by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
The Air Venturi Seneca Aspen precharged pneumatic air rifle.
This report covers:
- Value-packed airgun!
- Stock
- Sidelever
- Single shot and repeater
- Sights
- Filling
- Overfill pressure release
- Depressurization screw
- No-fill
- Safety
- Power adjustor
- Adjustable trigger
- Features
- Evaluation
I just received this airgun last week and I am bumping some other reviews out of the way to bring it to you today. This is the air rifle many of you have been waiting for — the Air Venturi Seneca Aspen PCP with a built-in pump! They won’t be available from Pyramyd AIR until early December, so we should see a pretty full test before you have to make the buy decision, to get it by Christmas.
Value-packed airgun!
The Aspen retails for $400, so it’s not quite a price point PCP (PPP), but it has some features that few other airguns offer. Let’s look at them now. For starters this is a PCP that has a pump built into the airgun! What that means is you can fill it from a tank or you can pump it up yourself. This is exactly what the easy-chair engineers have been designing in their dreams for years. Then FX came along with their Independence that does exactly that and everybody changed their tune to —“I would buy one, if only it wasn’t $1,600!” Well, this one isn’t.
The pump handle extends this far when filling.
The Aspen is made in China and I know that several readers have been tracking it over the past two years. By now you know its strong points and weak points. But I don’t. I’m going to test this sample rifle for you without reading all that’s been written about it That should keep my perspective fresh.
I’m testing the .22 caliber model. It will also be available in .177. Given the power potential of up to 900 f.p.s. in .22 (no pellet weight is given) and the size of the rifle I think .22 is the way to go. With this powerplant you have the ideal survival airgun.
And now that I have mentioned it I should tell you that the first thing that struck me is the size and weight of this rifle. It’s very large in all dimensions — like a Gen I Benjamin Marauder. It weighs 8 lbs. even, and the rifle I am testing has a synthetic stock, so that weight shouldn’t vary by much from gun to gun. It’s not a multi-pump that’s been scaled up; it’s a PCP with a built-in pump.
The overall length is 43.3 inches with a barrel length of just under 18-inches. The length of pull is 14 inches on the nose. The barrel is fully shrouded and I can tell you from some initial shooting that the rifle is quiet. How quiet I will tell you when we get to accuracy testing.
Some have commented on the stock, saying they dislike the pump handle hanging down below the line of the forearm. Funny thing about it, though — it’s a perfect hand rest for shooting offhand!
Stock
The Aspen comes in a black synthetic stock. It is hollow and you can hear that if you thump it. Still, I don’t think you want this rifle to weigh any more than it already does.
Normally you can’t put a sling on a multi-pump because the lever gets in the way, but they put the sling swivel anchor up front on the side of the stock — so this one can have a sling. It looks like lefties can also swap the anchor to the other side, too!
Sidelever
The Aspen is a bolt action that uses a sidelever to cock the bolt. The cocking action is light and easy, so I don’t want to hear any complaints about it.
The sidelever stands proud of the receiver on the right side and is conveniently located for cocking. The button in front of the triggerguard locks and unlocks the pump lever.
Single shot and repeater
The Aspen is both a single shot and a repeater. You get a single shot adaptor and two magazines for the rifle and a fill adaptor for the rifle that has a probe on one end and a male Foster fitting on the other. The magazines for both calibers hold 10 pellets.
The magazine, single shot adaptor and fill probe.
Sights
The Aspen comes without sights, but it does have 11mm dovetail bases for both a front and rear sight. In other versions of the same gun there are fiberoptic open sights for these dovetails, but there are two things wrong with that. First, they are the fiberoptics that many shooters do not like. And second, most owners will scope their rifle anyway and remove these sights, so why put something on that’s coming off?
When you order the Seneca you get a 4X32 scope and rings to go with it, so the sights aren’t needed. I can’t tell you about the scope because I am testing a sample rifle that they sent without a scope. Of course I will scope it and tell you what I use so you have a good idea of what to expect.
Filling
The Aspen fills to 250 bar (3,626 psi). The fill port is underneath the pump lever. Raise the pump lever for access. It has a rubber cap to protect the fill port from dirt, which is exactly what it should have. From one full fill you can expect to get up to 17 shots.
