Fill the gun or fill the bottle?

[Greenarrow]

Hey fellas!
I've been a hand pumper of PCPs since 2016. I currently have 6 pcps. Even the occasional get together with friends or family I have been able to keep up pumping by hand. I am considering another pcp so I just purchased the GX CS2 compressor to help save me some effort when I've let my guns get low on air or I am in a longer shooting session and I don't want to be pumping all the time. I didn't think my decision on the compressor through all the way except to the point where I figured the compressor is quicker and easier than pumping every single gun all the time.

My question is this...

At what point would you say that purchasing a larger compressor and tank would be warranted vs. filling right to the gun with the small compressor like I purchased?

I would say right now with as much as I shoot I would fill 1-2 guns each day/every other day on average. That's topping off from somewhere in the range between the reg set pressure and 200-250 bar depending on the gun.

Thanks for your input!

 

[WorriedMan]

Greenarrow,
I've 6 PCPs and considering a seventh, however I only hand pumped my first, an Umarex Gauntlet. Hand pumping my Wildcat became such a chore, I found myself not wanting to shoot. Invested in a Yong Heng and never looked back. I shoot only at home, but I'd purchase a SCBA tank if I ever wanted to go elsewhere. The GX CS2 seems to be a useful compressor as far as portability, however, I doubt it would have the longevity of the Yong Heng. Heat, being an enemy of any HPA compressor, is effectively addressed by the water and crankcase-oil cooling systems of the Yong Heng, as long as the owner doesn't mistreat. There are very satisfactory larger compressors, which carry a considerable price tag, that members have invested in. I guess your budget will dictate best which direction you take. WM

 

[Geezerhood]

I mostly shoot at home or right next to my truck but am wanting a smaller tank for hikes. I also got a GX CS series compressor (CS3) and am considering a small bottle that will give me 6+ fills on my Prod that is light enough to carry in a backpack when hiking. A 45 minute or a 1 hour 4500 psi SCBA carbon tank is where I am leaning for that. I have not filled any tanks with mine but have seen those who do with out any problems as long as they do it in short sessions with cooling breaks the same time as the filling segment i.e. 15 minutes running - 15 cooling, bleed the water every 5-10 minutes depending on the humidity level of the room. You can check the heat of the pump by measuring the air temp coming out of the cooling fan on the back. When the air temp is the same as before you started pumping you are good to start another session.

There are some posters on Youtube calling the GX series the Yong Heng Killer. Not sure how realistic that is, but the guy at Target Forge has uploaded quite a bit on the GX.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Yong+heng+vs+GX+CS2

If I lived near to a filling station (Firehouse SCUBA shop, Paintball etc. I would probably get the biggest carbon tank I could afford and let them fill it, but having someone fill my tank is not an option due to my location. A small tank costs the same as a big one at some fillers so bigger is better there I suppose.

 

[peefeeniz]

If you can keep six guns full by hand pumping then you are doing your heart and general conditioning a world of good. Frankly I think the health benefits outweigh all else. Maybe get a second hand pump so you can switch between them while one cools. That gives you redundancy in case one breaks as well.

Ask yourself if you would shoot more if your air supply was effortless? Then weigh the headaches from introducing another complicated contraption that requires regular maintenance yet could fail at any moment without warning. Or the $3000-plus expense of a professional dive compressor?

Shooting less and pumping more is good for you and your $

 

[Patrick1]

Hey fellas!
I've been a hand pumper of PCPs since 2016. I currently have 6 pcps. Even the occasional get together with friends or family I have been able to keep up pumping by hand. I am considering another pcp so I just purchased the GX CS2 compressor to help save me some effort when I've let my guns get low on air or I am in a longer shooting session and I don't want to be pumping all the time. I didn't think my decision on the compressor through all the way except to the point where I figured the compressor is quicker and easier than pumping every single gun all the time.

My question is this...

At what point would you say that purchasing a larger compressor and tank would be warranted vs. filling right to the gun with the small compressor like I purchased?

I would say right now with as much as I shoot I would fill 1-2 guns each day/every other day on average. That's topping off from somewhere in the range between the reg set pressure and 200-250 bar depending on the gun.

