Sheridan

Sheridan was an American manufacturer and brand of paintball markers, best known for its early pump-action pistols and rifles, including the PG, PGP, PMI-series and KP-series markers. Originally an airgun manufacturer based in Racine, Wisconsin, Sheridan became involved in paintball during the early 1980s through a manufacturing and distribution agreement with Pursuit Marketing Inc. (PMI).[1][2]

Sheridan's paintball products were among the early alternatives to the Nel-Spot 007, and its stacked-tube valve and hammer design influenced the development of subsequent markers, including the WGP Sniper and Autococker.[2][3]

Sheridan was acquired by the Benjamin Air Rifle Company in 1977, before its involvement in paintball. Benjamin Sheridan was subsequently acquired by Crosman in 1992, which continued manufacturing and marketing Sheridan paintball equipment.[4][5]

History

Origins

Sheridan Products Inc. was established in Racine, Wisconsin, in 1945 by E. H. Wackerhagen and Robert Kraus.

The company began manufacturing pneumatic air rifles in 1947 and developed a reputation for its metal-bodied, precision-manufactured airguns.

In 1977, Sheridan was acquired by the Benjamin Air Rifle Company. The combined business subsequently operated under the Benjamin Sheridan name.[4][6]

Its experience manufacturing compressed-gas-powered airguns provided the engineering and production capabilities needed to develop equipment for the emerging sport of paintball.

Partnership with Pursuit Marketing Inc.

Sheridan entered the paintball industry through a partnership with Pursuit Marketing Inc., established by Jeff Perlmutter and David Freeman in 1982.

PMI sought an alternative to the Nelson marking pistols then used by players and commercial paintball fields.

Freeman contacted Ray Katt, president of Benjamin Sheridan, to discuss adapting the company's existing CO₂-powered airgun designs to fire .68-calibre paintballs.

According to Perlmutter's later account, the parties developed two prototype pistols: a top-loading design and a side-loading design.

The top-loading version was selected for commercial production.

The resulting marker was designated PG, an abbreviation of Paint Gun.[1]

PMI entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Sheridan and marketed the resulting products to independent paintball field operators and retailers.

The relationship established Sheridan as an important equipment manufacturer during the early development of commercial paintball.[1]

Development of the PGP

The original PG was a bolt-action paintball pistol using a tubular magazine.

Players and aftermarket manufacturers subsequently developed pump-action conversions to simplify loading and recocking.

Sheridan introduced a factory pump-action version, known as the PGP or Paint Gun Pump.

The PGP incorporated a sliding pump handle and retained the compact construction and internal magazine of the original pistol.

It operated using disposable 12-gram CO₂ cartridges and became a widely recognised marker in stock-class paintball.[1][2]

Sheridan subsequently developed rifle-style markers using related operating mechanisms.

These included the PMI-1 and PMI-2, along with the KP-series rifles and later P68 variants.

Expansion during the late 1980s

Sheridan continued manufacturing markers for PMI during the late 1980s.

Its product range expanded beyond stock-class pistols and rifles to include equipment designed for larger paintball supplies and constant-air systems.

The company's stacked-tube construction, incorporating a separate barrel and lower valve assembly, provided a mechanical arrangement subsequently adapted by other paintball manufacturers.

The WGP Sniper pump marker and its semiautomatic successor, the Autococker, incorporated elements derived from the Sheridan valve and hammer system.[2][3]

Semiautomatic markers

Sheridan and PMI subsequently developed semiautomatic paintball equipment.

One of the most widely documented examples was the PMI-3, also marketed as the VM-68.

The VM-68 was a .68-calibre, open-bolt blowback marker using a CO₂-powered semiautomatic mechanism.

It was marketed as an alternative to other early semiautomatic markers, including the Tippmann 68 Special.

Contemporary equipment references described the VM-68 as a heavy but durable marker, with extensive aftermarket modification options.[2][3]

Sheridan also produced the Equalizer, a semiautomatic marker identified in historical equipment records as the SPG-1000.

The Equalizer was documented in 1993 and used a different internal operating system from the VM-68.[7]

Acquisition by Crosman

In 1992, Crosman Corporation acquired Benjamin Sheridan, including its paintball manufacturing operations and associated designs.

The acquisition brought Sheridan's established paintball products under Crosman's ownership.[5]

In 1994, Crosman consolidated Benjamin Sheridan's manufacturing operations from Racine, Wisconsin, into its facilities at East Bloomfield, New York.[4]

The Sheridan name continued to be associated with paintball markers following the acquisition.

In 1998, Crosman established a dedicated Sheridan Paintball division as part of an expansion of its paintball equipment business.[4]

During the early 2000s, Crosman also developed and distributed paintball equipment through the Game Face brand.

The company's later corporate history identified Sheridan Paintball and Game Face as successive stages in its involvement with the paintball industry.[4][8]

Paintball products

Sheridan manufactured several families of paintball markers, with many marketed and distributed under the PMI name.

Model	Type	Description
PG	Bolt-action pistol	Early .68-calibre marking pistol developed for PMI.
PGP	Pump-action pistol	Compact stock-class marker powered by 12-gram CO₂ cartridges.
PMI-1 and PMI-2	Pump-action markers	Sheridan-manufactured markers distributed by PMI.
KP-series	Rifle-style markers	Bolt-action and pump-action markers incorporating wooden stocks.
P68 series	Pump-action markers	Later designs incorporating updated feeding and air-system configurations.
PMI-3 / VM-68	Semiautomatic marker	Open-bolt blowback marker using a CO₂ operating system.
Equalizer / SPG-1000	Semiautomatic marker	Alternative semiautomatic design documented in the early 1990s.

The models are documented in contemporary paintball equipment guides and historical marker archives.[2][3][7]

Influence on paintball equipment

Sheridan's early markers helped establish a distinct family of paintball equipment designs.

Unlike the Nelson-based markers derived from the Nel-Spot 007, Sheridan markers generally used a stacked-tube construction, with the barrel positioned above the valve and hammer assembly.

This configuration became particularly influential in the development of later pump-action and semiautomatic markers.

Contemporary technical references identified the Sheridan valve and hammer system as an important influence on the design of the WGP Sniper and Autococker.[2][3]

Sheridan-based markers also became the basis for specialist aftermarket modifications and custom equipment produced by independent manufacturers, including Palmer's Pursuit Shop.

The company's PGP and rifle-style markers remain documented in historical equipment collections and specialist paintball publications.

References

External links