Filling all the way with the built-in three-stage pump requires 40-60 pump strokes. The Pyramyd AIR description says you can get a high-power shot and refill for a second one with 5-6 more pumps. Or you can get almost 20 low-power shots on a fill with the pump. I am going to test everything for you so there will be no doubt. That will make the velocity test longer than normal.
Overfill pressure release
What is the worst thing a careless fill can do to a PCP? It can lock up the firing valve with too much pressure. That’s called valve lock. The Seneca Aspen anticipated that and has an overfill pressure relief valve that opens to exhaust pressure when it gets too high. I haven’t see one of these since I owned a Sharp Ace multi-pump that was restricted to 12 foot-pounds for the UK market.
Depressurization screw
The rifle also has a screw that depressurizes the gun’s reservoir. This can save you time over shooting out the air.
No-fill
There is another place on the rifle that looks like a fill port. It’s a small tube under the barrel. It has a screw cap to protect it from dirt, but it isn’t for filling the airgun. It is a maintenance port that’s not for the user.
Safety
The safety is a lever on the right side of the receiver. The positions are marked and obvious. But there is another button that looks like a crossbolt safety but is really for locking the pump handle when the rifle is used as a PCP. You can also use the pump handle to carry the rifle and this lock ensures that the handle stays put when doing that.
Power adjuster
The Aspen comes with two power levels — high and low. On the .22 caliber I’m testing the low is supposed to be 700 f.p.s. — again with no pellet weight given. That’s fast enough for a lot of shooting, and it conserves air, so that is where I would leave the adjuster set. You can always switch it up when you need it. Just don’t put the switch in the middle because it is not a rheostat. It’s an on/off/on switch that has to be set right or you won’t get anything.
I think I’ll have to test the impact shift when going from low power to high. Usually it’s serious enough to warrant adjusting the sights — especially at ranges beyond 10 meters.
Besides the power adjuster SWITCH, you can also tweak the velocity settings by adjusting the striker spring tension. The screw is accessed through a hole in the pistol grip below the back of the receiver. Turn in for more power. The manual tells you that after about 3,000 shots it may be necessary to turn the screw in one turn to maintain the factory power settings.
There are two choices for power.
Besides the two-position power adjuster on the left side of the receiver, you can also tweak the striker spring through a hole in the top of the pistol grip.
Adjustable trigger
Yes, the trigger is adjustable. This one I’m testing is set up pretty well, but I will have to look at adjusting it. This one has no first stage and the trigger can be adjusted for the length of what I am assuming is the first stage (the manual calls it “travel”), the trigger pull weight and the sear contact. I want a first stage, so I’m going to see if I can get one through adjustments.
Features
This rifle has an amazing number of features. I’m going to list all of them for you.
Two power levels
Fill from either a tank or the onboard pump
Onboard pressure gauge (works for the onboard pump, too!)
Overfill pressure release
Depressurization screw
Adjustable trigger
Adjustable power
Sling swivel anchors
Pump lever lock provides carry handle
Shrouded barrel for quiet operation
Evaluation
I’m overwhelmed by everything I see on this rifle. It has obviously been designed by someone who knows what airgunners want and has worked very hard to give it to them. Sure, there are some things you might have done differently, but the Seneca Aspen has a whole lot going for it, right out of the box.
However, great is as great does. I still have to see the velocity, shot count, ease of use with the magazine and of course the accuracy. But I think we might be onto a good one here!
“Filling all the way with the built-in three-stage pump requires 40-60 pump strokes. The Pyramyd AIR description says you can get a high-power shot and refill for a second one with 5-6 more pumps. Or you can get almost 20 low-power shots on a fill with the pump.”
I am seriously confused. I thought only big bores needed a top up after one shot, but they require a larger top up.
Less confused now, it must have a tiny reservoir.
SDean,
Benjamin multi-pumps have required top offs after one shot since the 1930s.
B.B.
Seantheaussie,
You’ve highlighted an important point made in the Pyramyd AIR description. I think the line in their description you’re referring to is:
“With a flick of the dial, hunters can switch to high-power for devastating knockdown shots and be ready for the next shot 5-6 pumps later.”
Although I expect B.B.’s testing to validate or disprove this statement, I find it hard to believe that there is only one powerful shot available in the Seneca Aspen before you need to pump the gun again. I find it easier to believe that it may take 5-6 more pumps to “top the gun off” after one powerful shot but that’s very different than not having several more powerful, follow up shots without pumping the gun again. I guess we’ll see.
