Are 300 bar bottles worth the effort?

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Centercut

Centercut

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I bring this up because I've been thinking on this for a while, and just filled 7 SCBA tanks yesterday, 3 from 0 to 310 bar, and 4 from 200 to 310 bar. The ones filled from empty are now at about 275 bar due to cooling off, and the ones "topped off" are at about 295 bar. So, let's say I filled to 320-ish, and then set them aside to cool, all 7 of them. Yes, I could go back today and fill them to 310 so that they would have 300 bar-ish when I get to the range or wherever I'm shooting...

OK, now let's look at the new gun(s) that some feel needs 300 bar bottles, or actually will need 300 bar to shoot a match in NRL-22 with the new P. In order to shoot 40 grain .22 caliber slugs at 1050 fps (remember, this is the "revolutionary" thing where the gun performs the same ballistically as the .22 LR subsonic rimfire). I think maybe 12 shots between fills are required for some of the longer stages, correct? So, if the gun (Pursuit of Accuracy video) gets 10 shots from 250 to 190 bar and the reg is at 175 bar with 34 grain slugs at 1040 fps with 250 bar bottle, and a shooter wants to shoot 40 grain at 1050 fps he'll most certainly need a 300-bar bottle. This means he needs to fill to 300 bar between EACH STAGE.

Now stay with me here. Your tank you bring can fill the first fill to 300 bar, since it started at about 300 bar. But what about future fills? How about the 5th or 6th fill (stage)? Certainly not 300 bar, maybe 250 to 260? Now how does the shooter get the shots necessary to complete the stage? Sure, he could bring more than one tank, and cart them around with him, but that's a big PITA. Things that make you go hmmm...
 
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And this is for a scenario where a guy has his own compressor, like you do. Even guys with Shoeboxes or Yong Hengs are gonna spend a whole lotta time burning up compressors trying to keep their tanks as full as possible.

There are MANY among us using hand pumps or sourcing air from dive shops. Just in the last few weeks somebody was talking about keeping all his PCPs running with just a hand pump, and there was an Impact M3 and maybe another bottle gun or two in there with a bunch of high-end airtube guns. Ie. lots of air usage to be hand-pumping.

300 bar makes the already difficult job of having enough high pressure air even harder. (and yes, just cuz it CAN fill to 300 bar doesn't mean you have to, but from Centercut's example, looks like filling to less than 300 bar won't get a guy through an entire stage at PRS, which is what the P was specifically designed for.). Things that make you go hmmmm INDEED.
 
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SteveV said:
Yep, it's gonna require a portable compressor, or two bottles cascaded, pita either way.
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Exactly. Honestly, I don't even think two 45 min SCBA tanks filled to 300 bar will get you through 10 stages filling to 300 bar between each stage... I guess you could buy a 450 bar (6000 psig) tank and a new $15K, 450 bar compressor? What the heck, you just dropped $3K for a new gun, $3K for a new scope, go big or go home. :ROFLMAO:
 
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Sodbuster said:
Doesn't this sort of take some of the fun out of the shooting? Will shooters will be hauling 6000 psi nitrogen bottles around to fill guns?
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I understand those are a bit hefty. P shooters will need to hire a couple porters to drag around their nitro bottles, like on an Everest expedition.
 
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I like the extra shots or more power option. I dont own a bottle though and only use a compressor direct to AG. No free lunch as they say, but I like to have more choices. A 230Bar or 250Bar offers less choices. I think ultimately it depends on what you are doing with your rig. Pellets and paper at fixed distances? No higher pressure needed. But if you want more performance or more shots in the field, the higher pressure reservoir is the way to go imo.
 
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A springer might be fun to take to a NRL-22 match, but it will get you the same looks as these guys showing up to the party.
dumbanddumber2 sm.jpg
 
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Franklink said:
I understand those are a bit hefty. P shooters will need to hire a couple porters to drag around their nitro bottles, like on an Everest expedition.
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In cowboy action shooting guys built special “wheel barrow’s “ to haul all their gear to the range. They’re shaped more like coffins. Some people really get into their hobbies and if they can afford the money and the time well, so be it. :) I don’t know enough about PCP to give an answer about the fill pressure of the tanks…
 
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OK, I never saw PRS before, but I understand the concern. A 300cc 300bar bottle is small, it quickly drops the pressure.
I have four 14 Liter scba, one I am tethering my Impact at 180 bars, and I can have 6-700 shots tethered before reach to external adjustable Reg.
Also one 14L scba I am refilling my L2 300cc bottle. The .22 Leshiy2 gives me roughly 50 shots at 140 bar with MRD's. I cannot remember clearely but just guessing that I can refill the 300cc bottle maybe 5-6x.
But a 300 bar I am questioning, what is your secret source.
I am taking couple brakes to reach from 280 bar to 300 bar, because I am trying to cool down the scba bottles, and thatr muscle work costs me a good hour for each tank. And still when cools down there is no 300 bars in it.

Edit:
Sorry guys I meesed this up. I was talking my story but forgot to say my air consumption is for 920-950. For 1050 fps definitely need a lot of refills on a 300cc bottle... from a larger scba like mine a 14 Liters.
 
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