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Hand pump vs tank

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clintster

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Mar 30, 2020
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New to this forum. Just got a Steyer LG110 as a gift and need some advice on how to get air into this beast. I have seen air tanks, upwards of $400-$700 and also Air Venturi MK4 Kit by Hill Hand Pump, Up to 4500 PS for $200. Was wondering if i can get some feedback on the hand pump as seems a lesser cost and petty decent reviews. Have two canisters for the Steyer and will use for occasional plinking, not heavy duty sport shooting. Or, if any other ideas that are reasonable I am open to suggestions

Thanks

Clint
 
I still have a hiil pump used it for about a year and then it seemed every night i was pumping up my marauder. But then bought a wildcat and i had enough so i bought a shoe box and a used tank i allready had a shop compressor its slow but steady. It is completely rebuildable i figured it was my best choice no regrets i crank it up once a month and top off my 2 bottles 75 and an 18 takes about 2 or 3 hours no problems.
 
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I have the Hill MK4.

Been hand pumping a Hatsan Nova .22 and Umarex Gauntlet .25 for over a year now. Super easy, just takes some pump breaks (to keep it cool/extend life) to get the bottles filled up. It would be really fast if I could keep pumping or just had guns with smaller tanks.

I would love a compressor some day, but for the few times a year I get to shoot right now it just doesn't make sense for me (nor be good for it to sit unused).

It all depends on how much you are going to shoot, how big your tank is, and if you are in a hurry or not. 
 
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Rest breaks are not only for you...but also your gun's air tank.

If you let the pump cool a bit, two or three times during the filling, this helps keep the moisture (water) down, keeps the tank/reservoir dry. Heat helps the air pick up moisture from the air. If the pump doesn't get too hot, no/less moisture enters your gun.

This isn't just a guess, it's simple 8th grade physics. Talk to Joe B. (ExpertHPA).

Mike
 
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I own a hill mk3, then it broke. So I got the hill mk4. After a year it also broke. Each cost me like $280 if I remember correctly. What I mean by broken is, they would get very hard to pull up. Also when going down, you need to go down fast or it wouldn't even pump air into the gun. So I toss them away and got a yong Heng compressor. I never look back. I tell myself. Why the hell didn't I get yong Heng in the first place. It's fast and no work out. Pumping always tired me out and I get out of breath. Glad I'm done with hand pumps. Never going back. As for tanks, I also own a 74cf tank. You need a compressor with the tank cause it suck to have to go out and find a place willing to fill it to 4500 psi.
 
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If you shoot much both are good to have. A tank to have a quick portable reserve of energy and a compressor to fill it. This is especially true with the kind of high power, high capacity airguns we have today.

In the rest of the world, the same CF tanks that are only rated for 15 years in the US are rated for 30 years. That means there are a bunch of perfectly good CF tanks available for cheap...but you'll have to fill them yourself. I paid $56 dollars for my last 60 minute 4500 psi CF tank.
 
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I’d have rebuilt the Hill pumps that got junked for ya at no cost other than shipping. If anyone else has any older Hill sitting around maybe we can get ya aired up. 


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I’ve moved up to this Alkin W31 Mariner. 
I kept my Hill MK III. It’s an excellent pump and easy to rebuild. Enough rebuild/reseal parts, pure silicone grease, for anything needed for a lifetime. Nothing in them that can’t be fixed or replaced. 

I actually miss the exercise but I shoot my PCP’s more. I don’t care if a airgun is a air hog any longer. The compressor has allowed me to get into .22 to .257 slugs. I wouldn’t want to be hand pumping for this endeavor or waiting on the old Shoebox. 

The advice on taking breaks is a must if you want it to last. Depending on the climate you pump in makes a big difference (Arizona Desert dry or Hawaiian tropical humidity) but if you maintain your pump, it will last. Moisture & heat are going to build up in your pump. That’s just Thermal Dynamics. So here’s what I think you should know & do. 

Any hand pump I’ve ever had is cranked together overly tight from factory. A padded vice & proper wrenches are required. Once any hand pump is sealed it only needs to be hand tightened. And, always lean on it slightly & spin handle clockwise 3-4 revs. Gets the lube at bottom of base and ensures piston is screwed in. I have an extra but this is pumps. They require maintenance like any compressor.
That’s usually the hardest part about a reseal. Once you break a pump down, it should be degreased & wiped clean. A shop rag pushed through with a dowel. If your pump is maintained and lubricated correctly you’ll see beads of moisture in main compression tube cylinder during the recommended break down & cleaning. Depends on the climate and amount of use. Be warned I’ve seen used hand pumps with excessive corrosion in them. 

