Discover the top PCP hand pump options to refill your air rifle. I tested the best of the year to help you stay on target. Here are hands-on reviews.
FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
1. FOUR UNCLES - High Pressure 4500PSI 3-Stage Pump
Highlight: Stainless steel construction and quick connector.
Helpful review: I have been reviewing some high-powered air rifles. This is honestly my first trip over the line from firearms to air guns. I did not know this power level was available in the air rifle market. I am very impressed with the power and the rifles equipped with compressed air on board, so I don't have to pack around the CO2 canisters.
After shooting many targets with the Stoger Air Rifles, I learned they must be recharged. For that, I need to get one or more PCP Air Pumps. The owner's manuals for both air rifles say not to use an air compressor but to get one of these pumps. So, not that I need a pump, I will get a few and test them until I find one or two that I will keep and use to stay in the air rifle world.
The first PCP Air Pump I ordered is from Four Uncles. This air pump has many good reviews and excellent consumer feedback, so I ordered one myself. The closest thing I have used to one of these was a bike pump when I was much younger. This one was heavier and much heavier than I anticipated. Feeling the weight and quality of this pump made me feel like this was the right choice or a good place to start.
The pump has a quick connector that hooks up to the included "nozzle" and clicks in very solidly. The pump is made well, the instruction manual is OK, and it was written by language conversion software. Take the time to read and re-read the manual, and ensure you know what every part of it is about before pumping.
Past the build quality comes the ability to actually pump this machine. I weigh over 300 lbs. on purpose for this test. I do that for everyone reading because I am a giver. The manual says to work in the pump for about twenty open pumps, but I assume it is to break in the seals and lube the valves. I hooked up the quick connector to the air chamber and started pushing. The pressure in the chamber was sitting at about 1000 psi. Let me tell you about going past a pre-loaded 1000 psi; I felt slightly intimidated when I started these actions. Since I have more gravity on my side than most, I got this to work, and it did pump the pressure up to just over 2700 psi by a couple of little lines. After I hit the 2700 psi mark, I worked on it until I lost my mojo and patience. I don't know how they pre-fill the air rifle from the factory, maybe with six guys on a long lever, I don't know. Perhaps they use an air compressor and tell the end user not to due to liability.
The manual talked about lubricating the valves and all the moving parts. So I opened it according to the manual, hit everything inside with a load of Prolix, and then put it back together again. I tried pushing again, and it was easier than brand new, so that may be one issue. I will try this again after I shoot out the chamber and take it to zero, even if I shoot water balloons and watch the 22-caliber pellets bounce off at ten psi. — Adam Williams
Get it from Amazon now: $89.99 & FREE Returns
2. GX PUMP - High Pressure 30MPA 4500PSI 3.5-Stage Pump
Highlight: The highest pressure pump I tested was at the 3.5 stage.
Helpful review: I was sure I had found the pump of my dreams and almost stopped the remaining pumps from shipping, but then this one showed up. I drive an F350 four-door long-bed truck, and everything I do is in XL fashion, so I could not let the big dog return without trying it on for size. Let me tell you, I am happy that I did. Now, the one I chose to live at home has to live in the tool kit in the oversized truck. This pump looks like a graphic designer designed it; the looks and overall appeal are better than a typical tool used for air guns; this is a showpiece.
This PCP pump is new on the market, and I have one now, so I can't vouch for its long-term durability, but in the short term, I love it. I blew off about half a tin of pellets just to see how it worked on the Stoger, and it seemed like it was half the effort to refill the compression chamber. Half the effort does not mean it was straightforward; it was just half as rough as the other pumps for the same air rifle.
This pump has the desiccant water/oil separator at the top of the pump, near the handle. It's unique as the rest of them have it near the bottom and the blow-off valve. The engineers that built this pump threw out the old version of "we always do it this way" and built the pump with the most effective design and methods. To that extent, they used more modern materials in the primary body carbon fiber, and the fill hose is made so it will not kink against the body when stored away; that's a beautiful job, folks.