Kevin,
I expect the velocity to decrease linearly. I will test for it.
B.B.
B.B.,
By all accounts the Nova Freedom in .177 and .22 have a traditional, unregulated, power curve. On lower power in both calibers and on higher power in .177 these power curves are more pronounced.
Don’t know if the Seneca Aspen shares the same innards. This is one of the many reasons I’m paying close attention to your testing.
FYI, Many of the Nova Freedom’s lead early on. You may want to pay attention to the ability of the Seneca Aspen holding air.
kevin
Meant to say, “LEAK early on”
Kevin,
They are the same air rifle. Maybe the leading 😉 problem will be fixed by the time the Seneca version hits the market.
The Aspen functions similarly to any unregulated PCP. You can get a decent number of shots before actually needing to re-pump. The sweet spot though, on the guns I’ve shot are pretty low, around 2000 psi from what I remember. I was able to get 10 shots within 30 fps spread around there before it really dropped off. But from a full 3600 psi fill, the velocity starts around 700 fps before climbing to near 900 fps with Crosman 14.3 grain pellets. Low power increases that sweet spot shot count considerably, to near 25 good shots within 25-30 fps. At least with the guns I have tested.
So no, you don’t need to pump after each shot, but if you want to maintain that consistency, it’s smart to put a few pumps in after each shot. That’s my take anyway.
I am eager to see what you think BB. Will stay tuned
BB
From what Tyler says below it looks like this rifle may have one of those self regulating valve designs.
Or is it just decreasing pressure that allows the valve to stay open longer ?
How else would the velocity increase as pressure drops?
Bob,
That’s pretty much how all non-regulated PCPs are designed. Some are just more exact than others.
B.B.
For what you get in a $300 pricepoint pcp.
And what you get extra in this rifle for the additional $100 is a great value.
Sidelever
Built in pump
Tank fillable
A fill probe that requires no special after market adapter
Over fill protection
And a bundled scope
They say you average 3 pumps per shot, to maintain a fill pressure, that’s not bad, shoot a magazine, pump 30 times.
Shoot a squirrel, pump 3 times while walking to pick him up.
When I first saw a photo of one I thought the same thing about the pump handle, great platform for offhand shooting, and a hamster for shooting from a seated position.
This gun just screams hunting and plinking.
AND it’s $1200 cheaper than the FX.
B.B.,
I will likely end up with one of these, I do like multi-pumps and this hybrid has my interest. I hope it is accurate.
My only complaint is the size and weight. With all the features on this gun a little added size and weight is expected.
It is interesting that the pressure reservoir is a small tube between the pump tube and the barrel. In the users manual it says to store the gun with 580 to 1160 psi pressure. That is confusing. I would hope overnight it could handle full pressure. I can see long term, months, at the lower pressure.
Don
B.B.,
Looking forwards to you testing this. I have not followed other reports on this,… so it will be mostly new to me as well. A lot of features for the money to be sure.
Good Day to one and all,….. Chris
BB
I’m definitely interested in this gun. And yep have always said if they made a PCP like a FX lndependence and cost around the price of a Marauder I would have one. So will be watching this one close.
Also from what I understand it also uses Marauder magazines. So now if you got Marauder mags or Gauntlet mags they will be interchangable with the Aspen also.
Nice that they did not remove the forward sight dovetail, looked like they rounded the band off in photos.
I’ll bet, with an adapter or two, side folding bipod legs could easily be mounted to a small weaver tri-rail. I really need to try it with mine.
This could easily become someone’s all-round ‘Go to’ rifle. Got a kick out of that brass pellet on the safety.
Noticed you did not mention the two piece split stock around the side lever area. A very good tight fit that is easily overlooked . I don’t think it was intended to be separated. The pump handle will grow on you. Being easy to use and providing a convenient grip area begins to outweigh the look of it’s protruding position.
Just for the heck of it I remover the front sight and installed a sprung low profile dovetail to weaver adapter and slid on a DSR-1 top mount bipod that has a quick release and it worked just fine. However, I would recommend the adapter or a dovetail to weaver rail that screws down tight on the short dovetail.
With the quick release sliding bipod mount and compression type adapter there was a lot of play in the mount. The small lock down allen screw on the weaver adapter did actually go into the same hole that the front sight used to hold it in place but it does not tighten down. Something needs to tighten it all up.
