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Filling a PCP Rifle

We are assuming a standard head 3,000 psi tank

and a quick coupler (male -female) device.

 

To fill the rifle. Clamp the yoke onto the tank valve head. There's a dimple in the back of the tank head which receives the pointed screw end. This makes the o ring of the tank head dish come into contact with the flat rim of the yoke assembly. Finger tight is plenty. That's what the o ring is for - it will do it's job.

Now, clip the female quick coupler onto the male stud on the rifle. Just retract the collar of the female, slip them together all the way, and release. The collar on the female should return to it's at rest position (the collar, once retracted, needs to fully go back after being released). Now you are hooked up. There's a small serrated chrome wheel on the yoke. That's your bleeder wheel. Just turn it clockwise til it's firm (doesn't need to be wrench tight - you'll release it again in a minute). So, the bleeder is firm shut. Now, the other knob you'll use is the tank valve knob.

Understand here what you are going to do. The gun has some air in it. It has an intake valve which is being held shut by the air in the gun. In order to put more air into the rifle, you must open that intake valve. To do that, you must apply more air pressure from the tank side than is holding it shut from inside the gun. Understand? If there's a thousand psi left in the rifle, then the intake valve won't open until you overcome at least that much pressure from the tank side.

For this reason, when you start to open the tanks valve knob slowly, the pressure needle on the yoke will jump up quick (cause you are only filling the yoke itself until you reach the remainder pressure inside the gun). You will open the tank valve knob slowly. You will see the needle rise pretty quick - don't panic. It's just filling the line between the gun and the tank. At the point where the pressures balance (inside the gun and line pressure the same), you will hear a muted click and the needle will twitch. That's the intake valve opening. After this, the needle will rise slower. Take it easy. Now you are filling the rifle. Let's say your rifle's peak pressure curve is between 1,500 and 2,600 psi. We want to fill to the top of the curve. Let the needle rise slowly up to 2,600 psi. on the gauge. At the instant the needle touches 2,600 psi, close the tank valve knob (clockwise). The needle will stop rising. It's possible the needle might even fall alittle - the yoke could weep alittle pressure - but - no matter - the intake valve on the rifle will automatically close.

Now, you must depressurize the fill line in order to uncouple the tank and the gun. That's what the bleeder wheel is for. You crack it open counterclockwise and it will vent. Don't hover over it - it will expel a burst of high pressure air. One burst/hiss and it's all over. The tank valve knob is closed and the tank is tight. The intake valve in the rifle has closed and it's tight. The pressure line is evacuated and it's dead. Simply uncouple the quick coupler and you are done.

Sounds far more complicated than it is. Just read it a few times. The entire process of hooking up, filling the rifle, depressurizing the line, and uncoupling will take less than a minute. Just as a safety note. The tank you will have gotten only has 3,000 psi in it. My pcp rifles can easily take 3,000 psi. The worst is that you will get alittle befuddled and put 3,000 psi in the rifle. It will still fire but you will be beyond the peak pressure curve. The hammer can't open the valve efficiently. The shots will be weaker until you get down to the pressure curve where all is normal again.

It will all become second nature quite quickly.