The common problem is the tiny SAE #005 main piston seal. It’s a friction bearing ring and simply will eventually wear out. Not all O-rings are created equal and Hill’s patented green main seal lasts longer than any others I’ve tried. Every O-ring should have 100% pure silicone grease on them when installed. Main tube that houses piston and outer tube rides on should be wiped clean and lubed when dry, or black grease seen at base. Silicone is clear. It turns black as the big friction/static bearing ring wears. 
Every pump I’ve seen uses ball check valves at top. One or two, either way, these should not be lubed up. Just wiped clean during maintenance so they can do their job without sticking and causing the pump to become locked up. The air flow holes they sit in should be cleaned well with Q-tips. Be careful not to loose those. They’re replaceable but no airgun place carries them. McMaster Carr, Grainger, etc. The O-ring Store online is where I get any type/size/material/Durometer needed. 


I wouldn’t buy a 4 stage. 

In comparison the Benjamin pumps were horrible. I’m talking loose tolerance wearing out monthly or faster. Junk unless modified.
I’ve got a donated G7 in parts with a new kit, & a FX 4 stage. I’m not affiliated with Ernest Hill pumps in any way but I will say they’re the best pump I’ve ever used. 
I’ve heard BULL pumps are built well but I’ve never tried one. They’re sold online. I don’t know about pre sized kits or support. 
I’m gonna warn you about this last thing & go top off my SCBA. The manufacturers don’t usually offer service. The company that last serviced the 4 stage charged the guy over $200 to reseal & ship back. That’s not cool at all. 
If you’re going to hand pump I suggest an ad for a Hill MK3 or ask vendor if any new old stock is available. 

 
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I got a Hill Mkiv pump, and think you should consider these 4 questions:



1. what fill pressure do you need to achieve? If higher then a pump is harder. My taipan fills to 250bar, which is easier to achieve than some other high pressure guns out there.

2. What capacity do you need to fill? Larger is harder for pump. My taipan is 300cc, which is smaller than many FX (480cc) and others.

3. How many times will you need to fill your gun per week? If 1-2x then much better than 7x.

4. Are you physically fit? If you’re in very good shape the pump is not hard.


 
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How close are you to a place that can fill a 4500 psi tank? If it’s a 15 drive to me a tank makes more sense. No maintenance or noise. But if it’s a hour drive in a direction you never go then a compressor makes more sense. Either one will cost $450-600 by the time you have your first air. Tanks probably have a slight edge in portability but that depends on where you shoot mostly. To me hand pumps are for the young and fit. I’m going out to shoot this afternoon and will probably fire 150-200 shots. That’s 4-5 fills which with a hand pump would probably mean a much longer time I would need at the range. Not always an option. 
 
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One thing not stressed=a hand pump is a good indication of your health....and patience...just like freehand shooting....

I am talking about less than 3200psi....and realize some people just do not have the time nor strength=hot air to do it .

Also money comes into play=the costlier the PCP the more air it takes,thus you need a bottle or compressor to feed it.

..I have to make sure the PCPs I have can be filled with a hand pump..no problem shooting in my backyard.

Just saying that is my situation,,, I dream about a high power PCP...but at this time I am very happy with what I got.


 
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Hi,

IMHO, get a 80 cu ft aluminum dive tank and a fill adapter and enjoy shooting and clean dry air. Tanks are inexpensive, heavy, and last for a long time. Wordy boring answer below.

I'm new. My travels thus far:

I live in an area where diving is popular both cave and openwater. Dive shops all over the place. It is easy to get a fill while you wait for $5. A 200 bar Aluminum 80 will keep you shooting for a long while. Not many full charge fills (IIRC, your gun is a 200 bar max?). Dive shops normally overfill just a bit. I normally get 10 partial fills before the tank is to 200 bar. If you only fill to 170 bar (with the depleted tank, you will get many more partial fills.) If your gun is a 200 bar max, it might be nice to not have the opportunity to overfill the gun by accident.

Back to your situation. I don't know where you are located. I'm in the subtropics. The volume of water I get from compressing air is huge. I'm running a pair of Bauer breathing air compressors and I am very glad they have a good filtration system and water separator. I'd hate to be putting all that water into my PCP. I'd rather pay for the filters than rebuild my PCP due to internal corrosion.

If you don't live near a good filling station (I hear some folks use the local Fire Department)

Some thoughts. Congrats on the airgun! Stay safe. Nugria
 
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Might be good to view the recent AEAC video on this forum. He talks about his level of physical activity and considers himself a fit guy and he states he had lots of difficulty hand pumping. And he seems like a pretty large guy. All relative. I've done it for a pp700 and it wasn't bad. I have no interest in doing it for anything larger than that myself.
 
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