Scuba Tank Inspired PCP Acquisition??

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michaelbroks

michaelbroks

Member
Jul 16, 2020
11
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Alberta
I am a faithful CO2 shooter, I also have a couple of break barrels, a single pump pneumatic and a multi pump pneumatic. I have never really considered a PCP because of a few reasons. I live in Canada so the max f/s I can bring up here is 500 and from what I can tell, aside from in the long run it looks cheaper to operate a PCP, this source of power would almost be wasted under 750 f/s as well as the fact that I don’t really like the way they look with the tank very prominant. For me part of the interest attracting me to buy these things is the more realistic they look, the more likely I am to buy.

Recently I acquired a scuba tank which got me thinking I might look into a PCP, try and find a toned down one with as discrete an air tank as possible. What I am wondering about is filling things with air. Does anyone know if I can fill that scuba tank with air from va straight up regular air compressor, (with the right fittings of course) and transfer the air from the tank to the gun with the supplied regulator or does anyone have or know about the capability to fill straight from an air compressor to the tank on the gun. I’ve also thought if its a toned down rifle with not a huge tank, I would be looking for a bolt action single shot, does anyone recommend one of the bicycle pumps? I was also thinking maybe I just set up my Sig Co2 with the conversion fitting to go PCP like the Virtus. That thing takes the 90 gram CO2s so I think it would be far more economical to shoot over the long run with the PCP. If anyone has some input on the best way to supply one PCP rifle with air I would certainly appreciate it. Thanks!!
 
You're nibbling at the right idea except a regular shop compressor cannot produce anywhere near enough pressure for a PCP airgun. People in the past have added a "shoebox" compressor to their shop compressor setup to get the required pressure. 

The problem with that is that it's very slow. If you budget allows I'd get a compressor made for high pressure.
 
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I hand pumped my Benjamin Marauder for many years. It was only when I got an Air Force Condor SS with a 490cc bottle, followed by a FX Crown (and now an Impact) with 480cc bottles that hand pumping became a chore. The larger bottles, plus the fact that they fill to 250 Bar ~ 3600 PSI, make hand pumping a real chore.



In my opinion, for any air rifle that fills to 3000 PSI (210 Bar) or less, with a tube/bottle below 300cc, hand pumping is a perfectly viable way to go, plus you get (a little) exercise. Of course, if you are physically compromised this may not be for you, but for the vast majority of people, with one or two small (tube) capacity rifles, it is no problem whatsoever - and cheap.



Chris
 
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I started in PCP's because I already had a couple of SCUBA tanks. The only "affordable" PCP at the time was the Benjamin Marauder. It has a smaller air tube rather than a bottle so I could get a few fills off of a 3000 psi SCUBA tank. But, because the fill pressure of a Marauder is 3000psi there were only so many fills between its 3000 and 1800 usable range. I soon got my own HPA compressor and an SCBA tank (4500 fill pressure). You might want to look at something like a Benjamin Maximus that tops out at 2000 psi but you would need a SCUBA or paintball shop nearby to fill your tank. A hand pump is also doable on a Maximus.
 
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First off the question would be if the scuba tank is certified to be filled at a dive shop. If it is that will be the cheapest way to fill it. Usually getting it inspected, hydro tested and filled is about $35-50 here in the USA. After that $6 to get refilled each time. With one of the 2000 psi fill PCP's you will get a ton of fills. Benjamin Maximus or Beeman QB Chief come to mind first. A Benjamin Challenger or any other 10 meter competition gun will get close to 500 fps out of the box. I would think most good Canadian airgun dealers could tell you how to slow most guns down to be legal or have legal guns to sell. Not knowing Canadian laws the question would be what you can legally buy. For example a Benjamin Fortitude could easily be slowed to under 500 fps with a long shot string but a simple turn of the power adjuster would put you at 800 fps in .177 and make the gun illegal. 
 
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That is an interesting thought. You would think that it would be pointless for retailers or dealers to bring pcp guns to a Canada that do not comply with the applicable laws, but they do. People with their PAL certification, which allows a person to buy and own powder firearms, can own air rifles with as much power as they like. I should stop worrying about what the answer would be if I went through the application process and just apply. It’s not like I have been involved in any crimes that would prohibit me from getting it. I think.

