Hand Pumping PCP?

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BlackICE said:
I even used it to fill my small Benjamin 90 cubic inch bottle. But that takes some babysitting. I'm planning to update the electronics to automate filling of even large tanks. Of course it would take a very long time but I won't have to sit and babysit it. For pumping times of less than 2 mins it can fill the equivalent of 20 liters of air at 1 ATM a minute at 300 bar. For sustained use needing cooling down time the fill rate is only about 1.8 liters per minute. The fill rate is faster at lower pressure because the pump doesn't heat up as much, so the on duty cycle is longer. Starting from an empty tank the fill rate is over 60 liters per minute slow down to only 20 liters per minute at 300 bar.

The Hill MK3 is a solid pump. I'm using to over 300 bar (4500 psi) over its rated maximum. I forgot to open the valve on my tank and it redlined blowing up the gauge, but no other damage to the pump. I'm still on the original o-rings. I stop pumping when it gets warm a let it cool down for 10 mins. At 300 bars that about 60 pumps.

Of course I started this long before they had decent low-cost compressors that work OK. I wouldn't recommend anybody build such a thing today.

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This is one of the coolest things I have ever seen.
 
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7Green said:
Pumping blows. It is far harder than a tire. I hope you are young too, as I hate it at 40. On the other hand, congrats on the pcp. They are fun to shoot.
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BlackICE said:
I even used it to fill my small Benjamin 90 cubic inch bottle. But that takes some babysitting. I'm planning to update the electronics to automate filling of even large tanks. Of course it would take a very long time but I won't have to sit and babysit it. For pumping times of less than 2 mins it can fill the equivalent of 20 liters of air at 1 ATM a minute at 300 bar. For sustained use needing cooling down time the fill rate is only about 1.8 liters per minute. The fill rate is faster at lower pressure because the pump doesn't heat up as much, so the on duty cycle is longer. Starting from an empty tank the fill rate is over 60 liters per minute slow down to only 20 liters per minute at 300 bar.

The Hill MK3 is a solid pump. I'm using to over 300 bar (4500 psi) over its rated maximum. I forgot to open the valve on my tank and it redlined blowing up the gauge, but no other damage to the pump. I'm still on the original o-rings. I stop pumping when it gets warm a let it cool down for 10 mins. At 300 bars that about 60 pumps.

Of course I started this long before they had decent low-cost compressors that work OK. I wouldn't recommend anybody build such a thing today.

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What's the little pancake compressor for? Are you boosting your air a little before the handpump or just sharing a drier or something?
 
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Slingworks said:
What's the little pancake compressor for? Are you boosting your air a little before the handpump or just sharing a drier or something?
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Yep, it boost the inputs pressure to the hand pump and has a filter and large desiccant dryer. Starting with 0 psi pump output, the boost can be more than 60 psi, at 4500 psi the boost can only be about 10 psi without overloading the motor. I'm planning to add a motor current sensor and stepper motor to control the pancake compressor to automate the input pressure. Keeping it at the highest level without overloading the motor.

I have just bought a quiet 4.3 gallon Kobalt compressor to replace the super noisy pancake compressor. The old compressor was way too loud and really couldn't flow enough at the higher boost levels >25 psi. The Hill pump doesn't seal the boosted input well. So additional flow is needed to compensate for the leaks. I'm going to add a pneumatic valve to only output the boost pressure on the intake stoke of the pump. That should cut the leak air by 1/2. Since I can't run both the boost and the hand pump motor at the same time on a single 20amp circuit the compressors tank has to hold enough air for a complete on cycle of the hand pump.
 
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OK, I gave it some thought, and bought a MK5 Hill from a member here. Still in the mail so I can't comment yet on how my choice turned out.

I did give some thought to a compressor, but felt the hand pump might be better suited to my use. Bought the Hill pump as it's made in UK. I could have bought a cheaper pump on Ebay/Amazon, but can't stand the China label.....

Want to thank everyone for the input and sharing of experience with this newbie.
 
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Maybe someone else said this already, but I didn’t read every single post. Maybe you think you’re not going to shoot a lot because you’re only going to use the gun for field use. However, testing pellets and tuning the gun, you’re going to shoot a lot just getting to the field use part.
Unless you’re a rare bird and the PCP bugs doesn’t bite you, you’re going to own more than one gun and be shooting more than you think.
 
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huntr said:
Maybe someone else said this already, but I didn’t read every single post. Maybe you think you’re not going to shoot a lot because you’re only going to use the gun for field use. However, testing pellets and tuning the gun, you’re going to shoot a lot just getting to the field use part.
Unless you’re a rare bird and the PCP bugs doesn’t bite you, you’re going to own more than one gun and be shooting more than you think.
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Well...I don't know :)
I probably will do a fair bit of shooting on sight in and a little testing no doubt.

Another factor that I considered in buying a hand pump is one I didn't confess in my posting above. I bought a 2nd PCP already!

Bought a Daystate from the classifieds here just yesterday. A compressor would be nice, I can't deny that. Maybe in the future?

I'm probably done shopping for the time being. Have a Caiman in 25 and a Daystate Huntsman coming soon. The hand pump is about all the budget I had left-lol. I'll have to sell my Hw90 and probably a rimfire to justify everything in the end.

Already sighted my Caiman 25cal in on what air came in the tank from UA.
 
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Slingworks said:
Well...I don't know :)
I probably will do a fair bit of shooting on sight in and a little testing no doubt.

Another factor that I considered in buying a hand pump is one I didn't confess in my posting above. I bought a 2nd PCP already!

Bought a Daystate from the classifieds here just yesterday. A compressor would be nice, I can't deny that. Maybe in the future?

I'm probably done shopping for the time being. Have a Caiman in 25 and a Daystate Huntsman coming soon. The hand pump is about all the budget I had left-lol. I'll have to sell my Hw90 and probably a rimfire to justify everything in the end.

Already sighted my Caiman 25cal in on what air came in the tank from UA.
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I think your doing just fine . I sell a (1 or 2, or 3 )powder burner when i need something , take your time , this is a great fun hobby , remember that last word, HOBBY (not life)
 
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I started out with a $200 hand pump but quickly upgraded to a compressor that cost me $380. The more I shoot the more I appreciate having the small air compressor which refills the reservoir much faster than I could ever do with a hand pump.

I have moved to a larger compressor to fill a large air tank to use to refill my guns out at a range but the small compressor is still the one I use the most as it is more convenient.
 
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I recd my new to me MK5 Hill pump and gave it a spin tonight. Actually I didn't find it too bad. I topped off my Caiman to 300 bar. Yeah it's a little boring, but a little better than I had expected. Easier than pumping up a Jeep tire by hand-lol

The Hill pump seems to work fine, although I am not fully impressed by the build quality like I had hoped. Does this pump need any lubrication with use?
I did notice the gauge on the pump is little ahead of the gauge on the Caiman?

Didn't try pumping the Daystate up, but the tank on it looks larger, probably more work!
 
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Joedirt199 said:
It's not as bad as people make it out to be. Makes you appreciate each shot more knowing you have to work to air it back up. You have sweat and tears invested in every shot. Your forefathers would be proud.
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Maybe :) I think my forefathers would think I was a fool purchasing an expensive air rifle and pumping it up? Jes git a 22! Dey'd say.
 
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Joedirt199 said:
It's not as bad as people make it out to be. Makes you appreciate each shot more knowing you have to work to air it back up. You have sweat and tears invested in every shot. Your forefathers would be proud.
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Love that line of thinking,.......and basically is what springers shooters do but with PCP you do it all at once.
 
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