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Air Venturi compressor cooling system

Air Venturi air compressor: Part 2

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↓ 90 comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Air Venturi compressor

Air Venturi air compressor.

Part 1

This report covers:

  • The state of B.B.
  • AirForce Texan .357
  • Otho is drafted!
  • This compressor is fast!
  • Water-cooled
  • Oil lubricated
  • Performance
  • Bottom line?

The state of B.B.

Time for a status update on old B.B. I had an annual eye exam last week and it turns out the problem with my right eye isn’t so much the retina repair as a cataract that is growing rapidly. The good news is it has reached the point where is needs to come out, so tomorrow I go in for a measurement for the operation. I expect the cataract to be removed very soon.

The problem I have had recently with open sights isn’t because of my retina operation. My glasses corrected that. But the growing cataract has degraded my prescription over the past 6 months to the point that no amount of correction is enough. I can still see through a scope well enough, but open sights have to be shot with the left eye. So, I am looking forward to this operation. Why do I tell you this?

AirForce Texan .357

A month ago AirForce gave me a .357 Texan to test, and I have started that test. When I read the reports online of those who already had the rifle, though, I was dismayed. Several of them are reporting only mediocre accuracy. Not knowing the shooting history of those people in general, I called Johnny Hill of Tin Star Bullets, to see what his experience has been. He is an AirForce dealer and I knew he had received his .357 about a month before me. Johnny competes in Quigly matches with a Sharps rifle at 500 yards, so I know he knows how to shoot.

Johnny told me he had tested the .357 Texan and had identified a couple bullets that were deadly. He sent me pictures of his groups at 100 yards and they were remarkable. So I spent some time with him, talking about how he tested his rifle. I learned some things that I will share with you when we come to the test of that air rifle, but before we get there you need to know something.

I am starting to use a LOT of compressed air! Testing a powerful big bore air rifle runs even a large carbon fiber tank down very quickly. That’s why I’m reporting on the Air Venturi air compressor today. I have already done a baseline accuracy test with the .357 Texan, and now I want to do what Johnny Hill told me to do and then give you both the before and after results. But this time I want to do more than just that.

Otho is drafted!

My shooting buddy, Otho, has had the cataracts removed from both his eyes last year and now he no longer wears glasses. Once again, he is out-shooting me with a rifle, which is how it always was until his eyes got bad. So, I will give the .357 Texan to him for a month and let him shoot it all he wants. I have a 98-cubic foot carbon fiber tank that Pyramyd Air sent me to test last year, and this is the perfect chance to use it. Otho will have lots of air to shoot with, and when he brings the tank back for a refill I have a compressor that can top it off rapidly.

Otho lives on a large plot of land in the country, where he shoots all the time. And, he absolutely loves the Texan. So everybody wins. Now, let’s peek at the air compressor that makes all of this possible. I told Chris USA that I would give you guys a lot more pictures, so let’s get started.

This compressor is fast!

The problem with testing the Air Venturi compressor is it is so fast that it keeps up with any demand I place on it. That’s why I need both Otho and me using a lot of air. I don’t want to just fill a tank and then bleed it down again, just to test a compressor. That’s such a waste! Besides, this thing is so fast I am planning on buying it for myself, plus I want to also buy that 98-cubic-foot carbon fiber tank. If I’m going to test big bores — and given the number of new ones that are coming out this year I’m going to test a lot of them — then I need the equipment to do it with.

Water-cooled

I told you in part 1 that the compressor is water cooled. That’s water — like the stuff you drink — although the compressor doesn’t mind using tap water. I did not say anti-freeze. I know if you store the compressor in an unheated shed the water in the cooling system will freeze, but like the doctor said, “If it hurts when you do that, do do that!” However, I am checking with Air Venturi, to see if there is any problem using anti-freeze.

Air Venturi compressor cooling system
Pour straight water into the white plastic reservoir. The water pipes that serve as the plumbing are also white plastic.

