Earlier this year I purchased a load of parts from David Kermode, of Kermode Concepts (K-C), including gas through grips, some regulators and asa adapters. I’ve documented some of these item here:
https://paintballhistory.com/kc-no-hot-shot-gas-through-grips-autococker-automags
Along with his old stock of K-C parts I also received Dave’s Line SI Bushmaster pump, equipped with one of his first K-C products, a Delrin pump handle with vertical foregrip. The K-C pump handles used a delrin pump handle, Rebline (or Rebline style) pump arms and a vertical M-16 Block Lone Star Grip.
Kermode writes:
“I started K-C by making Delrin pumps for Line SI Bushmasters and Tippmann SL-68 pump guns. The Tippmann pumps were threaded to receive the cocking rods that operated the bolt, and the Bushmaster pumps were equipped with aluminum side rails that attached to the [pump arm screws] on both sides of the bolt.”
David goes on to explain that he originally offered the pumps (this would have been about 1989-90) through local bay area California stores including Foxhunters Paintball and R&R paintball (run by Chuck Hendsch). The Apple Dumpling Gang, an amateur bay area team, which Kermode played on, also sold the pumps to teams they would skirmish against:
“The original production lots of these pumps were sold through R&R Paintball in Campbell, CA and Foxhunters in Castro Valley, CA. I was not on the Internet then, and sales were mainly through word-of-mouth and scrimmages between The Apple Dumpling Gang (as Amateurs) playing against the local pro teams like Bob Long’s Iron Men, Constant Pursuit, and the Black Diamonds.”
Recently I came across this short write up, featured in the September 1990 issue of Paintcheck Magazine which shows David’s pump handles on both a Tippmann SL-68 1 and the exact Bushmaster pump he sold me (minus the quick release arms).
The article claimed that “The pump weighs half as much as metal pumps and the self-lubricating delrin plastic eliminates friction and abrasion of your gun’s finish.”
Kermode’s Bushmaster does show some wear from the pump but could likely be from use before he had the delrin pump made.
The pictured arms are also the stock Line SI arms so some pumps could have been sold without the quick release arms, since the stock arms would attach without a problem (spacing is the same).
The article also claims the pumps are available from National Paintball Supply but David likely only sent samples to NPS.
In response to questions about this new product article David replied:
“The Bushmaster in the photos was mine with a plain barrel, and the SL68 belonged to a Paintball buddy of mine. I don’t remember much about my relationship with National, and don’t think that many of my products were sold in any of their locations. I disliked dealing with Gino on general principles, and merely used his companies for exposure. Most of the Delrin pumps that I had made in a machine shop in Gilroy, CA, were actually sold somewhere or other over several years, so this idea actually worked out well.”
David’s pump arms are engraved for K-C on the left hand side and feature quick disconnect arms, similar to what Rebline produced. I asked if he purchased these from Steve Buzick of Confederate Army Supplies which produced the Rebline pumps and Kermode replied:
“I think that the K-C Delrin pump used [pump arms] from the Rebline people, and if I find any more of the Bushmaster or SL68 pumps will send those as well, but I probably threw those out when the semi-autos gobbled up the market.”
David also comments on a vented backwards facing 45 degree cut in the Line SI Bushmaster’s barrel which he added using his Dremel and a secure Jig:
“And I did customize the barrel with a Dremel tool long before the first vented barrels appeared on the market. I even made a jig to hold barrels and a swing arm Dremel tool mount to cut “Shark Gills” accurately in other barrels. Never pursued that idea because the vented barrels that came along from Smart Parts, USI and others were so nicely made and fairly cheap that I did not think that one guy could compete with them.”
I’ll be posting more with David Kermode soon as well as other products historical products and items he sent me and eventually interview videos. In the meantime find more articles with David Kermode at:
https://paintballhistory.com/tag/kc
