I had one of these -- a Benjamin Marauder in .25, with the British Hill pump. It was a spectacular rifle -- quite, accurate, powerful -- but boy that pump got to be tiring.
I know the disposable income crowd doesn't bat an eye at buying scuba tanks and electric pumps, but this at the very least doubles the cost of the rifle. Wish there were a middle ground.

Yeah...ain't that a bitch...I guarantee I'm NOT on of those fat cats, and I researched the heck out of this "gas-up" problem and decided to just suck it up and buy an Air Venturi Nomad compressor and/or use CO2 in one(one 5# tank will last you years, literally and do a credible job with velo)...forget the bottle garbage...try filling one up in the boonies outside large towns with WATER close by. It was about the cost of a good scope...does anyone(except ME) whine about the cost of a good scope????

Check out the PCP sites like Pyramid and AGA and go online to the MANY PCP forums...lots of new methods coming out to solve this problem relatively cheap...Flog your hand pump or just use it to top off. I modified one of my PCP's by swapping in a larger air tank...get probably 50-60 shots each with both my guns before having to pump up and the NOMAD compressor work on 12 volt and goes with me...it weighs about 20 lbs and is ≈5.5" x 8" x 10.5"

Hey...bullets/primers/brass/powder cost money and no one hardly complains about that, but hear 600 bucks please and EVERYONE takes a dump in their pants.

Playing with our toys cost money, the alternative is just as expensive...isn't it.

Good Hunting

That Nomad II is impressive.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
I had one of these -- a Benjamin Marauder in .25, with the British Hill pump. It was a spectacular rifle -- quite, accurate, powerful -- but boy that pump got to be tiring.
I know the disposable income crowd doesn't bat an eye at buying scuba tanks and electric pumps, but this at the very least doubles the cost of the rifle. Wish there were a middle ground.

Used scuba tanks are usually around for $50-75 and air fills costs about $5-8. The rate limiting step is the availability of a dive shop.

For the 2,000 psi guns a 3,000-3,300 psi SCUBA tank will work, but for the 3,000 psi guns like the Marauder one needs 4,500 psi SCBA tanks. One can go fro one of the 6,000 psi nitrogen tanks too and it prevents any moisture issues. Prices really vary for the nitrogen tanks/contents.
Day before yesterday I just finished pumping up a 3,000 psi 300(?) cc tank from less than a 1,000 to 3,000 then from 2,000 to 3,000 after getting the scope on paper.
Not even using a good Hill pump, but one of the old Cheaper copy of the Benjamin pump. No one of the 45 dollar Chinese pumps of today.
Think an old fat guy did not feel that in the stomach, back and forearms?

Couldn't find any in that price range...at least none that I would take home and the ones on flea-bay were just as questionable. Also I've seen what happens when gas bottles go south...people just disappear. The tings I've seen and investigated and read reports on put gas bottle WAY in the back field. There are lots of small 45 KPSI paint ball bottles around and on flea-bay, but not for 50 bucks PLUS the cost of "piping", gauges, valves (and not all dive shops have 45 KPSI compatibility, I was warned about that at the outset)...those kinds of items are usually not included in the cost of PCP shooting initially...that sticker shock comes afterwards.

The Nomad or Nomad II were the cheapest way I could go for the total air-up package...I only had to buy one connector plug for my 25 cal Air Wolf which also fit my 22 cal Gauntlet and that was only because that connector that came with the Air Wolf was messed up and needed replacing...20-25 bucks...and as I said the Nomad was a lot easier to handle and lighter also...PLUS it can run on 12 volts so I can top off one rifle while shooting the other and not bother the ratty things and not have to top off a large bottle later. It works for me.

SCUBA OR SCBA air pack bottles might work for your application, they have worked for many people and have been for a long time.

I tried my local fire dept but they wouldn't touch it for liability reasons...they used to do it but "times, they are achangin'".

I've had some kind of pellet/BB rifle/pistol since before my first 22...almost 70 years...I just finally gave in and started down the PCP road...2 and counting. The biggest hurdle for my application was the commpressor not counting the cost of the higher order PCP rifles. In the past few years PCP and air rifles have busted wide open. I don't know just which is better...my used $1500 Daystate or my "cheapazz" <$300 Umarex Gauntlet...they BOTH produce <.75" 50 yd groups with favored pellets...very high velos and are BOTH REGULATED so very little variation in shot to shot velo. and I've nailed rat-things out past 100 yds(just about maximum distance before the pellet drops like a rock) when I do my part.

