Which gauge do you read?

[Tackleberry]

Ok, I just purchased a Benjamin Marauder in 22 caliber, and a Hill#4 hand pump.
My question is a easy one, which gauge do I read / believe. The Hill pump reads less than 2500 psi, but the gauge on the rifle reads 3000 psi, just at the edge of the red. I do not want to over pressureize the gun, but I also want to shoot at the best FPS/FPE I can.
Thank you for your help
Tackleberry

[wormbobskey]

I've been told to go by the gauge on the pump. Mine will read 3000 PSI on the pump and 3200 on the gauge for my 22 and 3000 on the pump and 3100 on my 25. Never had a problem so far with valve lock. I was told by someone that works at crosman so I tend to believe what he has to say.

[NickB79]

Wow, that's some discrepancy there!  My Crosman Disco reads 2200 when the Disco pump it came with reads 2000, and I go by the pump.  But with a 500+ psi difference, I can see why you'd be worried.  Hopefully some of the PCP masters here will chime in shortly.

[Nomadic Pirate]

Hill gauge or Crosman gauge ? ......well that's definitely and easy one

[HillGSA]

The digital gauge on my fill station is  +/- 1% accurate.   So I Trust it to be more accurate than the Benjamin gauge








I prefer to keep a +/- 5% accurate gauge on my rifle ( instead of the Benjamin gauge )

[grauhanen]

Gauges on PCP's are not always accurate.  It's usually best to go with the pump or tank charge kit.

[Sandspike]

It's simple, the BIG one.

[Gertrude]

If you know anyone with a fill cylinder, you can do a simple, (not perfect), but fairly accurate test.

 Get a Male/Male foster adapter.
 Hook your pump to the fill line on the tank.
 Close both bleeder valves.
 Use your hand pump to pump up pressure in the fill lines.
 Compare what your pump gauge reads compared to the tank gauge reads.
 Open either bleeder valve, and disconnect the lines.

NOTE- A word of Caution here,...
 Do Not use the pressure in the tank to pressurize the lines/pump.

This will give you an idea of how accurate your pump is reading, and then you can compare that to what your gun gauge is reading.

[LDP]

My Mrod gauge was off by 1,000 psi from any other gauge I used so that should tell you something.

[farmerjoe99]

I have to agree with everyone else go with the pump gauge.
Joseph

[Sfttailrdr46]

  I would definitely trust the tank or pump gauge that is what I have been doing since I got my first PCP last year. Most pressure gauges read more accurately mid scale, so if the  pressure is 4000 psi you are past the center of the scale with a 5000 psi scale you will get more accurate readings.  You can check McMaster-Carr they have 1" replacement gauges that are better quality for not that much money

[Railbuggy]

Both.  I bought the Benjamin Discovery and the Benjamin pump combo from P.A. I always fill until the pump reads 2200psi and the rifle gauge pointer is in the yellow.

[Tackleberry]

I would definitely trust the tank or pump gauge that is what I have been doing since I got my first PCP last year. Most pressure gauges read more accurately mid scale, so if the  pressure is 4000 psi you are past the center of the scale with a 5000 psi scale you will get more accurate readings.  You can check McMaster-Carr they have 1" replacement gauges that are better quality for not that much money

Great thank you. Do you know the thread size for the gauge? I will get one from McMaster today

[Sfttailrdr46]

  I'm not sure but for certain one of the other members that does know will chime in with the answer sooner or later

[Humdinger]

Great thank you. Do you know the thread size for the gauge? I will get one from McMaster today
[/quote]

The thread for the guage is 1/8 NPT, which is the size of the McMaster-Carr micro gauges.  You can also find similar gauges on Ebay, as many are used in Paintball as well as other high pressure applications.  I use one just like the one pictured in the photo in this thread.  It seems that practically all of the Crosman factory rifle gauges on Marauders read higher than the actual pressure.  They are junk on an otherwise well designed PCP.