Filling a pcp using a hand pump

Hand pumping ruined the whole airgun experience for me. It got to where I wouldn't shoot as much as I wanted , knowing what a hassle it was to pump back up. If you don't shoot very often, hand pumps will get you by. I shoot everyday and had to pump back up 2-3 times a day.. Now I have 3 compressors , 2 air tanks and a pile of broken hand pumps. The p rod is a good choice if your going to hand pump. Small cylinder and a great backyard squirrel killer.
 
I’ve gone to hand pumping my Atomic XR, 64cc cyclinder, takes 45-50 strokes, for 33 shots. I pump it up at least twice after the work day for some plinking or target shooting. Have SCBAs and a compressor, but don’t need them to keep the Atomic aired up.

Same here. Hand pump for things like the Prod and the PP750: it's not even a workout, just a little warmup. Save the compressor for bigger tanks.
 
  • Like
Reactions: L.Leon
Before I got a SCBA tank, I would pump a bit when I finished shooting, and finish a bit later. I shot a match rifle so it was not an air hog. I don't think I would hand pump an air hungry rifle.
I bought a big scba, and a Bauer compressor. Really that is why I went to work, to get some little pleasures in life. For me that was a big payback.
 
Whatever you do, just make sure everything that’s supposed to be closed, is closed and that the probe is seated where it’s supposed to be seated. Did I mention the time it took me a whole weekend to fill up a Spa PP-750? During my maiden voyage with both a PCP airgun and a hand pump, I was dumb enough to a) not tighten the bleed valve on the pump all the way shut AND b) not push the probe deep enough into the gun. I could’ve made a Tourette’s sufferer blush, at the obscenities I was hurling.
Once I got everything the way it was supposed to be, then pumping just plain ol sucked (like I knew it would). Although I guess it can be a pretty good form of exercise.
 
From my experience with only one PCP...it depends how often one shoots and what he shoots.

If you shoot less than a dozen or so shots a do than a hand pump might be quite feasible...

If you are using more than 3 bar per shot using a hand pump might not be feasible...

My Taipan is putting out 50 fpe and using 3 bar per shot for reference although efficiency will most certainly vary between guns...

My hand pump takes 3 pumps to fill 2 bar. If you shoot 12 shots a day at 3 bar per shot that's 36 bar. 36x1.5=54 pumps for 12 shots at approximately 50 fpe. Obviously lower power will equal many more shots per fill and higher power fewer shots per fill...

That's my simple criteria for deciding if a hand pump will be sufficient...
 
The hard part is keeping the ram straight and not damaging it when you get fatigued near the end, a slow methodical rhythm is what works the best.
My first pcp was a Diana outlaw, took about 75 pumps to top it off, I finally got tired of pumping and bought a compressor off amazon, they dropped in price to 400. and are well worth it imo.
 
  • Like
Reactions: allinssd
about 64 pumps to achieve 220 bars after starting from 140 bars for my huntsman classic (114 cc air tube) with a hills mk 3...completed in 2 phases.First phase 140 to about 190 bars...then air bled out.then 190 bars onwards.give about 10 mins between both the phases(can rebuild both the pump and the pcp on my own...learned it the hard way after both conked off :):unsure:)
 
  • Like
Reactions: allinssd
So a bunch of things to correct and de-bunk ...( did not read all responses, just a couple )

First,...tank/tube size does not matter :

it's all about how many shots you take from full, at that point it's the same no matter if you have a 200cc tube or a 500cc tank....you take 20 shots and the pumping back up to full it's the same.

Second,....I'm 145 pounds and I can handpump up to 5000 psi


Third,....do not waste money on a HILL or expensive pump, the 50 bucks Amazon pumps are just as good if not better.


All this from a Handpumper for almost 20 years with big Air hogs high calibers guns, and 8 HILL pumps, 2 FX pumps under my belt