Pennsylvania Game News - August 2022 - 54

70 shots from a full tank, depending on
pellet caliber, weight and velocity.
That's probably more than you'll ever
need on a day's hunt, though some hunters
carry a small air-charging cylinder
or a hand pump for those " just in case "
scenarios.
When charging your PCP, first make
sure the air tank fittings (assuming they
have a quick detachable valve) audibly
snap over those on the air cylinder. If that
connection isn't secure, the fitting will
shoot off under the high pressure.
Believe me when I tell you, if you're
too close, it can hurt.
Second, don't overfill a cylinder. Go
slow, watching the gun's gauge and
stopping at the maximum recommended
pressure level. That's important to safety,
but also accuracy. An overfill will actually
result in lower velocity by putting undue
pressure on the air valve.
Third, charge from a full tank - or at
least one that matches your gun's capabilities
- when possible. Your air gun may
handle 3,000 PSI, for example. But if the
tank is depleted, with just 1,500 PSI left,
it will charge your air gun no higher.
Fourth, after filling the cylinder but
before detaching the fittings, make sure
the feeding tank valve is turned off. Turn
on the tank's " bleeder valve " to let any
residual pressurized air out of the hose
(you will hear a hiss for a few seconds).
This makes it a whole lot easier and safer
to detach fittings from the gun.
Fifth, when storing your gun, be it for
short or long periods, keep the air cylinder
at 1,000 PSI so that the seals and valves
remain tight for reliable, consistent functioning
in the future.
CHARGING WITH AIR
Most PCP air gun cylinders are
charged by an outside source, i.e. an air
54
tank or hand pump. But some air gun
manufacturers now produce PCPs with
their own internal manual pump. The
Seneca Aspen and the Nova Freedom
are examples.
The advantage of these rifles is that
even though they can still use an outside
air source, they don't necessarily need
one.
It takes about 80 pumps to initially
fill the reservoirs on these guns. Then,
after a certain number of shots, it takes
only 30 to 40 pumps to bring pressures
back up to the desired level for consistent
velocity, accuracy and power.
How many shots you can fire before
recharging the rifle depends in part on
caliber. But generally, you get more shots
per charge with smaller calibers, fewer
with larger ones. I recharged a .22-caliber
Seneca Aspen after around 15 shots, and
after nine with a .25-caliber.
AIR-VALVE TYPE
You'll also hear about " unregulated "
and " regulated " PCP air guns. That refers
to the type of air valve release system.
Most PCP guns are unregulated,
which means they shoot a series of shots
over a wider range of velocities within
their entire pressure range.
This is why many shooters of unregulated
PCP guns chronograph an entire
series of shots, keeping an eye on the
air gauge to watch pressure's effect on
pellet velocity.
Regulated PCP air guns use valves
that are less affected by the declining
pressure of the air tank. While they offer
slightly less velocity, velocity is more
consistent over a wider range of shots.
Regulated guns are usually more
expensive. And there used to be mixed
opinions on the long-term reliability of
regulated valves. Some argued they too
Pennsylvania Game News - August 2022

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