PCP air rifle stirrup pump

john_little

Well-Known Member
Not exactly stalking related but, has anyone seen or tried to build an electric powered stirrup pump for charging pcp air rifles?

I used to have a divers bottle but getting it recharged involves a two hour journey and manually pumping could finish me off!
 
Not exactly stalking related but, has anyone seen or tried to build an electric powered stirrup pump for charging pcp air rifles?

I used to have a divers bottle but getting it recharged involves a two hour journey and manually pumping could finish me off!

I am in a similar boat...my cylinder is due its inspection and the only place that seems to do the certification is in Chepstow and locked down...

There are a whole raft of cheap compressors suddenly on the market I was looking at a couple of weeks ago...short duty cycles and you may need to buy an additional desiccator / water and oil separator, but for two or three hundred pounds well worth considering...


Alan
 
I’ve been looking at those Alan, also thinking of something like this:
46E82EDF-8501-472B-A348-13B92D062C88.webp
Motors are quite reasonably priced these days and I’ve a friend that could weld up a frame, hoping to find some information on horsepower requirements.
 
John, it doesn’t have to be stalking related, this is the “Off Topic” section mate. You can talk about any old rubbish like most of us do. 👍😀
 
FX used to make a motorised stirrup pump. It was rubbish, overheated, fell to bits.

Others have made similar things, but powered by compressed air. Seems like an idea ? Already got a compressor for running tools ? Some magic box that can boost it up to 200 or 300 BAR ? Well, yes they can work, but are generally carp. DIY it by adding a pneumatic cylinder to a stirrup pump and some valving, yes it can and has been done, considered that myself for a few minutes.

Things have moved on, including the various Chinese compressors, and the higher end ones.

You can get a Chinese one for under £200 upward, or say a Hill EC3000 for £800 (much better, and not unreasonable considering the cost of PCP rifles these days, together with dive cylinder cost, regular testing, refill charges, driving to and fro)

These are for filling the guns themselves, not dive cylinders. To do that properly you need a scuba compressor or derivative that costs a lot lot more.
 
Not exactly stalking related but, has anyone seen or tried to build an electric powered stirrup pump for charging pcp air rifles?

I used to have a divers bottle but getting it recharged involves a two hour journey and manually pumping could finish me off!
Might be worth looking over at AirGunForum. Some of the chaps over there have tried compressors from the cheap and cheerful Ebay (Chinese) jobbies to the much more expensive Omega Trailcharger and SuperCharger. Personally, I use the Hills MK4 pump and as long as you don't try and rush it's not too bad (can still give the ticker bit of a workout though).
 
I use a Hill Mk2, 2 or three pumps per shot, easily done with proper technique, use body weight to force it down, then flex your legs to rise again. Slow and steady and it is not a workout, not a struggle at all.

My PCPs have reservoirs that are good for 80-100 shots, one takes screw on bottles of greater capacity, of which I have two, so cannot imagine running out of air whether plinking or hunting. Pumping them up again doesn't have to be done all in one go, 15 minutes tops them up, or take a break then return to finish off.

Also have a 7 litre dive bottle but rarely used, a bit too heavy to lug around, it is a 70 mile round trip to get it filled, quite a few £ each time even though I usually just want it topped up from 200 to 300 BAR. Plus the testing. I used to pass every day on my commute so not an issue, but no longer so. Besides, they were dicks and rarely properly topped it off to 300 BAR, despite having all the kit to do so properly. Their business was diving and I think I was just an annoyance, or they simply didn't understand that I wanted a quick turnaround which could have been done in ten minutes but no, had to be left until next day collection and charged the same price as divers who dropped off 2 or four cylinders at a time to be filled from empty to 200 BAR.

Even told once that their (450 BAR) reservoir was not over 300 BAR and no they wouldn't switch on the pump to raise it, only done at night using off-peak electricity. Pick up next day. Under filled as usual so had to insist it be corrected, as usual.

If starting again I'd just buy a compressor, either Chinese or British made, in Sheffield.
 
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as long as you dont let the cylinder go below 100 bar, it should only take you a max of 2 pumps per shot to get you back up to pressure. eg my hw100ks takes 60 pumps to get back up to full tank. 3 or 4 minutes its done
 
The Chinese compressor gets a reasonable review at about 15:00 in the video above, less than 90 seconds to refill an air rifle seems good.
 
I use a Hill Mk2, 2 or three pumps per shot, easily done with proper technique, use body weight to force it down, then flex your legs to rise again. Slow and steady and it is not a workout, not a struggle at all.

Do you need to use a water separator with your hand pump?

Alan
 
Do you need to use a water separator with your hand pump?

Alan
Sorry to jump in on your question to Sharpie. My Hills MK4 has a air dryer tub filled with desiccant balls fitted to the inlet which allegedly ensures only dry air is pumped. Not sure how effective the system is but I've never seen any sign of water at the high pressure side, but then again I don't pump fast enough to generate any heat.
 
It is surprising what can be done with a good hand pump like the Hills once you have got the technique sorted and are not in a hurry. I fill a spare buddy bottle as well as my PCP rifle that way. When I am filling mood I put the pump in the hallway and just do 20 or so pumps each time I pass.

I think of it as my airgunning equivalent to reloading for centre fires, with the added bonus of no need for gym membership.
 
Do you need to use a water separator with your hand pump?

Alan

On my MK2 there is a bleed screw below the level of the hose fitting. The instructions are to open this periodically during use, something like every thirty strokes ISTR to release any water that has been trapped inside the base, before it reaches the level of the hose connection and might get blown into the rifle. There is also a "micron filter" inside the base to trap any particulates, which should be changed periodically.

I do use the bleed screw every 30 strokes, which gives a welcome pause. Only tiny amounts of water come out, but over a long pumping session I'm sure it could build up.

The bleed screw is opened anyway every session to de-pressurise the hose and pull the filling adaptor from the rifle

I do not have the Dry-Pac system on mine, it was is an optional accessory. I have noticed no problems with moisture in my rifles, one of them has been apart a couple of times to work on the regulator and there was no report of any moisture or rust inside.

It works on the intake side of the pump and uses molecular sieve material to dry the air. I have some doubts as to its necessity, or effectiveness so have not yet bought it, but probably will, just in case I am wrong.

I would certainly recommend the Hills pump, it is impressively built, spares and support are available for all versions (they are up to Mk5 now). I'm not sure that will be the case for some alternatives, but is essential to be able to get correctly sized and correct material replacements for e.g. the piston seals, which will wear out.

For 12 fpe rifles I think a pump is a very practical device. Learn the technique, us body weight, bend ze knees, don't try and pump it with your arms.However for FAC and/or large buddy bottles, I would be looking at compressors nowadays.
 
The Hills pump at £188 (slightly confusing advert whether it is Mk4 or Mk5, title says one text says the other) puts it £10 less than the Chinese powered ones...



Any body using the Chinese hand pumps which are around £30?

Alan
Sounds like a scam. You can buy direct from Hill, with free postage, be assured it is the latest version, for £170 Mk5 with Dry-Pac, £150 Mk5, £100 Spartan (no pressure gauge, unnecessary if you have one on your rifle instead).

Honestly, if you get to compare such things in a shop you will see the differences between a Hill pump and the others. And maybe be able to wheedle a slightly lower price than list.

 
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