Should PCP Airguns leak a little?

[ftsefund]

Say I filled my air rifle to 200 bar. If I leave it alone and come back next week should it still read 200. If I leave it for a month, 3 months, 1 year should it still read 200? What is considered acceptable leakage? No leakage, 1 bar a week? I know if I filled up my car tyres to say 35psi, a month later it wouldn't be 35psi.

[angrybear]

No they should not leak

Neither should your tyres,
but they will be effected by temperature ie if you fill them at a garage while hot from driving when they cool the pressure will drop, also the weight of the vehicle (loaded/unloaded) exerts physical load on to a tyre allowing/preventing expansion of the rubber.

[Phil Russell]

I have heard some people say they are happy with a very slow leak / seepage of air as it does not matter to them if they are using the gun regularly and hence refiling regularly.
But it would concern me. I have a Huntsman MK2 that was filled and left over a year ... no change. My S400 is used infrequently for pest control (usually the odd rat) and I guess I refill every year, allowing for some fun zeroing shots on the way. No leaks. So, my view is that they should not leak.
Cheers, Phil

[sevorg]

Should not leak at all. My HW100 didn't get used for over six months and my son's S410 has been in the cupboard for nearly three years and the pressures remain unchanged.

I guess if you have a very slow leak you might choose to live with it and if you shoot frequently you may never notice you have one.

[gingernut]

As my plumber says there is no such thing as an acceptable leak.
But as Bear says temperature induced variations are to be expected.
As ever regular use is a good idea.

[Two200's]

Mmmmm.
There are very few things actually air tight.

I would expect a bit of pressure loss, nowt dramatic, but some.

[shauny]

leaks not good,as you never hear of a leak getting better,only worse.

[Rickenbacker]

Nobody likes leaks. Or leeks for that matter.

[tinbum]

If I had a pcp that showed a difference in pressure after any amount of time it would be stripped down and fixed immediately.

The trouble comes with PCP's with no gauge, they are the work of Beelzebub!

[Two200's]

If I had a pcp that showed a difference in pressure after any amount of time it would be stripped down and fixed immediately.

The trouble comes with PCP's with no gauge, they are the work of Beelzebub!

I have had a lot of rifles through my hands.
I wouldn't trust any of the gauges on any of the guns.

I only just trust my cylinder gauge, as once I had it changed when I had the cylinder tested and the new one was faulty.

Ended up with 300 bar in a s400.

Not happy.

[junglie]

I have had a lot of rifles through my hands.
I wouldn't trust any of the gauges on any of the guns.

I only just trust my cylinder gauge, as once I had it changed when I had the cylinder tested and the new one was faulty.

Ended up with 300 bar in a s400.

Not happy.

You were lucky to have survived that one! I thought it bad my bottle gauge was 20 bar too much when checked & got a good quality oil filled one to replace it. I too don't trust the cheap small gauges on guns just use them as a rough guide. & have no problem with guns without them, just count thenumber of pellets a charge will give in the sweet spot out into a small container & when they're gone its time for a refill.

[tinbum]

.......have no problem with guns without them, just count thenumber of pellets a charge will give in the sweet spot out into a small container & when they're gone its time for a refill.

Then you've not suffered the frustration of packing all your gear, filling the gun, driving to the permission, unpacking all the gear, hiking up to the ambush point/hide, waiting for the quarry to turn up and get within range.......

Only to get a dull click on firing as the damn gun has pissed all its air out in the last hour or so!

I Have, which is why I check the gauge regularly. I don't care if it's accurate, I fill from my tested bottle gauge, it just lets me know if it's leaking.

[Two200's]

You were lucky to have survived that one! I thought it bad my bottle gauge was 20 bar too much when checked & got a good quality oil filled one to replace it. I too don't trust the cheap small gauges on guns just use them as a rough guide. & have no problem with guns without them, just count thenumber of pellets a charge will give in the sweet spot out into a small container & when they're gone its time for a refill.

Actually, it wasn't too bad, just kept shooting through the valve lock caused by overpressure.

It recovered. I phoned AA and they said don't worry, they are tested beyond that.

Anyway, it was fine when it recovered.

However it nearly ended up, being removed from the arse of the dive shop owner.

Little nob said bits were missing from the gauge etc. I phoned midland diving to discuss this, while I was in his shop, you should have seen him back pedal.

[Murphy]

If it's a theoben!!

[tinbum]

If it's a theoben!!

It was!