historical marker specifications.
- Bacci Paintball, "Darkside", historical marker collection.
- alt.sport.paintball, "WTB", discussion of vintage markers including the Darkside RAM, 15 April 1997.
- M. Carter Brown, "What Is This?", historical discussion of Darkside Inc. and its Mississauga address, July 2023.