I appreciate the information all, thanks for the help.
 
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I've been in this hobby for 4+ yrs now and up until a month ago always used a SCUBA tank. The steel ones can go to just over 250bar. 

My Impact is a 250bar gun and the edgun is a 300bar gun. Filled both from the SCUBA at 250bar or less. They are both regulated so I just lose some shot count below max fill. NBD.

I let the SCUBA shop fill them. It's cheep and I want to support my local SCUBA shop.

A buddy of mine at our club just got a pallet of fireman tanks and I got 2 from him they were so inexpensive. They are expired, but I just let him take them home and fill them with his compressor (not a shop compressor, a HPA one.) I just rotate now and don't use the SCUBA anymore. IMHO this is the trick setup. Cost was so low I could probably buy my own compressor and still be less than the really nice Great White CF tank ($900.)

All your tanks will have similar fill systems. A manifold, gauge, hose, a main valve and a bleed off. Figure on spending $70-$100 on this apparatus. 

Forget about pumping a PCP, that's a recipe for headaches.

Warning: PCP is addicting. First it'll be a $1k gun, before you know it you'll be buying and equipping a gun that's $3k+.

My favorite is the FX Impact. Mine is a gen 1 that's been upgraded signifigantly and is pushing a .30gr slug at 110fpe.

Second favorite is my edgun R5M .177. I can shoot this all day on a charge and not run out of air. Only neg on the edgun is that if you haven't counted to 10 correctly you are going to shoot empty.

My next gun is going to be the SK-19. Made in the USA and has tons of really cool features. Check this one out.

All depends on your budget, but if you like high quality, high performance stuff, look at the Impact or the SK-19 or an edgun, daystate and air arms also make some nice guns, the AA are less $. All are super nice.
 
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I've been in this hobby for 4+ yrs now and up until a month ago always used a SCUBA tank. The steel ones can go to just over 250bar. 

My Impact is a 250bar gun and the edgun is a 300bar gun. Filled both from the SCUBA at 250bar or less. They are both regulated so I just lose some shot count below max fill. NBD.

I let the SCUBA shop fill them. It's cheep and I want to support my local SCUBA shop.

A buddy of mine at our club just got a pallet of fireman tanks and I got 2 from him they were so inexpensive. They are expired, but I just let him take them home and fill them with his compressor (not a shop compressor, a HPA one.) I just rotate now and don't use the SCUBA anymore. IMHO this is the trick setup. Cost was so low I could probably buy my own compressor and still be less than the really nice Great White CF tank ($900.)

All your tanks will have similar fill systems. A manifold, gauge, hose, a main valve and a bleed off. Figure on spending $70-$100 on this apparatus. 

Forget about pumping a PCP, that's a recipe for headaches.

Warning: PCP is addicting. First it'll be a $1k gun, before you know it you'll be buying and equipping a gun that's $3k+.

My favorite is the FX Impact. Mine is a gen 1 that's been upgraded signifigantly and is pushing a .30gr slug at 110fpe.

Second favorite is my edgun R5M .177. I can shoot this all day on a charge and not run out of air. Only neg on the edgun is that if you haven't counted to 10 correctly you are going to shoot empty.

My next gun is going to be the SK-19. Made in the USA and has tons of really cool features. Check this one out.

All depends on your budget, but if you like high quality, high performance stuff, look at the Impact or the SK-19 or an edgun, daystate and air arms also make some nice guns, the AA are less $. All are super nice.
Click to expand...

That sounds pretty much like the ideal scenario. For myself, all the variables involved in my situation when I started out with this pointed me solidly in the direction of C02 and I believe we all know how much money we dump in to this hobby. Had things been different perhaps I go down the pcp road or eventually I get bored of target shooting at 30 feet and switch focus. The problem I have is I just found a Ruger 10/22 10 shot semi auto running off two 12 g cartridges that Umarex toned down to 450 f/s and the Springfield 4.5 XDM pistol that are on their way to me for the bargain price of $450. And I am stoked. I can’t pass by a nice gun I want without buying it, even when this is the last thing I should be spending money on right now.
 
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