TargetTalk

I am considering the use of a hand pump to refill air cylinders. I will initially fill the cylinders with an air tank, but after a 60 shot match I was wondering if it would be a good idea to "top off" the air cylinder so to speak using the hand pump. Has anybody out there done this? Or is my "hand pump idea " a waste of time?

Hand pumping is excellent exercise and not too difficult for pistol tanks. I used to pump my Steyr LG100 tank, but that is getting to be real work because of the greater volume.

Best,

Joe

The hand pump is also usefull for toping up cylinders when your scuba tank is starting to run down . Usually after a 60 shot match plus sighters you are looking at refill as opposed to top up . Air from a pump may or may not be as pure and dry as air from a scuba tank . Most AP shooters end up with both but tend to use the scuba tank more often .

Chris

slinger wrote:I am considering the use of a hand pump to refill air cylinders. I will initially fill the cylinders with an air tank, but after a 60 shot match I was wondering if it would be a good idea to "top off" the air cylinder so to speak using the hand pump. Has anybody out there done this? Or is my "hand pump idea " a waste of time?

If you always top off the tank, you'll always be pumping at the higher pressure levels in the cylinder (which means more work). If you're only going to shoot 70 shots before refilling, why not use the bottom 70 shots in the cylinder, not the top? I get about 200 shots on a cylinder charged to 230 bar, and usually pump after 2 60 shot practice sessions and the last 50 bar is tough on the wrists. I've been thinking about just charging to 150 bar to save my wrists. It won't hurt anything to top it off, but I think that will get tired after a while.

I just have a pump, and when I got it I pumped up everything in sight. It's a great piece of hardware, but the novelty's worn off....

Steve.

slinger wrote:I am considering the use of a hand pump to refill air cylinders. I will initially fill the cylinders with an air tank, but after a 60 shot match I was wondering if it would be a good idea to "top off" the air cylinder so to speak using the hand pump. Has anybody out there done this? Or is my "hand pump idea " a waste of time?

Why bother ? Why not just top up again with the air tank ? My scuba tank is down to about 140-150 bar and that's what I do. the only exception is when I go to a match when I will top up the cylinders to 200 with my hand pump.

Also don't forget that the hand pump introduces more moisture into the cylinders than the tank does.

Rob.

nt