My First PCP and need some guidance

TXCOONDOG

TXCOONDOG

Well-known member

I ordered an Air Venturi Alpha Air Rifle in the standard configuration. Not a high-end PCP, but should do fine for (leap into the PCP world) rat, squirrel and rabbit hunts.​


The air compressors for PCP/scuba tanks vary in price. Any recommendations on an affordable compressor (that won't break the bank), or will the hand pump be fine?

Any other information that may help me in the long run, would be appreciated.
 
Newbie myself but would venture to say it depends upon the volume of shooting you plan to do. I went with a yong heng compressor and an expired fire department scba tank i picked up off ebay.
The tank takes forever to fill and has to be done in stages due to the compressor heating up. I upgraded the water pump and added a desicant tube pick up on the air inlet as well as an upgraded desicant & filter on the oputput.
Once the tank has been filled, it will recharge my gun "marauder " several times before needing filled again. Once the tank gets to 3000-2500psi, i fill it back up to 4k. I run my gun max 3000psi down to 2000psi and then recharge.
 

I kicked around the idea of the Benjamin Marauder in 25 cal, but just getting into it, so I thought I would stay 22 cal entry level, and see how it plays out. If hobby turns out like my other hobbies; I may own a .25, .30, .357 and a 50 cal...lol​

 
Mine is a .177 i picked up second hand on arfcom. Came with a hand pump but i learned in short order, that wasn't for me.
You could run a compressor without a tank. Just fill straight to the gun. The tank comes in handy if you want to go off site to shoot and dont have power to run a compressor.
 
A tank is the way to go if you have a local paintball or dive shop, or a buddy on the fire department that can fill it for you. If you don't plan on doing a ton of shooting then the pump will get you by for awhile. It is a deep dark hole that you are heading down. Welcome to the dark side šŸ˜ŽšŸ˜‚
 
 
Paint ball shops rarely have the ability to fill to 4k psi. Scuba dive shops require all tanks to be DOT approved and up to date on certs (at least locally they did) and most still wont fill to 4k psi. Most fire departments won't do it, unless like was mentioned you have a buddy on the department willing to put his butt on the line just to fill a buddy's tank.
 
There are several options to consider.
A carbon fiber tank filled locally by a dive shop, airgun/paintball shop or fire department is an option. Tanks are not cheap. Frequent refilling can become a pain. Local shop must be able to handle high psi of carbon fiber tanks (4500 psi).
Hand pumpā€¦ā€¦cheap but difficult.
Chinese air compressors - some pretty decent models. I use the CS3 and CS4I pumps from Amazon. They work great. Get the extended warranty and enjoy filling gun directly or fill a carbon fiber tank. The extended warranty from Amazon has been completely hassle free.
 
If you get a carbon fiber tank that is rated for 4500 PSI.....you don't HAVE to fill it to 4500 PSI each time. If a shop is only able to fill it to 3,000psi, or 3200 psi, etc.....then that's fine too. it just won't last quite as long.

I started with a hand pump. Then bought an old shoebox 4500PSI compressor and an expired carbon SCBA tank from a friend. For average PCI air rifles (150-200CC air tanks) I find it usually takes about 100 pumps with the hand pump to fill the rifle from 2,000PSI to 3,000 PSI. And that will last about 25 shots (22 cal). For higher volume shooting, it's really nice to have a compressor and/or tank. Because I have an expired tank, I usually don't fill it up all the way. 3,400 psi is plenty for me.
 
spotstalkshoot said:
I'm in decent shape, going from 3000 up to 4k with a hand pump is exercise for sure.
Click to expand...
I lift weights, 200 setups and walk 10,000 steps every day, don't mind exercise. However, (after much thought) being that I'm going to use it for ratting, I'm going to buy a compressor!

FYI- (local feed store and pig farm) I went the other night, using thermal, there are hundreds of rats!!!!
 
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Anybody own a PCP in .30, .357 and 50 calibers? I know moderators are used to dampen the sound, how quiet/loud are PCP's compared to centerfire subsonic rounds in the same calibers?

FYI- I shoot 300 BO and 450 BM subsonic (waiting on 1:5 T 338 ARC barrel)!
 
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Once you get into the really large bores the guns tend to be heavy and large to get performance. A 45-70, 45LC, 44mag or 357 shooting subs will do anything the 45 & 50 cal airguns can do in a handier size/weight package. Also those large bore airguns normally get 2 or 3 shots between airing up the tank. Even my 45-70 has more shots on tap than the typical big bore airgun.

Unless your local laws are favorable to airguns with seasons or area restrictions there is little reason to leave that 300 BO or 450 BM at home when going deer hunting. If you're looking at smaller game the larger bores don't offer any extra margin of safety in developed areas.

Personally I view the .30 as an inbetweener caliber. The ones I've handled are large and heavy. The ammo costs twice what a .25 caliber pellet costs and the game animals are the same weight class (raccoons).

On PredatorMasters we're interested in putting our hands on predators. I've spent a lot of time in the past on the airgun forums. By and large most of those guys do not care if they recover the coyotes they shoot. In their minds getting a thump is the same as getting a coyote and very few of them will follow up on a shot coyote that runs into the brush.
 
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