Tutorial: Installing Wedgits in Sheridan/PMI Brass Markers

[JonM]

Installing your own wedgits in Sheridan/PMI brass markers is a relatively quick and simple process requiring only basic hand tools and a few commonly available items.

Materials Needed:

1. Hammer
2. Nail (preferably one with a wide and sturdy head)
3. 1/2" socket
4. Sharpie
5. Dowel rod or similar with approximate 5/8" OD
6. Paintballs (preferably small bore)

Step 1: Insert a paintball into the marker and make sure it is seated in the breech with the bolt forward.



Step 2: Insert the dowel rod or whatever it is you're using to measure depth with into the barrel and seat it against the paintball.



Step 3: Using a Sharpie, mark the measuring rod at the tip of the barrel.



Step 4: Remove the pump handle and bolt from the marker then line up the mark on the measuring rod with the tip of the barrel.

[JonM]

Step 5: With the measuring rod held in place, position the paintball at its end. This is where the ball would sit when inside the breech. Using the Sharpie, place a mark directly in the middle of the barrel where the middle of the ball would sit. Repeat this process on both sides of the marker.



Step 6: Insert the 1/2" socket into the barrel and position it in the breech. This is to prevent the barrel from deforming while hammering in the wedgits. I prefer to use a deep well socket for this step.



Step 7: Take your nail and carefully position it over your mark on the barrel.



Step 8: Give the side of the nail head a few solid whacks with the hammer to create your first wedgit. Repeat this process on the other side of the marker.
IMPORTANT - Don't go crazy with the hammer. You can put wedgits in, but it's a pain to get them back out again if you go too far. Slow and steady is best.



Step 9: Insert the paintball into the barrel to test for fit. If the paintball rolls out, repeat steps 6-8 until the ball sits securely in the breech. If you have multiple brands of paint available, it's a good idea to check those for fit as well.

[The Great Equalizer]

Does anyone make, or is it possible to make a .675 3D printed sphere to test for roll-out?

[JonM]

Step 10: Reassemble the marker and test for functionality.



Enjoy shooting modern paint in your brass marker!

[Meleager7]

A mod reserved for the brave!

[The Great Equalizer]

I actually feel much more confident about trying this after learning some of you folks will de-solder Sheridans for other mods, so if I screw this up too bad I just have to send it in for a replacement middle tube.

[Alexndl]

I only see the pictures on the first post... (might be because I am on my phone)

Thanks for this tutorial, it help a lot and will try it on a PGP soon (I want some practice before I do it on my KP...)

[Carp]

Same as Alexdl here... I noticed that editing pics in post has caused this to me before.

[wthomas333]

Same, can only see pics from the initial post. I had the same problem the other day as well when trying to edit pics on a post. Weird thing is that I could see them just fine, but no else could. So I viewed my post from a computer that I don’t normally use and was not logged in, that’s the only way I could see the problem.

Hopefully it gets fixed because I was really interested in this whole process and have a gun I have been wanting to do this on. Thanks for posting this for everyone.

[BigRed]

Me too, can't see them after the 1st post either.

[JonM]

Thanks guys. I found the problem and fixed the photos.

[Stilgar]

Great tutorial!

Stickied it

[Tinybear]

Awesome thank you will be attempting this in near future

[Jordan]

Did this to my KP recently... I used a purpose-ground punch instead of a nail but otherwise followed the directions.

Mine's a side tube, so I went diagonally opposite instead of side to side.

[Spider!]

I admit I'm a chicken about putting dents in barrels.

I used Jon's marking and backup method. For the dents, I welded washers on to pieces of rod, then printed a jig to hold them. I put the jig in a bench vise and squish gently. The jig ends up broken, but I print another.

It's been good for our recent 0.675 paint.

For a mandrel, I turned down a gas thru grip, then filed flats on the sides for the depth I wanted. I couldn't see lining up a full groove on the mandrel without printing a more fancy jig, and I'm not sure I would want the sharper edges from that [?].

This process will also show you whether or not your breech end is still round. One of mine was not, but the mandrel fixed that.

[Drunkscriblerian]

Speaking as someone who wants to attempt this mod who is also a carpenter...care to put the actual "hammer swing" into terms I can relate to? As in, when doing a Wedgit am I setting a nail or actually driving it?

Also, from the pictures it looks like the end result is oblong; at what angle do you hold the nail when striking it? From what I see that looks important too.

[XEMON]

And if you over do it you can drive a socket down the tube to push them back towards the outside

[Toestr]

You use the edge of the head to make the wedgit.

[Drunkscriblerian]

@Toestr: Aha, thanks that was the part I wasn't grasping for some reason. Reading back through the instructions it makes perfect sense now.

[Anonym]

Anyone attempt to do this with Stainless Steel?