Paintball

[FReEK]

What happened to warrant the name change from PMi III to Vm-68? I can remember somthing like they made by sheridian and Pmi slapped there name on it or something and Sheridian got pissed.
Would like to know what actually transpired.

[pwpaintball]

IIRC and someone correct me if I'm wrong. Sheridan did not want to get into paintball so they made guns for PMI then when Sheridan realized that there was a market and $$ to be made, they took over and started making and marketing guns for themselves.

That is a quick version. Hope this helps.

Welcome to MCB.

[THE-SHOOTIST]

Sort of.
Jeff Perlmutter approached Sheridan back in '83 when he started Pursuit Marketing Incorporated. (P.M.I.) Sheridan would make thr guns, and R&D future guns. Perlmutter signed a 10 year contract for exclusive rights. Everyone got along happily with this agreement, until near the end of the contract, when Sheridan wanted a piece of the now-flourishing paintball market. Sheridan did not want to re-sign with Jeff, Jeff sued, Jeff sort of "won".
Sheridan was allowed to sell the any of the previously sold as P.M.I. equipment as a "Sheridan" brand, but could NOT use any refrence to P.M.I.
P.M.I. was allowed to sell all it's 'new old stock' equipment as P.M.I. branded product.
They both slung a lot of mud at each other, and basically both lost. P.M.I. and Sheridan are now both defunct entities in paintball, two giants and pioneers who allowed greed to erode both into extinction.

It'd be killer to see a new version of the K Series wouldn't it?
What about the P.M.I.-1?

Are you guys ready to bury the hatchet yet? As a team, you were unstoppable, as seperate entities, you both found the short route to non-existience.

[HP_Lovecraft]

Originally Posted by THE-SHOOTIST

They both slung a lot of mud at each other, and basically both lost.....

I'm sure the lawyers did very well.

I remember the lawsuits were very heated over who owned what, as far as marketing, designs, products. Many 3rd parties were also involved, like CooperT, since Sheridan was "borrowing" designs from 3rd parties as well.

I do not think they would ever get back together since Sheridan no longer exists? They were bought out by Crosman, or Daisy. I never remember which. Plus, wasnt PMI taken over by NPS?

Paintball is very different today anyway. Everything is made in China, then just marketed over here.

[FReEK]

Thanks guys. PMi-III was one of my dream markers when first started playing in the early 90's. I miss those days.

Greed sucks.
Look at SP I hate them for what they did, i wish they would just fade away as well.

[HP_Lovecraft]

Originally Posted by FReEK

Thanks guys. PMi-III was one of my dream markers when first started playing in the early 90's. I miss those days.

Fortunetly, plenty of VM68s on Ebay, and here all the time. Fairly cheap since most newer players mistake them for spyder clones.

Original PMI3's are less common. Later PMI3s are identical to early VMs. But early PMI3s were a bit different with some being left-cocking only, among other things.

[Dave-D]

Originally Posted by HP_Lovecraft

Original PMI3's are less common. Later PMI3s are identical to early VMs. But early PMI3s were a bit different with some being left-cocking only, among other things.

I'm still learning the history of these as well. HP- I've noticed that you post alot on VM threads and have some knowledge of these markers. Is there any ryme or reason to figureing out the serial numbers stamped on the sides. Like mfgr date? Any resources other than vmempire and vm68.com (which now seems to have dried up) on line? Or should I just think about starting a new resource website myself...I have thought about this.

[EvilEd]

I talked with crossman about the Vm sn's and they stated that there about four to five different Sn tpyes like straight 1 2 3 4 then they had month year then number then number then month year or year then number and so on. i asked if they had any records of each product run they said no. One of the other things I was told that some bodies that were made for VM EXC ended up being used for the revamped Vm-68 this makes it even harder to track what is what.

[HP_Lovecraft]

Originally Posted by Dave-D

Is there any ryme or reason to figureing out the serial numbers stamped on the sides. .

Like Tim said, it is pretty tought to date most paintguns by the seriel number. Another problem is parts for paintguns tend to be produced in huge batches to minimize production, and finishing costs. So a gun purchased "new" in 2000 might have had parts produced years earlier.

With VMs, you can date fairly well the earlier models that have small differences then the later ones.

Like, if it is left-cock only, with a long hammer. Dates from 1991.
If it is left-cock only, with a short hammer, dates around 92.
If the panels are plastic, would be 93 or later.
If the transfer hole is "large", would be 94 or later
If there is an LPC, would be 95 or later.

So, plastic panels, without the LPC, would put it 93 to 95.

If it has an Ambi feed, long cutlass, siterail, or sidetapped valve, might have started as a VM-Mag, or VM-EXC, though I've forgotten when they first came out. Maybe 93 for the Mag, and 95 for the EXC? Tim or Chris might know better.

[Dave-D]

What was the last year the vm-68, in its different configurations , was produced. Sometime in the mid 90's?

One of mine came off of e-bay and the seller said he had won it years earlier at a tournament and that he had never used it. When I recieved it - it truly looked like it had never been used, absolutely no wear on any internal parts. All I had to do was replace the dried O rings.

How old could this gun really be? Could it really be a brand new-13 year old marker?

(off topic) I'm going to be uploading pics of my collection. Whats the best online service to use? flickr? photobucket? ect?