Looking to buy an inexpensive pcp to replace my breaker for squirrel hunting

[Harv24]

As a guy who now has a Coltri MCH3, I agree on the hand pumping. I did it for my Cayden and it got old quick and I bought a SCBA tank.
The Noto would be a good call based on air cylinder size.

 

[ChrisT]

i have almost pulled the trigger on the mch3, but now i see that rti has 7k? unit out, Looks like it would be ok for gun tanks but not big cylinders. Got a hankering for their latest rifle also, the rabbit hole is getting deeper by the minute.

 

[357cal]

You can get the first generation Avenger and a compressor for around $500.

My first PCP was the .25 Avenger, an excellent beginner's PCP to progress with. It starts out at 42 fpe and can reach up to 100 fpe.

 

[Justaguy]

I am a strong, rugged, blue-collar guy. lol
I bought a hand pump. That lasted about 3 fills. Hand pumping sucks. Especially when you get higher up in the PSI.
It seems like a good cheap alternative, but it isn't.

 

[scubajeeper]

Face it guys, there is no CHEAP way to do this!

 

[Contndr35BB]

$50 hand pump from amazon works better than the $200 rust-o-matics from hill. Pumping is not that hard and nobody says you have to pump to 4k psi. I run several of my 250 bar guns at 200 bar with plenty of shots. Just pump them back up while watching a tv show. Plus who couldn't use a little exercise these days. People be getting soft. 46 y/o 180 lbs training for my first Murph Challenge. 1 mile run, 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 air squats then 1 last mile run all for time.

Joe , been there done that , the T shirt's long gone ! I have had 3 Hill pumps , a Mk4 & 2 Mk5s . I sold one Mk5 to my brother w/ a Benjamin Gunnar . I keep a pump in my Toyota all the time but I use either of my two compressors most of the time. Now at 66 1/2 yrs & w/ both shoulders & hips replaced ( & retired ) I only handpump the small guns when half empty ( or half full ? ) .

 

[Contndr35BB]

Face it guys, there is no CHEAP way to do this!

Agreed , 3 handpumps , 2 air compressors & a small tank ! And an airhose that stays in the case w/ the gun along w/ the probe , if one is required .

 

[Coinwa]

For under $500…. that answer is easy.

DAR .22 ($300)
Amazon hand pump ($80)
$120 worth of 15.9 Hades/Atomics

Buddy of mine did that exact same thing last week. I mounted a scope on it, and ran the first 30 shots through it yesterday. Hand pumping from 1500 back to 3000 was simple, I believe it took about 50 pumps.

 

[JimD]

I hand pumped my Prod, my first PCP, and if it was all I ever bought I would probably still hand pump. But my second PCP was a 25 caliber Avenger. I only pumped it above 4000 psi once. But even 3000 psi fill weren't much fun. I was blessed to have sufficient money so I bought a YH. Later a SCBA bottle and fill set. But I still have two hand pumps (a Benjamin and a cheapie which works better from most perspectives). I think hand pumping is totally viable if you want to or need to. You absolutely do not have to fill your 300 bar gun to 300 bar. I almost never did with my Avenger. You just have to fill higher than the regulator setting by enough to give you the number of shots you want. The regulator on my Caiman X is set to 100 bar, for instance. That still gives me over 30 fpe. I'm not sure of my shot count filling it to 150 bar but it would clearly be a lot easier than trying to pump it up to it's 300 bar rating. I think 150 bar would give me at least 20 shots, possibly 30. If I just kept shooting after it went off regulator I could clearly get 30 usable shots. 150 bar is only a little over 2000 psi, I think, and I didn't mind filling my Prod to 2500-3000 psi but the size of the storage chamber is a lot bigger on the Caiman. But still, 2000 psi filling isn't going to be a struggle for most people. The regulator could be lowered too. 25 fpe is still quite usable in a 22.

 

[bf1956]

Hey everybody. I'm still in the middle of my learning curve when it comes to air gun hunting so thanks in advance for your advice. I bought a budget Stoeger break open gun and replaced the trigger (charliedatuna.com> great investment!). It's a .22 and I played with different pellets to find the ones this guns likes. Sitting at a bench, it is plenty accurate for anything I want to do. I read up on the recoil of a breaker, using the military grip, etc. However, if I'm walking around the yard, it's a very difficult gun to use to hit a squirrel in the head.
I want to switch to a pcp gun with 2 main concerns. I want to spend under $500 on the gun and I want to figure out how to refill the tank without buying a compressor or going to a dive store. Your thoughts please. Thanks,
Will

Midway, check'm out.

 

[dizzums]

for squirrels, prod .. imo its the most effective squirrel gun ever made ... i bet i got well over 150 squirrels with it, usually with 1 shot .. so yeah, 'its got such a small tank' well, every pellet in those two mags is a kill lol .. thats a whole bag full, and 'oh its low power' well, something about that 14g crosman at ~650fps seems to be the magic spot for turning a squirrels lights out lol .. i think its just the right speed to transfer all the energy with minimal pass-through .. something haha

 

[Headshots]

Gamo Urban $260, Hawke 4x scope $100 , and a $40 pump . And you have $100 left for ammo .

Accurate, easy to fill , 30 good shots , plenty of power . Made in the UK .

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

Notos
Stormrider
Benjamin discovery(if you don't mind single shot and can find a good one)
Gamo urban

All of these are super easy to hand pump. I have a spare hand pump for if/when the compressor breaks, and some guns that are hand pump friendly.

If the comp goes down, I won't be filling my bottle guns until it's fixed or replaces.

@Joedirt199 you're crazy to have tried hand pumping that jumbo valve to try and seat it lol. Surprised the hand pump wasn't the only one having a stroke!