Standardization

[wyotrap]

I was thinking a bit about this lately, and it’s been amazing how much innovation and technology/r&d efforts are going into the airgun industry. I’m all for it, love the refinement and progress the industry is having and the popularity we’re seeing happen.

I’m coming into the thought process though that the industry really needs to come to a few standardized systems for certain things to expand the “user experience”. I suspect one of the low hanging fruits are fill probes. I personally think they not so good, it’s just another thing to keep track of and lose…carrying them in the field? That’s just asking for trouble. Then how many fill probe sizes do we really need? If they’re gonna be an industry thing, then I think they ought to be standardized. If I’m mistaken and there is a standard then please let me know, my limited experience tells me otherwise-but I could certainly be mistaken.

I hope we see some standards like this crop up to better the “user experience”. I know when I bought my first gun I got it and a pump and couldn’t fill it because the pump didn’t come with a foster fitting…2 weeks later waiting in the mail, I could finally use my gun. Poor planning on my part to get into the sport during Covid shortages for everything-but it was what it was.

 I’d prefer a foster fitting as the industry standard, and maybe one standard for fill probes, I know the foster look is look is less sleek but you’d think going to an industry norm for one or two things would just benefit everyone. Sort of like power cords for cellphones.

Other things that could stand to be standardized are things like scope rails, mounting systems (Picatinny or something else, I don’t care, just stick with one!) can you tell I’m tired of buying different scope rings styles?

Really though, I think it’d benefit beginners especially to ramp em more smoothly into the hobby. The easier and more streamlined it is the more likely new folks will stick with it and continue growing the sport, and I think that’s what we all want to see!

Just a couple thoughts. What other “industry standards” would be a good idea? I’m thinking a standard “max fill pressure” would be a good one too. Not 3k psi on this one, 4500 on that one, it’d be great if that could become standardized.

[avator]

Well.. It's kinda like wheel bolt patterns, wiper blades, oil filters and so on in the automotive industry. Proprietary items promote loyalty. Or so they think.
As for probes.. I just wish they would do away with them period.... keeping up with all the different magazine styles is bad enough.

[Ronfiveo]

I agree about a "standardization" of the industry, especially on mounting rails.


Ron

[Bicycleman]

I have been tinkering with automobiles since before automatic transmissions.  I always advocated standardization in that [and other] industries. 
I realized that almost no industry listens to consumers.  I also realized that the dollar vote is very powerful.

[kbstingwing]

the Probes may never be standardized but at least the 1/8" fosters connector is standard on most air fill connections, now if they could only standardize the thread pitch on those too.... it's a never ending menagerie for the consumer and finding something that fits your needs can be difficult, now more manufacturer are going with the Fosters fill ports, but that's mainly on new brand air guns, the older more established brands may not ever change to Fosters, but here's one way you can do it, just leave the probe in the gun, stick it in the gun and put a dab of hot glue or tape on the seam to keep it from falling out, now it's a Fosters fill port....

[avator]

I have a compartmented organizer that I keep all my fill related bits in. Each compartment is labelled with a label maker as to what item/s is, or is supposed to be in it. I have another one for mags and single shot trays. They stay on the bench next to the compressors.

[anti-squirrel]

Worthy goal, but not sure it is realistic.  For example, Foster fittings wear over time.  I can't tell you how many fosters I've replaced, both during my Navy days on a submarine (EAB fittings) and on air tools that see a lot of disconnect/reconnect cycles.  Then factor in my shore-duty role in a HPAir/HPHydraulic repair shop... 

I like the probes for my EdGuns and SPA guns, but honestly, I'm indifferent.  RE: different tube pressures- no thank you.  Costs for manufacturing/testing a "tank" or "tube" for 3k cost way less than 4.5k fill. 

Standardization is desirable, but I think it will also has the potential to stifle or limit innovation.  Look at the preponderance of higher end airguns using discrete plenums now. 

[wyotrap]

the Probes may never be standardized but at least the 1/8" fosters connector is standard on most air fill connections, now if they could only standardize the thread pitch on those too.... it's a never ending menagerie for the consumer and finding something that fits your needs can be difficult, now more manufacturer are going with the Fosters fill ports, but that's mainly on new brand air guns, the older more established brands may not ever change to Fosters, but here's one way you can do it, just leave the probe in the gun, stick it in the gun and put a dab of hot glue or tape on the seam to keep it from falling out, now it's a Fosters fill port....

 I like the idea…

[wyotrap]

Worthy goal, but not sure it is realistic.  For example, Foster fittings wear over time.  I can't tell you how many fosters I've replaced, both during my Navy days on a submarine (EAB fittings) and on air tools that see a lot of disconnect/reconnect cycles.  Then factor in my shore-duty role in a HPAir/HPHydraulic repair shop... 

I like the probes for my EdGuns and SPA guns, but honestly, I'm indifferent.  RE: different tube pressures- no thank you.  Costs for manufacturing/testing a "tank" or "tube" for 3k cost way less than 4.5k fill. 

Standardization is desirable, but I think it will also has the potential to stifle or limit innovation.  Look at the preponderance of higher end airguns using discrete plenums now.

Yeah, as a consumer I get annoyed by the lack of standardized stuff. Like power cords for cellphones. They can’t tell me that one is better than the other in a truly meaningful way…incrementally better maybe.

The probe systems annoy me a fair bit. They work fine, but it’s just another piece with o-rings. Maybe there’s a market for a foster conversion for various guns. Actually looked into a huma probe conversion after regulating my marauder to gain a fill pressure. That’s the one downside to that mod… but I didn’t go with the mod because I’d have another probe to deal with. Still might do it, but I’m on the fence.

Then I went and bought a taipan vet 2 tactical 700, so maybe I’m a hypocrite lol. Regardless it seems like airguns are doing what the mountain bicycle markets been doing for years-changing things that don’t make the product measurably better. Just to say they changed it… I hope I’m wrong about that though. Maybe in 10 years we will all look back and laugh about how wrong I was.

[avator]

I will say that replacing orings on a probe is easier than replacing them in a foster but, I've never misplaced a foster.

[Back_Roads]

 One can dream LOL I am way too far into the mix for it to matter if it happens or not.