Oil-lubricated

I told you that the pump was lubricated with either 5W40 motor oil or compressor oil, and there was some concern whether synthetic oil could and should be used. I did some research and petroleum oil uses viscosity indexers that are polymers that extend in length when they heat up. That holds the viscosity constant — to a point. When the viscosity spread is large (5 to 40 weight is extremely large!) the petroleum oil will contain up to 25 percent viscosity indexers, rather than lubricating oil. And I could not find a petroleum oil with that great a range. But synthetic motor oil has that range and it is also better at lubricating. I think they are saying to use it without specifically mentioning the fact. I will also check on this for you!

Air Venturi compressor oil
To fill the oil in the compressor, remove the black plastic oil breather tube (arrow) on top of the oil sump. It should be hand-tight.

Performance

I know you want to know how this compressor works, so I did fill my 88-cubic-foot tank for you. I plan to start the accuracy test of the Air Arms Galahad this week, so I topped it off today. Fortunately that rifle takes a 250-bar (3,626 psi) fill, so I was able to draw down the tank a lot more than a rifle that only uses 3000 psi would.

My starting pressure was 3800 psi. The compressor took exactly 12 minutes to fill it to 4500 psi. My Omega SuperCharger that is in need of a seal change would have taken about an hour. When resealed it would probably fill that much in 30 minutes.

Air Venturi compressor temp 1
Temperature before starting. Pressure gauge is more readable, now that the oil has settled off the glass.

Air Venturi compressor temp 2
Temperature one minute after starting the compressor.

Air Venturi compressor temp 3
Temperature eight minutes after starting the compressor. This was as hot as it got.

Air Venturi compressor temp 4
Temperature 45 seconds after compressor automatically shut off.

Air Venturi compressor water
Water purged from line bleed after operation. For 12 minutes, that plenty of water from a 17 percent humidity day!

Bottom line?

The bottom line is — I like this compressor. I’m buying this one that’s already been used for many hours by several different groups. I can’t tell you how much use it’s had, but I imagine I couldn’t have used it as much in three years, myself.

There will me more reports to come, but you’ll also hear about the compressor in other related reports.

90 thoughts on “Air Venturi air compressor: Part 2”

  1. B.B.,

    A 50 degree rise in temperature in the process of filling an 88 cu ft tank from 3800 to 4500 in 12 minutes is very remarkable. Did you happen to check how long before the temperature returned to the 20 degree starting temperature?

    Siraniko

      • Just got my air Venturi compressor yesterday so far so good pretty much doing as described and matches BB’s description couple little issues not worth mentioning just like anything has its good and its bad the good outweighs the bad when I say bad for an example I mean little things like not indoor friendly it emits a strong smell I really have to put it through its Paces but so far I am happy BB I also had a question for you when I filled my 90 cubic inch carbon fiber bottle to 4500 PSI just before it reaches 4500 PSI and shuts off I get a large snapping sound 3 times then the auto shut-off and gauges I was wondering if you have noticed that happening when you use it my guess is it’s the compressor reaching maximum capacity and releasing air from some type of valve not shown in directions because it didn’t do it when I filled my 3000 psi bottles anybody else has the answer feel free to jump in

  2. Hi BB
    Great news & big relief about your eye. So the good ole shooting eye should be fine for shooting some incredible groups again. Also glad for your buddy Otho. He can help you heaps with the range work! Really appreciate the super articles Sir, keep up the great work. God bless.

    Errol

    • B.B., I can relate! I have had cataracts for years and now they are at the point that I have no night vision and little day vision. I can hardly watch TV except on my laptop. I was scheduled to have both my eyes done last November but then I became seriously ill which cancelled that, so then I was supposed to have the first eye done yesterday but this snow storm caused the surgery center to close. Hopefully my next dates, near the end of this month and the beginning of next month will actually hold, and I will be able to shoot well again. Can’t wait. Getting old is a bitch.

  3. BB,
    Excellent news on the eyes! I just had both eyes fixed back in October and, I’ll tell ya, it’s great! I no longer see double crosshairs in my scope and my groups tightened up considerably. If you need a volunteer to just make sure that compressor is OK before you pay money for it, I’m available, just so you know.
    Bruce

  4. B.B.,

    Excellent news on the eye! It is nice things like that can be fixed with awesome results nowadays.

