TargetTalk

I have a scuba tank that I've used to fill my air pistol and air rifle. Now that I live in Northeastern Vermont, the closest shop for a tank refill is a two hour drive. My tank is also due for recertification which, while not necessary from an airgun perspective, is required before any scuba shop will refill my tank for any purpose. That means two round trips for one refill. If need be, I'll do it, but a friend suggested that I consider buying a Hill high pressure pump.

Has anyone here used Hill pumps? How easy is it to reach 200 bar? How many pump cycles would one generally have to do to fill an air pistol and/or an air rifle tank?

The cost of the latest Hill pump is about $200. Thanks in advance for any info.

A possible alternative to Hill for much less money

https://www.amazon.com/Hatsan-TactAir-S ... GQJX&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/HIRAM-Pressure-F ... R24X3&th=1

Don't have to pump cylinder up to redline every time.

Just pump up to 75% of redline. Easier on yourself, and preserve O-ring longer from overheat.

Getting to 200 bar in an air pistol cylinder doesnt take long at all, a minute or so. A 300 bar air rifle will be tough, I dont think I could do it being a light weight

My local Scout shooting team just bought one of the new Umarex compressors for $550. It is a little bigger than a large lunchbox.
https://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Umarex_R ... essor/9732
After requiring the Scouts to pump (with a Hill) their air pistols and rifles for the past two years, they are thrilled to have this.
It seems to me to be a cost effective option for you since you don't have to recertify your tank, pay to fill your tank, spend gas money and hours in the car.

For pistol a pump is fine, but for rifle it's a huge chore.
The place that certifies the tank should be able to fill it. One less trip.
Also, check your local fire brigade. They should have equipment to fill oxigen tanks.

Hope this helps

SPPcoach wrote: ↑Sat Jan 30, 2021 12:30 am My local Scout shooting team just bought one of the new Umarex compressors for $550. It is a little bigger than a large lunchbox.
https://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Umarex_R ... essor/9732
After requiring the Scouts to pump (with a Hill) their air pistols and rifles for the past two years, they are thrilled to have this.
It seems to me to be a cost effective option for you since you don't have to recertify your tank, pay to fill your tank, spend gas money and hours in the car.

I don't see any indication that it has any sort of drier or moisture control. If that's true, that is a great way to rust out you pistols over time. I know Benelli Kites use plain steel Belleville washers in their regulators. If you feed them moist air, they will rust & eventually the regulator will fail from being full of rust flakes.

Gwhite wrote: ↑Sat Jan 30, 2021 7:58 pm I don't see any indication that it has any sort of drier or moisture control. If that's true, that is a great way to rust out you pistols over time. I know Benelli Kites use plain steel Belleville washers in their regulators. If you feed them moist air, they will rust & eventually the regulator will fail from being full of rust flakes.

Oh that would be ugly.

I'll have to look the next time I am over there.
It wouldn't seem to hard to add the Hill desiccant system onto it. I saw pictures of that system added to the $1,300 Air Venturi compressor that PyramydAir sells.

Gwhite wrote: ↑Sat Jan 30, 2021 7:58 pm

SPPcoach wrote: ↑Sat Jan 30, 2021 12:30 am My local Scout shooting team just bought one of the new Umarex compressors for $550. It is a little bigger than a large lunchbox.
https://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Umarex_R ... essor/9732
After requiring the Scouts to pump (with a Hill) their air pistols and rifles for the past two years, they are thrilled to have this.
It seems to me to be a cost effective option for you since you don't have to recertify your tank, pay to fill your tank, spend gas money and hours in the car.

I don't see any indication that it has any sort of drier or moisture control. If that's true, that is a great way to rust out you pistols over time. I know Benelli Kites use plain steel Belleville washers in their regulators. If you feed them moist air, they will rust & eventually the regulator will fail from being full of rust flakes.

I bought a cheap ebay pump and you are correct its unfiltered. Added a line fitted filter/moisture trap to hopefully keep the reservoir clean.

Forget the pump. It's a PIA!

A full SCUBA tank will last well over a year for most folks. When it gets down to about half full, take it to the dive shop
when you're going to be in the neighborhood.

Tell the shop you're only going to use it for an airgun and that you're really cheap. OR buy a used tank at the shop
and beg for their help. (Trade in yours.) If no go, try a different shop, though the Fire Dept. thing might work.

You might also find some paintball club with a compressor that would help you out.

Rover wrote: ↑Sun Jan 31, 2021 9:49 am Forget the pump. It's a PIA!

A full SCUBA tank will last well over a year for most folks. When it gets down to about half full, take it to the dive shop
when you're going to be in the neighborhood.

Tell the shop you're only going to use it for an airgun and that you're really cheap. OR buy a used tank at the shop
and beg for their help. (Trade in yours.) If no go, try a different shop, though the Fire Dept. thing might work.

You might also find some paintball club with a compressor that would help you out.

I have a scuba tank that I bought used. It generally lasts 1 1/2 to 2 years. Refilling at a scuba shop is, IMO, best because their equipment needs to meet specific quality standards that paintball shops don't always meet. That said, the tank has to be certified for a scuba shop to fill it regardless of planning to use it for air pistol and the shop owner knowing you. They can lose their dive shop certification if they fill an out of certification tank. If we weren't in the middle of a pandemic, I'd be less likely to complain about making the two hour drive to Burlington or 2 1/2 hours to the Boston area where I bought the tank. The owner of that shop is an archer in addition to being a diver. We always have a good conversation about the Zen of our respective shooting disciplines.

The tank issue may be moot. I'm having an ambi grip made for my Baikal so that my daughter can shoot when she visits, post-vaccination. If that grip is well made, as is expected, I'll likely have my Kite grip 3D scanned and made into a duplicate grip fitted to the Baikal. Living in the Northeast part of VT, going to another dive shop is less than convenient like when I was growing up on Long Island. My 87 year old aunt/godmother in Montreal has promised to say a Novena for a Benelli Kite repair person to appear South of the 47th...... :-)

OP probably knows this; others may not:

Scuba tanks are required (self-regulated, by the industry) to be visually inspected once a year (drained, opened and inspected for pitting and cracks.)

In addition, they are federally mandated to be hydrostatically tested every 5 years (DOT reqm't for any cylinder that is transported on a roadway, I believe.) This involves removing the valve and pressurizing to a test pressure (usually 5/3 working pressure) and measuring the stretch of the material (diameter of the cylinder.)

So a cylinder that lasts a shooter a year would technically be required to undergo a visual every time it's filled. And a hydro test every fifth time.

That said, the late dive shop I used to frequent did not require visuals for cylinders used for paintball. That was a decision by the shop owner, and not (as far as I know) some legal or certification loophole.

In Australia scuba tanks require a hydro test annually if used for diving but only every five years if for shooting or air tools.

Dive shops keep this under their hat in most cases and you may have to sign a form stating that the air will not be used for diving. ...just wondering if the U.S. has a similar ruling.

deadeyedick wrote: ↑Wed Feb 10, 2021 8:24 pm In Australia scuba tanks require a hydro test annually if used for diving but only every five years if for shooting or air tools.

Dive shops keep this under their hat in most cases and you may have to sign a form stating that the air will not be used for diving. ...just wondering if the U.S. has a similar ruling.

Unfortunately, two shops I contacted (Vermont and the Boston area) both said they could not refill my tank without a hydro check and visual inspection. Both, including a 200 Bar refill will cost $50.