Pre-Charge Pneumatic air rifle Stirrup Pumps

[Broch]

I know we've talked about recharging PCPs before, but I have a more specific question.

I'm finding it increasingly difficult to get my tank (gun mounted) recharged - neither of the two gun shops within sensible distance of me hold air any more. So, it's either diver's air tank, 300bar compressor, or a stirrup pump.

I only use the gun for squirrel control (and, of course, the odd sighting-in session). So I have difficulty justifying £200 mark to get the job done. I have two perfectly fine springers so it's not just the financial manager I need to convince

Anyway, looking at stirrup pumps; It appears I can get a three stage pump for £35 to £190. Has anyone tried any of the lower cost ones? do they work? To put this in perspective, I doubt I'll be recharging the gun more than once a month at the very most so I don't need something that can be used every day for the next ten years! On top of that, with a bit of planning, I could take a few days to recharge the gun - so a few twenty minute sessions.

Any thoughts welcome - but in particular, thoughts from anyone that has tried one of the lower cost pumps.

Typical example:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/4500Psi-Pressure-3-Stage-Filling-Warranty/dp/B082W8WZ29

 

[mrmike]

That looks like one that I borrowed from my boss to fill mine as all my divers bottles are empty and out of test.
It works ok, but haven't used a hills pump to compare to....
Probably worth getting a moisture trap if you do pick one up

Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk

 

[Toddy]

You have me totally confused.

A stirrup pump to me is an immersible thing that one manually pulls and pushes the plunger upon to shift water. Used to be used by firemen.
There was an old wartime one kicking about my Grandpa's shed that my wee bother and I used to play with....I suppose the old fashioned equivalent of the super soaker kids use these days
Like this one on eBay.
I'm tempted

Used like this

 

[TeeDee]

I know we've talked about recharging PCPs before, but I have a more specific question.

I'm finding it increasingly difficult to get my tank (gun mounted) recharged - neither of the two gun shops within sensible distance of me hold air any more. So, it's either diver's air tank, 300bar compressor, or a stirrup pump.

I only use the gun for squirrel control (and, of course, the odd sighting-in session). So I have difficulty justifying £200 mark to get the job done. I have two perfectly fine springers so it's not just the financial manager I need to convince

Anyway, looking at stirrup pumps; It appears I can get a three stage pump for £35 to £190. Has anyone tried any of the lower cost ones? do they work? To put this in perspective, I doubt I'll be recharging the gun more than once a month at the very most so I don't need something that can be used every day for the next ten years! On top of that, with a bit of planning, I could take a few days to recharge the gun - so a few twenty minute sessions.

Any thoughts welcome - but in particular, thoughts from anyone that has tried one of the lower cost pumps.

Typical example:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/4500Psi-Pressure-3-Stage-Filling-Warranty/dp/B082W8WZ29

Think for the money you may need to just get it and try it.
If you don't you'll always be wondering if you missed a 'good' deal..
If you do - you will shortly have your answer for not much money.

Sort of Schrodingers air pump.

 

[Broch]

Yep, I agree - I'll let you all know how I get on

 

[Broch]

You have me totally confused.

A stirrup pump to me is an immersible thing that one manually pulls and pushes the plunger upon to shift water. Used to be used by firemen.
There was an old wartime one kicking about my Grandpa's shed that my wee bother and I used to play with....I suppose the old fashioned equivalent of the super soaker kids use these days
Like this one on eBay.
I'm tempted

Used like this

The name 'stirrup pump' is because of the 'stirrup' type bracket at the base of the pump that you stand on when operating it. They are available for water, oil, air, or, I suppose, any fluid.

The trouble with them for spraying is that you really need two people unless you can operate it with one hand.

 

[Turnip]

personally I wouldnt go for a pump. even with a filter they can allow more moisture into the rifle, I've always had divers bottles as they "should" be filled with a properly filter compressor.
I've never tried one of those personal compressors, but they do look good, not sure on there lifespan or service requirements.

 

[Wildgoose]

this

Off topic but I love that the users of the pump are correctly dressed. There’s a similar image of a man using a fire extinguisher wearing a bowler hat.

 

[Toddy]

The name 'stirrup pump' is because of the 'stirrup' type bracket at the base of the pump that you stand on when operating it. They are available for water, oil, air, or, I suppose, any fluid.

The trouble with them for spraying is that you really need two people unless you can operate it with one hand.