    The speed of the A.V. is nothing short of astounding. Thank you for the inside peek. Is it a 2 stage or 3? I see only 2 cylinders. Any specifics on that would be interesting.

    Way to go on getting some help testing too. It will be nice to have Otho do a test for us. I would love to comment more, but doing four 10’s w/45 min. drive leaves little AM/PM time.

    Good Day all,…. Chris

    • Chris,

      Speaking out of ignorance, I would say it is a two stage compressor as it has only two cylinders. Now it could be more than one stage per cylinder, but I seriously doubt it.

      • RR,
        based on the number of lines visible I would agree on 2 stages.
        Also looks like swageloc ferrule style of tubing fitting which at that size will be good to 6,000+ psi so good margins of safety.

      • B.B.,

        That is interesting as “conventional” ? wisdom would say that 3 are needed ( hand pumps, Shoebox). That is why I asked. If this is being achieved with only 2 stages, I find that quite interesting. I’ll bet that Shoebox is sweating bullets right now,…. err,… rather sweating pellets. I said it before,…. they need to drop the price or go the way of the Dinosaur’s.

        Chris

        • That’s what I have thought too — about the pricing of the Shoebox. I was also very surprised when the new edition of the Omega Supercharger came out at a higher price point. The volume may not yet be there, but one of these manufacturers needs to take the first leap, get a $1,000 compressor on the market, and leave their competitors in the dust……and this A.V. compressor is almost there. Based on the performance B.B. is reporting, I think being a little over $1,000 is not going to hurt them.

          Jim M.

          • Jim M.,

            Just caught your post. Yea,… the Shoebox can’t compete on speed and features. For the price difference, I would spring for the A.V., but I already have the Shoebox 10. Shoebox (has to) come down in price,.. or “the writing is on the wall”. For anyone with a big tank and/or a big bore,…. the A.V. is a no-brainer. It will be interesting to see the reports in 6 month’s or a year from now on the A.V.. I will say,…. good so far.

  7. BB,

    I am glad to hear that your eye problem will be easy to remedy. Also, with Otho helping you should be able to crank out the reviews and have a great time while you two are at it. I always enjoy getting together with others and sharing a pleasurable experience. This is why Lloyd and I go to the GTA Fun Shoot every year. We even had one of our own a couple of months ago when Lloyd, Marty, Kelvin and I spent a day shooting air rifles.

  8. BB,

    I do hope that the response from AV is that it is safe to use antifreeze in this. I also hope that we have that answer before mine ships. If I cannot use antifreeze, I will have to cancel my order as I do not have a heated place to store it.

    As far as oil, you can get regular oil in 5W50 or greater, but I would use the synthetic as it seems to not break down as fast.

  9. BB
    There seems to be a lot of ‘do do’ in that doctors statement above, (“If it hurts …) probably gets a lot of repeat patients?!
    You are turning into a bellwether of sorts for me for health issues, you know being much older than I. I rushed into the eye doctor when I noticed white flashes in the corners of my eyes. Hope all goes well.
    If I get one of these, and I probably will, I will need another shed ! Two small 110v generators, two 220v, one gas, one propane, two air compressors and a solar powered lion generator so far. Backups for the backups here in the back country. I can’t imagine how anti freeze would hurt anything, but all kidding aside, I would consider this compressor a precision piece of equipment to be kept indoors. Electric motors don’t like damp air.

  10. Bruce posted this and it didn’t come through, so I’m reposting it for him.

    BB,
    Excellent news on the eyes! I just had both eyes fixed back in October and, I’ll tell ya, it’s great! I no longer see double crosshairs in my scope and my groups tightened up considerably. If you need a volunteer to just make sure that compressor is OK before you pay money for it, I’m available, just so you know.
    Bruce

    • BB,
      Thanks for watching out for me. I have had my 1st pcp for just over a year and have had a wonderful time tuning it up and down, increasing shot count, increasing power, doing just about everything to that i could. But, after about 15,000 rounds, I am ready to move on past my Discovery. I have been looking at going to a. 25cal gun, mainly because I like to hunt as much as I can. After all those single-shot loads, I was thinking a repeater would be nice,but after much research, I have decided that the Air Force Condor SS would be the best all around choice for me, as a hunter and a tinkerer!
      Anyway, please let me know what you think of my pick.
      Good luck with the eye surgery, it is so easy and makes your whole world come back into focus.

