Which hand pump to buy?

Redster · Post by **Redster** » Thu May 05, 2011 3:22 pm

I am awaiting the delivery for my Gehmann GP1 from germany via their local dealer. Going to need a hand pump to fill the cylinder. Can anyone tell me their experiences with the Hill pump and the Gehmann 4 Stage Turbo Pump?

luftskytter · Post by **luftskytter** » Thu May 05, 2011 4:52 pm

My Hill pump has been reliable and seems well built.
Seems like a safe bet.

The Crosman/Benjamin thing that comes with the Discovery has problems: worked fine for a short while...... :-(

Gwhite · Post by **Gwhite** » Thu May 05, 2011 5:45 pm

I have a Hill pump with the desicant system. Works just fine.

kevinweiho · Post by **kevinweiho** » Thu May 05, 2011 8:01 pm

I have a FX pump and it works great, but i have heard that
changing the seals is virtually impossible.

You should go with the Hills' pump since it is just as reliable and the seals
are easier to replace than the FX.

Rover · Post by **Rover** » Thu May 05, 2011 8:53 pm

I"m too lazy to pump and it would interfere with the growth of my "Milwaukee Tumor".

Get a SCUBA tank. Same bucks. It's not like they don't have dive shops in California.

deadeyedick · Post by **deadeyedick** » Fri May 06, 2011 6:08 am

Get a SCUBA tank. Same bucks. It's not like they don't have dive shops in California

Best advice you will ever recieve regarding your new purchase.

randy1952 · Post by **randy1952** » Fri May 06, 2011 7:53 am

deadeyedick wrote:
Get a SCUBA tank. Same bucks. It's not like they don't have dive shops in California

Best advice you will ever recieve regarding your new purchase.

Dido I tried a hand pump for over a year and after awhile the exercise got to be a disincentive to shooting besides I didn't need the exercise as I workout an hour every day. There were other disincentives especially when I learned from a tech who fixes airguns that despite the newer hand pumps having a filter it was in his opinion not enough as the pumps are still allowing moisture through. My hand pump was one of the original models that didn't have filters, but it demonstrated how much moisture the pump was able to generate when I unscrewed the drain valve. The pump seized after two years because the moisture had rusted the internals and as much as these guns cost I decided that the scuba tank was the better choice. When considering the cost of the gun it wasn't worth the perceived cost savings of using a hand pump.

Since the diving shops use the large air breathing quality compressors it reduces the moisture content of the air better then a hand pump which in turn extends the life of the internals of the airgun. I checked with our fire department which fills our scuba tank and to ensure that moisture is not an issue their compressor has six filters. The club finally got it's own portable compressor and it has three or four filters.

The tech also advised that if we use a hand pump we only pump 20 strokes at a time as any more and it tends to overheat the seals reducing the life of the seals in the hand pump and then let the pump cool down for about 15 minutes before you pump another 20 strokes.

fc60 · Post by **fc60** » Fri May 06, 2011 1:30 pm

Greetings,

If you decide to go with the SCUBA tank, consider the 100 cu ft model. It has a 3300 PSI rating. It will allow many more refills as compared to the 80 cu ft tanks rated at 2900 PSI.

Cheers,

Dave

tenex · Post by **tenex** » Fri May 06, 2011 4:45 pm

I also have a Hill pump with the desiccant, and I've never had any water come out of the bleed valve. I measured the time I actually spent pumping, it's about 2.5 minutes for enough air to shoot one match + sighters.

I like the pump. If you have a hard time filling the cylinders you can always just pump enough for a match (120 BAR or so). Then it becomes easy.

Steve.

Gwhite · Post by **Gwhite** » Fri May 06, 2011 7:45 pm

The biggest problem with a SCUBA tank is that it has to be hydrotested periodically. Typical cost is $20-$30. Over time that slowly increases the total cost of ownership. You also need to have a secure place to store it, where it's unlikely to get damaged. Some places may also want to do an annual visual inspection. When I was shooting with CO2, by the time I'd used up a tank, it would be due for testing again, and I'd have to drop it off, and come back and pick it up several days later. The total cost of the fill plus the testing, plus the time, hassle & gas money convinced me to go with a pump when I switched to a PCP pistol.

A good pump should be a one shot deal. You buy it, and you are set for a very long time. As long as you pump up cylinders after you shoot, it isn't a big deal. The last few PSI are a bit hard, but you really don't need to fill it to the top to get plenty of shots out of a cylinder.

RandomShotz · Post by **RandomShotz** » Fri May 06, 2011 8:24 pm

It wouldn't hurt to check out precisely what your local dive shop is offering. I bought an aluminum 80 cu ft tank at a local shop for $189 that came with the valve, 5 free refills and one free annual inspection. After that, refills are $8 and annual visual inspection is $15. The hydrostatic test is $60, but is only required every 5 years.

Considering that it is the only dive shop in Lexington, a shop in an area where there is more competition should be able to do as well or better.

orionshooter · Post by **orionshooter** » Sat May 07, 2011 8:37 am

Definitely a Hill pump. Another advantage of having a pump is portability. If you ever go to a multi day match its wise not to assume air will be available. I always bring my own pump just in case. Having a SCUBA tank as a primary source of air is a must if you do alot of shooting....a pump is equally necessary for out of town matches.

Redster · Post by **Redster** » Mon May 09, 2011 1:27 pm

Thank you for all the input. Will see the local dive shop to see their prices and talk to the vendor about the HIll pump.

TargetTalk

Which hand pump to buy?

Which hand pump to buy?

SCUBA Tank Good Idea