Checking pressure gauge on PCP?

[TheBaron]

I've been happily filling my .22 Gen 1 Marauder to about 2800psi on the gun's gauge and shooting down to around 1800-ish psi after 20 shots at +/- 27 fpe (sounds about right, I think). I have refilled my gun's reservoir about 45x from a 3500psi scuba tank and so figured I must be getting low on air (an online calculator I found estimated I should get 30-ish refills), but I have no gauge on my tank to tell me where I'm at. It just so happens I mentioned pigeon shooting with my PCP to a friend and his ears perked up as he's been wanting a Marauder for some time. Well, turns out he already had a scuba tank and a couple gauges. Before we loaded up to go let him shoot my gun at a nearby property, I put his gauge on my scuba tank and it read 2200 psi, which leads me to my confusion. If my tank really is at 2200 psi, how is it I'm still filling my PCP to 2800+ psi with no trouble? (that's a rhetorical question). One of the gauges must be wonky.

I assume I should buy or borrow an inline pressure gauge, so when I close my scuba fill bleeder valve I can compare readings to what my gun's gauge says? Has anyone ever run into a pressure gauge being wrong on their PCP before? I kind of wondered how reliable that little gauge might really be, compared to a larger/higher quality gauge. Any thoughts?

 

[clgraham82]

I replaced the very inaccurate Crosman gauges on my 2 Discos & Marauder with Dwyer gauges even tho I rarely look at them (I go by shot count). I always go by my tank gauges for a more accurate fill pressure. I'm getting 4 magazines out of my .22 Marauder on a 3000-1900 psi fill.

 

[hasenpfeffer]

I think you're doing the best you can by comparing two gauges. The gauge on my rifle agrees with the gauge on my hand pump, and that's good enough for me.

Clearly you need to buy a second rifle for comparison.

 

[Dan25]

Crosman had considerable issues with the Gen 1 Marauder air gauges. Mine was OK at first but gradually went off and ended up reading 600 psi high. Even though I was 6 months out of warranty, Crosman sent me a free replacement. The new gauge remains on the mark when compared to the gauge on my Tiger Shark tank.

 

[TheBaron]

I'm going to get a replacement gauge for my gun (maybe a Dwyer) and also get a double check with another scuba gauge. It would make some sense if my gun gauge is reading quite a bit low, as many talk about 30-40 shots per fill but I'm only getting 15-20. I've also got WAY more fills from my scuba tank and am still filling to "2800 psi" on the gun gauge, from a tank that (according to the only gauge I've tried) is only at 2,200 psi. Maybe I'm just not getting a real fill on my gun? We shall see.

Thanks, fellas!

 

[pbguns]

here is my gen2 gauge.....(just a tad off).