BB,
I would buy one if it didn’t weigh so much and if it wasn’t made in China and the stock wasn’t hollow and and…hold on, I’ll think of something else here in a minute.
The truth is at one time I would have bought this. I almost bought an Independence a while back. Now, though I could see recommending this as a transition PCP to a sproinger guy if it is a performer. They are already used to the weight of a sproinger and with everything wrapped up in one package, this might be the way to go.
RidgeRunner,
No offense intended, but how difficult do you find going through life never buying anything that was made in China? :^)
Michael
Michael,
LOL! You cannot go through life without buying something that is not made in China anymore! I ride a Harley and there are parts on it made in China.
As far as airguns are concerned, my main gripe about China is until recent times the quality has been unacceptable, even for a paperweight. The companies are learning that if you want a major chunk of the business in this world you are going to have to improve quality and they are starting to do that. Twice now I have almost bought a B40, one of them from BB. I would really like to get my hands on a B26. Believe it or not, I would like to get my hands on the QB57 variant with the synthetic stock to play with.
Most of what I have seen so far is not for me, but hey, I am into the steel and walnut of years gone by. When I do buy a “modern” airgun, it is usually pretty expensive because I am going to “want it built like they used to do.”
R.R.,
I tend to be a live-and-let-live kind of guy. Therefore, I have only three problems with the Chinese dominance in the world of consumer goods: First, they still sometimes use what essentially amounts to slave labor, or at least indentured servitude. That is outright heinous. Second, they have no respect at all for the ownership of creative works and industry designs. Finally, their dumping of steel for years devastated that pivotal industry, an industry that feeds material to almost all others in manufacturing.
But the Chinese have made things of exquisite quality for centuries. If they can make something well, honestly and inexpensively, I say go for it.
Michael
Michael,
Well, I tried real hard to stay away from those aspects of China. I know in the short term, tariffs and such will cost, but in the long run should we again become self sufficient we will be much better off.
There, that is as nice as I can put it.
B.B.,
Some comment they “dislike the pump handle hanging down below the line of the forearm.” These folks obviously have never had the pleasure of pumping up a Daisy 880, which is almost effortless because of that same geometry. That pump handle is exactly where it should be, where all multi-pumps and single-stroke pneumatics should have it.
Yes, it’s plastic. But it is also $400! And complaining about the weight (a legitimate gripe) and at the same time criticizing the plastic doesn’t make sense. One can have a problem with either, but not both. A wood stock would make this weigh, what, eleven pounds? Plus, it would cost 25 percent more.
Within the limitations of price, this looks completely perfect to me. Of course, it will not be perfect. Some issues will emerge, but no air rifle is perfect (with the exception of the Feinwerkbau 124).
I am extremely excited to read how this performs.
Michael
Michael,
I will second the 880 comment.
Chris
B.B.
Interesting gun with lots of features!
Do you know if airguns are on the recent Chinese trade tariff list?
How would possible future tariffs affect the price point PCP’s?
Not a political comment, but one that might change the market.
-Y
Yogi,
No, I don’t know.
B.B.
Yogi,
You never know, but it will not likely be a problem unless AirForce and TCFKAC talk to Donald and TCFKAC is not going to do it as they get so many of their guns and parts from there.
Wow – I am impressed with the feature list on the Aspen!!
I learned to hunt with a Crosman 101 and can’t tell you how many times I had wished I could have pumped it up and had a couple of more shots before pumping again.
Going through the feature list I notice all the things that we have been discussing on the blog – it is obvious that the Aspen’s designers have been lurking here!
The Aspen is a bit heavy and bulky but not unreasonably so. They could have saved some weight by cutting back on the features (like the barrel shroud) but lets not go there! If the balance is good the weight won’t be noticeable and will add to the stability when shooting.
As a bonafide easy-chair engineer, the only thing I would add would be a pair of sling mounts. Other than that, I wouldn’t change a thing 🙂
Darn, another rifle on the wish-list. Thanks for the report B.B. – looking forward to the next one!
Hank
P.S.
B.B., I noticed that the PA site mentions that there are two magazines included with the rifle.
Hank,
The Aspen has sling swivel anchors. Thanks for the info on the mags. I’ll change it.
B.B.
Thanks B.B.!
Great about the sling swivel anchors!
…So, just add pellets and some elbow-grease and you are set to go! 🙂
Hank
Hank,
Ha! Now all you have to do is put a short section of Picatinney on each side and get a two piece bipod.