It's easy to use one handed. You stand on the bit that's outside the bucket (or wear wellies and stand in the water with it) and just pump up and down with one hand.

We got good at it; pump furiously (well, they're like bike pumps, big bike pumps) with one hand and point squirting hose at your bother

 

[Ozmundo]

I’ve not tried a strirrup pump for air gun cylinder charging. I’ve heard that with the amount of work needed to get any significant pressure you’re on a high way to nothing. Plus the filter/moisture removal on some units is non-existent.

A chap I know did buy a 300 bar chinesium compressor that he thought would be a good buy. The fact is was only a couple of hundred quid rang alarm bells to me but he didn’t want to know.
Anyway he ended up with a knackered gun due to being filled with oil.

* I am biased. I have 3 phase and a high output breathing air compressor for work. Most of the local gun shops don’t do fills anymore, many of the dive shops have shut.

 

[Herman30]

View attachment 84574
View attachment 84573

We had a bilge pump for our boat in the 70´s. Worked on the same principle as this. Only it was made of plastic.

 

[Toddy]

I wondered about the air tool compressors, because those can be bought cheaply, but I don't think they're anywhere near powerful enough. 90psi if I recall correctly. Fine for nail guns and the like.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Folks, lets try to keep topics on topic. This one is about PCP air rifle filling. If you want to chat about pumping water or bilges or anything else, it would be better to start another thread.

 

[C_Claycomb]

I have both a 3litre bottle and a Hill pump. I have used the pump on a rifle with an integral cylinder (not bottle) and it is darned hard work trying to get to 200bar. At around 73kg I feel like I am not heavy enough to bear down on the pump!

I have the drying granules but haven't used them much.

These last few years I have done little shooting and was happy with the small bottle for a long time, but I had/have a dive shop within eight miles who could fill it while I waited.

If I shot enough to need to fill the rifle monthly, I might well go for a large bottle. I would not want to use a cheap pump. For me it would be a case of "pay once, cry once", I have a long history of trying to make do with cheaper options only to find that they do not work well enough and eventually buying the expensive solution after wasting money on several cheaper ones first.

 

[Ozmundo]

I wondered about the air tool compressors, because those can be bought cheaply, but I don't think they're anywhere near powerful enough. 90psi if I recall correctly. Fine for nail guns and the like.

Yeah way too low an output for most guns. I believe some of the will cycle at 140-160 bar (couple of thousand psi).

 

[Toddy]

Folks, lets try to keep topics on topic. This one is about PCP air rifle filling. If you want to chat about pumping water or bilges or anything else, it would be better to start another thread.

I believe the title is misleading us; stirrup pumps don't just apply to airguns; and thus the conversation spins

 

[Broch]

I believe the title is misleading us; stirrup pumps don't just apply to airguns; and thus the conversation spins

There, fixed

 

[Broch]

If I shot enough to need to fill the rifle monthly, I might well go for a large bottle. I would not want to use a cheap pump. For me it would be a case of "pay once, cry once", I have a long history of trying to make do with cheaper options only to find that they do not work well enough and eventually buying the expensive solution after wasting money on several cheaper ones first.

Yeh, we've all experienced that and I agree. However, as I said earlier, I doubt I'll use it more than once a month in the winter season. If I shoot more than 50 squirrel between now and end March I have a serious problem

I've spent a fair bit of time in my career working with hydraulics and, to a lesser extent, pneumatics; there is not a lot that can go wrong with a three stage stirrup pump. I intend to strip it down before using it but, as long as the valve works, it holds pressure, it has smooth cylinders and good seal I suspect it will do the job (my extra 3 Kg will make all the difference ). If it turns out to be useless I've not actually wasted a lot of money; if it works for my requirements, I'll have saved a bit of money.

I'll let you all know; it arrives this week

 

[Mesquite]

It'll be interesting to see how well it performs over an extended period of time also.

The usual buy cheap caveat etc.

 

[Broch]

Mmm... whereas I agree in principle, there are plenty of Fords that have outlasted BMWs, price is no guarantee on its own. As in all purchasing, define your specification of requirement (mine, in this case, is very occasional light use), seek potential solutions making sure you don't allow 'requirements creep', then make a purchase that most closely meets your requirement. Obviously, in an ideal world and for a major purchase, you would like to carry out specimen testing - in my case, that has cost £33.48, a bargain