Choosing the right hand pump

for the money you cant go wrong with the $70 ebay pumps,no sense paying double + for the same thing, 

Hi I believe Hill pumps are the most robust and effective. I have a MK3 & a MK4 that I use to refill my FX Bobcat .25 and they are 100% worth it

i have a hill mk3, its been great, never once had a problem. 

I rarely use a pump but, I'd also vote for a Hill. 
One of the things I looked for specifically, when I was looking at hand pumps, was the availability of a complete rebuild kit. After I picked up my (used) MK3, I picked up the rebuild hit for it and some lube. Now, even if my pump fails on me, I know I can get back up and running quickly. 
You should be able to find a used model in the classifieds eventually, or place a WTB ad, and then pick up a rebuild kit for quite a bit less than the price of a brand new one. 
Tom

Just for further info. On a 450cc tube, if I let the pressure go down from 220bar to 190bar, it takes me 96 pumps to top it back up. It does hit what appears to be a sticking point at 200bar, but once over it fills up again easily. However there is a technique to filling and that is to allow approx 2 seconds after both the down and up stroke (which seems to help keep the heat down). Also you drop your weight on it on the down stroke which is far easier that just using triceps.

Airgundepot did a side by side comparison of Benjamin and Air Venturi pumps. The Benjamin required.quite a bit more effort.
start about 4 minutes into the video. Filling a Benjamin Maximus to 2000 PSI from nothing.

The type of pump you buy does make a difference.

if you buy anoy other pump besideds a hill pump u are waistign your money

I'm using a Benjamin right now but it's the only pump I've had so I can't compare it to anything else but I do know that I'm buying another pump to have out at my camp for backup when my fill tank gets low and it will be something different , right now I'm testing out the Benjamin by trying to fill a 90ci 4500psi tank,so far I've hit 1620 full pumps and I'm touching 3000 psi, it is getting hard.

I have a Chinese hand pump which seems very similar to the G6 or AV pump. Paid $100.00 new from a U.S. dealer.
MUCH easier to use than an FX 1 or Gen II FX, MUCH MUCH better/easier than a Benjamin - sun optics still making/importing the "Benjamin" pump? .

Very easy to rebuild, 2 rebuild kits included, instructions , the correct oil ( 7 life times worth), a dead head, somewhat lane tool but it does work, easy tp pump to 230bar weighing 135lbs. I did pump only the hose ( w/deadhead ) to 4,350psi with no problem . All hose fitting were hand tightened and do not leak.

It is hard to figure out which of the hand pumps made in ....... is which but do not over look buying one.

Does it come with a water filter?

A lot of people say that after using a pump for a short time that they went down the bottle route as pumping is too hard and the convenience of a bottle makes more sense to them, but please do not let this deter you if you are looking at a pump. Yes it can take up to 5 mins to refill from 180 bar to 220 bar, but it really isn't difficult if you lock your shoulders and arms up, bend your knees and drop your weight onto the handle on the down stroke, Personally I would rather have the freedom to refil my rifle wherever I was and not worry about running out of air and then having to stop and perhaps spend more time (and petrol), driving a bottle over to a dive shop, waiting for it to be filled etc. It really does come down to your own situation. BUT your experience can definitely be marred if you don't get the best hand pump you can. Hope this helps.

I foolishly spent the extra money on the FX pump. Here's what you don't get for the price:

• a dust cover for the fill probe
• a clip to keep the hose from flopping around during transport
• a foot plate that folds flat for storage
• rebuild kit
• oil