RR,
LOL! There HAS to be something we can find to add eh?
Bipod! Yes! Thanks for reminding me! My Walther Dominator 1250 came with a bipod – I’m going to dig it out and install it. Maybe my granddaughter will take a liking to it and I can get my Weihauch back from her!
Hank
I think i put something in comment yesterday or this morning about this gun anyhow late for a wish i suppose, but i wanted a test with this gun tuned as low as it can go. Oh yes i am one of the people who has been following this gun and i am also one of the people who has been requesting this gun for many years and hey perhaps that little “Armchair engineer” comment was a dig at people like me . When you like the source or the suggestion its a request by the community.
It would not be the first time somebody has taken issue with me The opinions here are not meaningless and at times you can find fault with some component of a review like something you want done or whatever. In the end i get a test which i am happy with it is the only way i have to make choices about what to buy without getting to hold one in my hand.
Mike,
I answered your comment just a little while ago. I said that I plan to try detuning the rifle as well as boosting it.
B.B.
This appears to be an ATI Nova Freedom. I purchased one several months ago in .22. I mounted a UTG 4-16 and have found it to be extremely accurate out to 50 yds. using JSP exacts in both 15 and 18 grain. I have run Crossmans and Beemans through it and it appears to prefer the heavier pellets. The number of shots in low power and high power pretty much follow as advertised. Starting at somewhere between 3300-3400 psi and then adding another ten pumps after 5 shots on low power setting seems to keep it in the “sweet” spot. I find myself going to this rifle more and more over my springers. We shall see how it holds up over the long haul.
The rifle is large, but actually totes really well in the woods.
DC258,
Welcome to the blog.
Yes this is the same rifle as the Nova Freedom. Air Venturi has just accessorized it differently — a scope instead of the sights.
Thanks for the info on the pellets and pumping process.
B.B.
“Starting at somewhere between 3300-3400 psi and then adding another ten pumps after 5 shots on low power setting seems to keep it in the ‘sweet’ spot. I find myself going to this rifle more and more over my springers.”
DC258,
As a pump-up and springer but not yet PCP guy, I found this comment very informative; thank you.
take care,
dave
B.B.,
I can see where this is going to make a big splash in the market. It is the complete package with nothing more needed other than pellets. Along with other PPP air guns, the cost of going PCP is about half of what it was just a few years ago.
Gerald
It may be fine little air rifle…Tom will let us know in due time. My question here may be a little frivolous, but “Seneca Aspen”? Really? The Seneca Indian tribe lived in Florida. Aspens grow on Colorado. What does one have to do with the other? Dumb name. Give the engineers a raise and fire the marketing department.
Motorman
St. Louis, MO
Motorman,
‘Could be worse. it could be the “Boston White Sock.”
Or, as Igor said, “‘Could be worse. . . . could be raining.”
Michael
Motorman
Here’s some characteristics of Aspen when I searched it.
“Excited , Rich and humble , Splendid , High ability of Persuasion , Hardworking”
B.B.,
I understand that it might be difficult to manage, but if you could measure the pumping effort at, say, intervals of every fifth pump, that would be valuable information to many of us.
Thanks,
Michael
Michael,
I think I have to do that. This is the first multi-pump with a 3-stage pump!
B.B.
B.B.,
You nailed it! As one of those easy-chair engineers who lusted after an Independence while wondering how he could explain to his wife that none of the $400 or $500 airguns she’d already bought him were quite the thing and that he needed to buy a $1600 air rifle (plus throw in a few hundred for a good scope), I will watch this series with great interest; thank you.
On a semi-related note, I have a question about pump-up guns.
I was wondering, “Which is the best and the easiest to work on of the old Benjamin pump up air rifles?”
When I did a Google search on that, it brought me to your old post here:
/blog/2005/09/fix-your-benjamin-or-sheridan-pneumatic-at-home/
where you spoke about this kit:
/product/benjamin-sheridan-repair-kit-fits-some-pre-1995-multi-pump-guns-w?a=624
I see that kit is still available; so I guess that answers my question: one could buy a current Benjamin 392
/product/benjamin-392-pump-air-rifle?m=205
And if it ever was to break, you could fix it yourself with this kit…is that about it? Or am I missing something?
Thanks again for all you do for us!
take care & God bless,
dave
Dave,
Yes — I guess.
