Best PSI for 1 Liter Cola Bottle Targets

[Cattoo]

Anyone know or have a preferred air pressure for filling soda bottles with a bicycle pump? What is the preferred projectile to use? I’m using 50-80 psi and hollow point pellets with 8 pumps from a crosman 1377 from 30 feet indoors. Some pellets bounce off or slightly graze the bottle letting some air out or I get a “pop” and the pellet remains inside an barely damaged bottle. 

 

[TheIceman]

I usually pump them to 100 psi. Very satisfying "boom" when hit. I have noticed that it takes a good bit of power to cause them to rupture violently enough to get the sudden release that creates the shock wave of sound. I only shoot 25 and 30 cal pellets at it, so I can't speak to smaller calibers' effectiveness.

James

 

[MileHighAirGunner]

A stock 1377 or 1322 for that matter are a little light in my opinion to reliably burst a pressurized soda bottle. Maybe pressurized water bottles. You only air those up to 50-60psi max. Have to have the right caps or make your own. I’ve pressurized soda bottles to 100-120 psi. As stated 100 psi is plenty though. With only a few .177 caliber exceptions all my guns are .22 caliber and I’ve never shot a bottle with anything that didn’t put out 14 fpe or more. I typically shot 20-25 yards and don’t have any issue popping the bottles. At 100 psi they are pretty loud even outdoors. Can’t imagine shooting them indoors. My wife would ground me and take away all my toys for sure if I tried something like that.

 

[bandg]

Haven't tried any of these pressurized bottles myself but I wonder what it would look like when shot if you put a bit of talc inside the bottle before pressurizing?

 

[Greenarrow]

Be sure to remove the label/wrap on the bottle. Strangely the duds I have had were wrapped. I started removing the labels and the duds are no longer. I pump the small bottles (20 oz) to 40-50 psi, 1 and 2 liters 80-90 psi.

 

[cea1960]

2 liter bottles are rated to 150 psi and have a burst strength of 175 psi. My compressor fills to 135 psi so that is what i use.

I use a 5 gallon bucket and plywood for safety reasons. The is capped and placed inside the bucket. The plywood goes on top with the bottle cap sticking out of a hole in the plywood and it's tied to the plywood with a strong cord. I wear thick, padded leather gloves and hold down the plywood while filling the bottle. The needle is then extracted from the cap and the plywood keeps the bottle from raising up. I do in case of a rupture while filling. This keeps the hands safe and if a rupture does happen, the only thing moving up is the cap which is tethered to the plywood.

 

[Cattoo]

Good idea thanks. And 135 psi? I wasn’t doing that much and the pellets were bouncing off the side. I’ll add more air and see what happens. 

 

[Cattoo]

That’s probably what I’m doing wrong. Using the wrong type of plastic bottle. I’ll check into the caps things too before trying again. Thanks. 

 

[Cattoo]

Good tip. I’ll try that as I left labels on. 

 

[Cherokee140]

2 liter bottles are rated to 150 psi and have a burst strength of 175 psi. My compressor fills to 135 psi so that is what i use.

I use a 5 gallon bucket and plywood for safety reasons. The is capped and placed inside the bucket. The plywood goes on top with the bottle cap sticking out of a hole in the plywood and it's tied to the plywood with a strong cord. I wear thick, padded leather gloves and hold down the plywood while filling the bottle. The needle is then extracted from the cap and the plywood keeps the bottle from raising up. I do in case of a rupture while filling. This keeps the hands safe and if a rupture does happen, the only thing moving up is the cap which is tethered to the plywood.

I had the....fortune? to work for a leading candy water company and I can tell you this is a moving target. While all glass sugar water bottles are the same, the plastic bottles that hold the fizzy drinks are different from place to place. There is a federal minimum, but like many things states can and do have more strict laws for these containers.



Personally I would not want to put more then 120 in them just to be safe. Could they hold more....sure.....if that bottle that you have been saving in your not climate controlled garage have a MUCH different burst pressure....you bet. Does plastic "off gas" you bet your bippie it does.

These things are fun to play with, and you have all picked up what is left over from the kaboom, and it can be a bit sharp, and you have seen it fly quite a way. Just be smart use as new bottles as possible, having two eyeballs are a kinda nice thing to have.

 

[Cattoo]

Thanks for the insight and advice. 

 

[Cattoo]

I think you are on to something there. I’ll remove some of the labels a d give it a they try. 

 

[Rawroots]

I haven't shot any 1 liters, only 20 oz ers, they seem to need a minimum of 70 psi for a satisfying explosion, and any cal without a flat head works great.