      Bruce

  11. B.B.

    Good luck with your eye sight. Modern medicine does wonders with cataracts! Wear sun glasses!

    What is the practical difference between a 98 cf tank and a 88 cf tank? The last 10 cf take longer to fill and how many more fills of an air hog like the 357 T AF will it provide?
    My thoughts are with you….

    -Y

  12. BB,

    First, I hope all goes well with the upcoming surgery . . . .

    Second, that seems like quite a lot of vented water. In part one you mentioned that there is a desiccant dryer on the input side? How big is it, as it does not seem to be doing a very good job . . . .

    While the cooling system is probably doing an excellent job of keeping the compressor alive, the charge air is probably quite hot and thus able to carry much water vapor into the tank. After all, that water that blew out on venting is simply the water that was able to condense from an air charge that is well over 65 degrees C.

    • Alan,

      The desiccant filter is the size of a Coke can. It;s thinner but longer. It’s big! And it purges too when you bleed the line, so that water came out of it. So it is in fact doing an incredible job!

      The relative humidity when I ran the compressor for just 12 minutes was 17 percent. I would say that filter got almost all the water that was in the air.

      B.B.

    • Alan

      The input filter is quite small. About the size of a .22 cal tin of JSB (500 ct.)

      The filter Tom is referring to (that is doing most of the work) is the output filter. The air passes through this filter before going into the hose. The filter is quite long as Tom says and the tube it sits in is also quite long. So what happens is that any oil or moisture that comes either immediately falls into the trap below (which is where the bleeder is located, or the filter catches it. There is media located directly at the entry point for the air when it comes into the output filter tube as well. Your filter would have to be extremely full for any moisture to pass through it all the way up the tube (bear in mind it’s fighting gravity as well) and then into your tank/fill device. That’s why (like any filter in almost anything) you need to replace the filter.

      Thx

  13. Everyone,

    Here is the information you have been waiting for.

    First, there is no problem running anti-freeze in the cooling system of this compressor.

    Next, although the manufacturer has never tried synthetic oil, they say there should be no problem using it.

    Typer Patner got that info direct from the manufacturer for you.

    B.B.

    • BB,

      Woohoo! We’re good to go! The antifreeze question was the only issue that the Omega compressors had over this one! Now I can breathe easy and shoot bunches of big bore!

  14. Hello to all and Happy New Year! BB, that compressor looks to be just about a must have for the PCP shooter. I’ve been fortunate in that the local FD has been very accommodating but you can’t always count on it being the same in the future. I had a cataract removed last August and have hardly used my glasses at all since then. It was in my right eye and now the vision there is just razor sharp. The only thing I did notice, and this may not apply to all procedures, is that they put some kind of a lens in the right eye and if I look at the same thing with alternate eyes being closed that the color is a bit different, almost as if you were to look at a digital photo and then change the White Balance of the photo while you are viewing it. I’m putting the airguns aside for a little while so I can spend a bit of time with my latest purchase, a lovely Pedersoli copy to the 1874 Sharps Rifle. This is the Matthew Quigley version with a 34″ inch barrel, double set triggers and a Soule type tang sight. It’s chambered in 45-70 rather than the 45-110 of the movie version as I found it it wasn’t recommended to use smokeless in anything larger than the 45-70. After conferring with a very knowledgeable black powder shooter i have decided to not use the paper patched bullets but rather the standard grease grove projectiles. My studio flashes are out being repaired, when they arrive back home I’ll take some shots of the gun and post a link so you guys can see it if you like.

    Kevin in CT

      • B.B.