The easiest to pump was the pump-assist 392. Only 20 or so were made.
B.B.
Oops! Yes, that’s the thing I missed, B.B. That was a cool piece of engineering; thank you. =>
For any newcomers that may not have read it, here’s a link to B.B.’s review of the pump-assist 392:
/blog/2008/01/the-pump-assist-benjamin-392-part-5/
B.B.
I too have been waiting for this report. As someone that does not have a PCP, I have a question. With much written about the importance of no moisture in a pcp and all these filters for the pumps to remove moisture, how would this come into play with this rifle as I see no way to add a filter?
In a lesser way, I see the Benjamin 392 Air Conserving Pumper (ACP) as sort of a mild pump/pcp hybrid. Since it can be pumped up 8 times and then shot 3 times in a row (in .22 cal around 500 fps). I know it’s not as powerful, but it’s much more compact and lighter. I wish it would have caught on more and PA carried them.
Thanks for giving us this review!
Doc
Doc,
I do not worry about moisture in a PCP or multi-pump,. I have proved that they shoot the water out, but others think differently.
B.B.
B.B.
Thanks for that answer. It seems now like I remember you saying that before. I knew it wasn’t a problem for multi pump guns as I don’t think they make near as much water, but wasn’t sure on a high pressure PCP.
Doc
Doc,
I use a hand pump to fill my Gamo Urban to 3000 psi and when I open the bleed screw at the bottom of the pump, I have never seen any moisture blow out. I try not to overheat the pump by pumping too rapidly. Also, I use the pump in a relatively low humidity area of the house.
Geo,
After what you, B.B. and many others have now said, I don’t think once I venture into HPA that I’ll worry about it. I keep do low humidity in the summer (living in the South) though. But I will use “silicon” or whatever lube is recommended in the manual. I do lube my C02’s with in new cart. and I lube my pumps every time I use them. I guess on a PCP the silicon goes in the “fill port”.
Doc
Doc,
That is correct.
B.B.
It makes me wonder where I would be going now days if I had one of these Aspen’s as a kid if they was available.
Bet I wouldn’t have a PCP compressor right now. Think I would still have some springers though.
And if there was a Wing Shot air shot gun with the onboard pump system that the Aspen and Independence have I might not even have a powder burner shot gun right now.
I’m thinking this Aspen is just the beginning of things to come
B.B.,
I really like the concept of this rifle. My one question up front is, since it has a steel barrel, is there something to filter the air being pumped in via the built in pump to insure clean, dry air.
~ken
Ken,
Just above your question, B.B. answered mine that was just like yours. See below:
“Doc,
I do not worry about moisture in a PCP or multi-pump,. I have proved that they shoot the water out, but others think differently.”
Doc
Doc,
Thank you – and my apologies to B.B. I did a search for a few word, including moisture, but I must have misspelled it and not noticed.
~ken
Doc
But noth’n like water getting blasted down your barrel.
Why have it be there if you can eliminate it?
To me dry is better.
Gunfun1,
When it (the water vapor) blasts down your barrel it doesn’t condense untill it exits the barrel muzzle if the dew point and ambient air temperature is in the right range. I have shot un-dryed air out of big bore, med bore and snake bore PCPs for over three decades and have never experienced a WET barrel.
Do I sorry about corrosion on any of my metal possessions…you get. Mostly from EVIL Salty Handed folks and dissimilar metals! That’s the source of most of the corrosion in all the HPA cyinders I have ever seen.
Do I tell folks not to do the extra steps? Heck NO! They need to do whatever makes them feel good without causing damage (like folks who clean their modern PBs as if they were shooting Black Powder.
BUT, you know most, if not all, of this stuff from working with metal so I hope other folks read our conversations. Have fun!
Shoot Clean!
shootski
Gunfun1,
I suppose “better” may be correct.
See post to B.B. below.
~ken
Doc,
As I told Gunfun1, I have been shooting many different PCPs for three decades; from small to big bore and have never had corrosion issues in a HPA cylinder. I am scrupulous on clean and decontamination when I open up a cylinder. I also use a drop or two of chamber oil in the fill port on most fllls ever since reading about it in one of B.B.’s writings!
shootski
Shootski
Don’t have time right now. But search what does moisture/ water do to a PCP then click on images.
There’s some pretty good pictures of what is inside the guns.
