Steyr LP10 Compact Cylinder Pressure

[Hombre]

Hi

Probably a very simple answer to this but then again maybe not.

Could somebody please explain the air delivery system on these pistols?

Mine has just two colours on the gauges - green from nine o'clock to twelve and red from twelve to three.
Twelve o'clock is marked 200 and 300 in the red between two and three o'clock.
Just over half way down through the green the figure 100 appears and a little lower 60. I assume these figures relate BAR pressure.

I was under the impression (falsely perhaps) that every shot would deliver the same amount of air at the same pressure in order to maintain absolute consistency of POI but as the shot count rises - the more targets I shoot I can hear the report getting softer and the POI falls.

Now I can understand this as a fundamental principal as with a Umarex CO2 for example but with a pistol
of this stature I imagined that it would be regulated in order to maintain absolute consistency until it cut out and would prevent an underpowered shot being fired.

Am I imagining this and is it in fact regulated or does one have to guesstimate the drop off factor and compensate by altering POA? Seems highly unlikely, so what's the answer please?

All comments gratefully received.

Hombre

[silvershooter]

There is normally a yellow segment also. While the indicator is in the green area the shots should be consistent. On mine (not a compact version) the green area goes from about 90 bar to 200 where the red starts. It would suggest below 90 bar the shots may not be consistent.

[Fat stig]

Nothing technical from me I'm afraid but just use the green bit
It's a 200bar cylinder so the 2-300 is red for it might blow your hand off
& below 100bar I find my own styer less accurate unless it's just me.
ATB John

[wonky donky]

Fill the cylinder so the pointer is on the edge of the green/red sector, not into the red. shoot the pistol until the pointer is just going to drop out of the green sector then refill.

If the shots are inconsistent whilst in the green sector get the pistol serviced as the regulator could be faulty.

[Rutty]

I agree with what has been written above, but if the POI is dropping with the gauge still in the green sector then there are a couple of possibilities:

A. The regulator is not functioning properly.

B. The cylinder gauge is over reading.

You can verify the gauge yourself by checking the cylinder pressure using an external gauge, but if it's the regulator then that's a servicing job.

Rutty

[Hombre]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Several points raised which I avoided putting in my post to keep it as short as sensible.

Worth mentioning perhaps that this pistol is barely a year old from new which doesn't exclude the possibility of a faulty regulator but does probably explain the new style gauge - no yellow sector. It has probably had no more than 2500 shots through it.

Helpfully the handbook gives no clue as to what the cylinders look like or how the gauge should be read for optimum shooting. I have just found on Wiki (so who knows) that the actual shooting operating pressure of the gun is 55 BAR. The filled pressure of 200 being reduced by a reduction valve to this level. This would make complete sense as the lowest figure of 60 BAR on my gauge - very close to the end stop would indicate the lowest sensible level at which shots should be taken before they are in danger of being reduced to a lower level than the required 55.

It has to be said that I am a very casual shooter and at very best shoot once a week with never any practice between times and frequently go several weeks without shooting at all. I score in the mid eighties as an average with a PB of 92. I mention this simply to put my knowledge or rather lack of into context.

That said, I am quite certain that a full cylinder shoots much faster and hits harder and seemingly higher
Than when it is somewhat more empty. I have sensed that there is a sweet spot around half full when I score most consistently with my aim. But, and it is a big but, I'm simply not experienced enough to be certain about this. It's pretty subjective.

Will try and get the gauge checked and see how it goes. If continues to "run hot" at higher fills will contact HP.

Thanks for your responses - any further ideas would be welcome.

Hombre

[mikec4]

Different pistols but the same principle;

SAM K11 - mine shoots consistently from 210 bar down to 70 bar. Thereafter the POI starts to drop.

Walther LP300 - has 300 bar cylinder which I find consistent from 250 bar down to around 80 bar before losing POI.

Fellow shooters with Steyrs, both LP 2 & LP10 find the best results in a similar range of pressures. Inconsistency within this working range may well point to a regulator problem as mentioned above.

Hope this helps.
ATB
Mike.

[karandras]

Do you have or know anyone who has a chrono?

It might be worth getting it over a chrono and checking the velocity is consistent through out the pressure range (or at least noting where on the gauge it starts to wander).

My old LP2 was quite pellet fussy and for me it only really liked 4.49 r10 pistol pellets, with anything else it'd throw the pellets around a bit.

Also from my limited experience Steyr's like to have their barrels cleaned fairly regularly.

Andi