Thanks for your input!

I also bought the GX CS2 recently. I'd caution that any of the small compressors, designed for filling directly to the airgun will generate LOTS of moisture and a good filter(not what comes with ANY of the small compressors that I have seen). Target Forge has put some videos out on YouTube of the GX CS2 and proper filtration/removal of water. I'd suggest you review these if you are on any kind of smaller budget. The high priced compressors work well but I think the GX CS2--for direct filling an airgun, is gonna make a dent, especially with proper control of moisture. JMHO

 

[dizzums]

actually every day is alot of shooting .. id use what you got for awhile and next month or whatever get a tank and presser .. so you got both ..

 

[Geezerhood]

I wish the guy on Target Forge had also tested the CS3. The CS3 has a significantly larger water trap from what I can tell by looking at mine and the images I have seen of a CS2. I read somewhere that the CS3 has better water trapping than the CS2 but I can't find the page!

I went with the CS3 over the CS2 because it has a larger, easier to read pressure gauge, an auto shut off dial you can set for the desired fill pressure and possibly better water removal. If I were to get a do-over I would have purchased the CS3i with the built in 12v power conversion.

GX CS3 below

GX CS3 below

GX CS2 below

When I decided to take the PCP plunge I wasn't quite ready for a 4 figure compressor right out of the gate since my first gun was under $800, but I knew I didn't want to hand pump and did want a portable compressor as well even if I ended up getting a shop compressor and / or big tanks to fill from later. So, the small portable made sense and I knew it would not not end up being something I would stop using if or when I got bigger, better, faster filling gear.

 

[beerthief]

I have a "gun " compressor not intended for tanks BUT (there's that word again ?) I( bought a tiny tank , bottle actually 77 cc gun bottle from Talon tunes
valve and all set up , like filling a gun and will fill my Edgun 11 times thats 120 shots in .25
YES it cost almost the same as Guppy tank .

 

[rcs9250]

A water trap and a dessicant system are worlds apart. Condensate trap (water trap) is stage one of drying air. It will remove a significant amount of water but not enough for what your PCP desires.

 

[Geezerhood]

A water trap and a dessicant system are worlds apart. Condensate trap (water trap) is stage one of drying air. It will remove a significant amount of water but not enough for what your PCP desires.

View attachment 289556

Planning to add one. I would like to try some beads with indicators that show how much moisture is being absorbed. Any recommendations?

 

[rcs9250]

Planning to add one. I would like to try some beads with indicators that show how much moisture is being absorbed. Any recommendations?

Dessicant driers that dry air to the level desired for air rifles require a dwell time while under pressure. The pressure is some where between 1200 and 1700psi.
Not knowing the specifics of your “beads” I can’t say how effective it is without an air sample analysis.
If you go to any dive shop or fire station that pumps air, their compressor will have a dessicant drier on it. Pure and simple. They are not cheap but also not significantly expensive. The dessicant has a decent life and aren’t expensive. A dessicant drier also requires it to be packed properly and stay in a vertical orientation.

 

[JimD]

If your guns will only be filled to 250 bar or less, a YH and a SCBA tanks is a very nice setup. That is what I use. My Avenger can go to 300 bar but I don't fill it that high. Filling to 300 bar off a bottle that only goes to 300 bar (or in my case a bit less normally) is not really practical. That is one use I see for a portable compressor. It is also possible to run the CX2, presumably the 3 also, off a fairly large tool battery. One of the many Target Forge videos is on how he did it with a 18 volt DeWalt battery. I don't have that brand but have 12V and 18V Milwaukees I could use if I ever get one of these portables.

The big advantage of tank filling is it is very quick and almost silent. Compressor filling is not that quick and definitely not silent. But the big advantage of the little portable compressors is portability. I have a truck so I could take my YH and a power station for it wherever but it isn't really practical. A 50 lb compressor (with cooling water) and a 50 lb power station is a lot to move around.

I filled my guns directly from the YH initially and that worked fine. But a tank is definitely a nicer way to go. A YH will fill your gun in about 1/10th the time of the little portable compressors.