        I had both eyes done a few years ago . I doubt if it will do anything for color blindness .
        I developed secondary cataracts after a while . The doc said this would probably happen .
        He took care of those in just a few minutes in the office with a laser .
        I wear trifocals to adjust for a bit of astigmatism and to give me three different focus ranges .
        The plastic replacement lenses in your eyes will not focus . They are fixed focus .

        tt

  15. B.B.

    When my mom had her lenses replaced about 6 years ago they offered (for more money,of course) a flexible lens that was claimed to adjust focus like a natural lens. Medicare wouldn’t pay, of course, but the option was there. Was that discussed in your case? Best wishes for a good result for you.

      • Hi BB,

        I also had both eyes done a few years ago. Be prepared for the whole world to look brighter for a while! Eventually I got used to the brighter world and it now seems normal. I got the fixed vision lenses, and I still wear bifocal eyeglasses, mostly to correct my astigmatism and for reading. The cataract surgery cannot correct astigmatism (or color blindness). I was offered a combination of a near-vision lens in one eye and a far-vision lens in the other, so that reading glasses would not be required, but that seemed too complicated for me. I don’t mind wearing glasses, and anyway, you need to wear glasses for safety when shooting, right? But it is another option for you.

        The good thing is that i can now see the front sight of my pistol clearly, and I could not do that before. I hope and pray you get that same result. Expect it will take a while to accommodate to your new vision, and your eyeglass prescription may or may not need to be updated after a while.

        Mike U

  17. B.B.,

    I wish you luck with your upcoming cataract surgery!

    The compressor is interesting, to be certain. But I have a couple of concerns. Firstly, if even just a little oil finds its way past the piston rings (or from wherever it may come) and enters the high pressure air circuit, it will undoubtedly cause a diesel detonation. It might be enough to wreck the pump (and whoever may be near it when it goes). Regardless of whether the oil is dino oil or synthetic- they will both burn. That’s how a diesel engine works- high pressure air and fuel. No spark necessary. Secondly, though it’s nice that it has a moisture trap on the inlet, it really needs to have some sort of moisture trap or absorbent on the outlet side, as well, since the moisture will condense along with the high pressure air (I may not be using the proper terminology here).

    I have a Shoebox compressor, and instead of using a shop compressor I use a bottle of compressed nitrogen to feed the Shoebox. At least this way, I KNOW the “air” is as dry as it can possibly be. I imagine it would be possible to do something similar with the Air Venturi compressor, thereby eliminating the moisture- if someone was so inclined. But for me, the biggest concern would be the danger of oil getting into the HP air circuit. The Shoebox comes with a small bottle of silicone oil to lubricate the pump seals, and they recommend white lithium grease for other parts (I think it came with a tube of that as well) but I use Krytox oil and Krytox grease instead (neither of which support combustion, even under high heat or high pressure- and the Krytox is a better lubricant).

    Anyway, I thought I’d share, and see what you think.

    Thank you for your expertise and time! 🙂

    -Scott

        • Scott,

          Unless you have a major issue, not much oil will get past the rings and it and most of the moisture will condense in the trap below the outlet filter, which is in part at least a desiccant. If you start noticing a good bit of oil in the bleed off, it may be time for a rebuild.

          As for the input filter, I am certain it is only a particle filter to keep out dust, although when I get mine I will investigate to see if I can upgrade the inlet filter somewhat. I wonder if a moisture trap on the intake with desiccant will accomplish anything?

          I will also be upgrading the outlet filter with an additional desiccant filter with moisture trap that is designed to go in line with foster fittings and a hose attached. I may be overdoing it, but I want dry air.

  18. B.B.,

    This compressor really seems to have a great advantage over its price point competitors because it so much faster than them. Two questions: if filling a rifle directly is probably not good because of very fast filling, might that be true with a small 18 cubic feet SCBA, too? (I.E., might this really be for medium and large SCBA bottles only?)

    Second, would it be O.K. to use refrigerated water at the start to promote even more cooling than provided by room temp. water?

    Michael

      • B.B.,

        It dawned on me that it would likely top off a 2000 psi Wildfire, Maximus, or Discovery in a couple minutes or perhaps even less. That’s not a problem? I shoot in my basement and backyard only, so a buddy bottle might not necessary for me?

