Darkside decision?

[Hoosier Daddy]

Paul,
 From what I have read a desiccant filter / moisture separator is a good idea.  I know Florida Humidity 1st hand and even up here they are recommended. Tom Gaylord had a write-up saying the condensate water that builds up is what kills most PCP's.
 Shoot, our air compressors here at work can generate GALLONS of water a day.
I saw an add-on desiccant filter on Amazon but wanted to see my Hand Pump in person before making a decision on which to get. Don't know where or what fitting the air intake has on the Barska Winbest Pump.... and the website says it already has a filter.

Jason, thanks, I figured it out.
 But... I wish I had been the one you sold the Benjamin 72(0) to.
Don't know who it was. 

[Smaug2]

So, living in a humid state like Florida, do I need to get one of those desiccant thingies for my hand pump?  Just wondering if it's actually needed or just one of those items they sell to get more money from ya?  I see they are available as a direct fit item for the Benjamin Pump on Amazon, but also available from Harbor freight with a needed adaptor.  Is one better than the other?  Thanks...

Paul, no amount of desiccant is going to remove enough humidity from the Florida air, unless it is air-conditioned down to a more reasonable level first.

I generally pump my PCPs only inside the house, where the air is drier. (it gets humid in Chicagoland in the summer too, over 90% sometimes)  It's generally less than 50% inside my house, according to the humidity readout on my basement dehumidifier. Even then, when I degas the fill hose, I feel moisture on my fingers.

When I need to refill outside the house, I use an air tank, filled from the local SCUBA shop. My club has a community tank, and I just took the plunge and bought a tank a month or so ago. We know that's good dry air.

So when you're shooting at home, just go inside the air conditioning to pump fill it and don't worry. When you're shooting away from home, for anything more than just a hunting outing, you'll probably want to get a tank. The good news there is that you don't need an expensive carbon fiber tank, since your gun only requires 2,000 psi. A typical SCUBA tank can be filled to 3000, which will give you a lot of  fills, and they are quite cheap, second-hand and with a recent hydro. They have to be hydro tested every 5 years, but the tanks never expire, as long as they pass visual inspection and hydro testing. Carbon fiber tanks expire after 15 years regardless. There is noise of that law possibly changing, but nothing on the books yet. The owner of my local SCUBA shop told me that in Europe, divers sometimes use TWO carbon fiber tanks, side-by-side, and they are still lighter than one SCUBA tank, and give at least 4X the dive time.

Short story is that a used/hydro'd SCUBA tank should probably be your first purchase, after scope, rings, trigger and moderator, if you're going to be doing much shooting outdoors away from home. Or, just shoot the springers when you're out in the field for an extended plinking session.

[nervoustrigger]

I agree, do your pumping indoors where the humidity is lower.  I am in the southeast so I deal with the same thing.
 
One of the little inline filters is better than nothing but just barely so.  Air moves through too quickly to remove much moisture, that's why many of us have made moisture filters with larger canisters of desiccant beads.  Something like a 1 qt plastic mayonnaise jar works well.  There are several DIY articles and pictures on GTA if you search.
 
Air wants to tunnel between the beads so try to arrange things so the intake and outlet are as far apart as possible.  Another option is to use PVC tubing and make a long filter.

[Rat Sniper (AKA: PaulT58)]

Thanks for all the feedback!  Shipping from Crosman is generally pretty slow, so I have time to do some research!  I like the ideal of making my own, so I may see what I can come up with.  In the mean time, I can definitely pump in the house, I pretty much just shoot in my back yard anyway, so no big deal there!

[jaraxle1zx]

1972 342 22cal?
Thought you were the person I sold it to

[Hoosier Daddy]

OOOHHHHH!
A '72 year!
Yep that WAS me.... Senior moment.
 

[Hoosier Daddy]

OK... My (beautiful) Maximus arrived from Marty2.
My Winbest Hand pump from VigilAndy is in route.
Now for the bottle questions....
I would like a small bottle that is refillable with the hand pump. Something I can pump it up in stages inside the house to a max pressure and take with me to top off the 2000PSI Maximus for a moderate evening of shooting.

I have been looking at the Gorilla tanks for about $55 but the P3 regulator is for much lower "paint ball" pressures. LINKY
 Here is what I am thinking I want that is SAFE but with the least cost involved.
Metal tank capable of 3000 psi with enough volume for several (2+)refills of the Maximus 135cc or 8.24ci like a 60-70CI paintball bottle at 3000psi would give me a couple refills up to 2000psi
A regulator to 2000 PSI, adjustable or set to my 2000 max fill pressure.
A hose or "fill station" that has a foster female fitting to fill my gun with a Male foster fitting for me to fill with my hand pump.
All for under $100
Doable or not?

[aceflier]

The reg is going to cost you close to that. The tank already has the correct fill nipple for your pump. You need a ninja fill station a tank and a 2k reg. PB sports wanted $200 for install of reg and fill station. I got my own and put one in my 68ci CF paintball tank it's great for in the field backpack refills. (Was to old for paintball so) Let me know when you are ready to get together for some shootin!

