Hand Pumping PCP?

[tm3]

If you can, I'd suggest buying an affordable and appropriately sized 4,500 psi scba tank (to initially get pumped up at a scuba shop) and add stored air into with the hand pump. You will use this tank to fill the gun from. Hand pumping the tank and using it to fill the gun to optimal pressure will prevent the build up of moisture in the gun's air cylinder and it will keep you with additional backup air when you do not want to run that hand pump.

Great thread with a lot of useful information! I have a question about the above statement.

I had never heard of topping off a scuba tank with a hand pump. I'm not understanding why pumping into the scuba tank, and then filling from the tank, would be preferable to pumping into the gun. ????

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

Great thread with a lot of useful information! I have a question about the above statement.

I had never heard of topping off a scuba tank with a hand pump. I'm not understanding why pumping into the scuba tank, and then filling from the tank, would be preferable to pumping into the gun. ????

My point there was, if you want a hand pump versus an electric pump, you may as well get a larger tank to also fill with the hand pump to store surplus air. You would get multiple fills into the gun from the scba tank. Whereas with hand pumping the gun only, once you run down to the regulator, you are pumping, again and again. So if you are at the shooting bench, for example, you would shoot two or three magazines and then you would likely need refilled. Then you would be pumping, shooting, pumping, shooting. Whereas if you have a stored portable air supply, you just fill and continue on shooting without the "exercise" of filling the gun, and fill the scba tank at your leisure.

Also, I'm of the opinion that you can control the quality of air (moisture) in a big air cylinder better than with a smaller cylinder, because that small tank gets pumped on constantly with verying atmospheric conditions.

 

[RM100GUY]

I've been handpumping exclusively for 19 years next month. I shoot a lot...been through 3 pumps, an FX in the beginning....never touched the thing in my ignorance until one day after some months of non use it sized up from neglect...maybe 5 years or so...replaced with a Hill Mk4...used it learned to service it and it served me well until it just was worn out....replaced it with another Mk 4 and it is on it's last legs...and so am I. Always amazed me just how the orings held up in these pumps...I service clean and lube about 2 or 3 months...only seemed to need the inner high pressure oring then only rarely after they fail...Hill is a class outfit and they sent me 3 of these green orings some years ago...I deburred the groove this one rides in, sharp edge was cutting them, I'm on my last one and pumping after my stroke just isn't sustainable for me anymore...have decided on a Trail Charger when I get around to it. A few "sage words of advice" concerning hand pumping. Use a filter...pump slowly 50 or so pumps...DON'T LET THE PUMP AND THAT INNER ORING GET HOT! Pump inside in AC...Tube guns like the unregulated Huntsman are IDEAL to pump 200b set to 15fpe=90 shots takes just over 1 Pump per shot...250bar larger tube 200 to 250 is hard...forget 300b and reailly forget large tanks...480-500bar bottles are doable but don't go too low on pressure...top off after shoot. Learn to clean your Pump don't over lube. High shot count lower power is best to me...High pressure pumping is a job no gettin' around it...but its

doable. I did it for 19 years and would do it again...but I can't...compressor time for me.

 

[beerthief]

THE whole trick to hand pumping is to top off after 20 or 40 shots , then it is 5 minutes and your back to 230 bar.( rifle )

 

[iAMzehTOASTY1]

THE whole trick to hand pumping is to top off after 20 or 40 shots , then it is 5 minutes and your back to 230 bar.

That's what I want to "bottle" my snowpeak
It's so fun to shoot but like 25 shots n refill time. Butttttt refill time on it is nothing compared.to my lothar....

 

[Joedirt199]

Just leave the pump connected while shooting and it is like being tethered to a tank. No need to pump back up to air reservoir pressure.

 

[RickH]

My first pcp was a Benjamin Maximus that I still shoot. I got it with a hand pump and haven’t gotten a compressor. It’s easy to pump this one up. I have Gauntlet that requires MUCH more work but I need the exercise. I may never get a compressor But most of my rifles aren’t pcp’s.

Rick H.

 

[Jasonmc]

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.

Exactly what I think when I flip the switch to my compressor... All that OverTime I worked to save to buy the thing..

 

[tm3]

My point there was, if you want a hand pump versus an electric pump, you may as well get a larger tank to also fill with the hand pump to store surplus air. You would get multiple fills into the gun from the scba tank.

OK, got it! Yes, that seems like a good idea. Have a pump session from time to time and then there is always a refill source (the tank).

Two more questions:

1) Lots of comments here about servicing the pump, which I assume (?) means lubricating the seals. Is there a "how to" on this somewhere or is it just trial and error from pump to pump?

