What is Your Air Source?
How do you power your PCP? I am looking for clever ideas ’cause I am a fan of neither hand pumps nor constant trips to a dive shop. For example, could I hook up a low-power air compressor directly into the tank, and let it run continuously as I shoot?
Thanks. / Greg
All Replies
Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
I’ll never know, don’t need 4500psi for what I do… 😉
I did find it to be a bit costly though, comparatively speaking. 😕
Does your Sphincter feel violated? That’s a lot of cash for a fill 😯
The dive shop by me charges $8 or you can get a punch card that gets you 10 fills for $60
If I want a true 4500 fill, I need to leave it for a while because he will top it after it cools down. If not when I get home it only has about 4250psi in it. Which still gets me 25+ top offs.
I am new to the PCP guns but after doing some research I decided to go with one of Joe Brancato 88 Cu. Ft. 4500 PSI. Great White Carbon Fiber Tanks and I am very pleased. The tanks goes standard with the Glycerin Filled BAR and PSI Gauge. I added “The Works” Hose Assembly that includes a 3 foot hose with a strain relief at each end and a stainless steel female quick disconnect and a really nice stainless steel hand tight DIN300 fitting so no wrench required. I have a dive shop about 12 miles away that can fill it to 4500 psi while I wait. I have not keep any records on how many times I can “Top OFF’ but using the air tank re-fill calculator on the Airguns of Arizona’s Web Site and based on a 3000 psi fill and shooting down to 2400 psi. (30 Shots) I can get 41 “Top Offs”. The next time I have my tank filled and I am going to keep a record of “Top Offs” to see what I get. 😀
I am extremely lucky. I got a free 44cf carbon fiber and aluminum Draeger SCBA tank. I get free 4500psi fills at the local fire academy. I then called Joe Brancato at http://www.airtanksforslae.com. Joe built a solid made in America fill set-up for me. I use this to fill a Talon tanked Condor so I get tons of shots before I need to get the Draeger filled again. I can’t recommend Joe B enough, great communication, fast shipping, awesome product.
For travelling with the family I bring my original AF hand pump with me to top off. HPA tanks are the way to go if you have the means. Pumping is a bummer, but the awesome thing is that you can be totally self-sufficient.
I fill my tank at a local dive shop. I used to pump and now that i’ve experienced the tank filling i’ll never go back to a pump again.
There are multiple fill levels for different prices and fill times.
I can fill to 3000psi same day for $7
I can fill to 3440psi same day for $8
Or I can leave it overnight and get a full 4500psi fill for $20
Since I have a USFT rifle (fills to 1600psi from 1300psi) I went with a 44cuft SCBA tank and the 3440psi same day fill. I think I have filled up about 6 or 8 times now and still have 3200psi left in the tank. Roughly 300 pellets worth of shooting.
If I was using a Talon/Condor or big bore rifle I would go with an 88cuft SCBA tank and the 4500 psi fill.
Also if you call Joe (as Steve mentioned above) tell him you saw his ads on the Yellow forum and he’ll give you a small price break. 😉
Here’s a hot tip:
http://www.airtanksforsale.com/
The “Great White” is a very useful tool for charging our guns, however it is large and heavy making it difficult to lug around. It will give you the most re-fills. His “Guppy” tank is perfect for taking into the field…at least in my opinion. You should use the re-fill calculator to determine how many fills you’ll get from whicheve tank you buy. Joe’s a good guy. Tell him what you are doing and he’ll set you up right.
The Shoebox compressor is a great step forward for our sport. Many guy have bought these and are satisfied with them for $400-$500 to get set up.
http://www.shoeboxcompressor.com/
Then there are crazy people like me who buy real high pressure compressors from knowlegable people like mr. Jim mShelde.
http://sheldensportinggoods.com/
Here are some pics of my Hammworthy compressor that I purchased from Mr. Shelden:
http://talonairgun.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14250&highlight=compressors+one+own
I have an aluminum 80 that I got before I knew what I was doing. I use it for charging my TSS, and Marauder pistol. These guns, for my uses, don’t require 3000psi. I re-charge it from my 4500psi carbon fiber tank…slowly!…and carefully!
Spend the money and get a carbon fiber tank, (providing you have a place that will fill it to 4500psi.) Some guys find that their 4500psi fill station, like sports chalet, don’t actually fill to 4500…beware. Then get a compressor.
Here’s a link to Airguns of Arizona’s air tank re-fill calculator:
To answer your question, No a shop air compressor will not power a air gun.
Your gun is some where (depends on model) around 2000 to 3000 psi.
A shop compressor (depends on model) will put out at tops 200 psi.
Hooking up 2000 to 3000 psi (the gun) to a shop compressor would be deadly. The shop compressor can not handle that kind of pressure and will blow apart.
Like Tony said, look into a Shoe Box compressor or a dive compressor.
30cuft poney 3000psi good for about 20 top offs and 10 fills. Perfect for the shooting range because it’s light and portable. If I shot PCP rifle all the time then I would go carbon fiber or 3500psi. For pistol and 2000psi guns this poney is perfect.
My free air source is a very time consuming trade off…..I’ve been a volunteer firefighter for 32 years. Very well worth it though.
Search….Shoebox Compressor
Tony
Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
HarryP
yep, me too on the full fill, overnight, I just go with what
they can while I wait, usually 4250 or so by the time I get
home, I have a 80 CF and at that 4250 it is alot of air
It is good to have another tank as well
My 3000 alum I take down for a topper, they norm
dont charge for that, and the CF costs me $8
A shoebox would be nice, however, I really dont need one
My dive shop is like 5 klicks away
I have done some work on my valves and had leaks
and your air can go away at a much faster rate 😥
SAW