[Hoosier Daddy]

I am soooooo close Tim! I will fire up the Weber and cook you a mouth waterin' steak.

The tank already has the correct fill nipple for your pump.

I am not seeing that.

got my own and put one in my 68ci CF paintball tank it's great for in the field backpack refills.

I think that's what I am asking for... please share.

[Hoosier Daddy]

BAck yard...



Front yard...

[aceflier]

Here's a reg

The fill nipple on the reg will be the same as the maxi. Easy to swap out. Maybe a oil filter wrench to hold the tank and a wrench. Unless you whip on your pump is different than my benji it should go straight on. You will then need the ninja fill station for paintball tanks. http://m.ebay.com/itm/Ninja-PCP-Airgun-Fill-Station-For-High-Pressure-Output-Regulators-/272479474146

[Hoosier Daddy]

Thank you Tim,
 Now it all makes sense. The male foster to fill the tank is on the regulator and the fill station goes from the reg to the gun.
I was having trouble with the 2000psi output but you nailed it on Amazon for me.

[Rat Sniper (AKA: PaulT58)]

Thank you Tim,
 Now it all makes sense. The male foster to fill the tank is on the regulator and the fill station goes from the reg to the gun.
I was having trouble with the 2000psi output but you nailed it on Amazon for me.

Scott,  can you PM me with how this project turns out for you?  Especially if you can pull it off for under $100!  This has me very intrigued! 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Sure thing Paul!

[RAJOD]

Did you get the pump and gun yet?   How are you liking it?

[39M]

I saw a picture of a yard.....but no Maximus

[Hoosier Daddy]

I have received the gun only so far. Pump is coming clear from California

OK... My (beautiful) Maximus arrived from Marty2.
My Winbest Hand pump from VigilAndy is in route.
Now for the bottle questions....

Last night I put a CP 4x16 a/o scope on but no photo of that yet

[RAJOD]

I have received the gun only so far. Pump is coming clear from California

OK... My (beautiful) Maximus arrived from Marty2.
My Winbest Hand pump from VigilAndy is in route.
Now for the bottle questions....

Last night I put a CP 4x16 a/o scope on but no photo of that yet

Nice!
That gun will provide you with great shooting.   
Not that you need one but in the future if you get a TKO $54.00 moderator your gun is the longer version of the Maximus like mine.  Which means the TKO will fit and the fill cap will still come off without having the mill the cap.
The front sight is just a push on with a set screw or glue.  Just twist it a little left and right and it pulls off.

Here is what it looks like on mine.   



On the trigger, if you find it a little heavy just change the spring with one from a ball point pen that does most of it.  I got the brass trigger and its nice but I think I could have just put a weaker spring in for free.   The brass one can be had a baker air guns for 22.00. 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Thanks RAJOD,
I can see on yours two things I had in mind for mine. The TKO and a Bipod. I wondered about the front sight, looks like mine has no set screw. Appears to be a fiber optic version of the classic Crosman sight

When I received it from Marty, it had about 1250 PSI on the gauge so naturally I had to try a shot. Louder than I expected but not too loud for my rural area. I have a TKO on my 2300KT and it always surprises me the first shot of a shooting session how QUIET it is.
 Then I put on the scope and while the CP came with Picatinny / waever rings I had a set of 1" medium Dovetails.
I was able to JUST get the rear ring to clear the Breech and the objective end to clear the rear sight.



 This made me happy not only because I did not have to buy another set of rings, I was able to retain the rear sight in case something happened to the scope in the field, and I prefer to keep my sight plane of the scope as close to the barrel as possible.
 I then loaded a CPHP to verify I could, and there is enough room to do it without much effort. So now I had a loaded gun, with a new scope, and enough air for another shot. Stepped outside the garage door, took aim on my "resettable squirrel " target and pulled the trigger.
HOLEY ..... Not only did I hit it, but actually witnessed the kill zone paddle fall!
 I stepped it of a right about 30 yards from a new gun and scope combo that I had not touched the adjustments on!!!
Now I have to put it down until the Handpump arrives. 

[Rat Sniper (AKA: PaulT58)]

 This made me happy not only because I did not have to buy another set of rings, I was able to retain the rear sight in case something happened to the scope in the field, and I prefer to keep my sight plane of the scope as close to the barrel as possible.
 I then loaded a CPHP to verify I could, and there is enough room to do it without much effort. So now I had a loaded gun, with a new scope, and enough air for another shot. Stepped outside the garage door, took aim on my "resettable squirrel " target and pulled the trigger.
HOLEY ..... Not only did I hit it, but actually witnessed the kill zone paddle fall!
 I stepped it of a right about 30 yards from a new gun and scope combo that I had not touched the adjustments on!!!
Now I have to put it down until the Handpump arrives. 

If there's any daylight left when I get home, I think I'm going to remove the scope and zero in the iron sights before I attempt to zero the scope.  Looking to zero the iron sights at around 15 yards and the scope at 35 yards.  then I'l see if i can actually shoot it using the iron sights with the scope attached.  It should be interesting...  I like that CP scope you have in yours Scott.