N/A What Makes a PCP Airgun Easy to Work On?

[Ezana4CE]

I’d like to preface this by saying that my question will garner subjective answers, so let’s be civil in this conversation. Some of us will disagree here.

I recall dialogue with another member on the topic of ease of working on a particular PCP. After thinking about the discourse I started to wonder, “What makes a PCP easy to work on in the minds of others?” So for you tinkerers, smiths, hobbyists, and laymen who’ve been into PCPs for several years what say you? How about members new to PCPs? When answering please disclose a rough timeframe (in years) that you’ve been actively involved in the hobby. By “work on” I mean general maintenance, tuning, and replacing or repairing faulty, worn, or broken parts (without disassembly of the breech block or trigger assembly).

 

[Vetmx]

Quality screws, threads, fit, finish and nothing cranked on or together like it’s relying on gaskets to seal. That’s what makes a gun easy to work on. Complicated guns can still be easy to work on, just more complicated.

 

[beerthief]

What Makes a PCP Airgun Easy to Work On? the help obtained here on AGN .​

 

[Stubbers]

7 years in the hobby.

On my personal guns I prefer minimal o-ring sizes through-out the gun, fasteners that don't require red thread locker and thus heat to loosen for purposes such as retaining HPA or something peculiar. Likewise with screws, the less allen keys I need the better. Also no sharp corners on punched/machined slots/holes that nick your o-ring open removal (I smoothed mine down but from factory the marauder is very known to cause o-ring damage while traveling over the gauge hole and other slots).


-Matt

 

[jarmstrong]

it is all in the mind of the owner/fixer
do you change your own oil or do hire everything done
some folks spend time in the garage/shop while others are good gamers

 

[KatoKevin454]

Well it helps to be mechanically inclined, to me PCP's are easy, I have experience in Pnuematic and Hydralic systems, also being a former HVAC technician helps, I also know a bit about Engines and other mechanical devices, PCP's to me are just an Airtank and a valve with a few O-rings, just some have a little more complicated cocking mechanisms and trigger systems than others, being a former R/C airplane and car guy helps with the linkages used in PCP too.
I've been into PCP airgun's about 15 years now, and my first PCP was a Benjamin Marauder .22 gen 2,

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

I've been a tinkerer of all things mechanical from the beginning of my life. A lot of us get it from upbringing, our father's and grandfather's. Half a century ago a vast majority of people in this world were required by life, be it living in the country or the city, to be somewhat mechanically inclined to get by and or survive. So for me, working on airguns is an easy mechanical endeavor, as easy as changing out the gearing and synchronizers in a manual transmission or working with electricity.

 

[mubhaur]

Well thought out and well planned / designed gun from the point of view of its repair by its user.

 

[DesertSilver]

Handing it to a good airgun tech and saying fix it.

 

[Stubbers]

Oh I almost forgot, not drinking too much coffee (actually quit coffee not long ago) makes pcp's much easier to work on. Being over-caffeinated always gives me jitters and then I usually rush the process or skip something when putting it back together, which means I need to disassemble again to install the missing component, lol.

Matt

 

[Chukar60]

Depends on the shooter. Some are challenge and risk adverse.
My first air gun was a Daystate Pulsar. I had no intention of working on it. I saw a display and the knowledge there were electronic controls and I was not touching it. Then the thing gave me some problems. two mechanical ones that did not bother me and then the electronics went nuts a couple times. Too much for my brain.
Next gun was an FX Maverick and still being new to PCP’s and tuning I mucked that thing up several times out of ignorance. Decided I would learn to work on it and do my own repairs when I could. I am relatively mechanically inclined. Not a professional but not a newb either. The Maverick for me was simple to take apart, replace parts and reassemble from a total tear down to functioning gun again.
What made it easy was FX USA’s willingness to talk me through a couple issues, then Ernest Rowes videos and some input from members here. Honestly, the gun was far less complex inside than I had anticipated.

 

[delooper]

Mostly I agree with Stubbers, but having a small number of components sure helps.

 

[Gerry52]

Enough money to pay the best airgunsmith around! That's as easy as it gets.

 

[Scotty1]

A gun that is logically laid out to service, without disturbing hard to adjust settings. Minimal o-rings of standard sizes (RTI), and high quality fasteners.
Good, available exploded diagrams and part/o-ring lists. Parts availability. No deep set o-rings that require microsurgery to change (FX regs).

 

[Solo1]

Why its one that you never seem to have to work on! And when you do has almost no orings.

 

[Ezana4CE]

Well it helps to be mechanically inclined, to me PCP's are easy, I have experience in Pnuematic and Hydralic systems, also being a former HVAC technician helps, I also know a bit about Engines and other mechanical devices, PCP's to me are just an Airtank and a valve with a few O-rings, just some have a little more complicated cocking mechanisms and trigger systems than others, being a former R/C airplane and car guy helps with the linkages used in PCP too.
I've been into PCP airgun's about 15 years now, and my first PCP was a Benjamin Marauder .22 gen 2,

@KatoKevin54 I think the user’s knowledge and aptitude is a factor that makes it such a subjective question. Also a good working knowledge of how airguns function prior to working on them is very helpful. As others have mentioned, even skilled users can be challenged by design issues or inferior parts and components.

 

[cmatera]

Readily available parts and good videos.

 

[Florida_Man]

For me it’s minimum amount of parts, mainly o rings and fasteners. The ones it does have are easy to source. Intuitively designed. Limited tools needed. I don’t need to refer to a schematic.

 

[Emu]

Step by step:

- Easy to take all air out.

- Easy to disassemble Just giving turns.

- Easy to find the o'ring that seal.

-Easy to adjust the trigger.

-Easy to increase and decrease hammer tension.

- Easy to get spare parts.

- Not need of special tools.

- Easy to identify and replace the damaged o'ring.

- Change of o'rings not affecting the tunning.

The very best example of an EASY to maintenance rifle is the Vulcan 3 = SUPER EASY !!!!

 

[AlanMcD]

For me it’s minimum amount of parts, mainly o rings and fasteners. The ones it does have are easy to source. Intuitively designed. Limited tools needed. I don’t need to refer to a schematic.

I agree, but not needing a schematic - once you know what's in there - is no excuse for a gun not to have a schematic available. I think having it available is a great thing and something I do look for in any airgun I plan to purchase . . .