2) A little OT, but with the mention of adding a tank ...... seems like I heard that the tank pressure needs to be somehow matched to the fill pressure of the gun, else the gun won't fill. True?

 

[bearair]

I hand pumped my first PCP gun for a couple years. It is an armada with a 215 cc tube at 3000 psi fills. It was okay but having upgraded to a compressor and 9 liter tank I will only go back to hand pumping if the pocalypse happens. I still have two Benjamin hand pumps collecting dust lol.

 

[beerthief]

OK, got it! Yes, that seems like a good idea. Have a pump session from time to time and then there is always a refill source (the tank).

Two more questions:

1) Lots of comments here about servicing the pump, which I assume (?) means lubricating the seals. Is there a "how to" on this somewhere or is it just trial and error from pump to pump?

2) A little OT, but with the mention of adding a tank ...... seems like I heard that the tank pressure needs to be somehow matched to the fill pressure of the gun, else the gun won't fill. True?

never heard of any one filling a tank with a hand pump that would take many hours of constant pumping , many! ?

 

[iAMzehTOASTY1]

never heard of any one filling a tank with a hand pump that would take many hours of constant pumping , many! ?

I wish to try

 

[beerthief]

I wish to try

have two doctor's present . one medical /one shrink. 74 cubic foot tank =2.093 × 106 = 2093000 CC roughly/ not my math /off internet.

 

[RM100GUY]

I wish to try

Good luck north of 200 bar considering the volume required...I wouldn't even consider it...480-500cc tanks are bad enough (from empty) plus wear and tear on the pump...it ain't gunna' be worth it IMHO.

 

[iAMzehTOASTY1]

have two doctor's present . one medical /one shrink. 74 cubic foot tank =2.093 × 106 = 2093000 CC roughly/ not my math /off internet.

oh wow!

Good luck north of 200 bar considering the volume required...I wouldn't even consider it...480-500cc tanks are bad enough (from empty) plus wear and tear on the pump...it ain't gunna' be worth it IMHO.

I didn't say I wanted to do it regularly just try it once to say I did it

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

oh wow!

I didn't say I wanted to do it regularly just try it once to say I did it

The hand pump is going to be putting out the same volume of air per stroke, whether topping off the little 65 cc cylinder on a Marauder-P or the tank with a volume 97 cf. The only difference being what is perceived in your mind and the additional pressure in the tank to achieve greater use through volume. Either way you are still jacking on that pump the same amount of strokes for a given amount of air use per shot.

 

[Nomadic Pirate 66]

The hand pump is going to be putting out the same volume of air per stroke, whether topping off the little 65 cc cylinder on a Marauder-P or the tank with a volume 97 cf. The only difference being what is perceived in your mind and the additional pressure in the tank to achieve greater use through volume. Either way you are still jacking on that pump the same amount of strokes for a given amount of air use per shot.

Excellent reply.

 

[iAMzehTOASTY1]

The hand pump is going to be putting out the same volume of air per stroke, whether topping off the little 65 cc cylinder on a Marauder-P or the tank with a volume 97 cf. The only difference being what is perceived in your mind and the additional pressure in the tank to achieve greater use through volume. Either way you are still jacking on that pump the same amount of strokes for a given amount of air use per shot.

I want to fill a bottle.so that I can use that in the field/on bench. Then not have to tote the pump around lol

 

[rcarlisle]

I recall reading a post somewhere some time ago by a fellow who would pump up a small buddy bottle during commercial breaks in the evenings during the week. By the weekend, he had a small but full bottle to stuff in his backpack. Intriguing but I guess it depends on your use-case as to whether such a thing is practical. If I'm going out on a hunt, I'm overstocked for air and ammo if I only take shots on game with either of my rifles. If I'm plinking, I'm in the back yard and only a few minutes from being refilled. It never seemed like something I needed to do. For someone who goes to a range, let's face it, few things are sillier than operating a hand pump there. Filling a bottle with a hand pump might be one way to skin the cat on a budget. But I can imagine the first fill from zero will be a hemorrhoid.

 

[RM100GUY]

The hand pump is going to be putting out the same volume of air per stroke, whether topping off the little 65 cc cylinder on a Marauder-P or the tank with a volume 97 cf. The only difference being what is perceived in your mind and the additional pressure in the tank to achieve greater use through volume. Either way you are still jacking on that pump the same amount of strokes for a given amount of air use per shot.

As the pressure increases the pumping gets progressively more and more difficult...and the volume of the tank size will dictate how much pumping will be required to fill that volume at a given pressure...going to 250 bar in a 250cc tube is one Sam Hill of a lot quicker than to 250 bar in say a 100 cubic foot tank...try it some time and count your strokes going to the same pressure but different volumes....that's why the pump fill hose fills to pressure so quickly...low volume.