Any actual experience here in topping off a PCP with a hand pump say from 1500PSI to 3000PSI? Does it get real hard from about 600 PSI on up? Maybe my pump needs seals? Maybe just need to harden up. But I'm on the stout side and stubborn too. But maybe I need to go back to the scuba tank. TIA

Generally going from 600-1500/2000 isn't bad at all but going from 2000-3000/3500 gets harder. A few questions for you. Have you chronographed the rainbow? My hpa's in the 3000/3500 psi range had to be refilled at 1600-1800 to keep them in the happy spot. Anything lower and the drop was to unforgiving. What kind of pump do you have and what are you filling (resivoir size in cc's helps also)? What is your pumping cycle? 5 minutes pumping 10 minutes cool down, or do you just go till it's done? If you have the Benjamin pump and your filling a BSA lonestar to 3350 and you just go till it's done then it's a good chance you smoked your seals. If you have a hill pump and your filling a disco then your fine to just fill it.

My understanding is that not all pumps are created equal...the only one I've ever used was an FX & I didn't find it all that hard to get up to 3K. I used to keep my arms semi locked & basically used the weight of my upper body to pump.

The Hill is an excellent pump. I've used them to fully charge Marauders and it wasn't that bad.

I think I have a problem with my Air Venture pump. Maybe it needs to go back for service.

The Hill Pump is the best design IF you don't weight less than about 150lbs. If you are a lightweight, go with the FX which is said to be easier to pump.

The only experience I previously had was with the FX pump...Last week I bought a Benjamin Marauder pistol/carbine & bought the benji pump as a quick way to charge it.
If I didn't weigh 200 lbs. I don't think I could get it up to 3K...only about 25 strokes to get it up to 3K from 2K but it takes my full weight to get it fully charged. The FX was definitely easier.

Thanks for that bit of info MM.

I've just recently gotten back into air guns...yesterday I did some research & I'm not going to be manually pumping any more...seeing the damage & corrosion that can be caused after just a few months use of pumping without a water/vapor removal system is kind of scary. I'm not even sure the Hill system works that well...I'm gonna look into it, but until I'm convinced it removes most of the moisture, I'm going to only use scuba & pony bottles.