Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Air Guns Equipment / money question

I sold my last airgun, a Beeman R1, more than a few years ago. I have been thinking more and more lately about getting another, and like the idea of a PCP rifle.

Question - besides the rifle, what equipment is needed, what is desireable, and about what would I expect to spend on the support equipment?

Thank you,
Michael B

Hi Michael. I'm just getting back into air guns myself. The support equipment for a PCP can be as cheap as a high pressure hand pump or more expensive than most people could afford. I bought a hand pump to get started & for emergency backup down the road...If you can afford it & you have someplace nearby that can fill to 4500 psi, it's hard to beat the carbon fiber tanks. http://www.airtanksforsale.com/
A very good source for air gun enthusiasts is http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/

I myself went with a large 3400psi scuba tank as I have a dive shop and paintball facilities in the area. I can get a quite a few fills before the tank requires refilling. I also just recently bought a hand pump for backup but have yet to use it. It also depends on the gun you get. The large caliber, high fill pressure (3000#) guns will have you huffing and puffing hand pumping them whereas guns like a Benjamin Discovery in .177 (2000# fill) are easier to pump and give more shots per fill. I have about $200 in my tank/hose setup which is about what a good hand pump will cost. But as Middlefork Miner said, the sky's the limit

Thanks guys.

I have been doing some reading, which has only made more questions. I don't know about any paintball places near me, but there is a dive shop. I'll go by there and see what they can do.

Top question: I've been reading about corrosion caused by using compressed damp air. If the dive shop doesn't work out, what is your opinion of a ShoeBox pump? I have a source for 2000-2500 p.s.i. dry nitrogen. If I used that source for the precharge to the pump, I could fill a carry bottle from that. Is this a good idea, or is dry nitrogen not so good?

Thanks again,
Michael B.

The corrosion issue is why I'm gonna do what tmitch is doing... A HP steel scuba tank.
I haven't bothered looking at the shoebox compressor, because there's no way I could afford one...go to the yellow forum..they'll know.

New to this as well, but was reading a recent article in a British mag that mentioned a stirrup pump as being the best type, but qualified it by saying make sure it has a moisture trap. No more details were given, but it look like the issue of moisture is now avoidable?

The Hill pumps come with a moisture filter. They run around $300. shipped from Pyramyd Air or Airgun Depot. The Benjamin pumps are a lot cheaper running around $180.00. After pumping up a PCP gun you will wish you had bought the Hill pump. As far as PCP rifles go the Benjamin Marauder is a great rifle at a reasonable price. If you have deep pockets the FX guns are hard to beat. I can get my scuba tank filled for $5.00 plus $10. for gas round trip. I pump my rifles most of the time, its good for the arms and back muscles.