Kaliburgun Cricket owners... Hand pump question...

This post should prove interesting! This fat boy has never tried it. I've even got a Chinese hand pump that's still in the box and I'm still too fat and lazy to try it? LOL

Fuss

The Cricket has a very restrictive inlet port, you literally have to fight to get the air in with a handpump. When I bought one from Georgia Airguns I had Charlie back the restriction screw out as far as he could and it made it a bit easier than one set at the factory setting of a Cricket I had owned previously.

MP44

Yes, great that you mentioned that, and this is why I've never tried to hand pump it.

My Kalibrguns are my only guns I can turn the SCBA fill knob wide open and watch the gauge on the gun when filling. The rest I barely crack the fill knob and watch the gauge on the SCBA tank.

Don't think it would be a good contender for a hand pump at all!

Fuss

I had a Cricket 25 cal and only pumped it with a Benjamin pump for a year before I got a compressor. I’m 36 and 160 lbs and was able to do it over the course of two 50 pump sessions to get it topped off. The valve restriction is not really an issue for hand pumps in my opinion as it is designed to restrict fast filling. A hand pump by design fills quite slowly compared to a SCBA tank or compressor. I never noticed any difference in pumping pressure between filling the Cricket or any other PCP. 

I started pumping with a Benjamin with my Cricket. I only Pump It Up to 3600 PSI. Then I got a hill pump and I can take it up to 4500psi. Then I got a YOUNGHANG and and realized I could not fill my Cricket with it intern I had to go out and buy a tank. I am going to try hooking my compressor directly to the tank then the tank to the gun to see if I can get the tank to take the gun to 4500 PSI.

Yeah CF I can do that with my Edgun R5M … it's got a little restrictor on it also … either that ... or I have the o-ring a little too tight but I can just open up the bottle and watch the manometer take on about 2 Bar every 3 or 4 seconds, but I never fill it beyond about 250 Bar. Brian says that it shortens the life of the O-rings using that much pressure. Got in touch with Charlie Frear at Georgia Airguns this week and he is fixing me up a new Cricket Bullpup in .25 with a power tune so I guess I'll be able to just watch the gages on both the R5m and the Cricket while they slowly fill. That may be the last airgun I buy … wife keeps telling me I can't shoot but one at a time. Hah!!! Little does she know!!!

Good info here guys. I rarely fill past 225 bar on my Kalibrguns usually closer to 210.

Yeager, I don't think I would try a 4500 psi fill on the Cricket? Heck I don't like to go over 3300.

Likkity, I forgot about the Edgun. Yes it took a slow fill as well. Not a fan of the digital manometer!

Nolandbeyond, good to know it can be done. This fat 61 yr old is just too lazy ;-)

I had a Cricket 25 cal and only pumped it with a Benjamin pump for a year before I got a compressor. I’m 36 and 160 lbs and was able to do it over the course of two 50 pump sessions to get it topped off. The valve restriction is not really an issue for hand pumps in my opinion as it is designed to restrict fast filling. A hand pump by design fills quite slowly compared to a SCBA tank or compressor. I never noticed any difference in pumping pressure between filling the Cricket or any other PCP.

Click to expand...

With my first Cricket that was un-altered, I had to fight to hold the pump at the bottom of the stroke for a few seconds to give the air time to get in the gun. Never had to do that with any of my other pcps

For me it's not too bad. I don't have a compressor yet (waiting on the Airforce $850 compressor to be released (although I am open to suggestions for low maintenance dependable options at around this price or below), so I top off mine with either the latest Hill pump/ FX pump. It does get tiresome, but my sessions aren't too long per sitting. 

I started pumping with a Benjamin with my Cricket. I only Pump It Up to 3600 PSI. Then I got a hill pump and I can take it up to 4500psi. Then I got a YOUNGHANG and and realized I could not fill my Cricket with it intern I had to go out and buy a tank. I am going to try hooking my compressor directly to the tank then the tank to the gun to see if I can get the tank to take the gun to 4500 PSI.

Click to expand...

Your asking for trouble taking that gun to 4500psi!!!! You really shouldn't go past 250 bar which is approximately 3600psi...I only charge to 230/240 bar max and don't have to worry about something bad happening!

Putting undo strain and stress on the tube and the regulator! Even the max pressure rating of 300 bar is 4350psi so what gives why 4500?

James from Michigan, 

Lord have mercy … there's a lot of people on this page that have more patience than I ever did. Talking about pumping up a pcp to 300 Bar and beyond with a hand pump … scheeeeeez, I'm glad it's your back and not mine. I've certainly done my time pumping up Marauders … but what broke the proverbial camels back was when I pumped an Impact bottle up to 250 Bar. Not only did it give me muscle spasms in my back, but it burned the O-rings out in my pump … the next week I ordered a Omega SC and have never looked back.

Yo Mr Charlie, good to see you on the forum ... I know that in my previous post on this thread that I said that this Cricket might be my last airgun that I buy … and I meant it with all my heart, mind, body and soul … BUT if you can find me a good deal on a new Vulcan Tactical in .22 … I might be persuaded to do it just one more time!!!

Stay Chilly Charlie

John