Norie Kelly's PMI-3

[Painthappy]

I was able to buy this off of eBay the other day. I have been wanting a PMI-3 for a while (Notice, not VM-68) and even mentioned such in another thread somewhere. This came up shortly after as if the God's themselves were listening. Not only is it what I've been after, but it has some great history go to with it.

First off: Who is Norie Kelly?

Norie Kelly of the All Americans during the 1991 Masters in Nashville when the All American's won and she became the first Woman to win a World Championship.

A long time professional PB Player with both the All Americans and the New England Express she also co hosted the Paintball World TV News Show that aired for six seasons in 2006 and 2007.

Norie herself drilled both of those All American barrels when she was with Smart Parts, ( one of the original people to start the company and she programmed the milling machine that did the drilling for the barrels), and that 1991 Masters World Championship win using these Markers and Barrels is what put Smart Parts on the map.

Photos:

[Painthappy]

Cooper T back bottle setup... Threaded All American Barrel.

[Painthappy]

Some wonderful signed photos of her using this gun

[Painthappy]

So thank you Phil, thank you Norie.

After a few quick chats we came to learn that we both played at the same field at the same time. Of course I was a junior and senior in high school at the time, I was there all the time, was on a couple of teams so most likely played with or against them at some point at Adventure Games. So that makes this that much more special for me to own. It was great to reminisce about all the old names and fields. I never did get to ask Phil if he remembered "JD" from there. He used the 68special with the under barrel mounted "thud" gun. Yeah... I you know him, then you know him...

I haven't gone through all the parts or broken the gun down yet, and probably won't break it down per usual for me. I was told it was aired up and fired though. I won't say I never will, but don't hold your breath on that one either.

[OpusX]

Awesome piece of history.

[Rusty Brass]

Pretty cool. Love the dismembered tank valve as back bottle adapter with brake line for hose? Old school scrap bin engineering at its finest.

[Morgenstern]

Nice! The short-lived era of blowbacks in pro paintball has always been fascinating to me and I wish I knew more about it. The weight and feel of these is so different than anything else they truly seem like a relic when you hold them.

[jokers]

Norie herself drilled both of those All American barrels when she was with Smart Parts, ( one of the original people to start the company and she programmed the milling machine that did the drilling for the barrels), and that 1991 Masters World Championship win using these Markers and Barrels is what put Smart Parts on the map.

So she is to blame for the Gardner Brothers!!!! Someone grab the pitchforks! /S

Painthappy Thank you for the information and sharing the pictures this is awesome and something that i did not know!

[Alexndl]

I love the porting she did on the barrels, clean work!

[Twisted G]

I wish I had hair like them. .

[Chuck E Ducky]

You got to shoot the thing. Find yourself a period correct hopper a put a big Co2 bottle to it and let that thing eat. I might have a VM rebuild kit (they are the same internal wise I think) if you need it. LMK

[Painthappy]

You got to shoot the thing. Find yourself a period correct hopper a put a big Co2 bottle to it and let that thing eat. I might have a VM rebuild kit (they are the same internal wise I think) if you need it. LMK

Thanks, it came with everything and then some. Extra parts, extra barrel, hopper, tanks... The works. More than I need. I just wanted the gun. I'll give her a go and post some photos and a video. I'll have to harass someone for paint. Gave all mine away at the last game. Guess I need to hit the field this weekend. Oh shucks...

[Chuck E Ducky]

That’s the spirit! Gunna need to rock some tiger stripe gear if yah got it.

[JeeperCreeper]

Stockstice is on the 24th, come join us!

[Old School PBaller]

So thank you Phil, thank you Norie.

After a few quick chats we came to learn that we both played at the same field at the same time. Of course I was a junior and senior in high school at the time, I was there all the time, was on a couple of teams so most likely played with or against them at some point at Adventure Games. So that makes this that much more special for me to own. It was great to reminisce about all the old names and fields. I never did get to ask Phil if he remembered "JD" from there. He used the 68special with the under barrel mounted "thud" gun. Yeah... I you know him, then you know him...

I haven't gone through all the parts or broken the gun down yet, and probably won't break it down per usual for me. I was told it was aired up and fired though. I won't say I never will, but don't hold your breath on that one either.

Our Pleasure! We were glad to see you get it at the auction!

[Drunkscriblerian]

Man, if that gun could talk it would have stories to tell. What a find for you, and I'm glad it went to someone who knows its value.

Also my first owned marker was a VM-68, and seeing this one brings back the memories hard. At 16 I bought one used in 1995 off a college player who wanted to upgrade to an Automag. It came to me for $80 with a J&J brass barrel with damaged threading (it had been whacked accidentally into a barricade, the seller told me about that), what I thought at the time was the messiest bottom-line run ever (although Norie's with the dismembered tank guts and brake-line hose might beat it for style points lol) and a PMI "genie bottle" hopper coated in electrical tape that I instantly swapped for a Viewloader 200.

I remember that gun was heavy, it cycled like a beast, and the barrel would come loose every 40-50 shots unless I reached forward and tightened it, but by god it was mine. Six months later I traded it in for a brand new Tippmann Pro-Lite and at the time was happy...but these days I wish I'd kept the Sheridan. A big piece of advice I'd give to any player...don't get rid of your first marker. No matter what it is, you'll regret it if you do.

[Brokeass_baller]

That's sound advice. I still have my first marker; a Spyder Compact, Java Edition (whatever that means). I eventually upgraded the mech frame to a Sprint eframe, but that eframe is long since dead. Every now-and-then, I'll break out the Compact and get some k's on the field with it. Still shoots fine, after a bit of TLC necessitated by dry corrosion. Sucker even has some Otter mods, to boot.

I wish that eframe still worked, though. That was literally an Angel killer. It didn't matter what paintgun you were up against, it could shoot a stream, which was enough for your buddies to move up.