        Regarding 147 degrees Fahrenheit, for I have longed remembered that 25mm is about an inch a kilo is about 2.2 pounds, but I’ve never been able to wrap my brain around Celsius. :^)

        Michael

        • Michael,

          Me neither, other than to remember that water freezes at 0 degrees C and boils at 100 degrees C. I have a conversion widget on my computer for making the calculations.

          Yes, the Wildfire can be charged directly from the compressor, but it will be a quick operation. Wildfires are better for hand pumps.

          B.B.

        • Michael,

          If you are shooting 2000 PSI air rifles, I would not bother with a compressor. The only reason I bought one is I have been shooting big bore and those puppies use a HUMONGOUS amount of air. Hand pumping a .357 HM1000X up to pressure every ten shots or so will wear you out fast.

          You might want to go with a four stage hand pump like an Hill or an Air Venturi. Pumping up a Discovery or such is real easy and does not take very long at all.

    • Michael,

      Don’t sweat the cooling, pun intended.

      Filling an air rifle directly should not be an issue either. You should not leave this unattended, even when filling a large tank. Yes, this has automatic shutoff and yes this has a pressure burst disc, however “stuff” happens. You would not want to damage your air rifle by accidently over pressuring it because you had filled your SCBA tank and forgot to dial it down when you hooked up your air rifle or the automatic stop quit working because a wire came loose and kept on filling that SCBA tank and the rupture disc did not and that tank became a bomb.

    • BB, I had both eyes fixed in 2008. I had to wear eyeglasses since about the 4-5 grade. Now I have 20/15 vision uncorrected. I use 1.50 over the counter readers if the print is very, very small. Most of the time I don’t need them. I paid extra for the AcrySof TORIC lenses they put in, but that has been worth every penny to get rid of the glasses.
      Good luck with the surgery, you’ll be glad you had it done. My sister, and a shipmate had it done recently and both had excellent results!

  20. Good news on the eyes.

    That is some high humidity, 17%. How does it do on a normal day of between 2% and 8% humidity?

    While I am likely to never have one, I am helping a friend get into big bores, so the information could be of use.

      • Ouch. It is currently 14% here, and that is only because the rain just passed, and the ground is still evaporating (surface is dry though the soak in is still evaporating). On a rainy day it may get up to 30% here, I have seen over 50% only twice here that I know of.

        • David C ,where do you live that it can rain and not be 100% relative humidity? Here in the Ohio Valley its never been as low as 17% that I can remember. I thought the point being made by B.B. was that he removed a lot of water even at low humidity and that further testing of water removal would have to wait until later in the year when humidity rose in spring and summer. Did I misunderstand , BB?

    • David,

      Wow! That’s dry. I bet you have to be careful to not let a Boy Scout rub up against a tree when they go for a walk in the woods. I grumble about the high humidity here sometimes, but wild fires are not that common around here and most of the time they do not do that much damage, unlike out on the left coast. We did have a couple of nasty ones this year, but they were the exception rather than the rule.

  21. B.B., I believe that the cataract is almost good news. They are not like macular degeneration and are easily removed. My Dad had the procedure done, and he’s fine. To answer an earlier question of yours, I don’t drink coffee while reloading so I have no basis for comparing the heat with a compressor. 🙂

    Mike, thanks for the thought on the Enfield magazine, but I don’t believe that is the problem. Supposing it were, it could be corrected by adjusting the feed lips rather than a getting a new magazine which is scarce. But I’m fairly certain that the problem was in the way the magazine was seated. The other problem has to do with loading that 10th round. I’ve heard that for high-capacity magazines, you often load them a round or two short to prevent jams. The force I’ve been applying to number 10 appears to be causing the jams, so it is probably operator error after all.

    FrankBpc, my knife sharpening mentor. I have had you in mind, but first, thanks for the comments on shotgunning. I’ve heard about the trigger slap technique as well as not using the sights. But the puzzle for me is that this all seems harder than rifle shooting, so why do my observations show that the shotgunners seem to be better with their guns than rifle shooters are with theirs. Owning a shotgun is not in the cards for me, but I can practice with it by using my airguns (Crosman 1077) for snap shooting. The techniques work pretty well. Also, I’m in a complete slump with knife sharpening, and I don’t know why. My knives used to be able to shave hair off my arms and now they can barely cut a tomato. I thought that my stone had hollowed out and got a new one, but it made no difference. I’m completely baffled. All I can do for the time being is to keep at it and see if I regain a lost sensitivity or have some other idea.