Gunfun1,
I did as you asked. Same material, mostly, I have read and viewed before.
I will, however, point out two things: first, just like B.B. I have not found corrosion on any of my twelve PCP’s even though I HAVE found liquid water in my HPA cylinders. I do know all about the atmospheric physics of compression, decompression, condensation and evaporation.
Second, have you noticed that most all the preveyors of this information have something to sell you?
Like I said if you feel more comfortable with dryers go for it! But please make absolutely certain that you learn the downside of the drying media. What’s that? Many form acids when combined with water (vapor, liquid and even solid [ice].). So please follow the manufacturer instructions scrupulously.
Different folks have different views on this issue and each of us is free to choose a path that works for us. Just do it from the complete spectrum of information before you spend money and add more complexity to your life and our sport/hobby.
shootski
Shootski
Why did you take your 12 pcp guns apart then? We’re you curios to see what was inside or did they fail in some way?
And another thing how much water did you find inside?
And right I guess you can only speak for your exsperiance.
Oh and how does that water get out of the barrel to atomize? It has to travel through the valve and out the barrel.
And yes do as you will. Hope the best for you.
Shootski,
I was unaware of acids forming. I bought a perforated can of silica gel pellets (bb size), that are orange and turn green when in need of recharging (baked dry). I have no high pressure filter, but put these beads in a 5 micron air filter canister/jar on the low pressure side of the shoe box.
*(Do you know if these will cause acid issues?)* The can is meant to just sit in a gun safe and not sure if the beads are ever meant to have pressurized air pass over them.
As for moisture, I have had the M-rod down and found nothing. The Maximus too. I get some moisture from the 5.5 gal. oil-less low pressure compressor and never anything from the 5 micron filter. After 4 pumps of about 15 min. each, the beads are still orange.
Any thoughts appreciated,…. Chris
Gunfun1,
I don’t think I have opened up all my PCPs over the past decades but enough of them to belive that the reported corrosion problem(s) in HPA cylinders is either caused by something other than just water/moisture or as I theorized that corrosion is started on assembly or maintenance with poor shop practices.
As far as your why disassemble question: my earliest PCP were mostly bottle guns so the early pin valves were always a PITA the 1/2 turn On-Off valves were a huge improvement! The air cylinder guns were removable on some and fixed on Crosman and DAQs so it usually had to do with fill port problems (O-rings) usually.
The how it gets out has to do with the specific design of the gun, valve, reservoir location and what you do when you recharge the valve. If all you do is shoot from a bench or bipod I have know idea if water gets trapped somewhere; I hunt most of my guns or shoot in the field so they are handled a great deal, carried, operated and held in many positions.
shootski
Chris USA,
I would be blowing smoke you know where if I even tried to answer your specific situation; so I won’t. I have no experience with your low and high pressure compressor set up. I will speculate that the low pressure air spends so little time in contact with the beads that they will stay orange for a long, long, long time.
I’ll speculate a little bit more: you are using a component of a product that isn’t known by you to work in the environment of your system…. Do you really want to depend on that?
shootski
Shootski,
Much obliged. I may have to do a bit of digging on the matter. I have not done any deep digging into what is used on the HP filters as media. The few I have looked appear mixed media.
Upon thinking further,…. by trapping “supposed mass quantities of water” in a trap, that trap is now a moisture rich environment that all of the air going into my tank must now pass through. So,… there must be something that allows air molecules through while not letting moisture molecules through.
Like Geo, I pump in low humidity conditions indoors. Maybe someone in Florida, outdoors, in 95% humidity might experience something different.
Thanks again,…. Chris
Chris USA,
Here is a good place to start:
https://www.hydraulicspneumatics.com/200/TechZone/AirFiltersandFR/Article/False/45409/TechZone-AirFiltersandFR
Grated it is relatively low pressure but it sounds like your system has a low pressure side.
Early on I used manual pumps to fill my PCP/Bottle guns but since I had SCUBA cylinders for diving I quickly set up two and eventually five big steel 3400 PSI cylinders as a Cascade system. I have a small aluminum 200 BAR and two of the biggest CF 4500PSI cylinders to Cascade for my air hogging Big Bores. Fortunately I have a great Dive Shop nearby to do my fills and they have a professionally maintained compressed dry air Cascade Bank. I have done the math repeatedly and the total cost of buying dry air will never exceed the cost of a equivalent system, operation and maintenance.