I'm looking at the large-bore 30 cal and above now...Jeez, "who'da thought".

Good Hunting

Buying a compressor is cheaper in the long run that having a tank.

And it will fill your rifle to the max every time, unlike a scupa tank, which looses pressure as you go along.

There are very small compressors - some work on car battery too.

I have to feed 6 Daystates including a WOlverine .303 so I bit the bullet and bought a Bauer 4500psi compressor and a cascade system of 3 SCBA tanks. I don’t have a problem running low on air......

NON: Good to hear that inexpensive Gauntlet is good for that kind of accuracy. I was going to ask. How is the trigger?

Yeah...I can see that you might need a bit of extra whoosh there, J.D. I haven't quite gotten that far yet...I an thinking about an arrow shooter and maybe a 308 cal, tho'...watched a vid on nailing a buf with one...very impressive.


Gauntlet trigger wasn't anything to write home about at first...I did several Hajimoto "magic touches" and now it's ALMOST as good as my Air Wolf which is electronic and so fine, fine, super fine, it puts the triggers on most of my powder guns to shame including my benchrest 2 oz'ers.

There are a few nit pick about the Umarex plastic "stuff", you need to sand down ALL the edges as they are razor sharp LITERALLY. I replaced the 13 CI Ninja bottle with a 22 CI longer, larger bottle and had to mess about with the forend a bit...replaced the "muzzle brake" and air stripper with Hajimoto items and did a couple mods on the forend/barrel to dampen the barrel vibes added a total of 6 mags and did the tweaks to help loading. All seemed to make minor upgrades and together made it shoot much better. The larger bottle is ≈2" OD and ≈10" long, almost as long as the barrel. Hahahahahah

There are many videos available outlining these tweaks from Hajimoto and many other Gauntlet shooters, various bottle changes, trigger setups...I spent a lot of hours watching and taking notes, and Pyramid has a couple neat vids on setting up for CO2 and everything you need for conversions...check them out, the net is swarming with vids on hunting, shooting, various gun testing etc...excellent beginning to whattheheckandwhy.

Good Hunting

Bill is complaining of charging these rifles, now I found out that I actually need a tank connected to the rifle all the time to shoot it!!

Got two large caliber - 30 and 45 - rifles.

I ordered an adaptor to fit to a scuba tank.

I have the pellets, but I am going to wait until Roy comes over in April.

He can install SCI-escand set them up.

Keeps him doing something else rather than shooting my ammo

Will give you all a full report on our results.

The rifles are extremely heavy!

DANG!!!

110 Hill pump strokes to bring the Gauntlet back up to a full tank after some shooting/testing this afternoon. As one approaches 3,000 psi the effort to push the pump all the way down gets a bit tough.

This Old, Fat dude needs the workout though.
Maybe every day for a while

I like to keep the Hill pump in a pack instead of carrying a refill tank. I can fit a medium sized SCBA tank in a pack but mostly don't want to deal with it. I have hunted with spring piston guns but the PCPs I have are more fun to just load and shoot. I have an older Korean made 22 and a newer 25 Airforce Condor. I am looking at a 25 Huben from AOA and just waiting for it to get in stock. I like the .25. The Italian made Coltri scuba compressor does quite well. It tops off my tanks in a bit of time, but faster involves more heat. Be Well. Packy

That Hill pump is a fitness workout plan in a very small package!

I still like the idea of topping off without using the tank. I may carry the pump for squirrel season. I don't like the idea of tethering from a backpack. Probably will not need to top off while out though. Not with the Condor at least. Be Well. Packy

A 22 caliber Daystate Red Wolf will last 200 shots.

I would not attempt walking with the Sinner 45 caliber rifle.

It weighs about half a ton, and the tank lasts 2 shots!

Saeed, that sure is performance at a price!

Bill, you + Saeed are out of my league. I still have my Benjamin pump (manual) that I bought in 1977 in .22 cal. + she still shoots right on the mark. I wouldn't take for her.

The 45 is designed to kill medium game I believe. So you want a couple of shots at maximum power. Everything in the gun's system is designed to do only that. Unless you could harness around 6,000 PSI you may not be able to get much more power. But usually airgun enthusiasts are accustomed to making precision and fieldcraft work in their favor. Be Well. Packy