If you could, What CAN you fill a PCP with other than air?

gigitt
.17 HMR
Posts: 178
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2007 2:11 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 204 Ruger
Location: NSW

If you could, What CAN you fill a PCP with other than air?

Post by gigitt »

A friend asked me why cant you get some other cheap gas like co2 from BOC and fill up with that!
User avatar
GriMo
Site Admin
Posts: 1033
Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2006 6:36 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 17 rem
Contact:

Re: If you could, What CAN you fill a PCP with other than air?

Post by GriMo »

Id say it largely comes down to operating pressures, and densities. Not sure exactly but i would imagine the valves etc within are all designed to work with the expansion rates of normal air. Not sure what effect a denser or less dense Gas could have, issues with corrosiveness and temperature sensitive aswell i guess.

Not really sure but i would imagine Lewis harry or NH will be along in due course
ogre6br
300 Win Mag
Posts: 1781
Joined: Wed Sep 13, 2006 4:35 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 6.5x55 or 6BR
Location: Melbourne Vic

Re: If you could, What CAN you fill a PCP with other than air?

Post by ogre6br »

sorry mate
but
Is $7 for a 12 litre 300 BAR scuba tank fill to expensive??

I'd prefer to pay $7 for a fill of the propper clean dry air rather than many hundreds if not thousands of $ for a repaired or new PCP

Just asking???

P
gigitt
.17 HMR
Posts: 178
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2007 2:11 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 204 Ruger
Location: NSW

Re: If you could, What CAN you fill a PCP with other than air?

Post by gigitt »

Dont have a bottle... yet only Hand Pump
Rapid need 3200psi

I did ask my friend about a getting an out of hydro test date scuba tank and he said you will not be able to fill it in Sydney!

His Dad used to work in the Hospitals and they have tanks of various gases all at high pressure.
The question was asked to me, can I use other inert gasses like co2 or o2 etc
We figured that both these gases are the major components of our AIR so damaging internal PCP components will be zip.
User avatar
GriMo
Site Admin
Posts: 1033
Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2006 6:36 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 17 rem
Contact:

Re: If you could, What CAN you fill a PCP with other than air?

Post by GriMo »

well, o2 definitely wouldnt be my recommendation. The stuff tends to make burning pretty emphatic.... high pressure, source of fuel (little bit of crease/wax etc).
User avatar
andrewk
7mm Rem Mag
Posts: 1164
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 8:34 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 222rem
Location: Adelaide

Re: If you could, What CAN you fill a PCP with other than air?

Post by andrewk »

O2 isn't an inert gas either from what i can remember
User avatar
RayG
22-250 Remington
Posts: 594
Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2007 8:10 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 375H&H
Location: Adelaide, S.A.

Re: If you could, What CAN you fill a PCP with other than air?

Post by RayG »

gigitt wrote:A friend asked me why cant you get some other cheap gas like co2 from BOC and fill up with that!
It has all been tried before G, and some of the outcomes are and can be horrific.
One nut in UK used Oxygen in a Rapid and it practically dissolved the action block and the air cylinder Vaporised.
With all of the good PCP makers the gun actions and cylinders are made for high pressure air only mate.
The yanks do make a couple of guns which can use either air or C02 but they are rare,then there are guns also dedicated to CO2 only.
Buy a Dive tank mate and have fun safely.
Cheers Ray.
gigitt
.17 HMR
Posts: 178
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2007 2:11 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 204 Ruger
Location: NSW

Re: If you could, What CAN you fill a PCP with other than air?

Post by gigitt »

Just wanted to know the what if... I will update my friend that he should not keep sugesting things that might blow my head off!

I know ultimately I will have to go a dive tank... and then even one of Lewis Compressors :)

Cheers boys.
daisy
.308 Winchester
Posts: 1586
Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2007 8:31 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 7-08
Location: Far south coast NSW

Re: If you could, What CAN you fill a PCP with other than air?

Post by daisy »

I have heard of people in the USA using nitrogen. A bit expensive to set up.
User avatar
kjd
Site Admin
Posts: 4424
Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2006 6:27 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 223Rem
Location: Picton
Contact:

Re: If you could, What CAN you fill a PCP with other than air?

Post by kjd »

daisy wrote:I have heard of people in the USA using nitrogen. A bit expensive to set up.
Really what would be the difference between nitrogen and air if Air is 70% nitrogen?
Rumpus
.17 HMR
Posts: 175
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 9:49 pm
Favourite Cartridge: N/A

Re: If you could, What CAN you fill a PCP with other than air?

Post by Rumpus »

Nitrogen is more stable in changing conditions.. Air will change depending on humidity, temperature. It can contain moisture depending on the system used to fill the cylinder and the pickup etc.

Air is made up of Nitrogen 78% Oxygen 21% and 1% other Gases..

Nitrogen I would imagine would give a more consistent results and will be better for the firearm as there will not be the moisture content thus why it is also used in rifle scopes and similar gear...

Mind you I have no experience with Air guns, but have a fai mr amount of experience with Oxygen and Air Cylinders..
User avatar
RayG
22-250 Remington
Posts: 594
Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2007 8:10 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 375H&H
Location: Adelaide, S.A.

Re: If you could, What CAN you fill a PCP with other than air?

Post by RayG »

By what I have learnt about Nitrogen from the USA AG forums is that the airgunners were getting big changes in POI when at altitude in the mountains. The experiments with Nitrogen apparently were in part successful but it never really took off.
R.
Rumpus
.17 HMR
Posts: 175
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 9:49 pm
Favourite Cartridge: N/A

Re: If you could, What CAN you fill a PCP with other than air?

Post by Rumpus »

Yea, that would make sense as as altitude increases pressure decreases so Air would work better as it will also change whereas nitrogen will remain a constant so different external pressures will shoot differently..
stillair1
New Member
Posts: 66
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:02 am
Location: UK

Re: If you could, What CAN you fill a PCP with other than air?

Post by stillair1 »

Fill it with air and nothing else. There was a muppet over here that filled his rapid with oxygen. Anyway it exploded while in use as anyone in the compressed gas business will tell you oil residues and compressed 02 are a bomb waiting. The result explosion blew out the doors windows and lifted the roof of an MOD building. The operator suffered bad facial burns.
I have seen the particular rifle and pics, the stainless bit between the action and bottle was never found.
http://www.airgunbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38213
.
neil
User avatar
Marco
.204 Ruger
Posts: 515
Joined: Sat May 09, 2009 11:01 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 7.62x39
Location: NSW

Re: If you could, What CAN you fill a PCP with other than air?

Post by Marco »

guys how about helium and humans can also breath it underwater
its also safe for balloons and KIDS and easlly available from BOC gases.
Post Reply