    Peter, thanks for the question about the Mosin sniper. Finding a good one is part of the larger problem of “fake news” and sifting the true from the false. I am a librarian by trade, and the principle we follow is that where you don’t have personal expertise, you find credible information from those who do. So, I think your best move is to find a reputable dealer in surplus military rifles. I’ve worked with Empire Arms and James River Armory which both have solid reputations, and I’ve never had complaints about their products. Dennis, the owner of Empire, is a very nice guy and easy to talk to. You can also tell a certain amount by the price. A genuine WWII Mosin sniper rifle will be in the range of $800 at least. I knew going in that mine was not since it cost $400. I was told that my rifle was rearsenaled and stored away after WWII but did not participate in the fighting, at least not as a sniper rifle. Another thing to note is that most WWII sniper rifles have round receivers and a fairly rough finish because of wartime pressures. Knowing this, there are some reasons to doubt the authenticity of mine. My rifle was manufactured in 1931 and has the older octagon barrel. With that manufacturing date and all the use the rifle has had as seen from its bore, how could it be a sniper rifle after the war and not during? Moreover, my gunsmith told me that the scope is definitely a reproduction. But as for the rifle itself, even the gunsmith could not tell. His final judgement was that “If this is a reproduction [rifle] it’s a good one.” So, I don’t know, but I have one last card to play as a collector. I don’t actually need an original specimen to enjoy it. I know at least from the manufacturing date that the rifle was on the Eastern Front in some capacity. Otherwise, if it is now in a configuration that is identical to the original sniper rifles and would have been familiar to the great Russian sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenko, then it’s good enough for me.

    On the subject of Russia, I just saw an interesting statement from the Russian commandos who teach the indigenous art of Systema. It says: “A weapon is an object of power whose influence can be seen throughout history. One needs to always be aware of this influence on oneself. Through continual training, you make the weapon a part of you, so that you are commanding it and not the other way around.” Makes sense to me. I guess the underlying message is practice, practice.

    Matt61

  22. Matt61,

    Smith’s came out with an adjustable angle draw through. I may get one yet. There was one (brand ?) mentioned right here awhile back, I believe B.B. had/has one and someone else. They swore by them. An odd contraption if I re-call. Then there is that power one on the hunting/fishing channels. Work Sharp I think. Sorry dude,…. That is all I got for ya’. Good luck,… I hope you find your blade sharpening mojo again. Chris

  23. Hello all, I was wounder if maybe the cheap blue winter window washing fluid would work on the Air Venturi air compressor. I have used this in my weed sprayers for years and so far so good. This winter has been at 0 for a week and this morning it was 3 so I ran out to check just to make sure they had not frozen as they sit out side year round. All was good I put it in and run it thru the pump before I put them up for winter. This is a great place to learn things So glad that I found it. Have a great Day

  24. B.B.,

    I know several who have had a cataract removed, with great results. With the advances made in cataract surgery, I bet you are going to be amazed at your vision post-op. You have my prayers for a successful operation.

    As for this compressor — Dag nabbit man! I didn’t really want to spend that much right now.

    Jim M.

  25. Just got my new Air Venturi HP4500 set up and run in. I filled my Great White 2200 psi to 4500 psi in about 25 min. Not too bad I thought. I will be adding an hour meter to the unit to monitor service intervals more accurately. I do like how compact the unit is and well organized. Time will tell as to the service of the unit.

  26. BB,

    I’m about to buy one of these Air Venturi Compressors. It’s been sometime since your article on this compressor. Do you still like this compressor since your last part 2? Is their a new compressor on the market since your article on this compressor for me to consider? Also other than the cost, what advantages or disadvantages does the air Venturi have over the Omega Super Charger? How about the sound which is Quitter, Faster, ease use?

    Thanks for your response,

    The Boomer

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