Maximum PSI in PCP’s?

[Waytoomany]

There is convincing evidence that lower fill pressures in PCP’s helps seals to last longer and prevents or delays air leaks. My being old I’m not afraid to ask a stupid question. If I want to fill only to 2000 to 3000 psi is it an advantage to have a 4350 psi maximum fill reservoir vs say a 3200 maximum fill reservoir? Logic may say the higher reservoir specs favor it but what do I know? I ask this question because some wish manufacturers would design PCP’s with much lower fill pressures.

Waytoomany

 

[JimT66]

There is convincing evidence that lower fill pressures in PCP’s helps seals to last longer and prevents or delays air leaks. My being old I’m not afraid to ask a stupid question. If I want to fill only to 2000 to 3000 psi is it an advantage to have a 4350 psi maximum fill reservoir vs say a 3200 maximum fill reservoir? Logic may say the higher reservoir specs favor it but what do I know? I ask this question because some wish manufacturers would design PCP’s with much lower fill pressures.

Waytoomany

If I am understanding your question correctly, the higher fill pressure will just give you more shots. On a regulated pcp, they gonna be same same till you fall of the regulator. In an unregulated one, I would go ahead and fill her up, cause your first few shots prolly gonna be lower, till it climbs that hill to max speed (curve top) then start the decent. Storage wise i think is the part about seal longevity, least that's what I read outta a big pcp article not long ago. I wouldn't store a, say, 3000 -3500 pcp below 1500 ft lbs, maybe closer to 1700psi to be on safe side. Helps keep the seals from flattening out on you. Same goes for the regulated rifles and pistols. I personally make sure I have a little more pressure in my few regulated guns than the reg pressure is set at. I seem to prefer the unregulated beasts more though.

 

[JimT66]

There is convincing evidence that lower fill pressures in PCP’s helps seals to last longer and prevents or delays air leaks. My being old I’m not afraid to ask a stupid question. If I want to fill only to 2000 to 3000 psi is it an advantage to have a 4350 psi maximum fill reservoir vs say a 3200 maximum fill reservoir? Logic may say the higher reservoir specs favor it but what do I know? I ask this question because some wish manufacturers would design PCP’s with much lower fill pressures.

Waytoomany

Beeman and Crosman / Benjamin had huge success with their PCPs that only filled to 2000 psi. The first Beeman Chiefs where amazing, I never shot mine that distance, but seen the 75 and 100 yard shots made with the 2k max fill. And the Discos, what did they have, 2k or 2500? Something like that anyway. Squirrel killing beasts! Prolly still one of the best made and sold guns out there. Is a good reason no one sells them when they have one. And I don't think was dumb question at all. I'm still a pcp newbie, fell down that rabbit hole 2 years ago, and I barely scratching the surface of what's to learn.

 

[Chief55]

No, if you are filling to the same pressure with both size tanks, given that they hold the same volume of air, the 4500PSI tank will just add extra weight to the gun because of thicker wall construction, unless it is carbon fiber. Most airguns are already too heavy to carry around for a long time if you are old. I will not have a tank over 3600 and prefer 3000. I seldom fill over 2800. Now for some high caliber guns you have no choice because they need such a large volume of air to operate.

 

[Waytoomany]

Thanks to all above. I don’t have a Disco or Chief. Did (do) these PCP’s tend to not leak air? Has air seal technology not improved since they were introduced? While I prefer target shooting in the 2000 to 3000 psi range, is there any leak prevention advantage to be gained by having a 4500 maximum psi spec reservoir on a PCP but only filling it to about 2/3 maximum? Would a PCP reservoir built for 3200 maximum psi spec hold air just as well?

Waytoomany

 

[jps2486]

Despite the fact that some of my guns are capable, I never fill any of them more than 250 bar. I find a larger velocity shift going from 300 to 250 bar, despite the rifle being regulated. IMO, gun manufacturers next design goal is to build guns that operate on lower pressure and get more shots per fill at the same velocity/energy levels. Daystates can do this. My Wolverine R in .177 cal gets 160+ shots per fill at 20 fpe. How many other guns can do that?

 

[Waytoomany]

Despite the fact that some of my guns are capable, I never fill any of them more than 250 bar. I find a larger velocity shift going from 300 to 250 bar, despite the rifle being regulated. IMO, gun manufacturers next design goal is to build guns that operate on lower pressure and get more shots per fill at the same velocity/energy levels. Daystates can do this. My Wolverine R in .177 cal gets 160+ shots per fill at 20 fpe. How many other guns can do that?

The Wolverine R is regulated. I am told it replaced an unregulated Wolverine that Daystate claimed had a valve so efficient no regulator was needed. Do you think the technology goal is with more efficient valves or will better regulators be the answer?

 

[jps2486]

The Wolverine R is regulated. I am told it replaced an unregulated Wolverine that Daystate claimed had a valve so efficient no regulator was needed. Do you think the technology goal is with more efficient valves or will better regulators be the answer?

Both, of course. My Revere is unregulated and the ES is around 30 fps over the sweet spot of the velocity curve between 210 bar and 170 bar. My Wolverine R, on the other hand is 20 and that's over a far wider range of shots. POI doesn't seem to change, but If I were to use a rifle in competition, the lowest ES is desirable. It shouldn't be any big deal to develop an efficient valve and air delivery system.

 

[Solo1]

I have been very impressed with the fx drs tactical. 210 cc i believe and 28 shots out of a 500 mm barrel at slightly over 40 fpe! Thats starting at 230 bar fill too! As Matt said in his vid it all has to do with the plenum and valving and more efficient air passages.

 

[Grunt64]

There is convincing evidence that lower fill pressures in PCP’s helps seals to last longer and prevents or delays air leaks. My being old I’m not afraid to ask a stupid question. If I want to fill only to 2000 to 3000 psi is it an advantage to have a 4350 psi maximum fill reservoir vs say a 3200 maximum fill reservoir? Logic may say the higher reservoir specs favor it but what do I know? I ask this question because some wish manufacturers would design PCP’s with much lower fill pressures.

Waytoomany

If you only plan to fill to 2000–3000 psi, there’s no advantage to having a 4350‑psi reservoir over a 3200‑psi one. The max rating is just a safety ceiling — it doesn’t improve seal life or air retention at lower pressures.

A higher‑rated tube is simply heavier because of thicker walls. Seal longevity is determined by the pressure you store the gun at, not the tube’s maximum rating.

So a 3200‑psi tube filled to 2500 psi will hold air just as well as a 4350‑psi tube filled to 2500 psi.

 

[Waytoomany]

If you only plan to fill to 2000–3000 psi, there’s no advantage to having a 4350‑psi reservoir over a 3200‑psi one. The max rating is just a safety ceiling — it doesn’t improve seal life or air retention at lower pressures.

A higher‑rated tube is simply heavier because of thicker walls. Seal longevity is determined by the pressure you store the gun at, not the tube’s maximum rating.

So a 3200‑psi tube filled to 2500 psi will hold air just as well as a 4350‑psi tube filled to 2500 psi.

So seal leaks don’t correlate to high max rating. So seals must be the same in both. Are better seals on the horizon? Leaking PCP’s is a problem that should get manufacturers doing something about it.

Waytoomany