I now the biggest problem is lots of folks don’t live close enough to a reliable fill place. A bigger Cascade system, however, can really bring down the cost of the round trip for fills for the system.
shootski
Shootski,
Thank you. Looks like some good info. to get up to speed on the topic. Saved it for further review. Yes, my system has a low pressure side. Don’t they all? It is a ShoeBox brand that consist of the (medium) pressure piston and a (high) pressure piston. Feeding the ShoeBox is a typical home use, oil-less compressor that is the stage 1, or (low) pressure. I assume that you have heard of the ShoeBox brand as it seems to have been the standard for PCP people for quite a number of years. Now, there is the Air Venturi type and others that are much faster and require no need for an independent low pressure air source, as all 3 stages are contained within one unit, and,… comparable in price.
I have a small Guppy tank (98 cu. in.) that I fill to. From that, I can fill the Marauder like 3-4 times to 3500. That works for me. The ShoeBox will top the Guppy from 3400 to 4600 in 30 minutes. The new HPA compressors will do that in like 5~10 minutes. No dive shops near here. My set up is in my living room.
Thanks again, Chris
B.B.,
You wrote, “And second, most owners will scope their rifle anyway and remove these sights, so why put something on that’s coming off?
Mostly I agree with you. I don’t know how much those open sights cost. However, I do remember an article you wrote about what air gun would be best in a survival situation. You voted for the multi-pump air rifle. I might vote for this multi-pump. I would want to scope it, but would want some back up in case of scope damage. Those removable open sights might be a reasonable option.
I don’t know; just thinking.
~ken
Ken
I shot my Savage .22 rimfire over the weekend. I’m still using the fiber optic open sights that came on the gun. And as I talked about a while back they are very small diameter fine if you will fiber optic sights. In other words they work well on the gun for my eyes.
But I’m actually pretty good with the open sights out to a hundred yards.
So yes I think the open sights on the Aspen might just be the ticket for a survivalist gun.
Gunfun1,
Good to hear from someone with experience with using this kind of sight.
~ken
Ken
Thanks. And in my younger years that’s all I believed in was open sights. It has been recently in the last 10 years that scopes have helped my eye sight. But I do still shoot low magnification (4×) when using scopes. And I have forced myself to shoot open sights this last year or so and glad that I have.
B.B.,
I misspoke. It seems the barrel doesn’t have the problem, but what about the innards.
https://hardairmagazine.com/reviews/warning-distressing-content-pcp-airgun-corrosion-this-is-what-moisture-does-to-your-air-rifle/
~ken
Ken
I have found water inside PCP reservoirs, but never any rust. I just don’t worry.
B.B.
Gunfun1:
I checked my dictionary app. It says aspen is a tree in the poplar family. I stand by my original statement. Dumb name. Fire the marketing dept.
Motorman
St. Louis, MO
Hey Motorman,
Show some respect! NOT Colorado!
The largest organism on Earth, by mass, is PANDO a qwaking Aspen in Fishlake National Forest in the state of Utah.
If it shoots who cares what the marketing idiots call it. Looks like the name might be easily buffed off along with all the other legal mumbo jumbo.
Shoot clean!
shootski
Motorman
Yep that comes up to but search deeper and see what you find.
The front sight dovetail … The ultra low profile weaver adapters that ‘screw’ down tight will not work on it.
It is on the narrow side for a dovetail. However I found that the UTG Tactical Rail Adapter, Airgun/.22 to Weaver/Picatinny works just fine. The clamping rail that tightens up on the dovetail is reversible to compensate for variations in dovetail width. The DSR-1 quick release top mount bipod worked perfectly with it. It looks a little high but does not interfere with my scope view at all.
The low profile Weaver adapter that has ‘springs’ inside that compress when the Weaver mount is screwed down tight on it will probably work OK.
I say probably because I have come across weaver mounting rings, risers and such that may not tighten down enough to compress the adapter all the way. Especially the ones that use quick release levers to secure them.
BB
Hoping for two things; accuracy and hand pump topping off consistency for velocity. Hoping your test will determine how long the reservoir will hold air. PCP’s and air tanks don’t make sense for this backyard target shooter unless it outshines a FWB 300S for accuracy at 25 yards. But I am fascinated with multi pumps so maybe this is sort of a hybrid and leads me over to the dark side.
Will be following your reports on this one!
Decksniper