A smathering of PCP questions

[BillTheSlink]

Well, I am thinking maybe....  so I have a few questions.

How much does it cost to get a SCUBA tank from a local shop.  I sent some emails, but haven't heard back yet.  What do they charge you to fill it.  How much do they weigh?

I thought I read PCPs can be filled with an air compressor.  If this is so, are we talking about the ones you get at the hardware store that have like a tank on them??  If memory serves me correctly, some of these aren't super expensive.  If I am right why would you want a SCUBA tank and not a compressor?  About how many fills do you get off a SCUBA tank.

To take that one step further, my great uncle, who is like a master of all trades-never sit still type of guy, rigged up something like a propane tank he fills of the compressor and uses it like a portable air supply.  Ever heard of doing something like this?

Finally, and I realize theres a sub-forum for this one, but I have learned over the years people in a forum dedicated to a brand are biased, what do you think of the Beny Discovery in .22?  I hear a lot of good things about them, but when I spoke to an extremely well known air gun guy who is a smith about 8 months ago he said to let it go as they have problems.  I really respect this guy as do a lot of others so I am confused.

[melloroadman]

Bill here is a thread from the Discovery forum here at GTA that will answer your question about the Discovery I believe . I have one I might ad in .177 and it serves me well . It takes a compressor that will put out at lest 3000 psi to fill a tank so no to the hardware store . Tanks run any were from 75 dollars up depending on size . And the cost to fill ranges from 5 - 20 from what I have heard .Fills off a tank vary and I will give you a site that might help you there when you know what rifle and fill rate you will be using . Marvin
http://www.gatewaytoairguns.com/airguns/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=11514&mid=89377#M89377
http://www.airhog.com/tank.htm

[ribbonstone]

The compressors you mention might get up to 150PSI....some PCP's run as low as 2,000psi, most at 3,000psi, and some well above that.  The compressors made to run air tools (like the ones you mention) just can't do it.

As for make-shift bottles (like the propane tank)...they aren't rated for near the pressure of PCP's.  

the SCUBA tank option is a good one....cost will depend on what the tank is made of and it's size....but be aware that tanks have born-on-datesd and need to be retested periodicaly, so a used tank that only has a year left on it's testing might not be such a great deal (if they fail testing, the testing site is suppose to drill it and kill it).

[kirby999]

Nice job Marvin . I might add , we have a new guy at our field target club that shoots a Disco tuned by Mac1 . It's a .177 and he had a power adjuster added on it at the time it was tuned . He's using it to shoot in our hunter's class and although he's not won, he seems to be doing pretty good with it. A lot better than I did when I started . Of course I started with a 7fpe springer . LOL . Another thing , the Disco has a lower than most fill pressure , so you can get by with a smaller scuba tank . Welcome. kirby

[Schmidty25]

i am also looking into PCP's seeing what they are all about.  I didn't even realize crossman made Benjamin, Sheridan and remmington.  I was debating on getting a .22 rifle or a a.22 Air rifle.   I wonder how fast my G1 Extreme shoots on a consistent basis.  Compared to the Benjamin Discovery.

[spark22]

I spent $268.00 for a new 88cf tank with a 3000psi fill, refills are $8.00, visual inpection is $25.00 checked once a year and has to be hydo tested after 5 years and that is $68.00.I get about 70  full fills on my discovery 22 cal and then when the tank is down to 1900psi I goto get it filled.I have the pump but tank filling is so fast and easy I will save the pump for emergency uses only!high pressure aircompressers cost aroud $2000

[Gene_SC]

Allot of good info here. With some extra help from my buddy Dave Kirby, I was able to buy a new 88cc 3000 psi aluminum scuba tank for around $145.00 from the internet retail scuba shop. Most of the PCP's that people have will get good fills from one of these tanks. If you end up buying a PCP with a 3000 psi or above fill you may need to get a carbon fiber $300.00 plus tank with fill pressure at 4500 psi, but they are not so easy to get filled..:( One other alternative is buying a special compressor and those run around $2000.00 to $3000.00 for a decent one. But as mentioned above the Crosman Discovery is a fantastic starter PCP and can be filled with a handpump very easily. Good Luck

[BillTheSlink]

Thank you everyone for the great info.  It looks like I will be putting it off for a little while longer.  Someone gave me a started German Shorthaired Pointer and he's taken a good bit of my time since he's young and into everything.  Ball of spirit he is.  I've wanted a bird dog forever and finially got one!

Bill