A language translation software writes the owner's manual; it is obvious. But it is a good translation software and is easy to understand with just one reading. The letters are big enough to see without a magnifying glass. The manual shows everything I need to know to operate this pump and how and where to use the rebuilt parts that are included with this pump. The manual also makes a solid point to rest the pump and allow it to cool after about every 100 strokes; in my world, I need to rest the operator more often than that, so this pump should last forever. — Jonathan S. Kasten
Get it from Amazon now: $149.99 & FREE Returns
3. VEVOR - High Pressure 4500PSI 3-Stage Pump
Highlight: High-quality materials are used to make this PCP pump.
Helpful review: I think Vevor makes one of everything. And now I know they make a PCP pump. This pump came to me, and the inside of the packaging was covered in lightweight oil. Of course, I figured something was broken, so I began the head-to-toe examination.
This pump was leaning because none of the threads were tight. When I say none of the threads, I mean none, not even the handle pieces. I assume this is to keep things from being overtightened at the factory. The kit has a one-size-fits-all tool that will get everything tight and ready. I just used the toolbox of stuff, and it's all outside items that need to be tightened, so I did not need the unique toolbox of things, just a standard toolbox, but be sure to get a real screwdriver to put together the handles.
The owner's manual says to use Silicone lubrication and nothing else. I don't know how exactly necessary this is. I just topped off all the areas I was told to top off by the manual with some Prolix, which I am known to do on everything that moves. Silicone lubrication is cheap, so if I had some handy, I would have used it, but I did not, so Prolix is what it is.
The kit comes with all the o-rings needed for repairs. The manufacturer does not have a method for ordering new parts if these are used up. I am sure there is nothing out of the usual size or configuration. If one of these o-rings dies later, go to the hardware or auto parts store and get a new one.
When I got everything all tightened up, I put it on the neighbor's gun that launches kinetic ammo like a Byrna, hitting like a bumper on a truck at 70 mph. After playing around with it in his backyard, he tried to see how much power Turley had and attempted to shoot a hard ball through a metal folding chair, and it nearly did that. If the pressure was complete, it may have opened the back of that metal. I could quickly pump his chamber up to 1800 psi, almost without sweat. The pump was slightly warm, not a big deal; it cooled off quickly, folded up, and was put into its carrying case along with the neighbor's airgun. So I suppose it will live there forever. — David A. Narby
Get it from Amazon now: $56.99 & FREE Returns
4. BestEquip - High Pressure 4500PSI 3-Stage Pump
Highlight: Knurled handle for a solid grip.
Helpful review: This pump has a three-stage design, like the rest, and it claims to be able to pump up to 4500 psi. It may be able to make that much pressure, but I, as the operator, cannot make it make that much pressure. The advertisement states that this design will reduce the work needed by 30% per pump to attain the ultimate pressure. When I tried this one on, it felt like it was the same as the rest, or I aged years' worth of worn out in months' worth of shipping time.
This is the only pump that has a shiny stainless body. The other pumps have a black anodized finish, so I imagine this is a show pump. In the advertisement, this pump mentions it can be used to pump up inflatable kayaks and rafts; I never thought about that application. I don't have either, but if a reader does have one, this may be an excellent choice for that application. And if this pump goes overboard, look for the super shiny metal tube, and that will be the pump in the water unless the raft is in whitewater; then you are screwed, and the pump is gone.
I did not have any love or hate for this pump; I had a shelf full of them as it was and returned it to the company to send to another reviewer. The pump worked as it was supposed to and seemed to be a nicely made unit. One of the best parts of this particular pump is the price, which is less than fifty bucks! With an inexpensive price tag and high build quality and materials, how could a person go wrong with this choice?
Please do not get me wrong. This is a three-stage pump that will make all the pressure needed to refill the air rifle. The handles are knurled to give an excellent grip, so in case it is wet and you need to pump up something, like a kayak, the grip will always be good. The materials are right on the money, and the build quality is also excellent. I did not need another one, so I sent it to the next reviewer. — Eric Hanson
Get it from Amazon now: $44.76 & FREE Returns
5. Hiram - High Pressure 40MPA 4500PSI 3-Stage Pump
Highlight: The pump is leak-free under pressure.
Helpful review: After leaning heavily on the first pump, I learned it needed to cool down after a few minutes. That makes sense, as the compressing air will create lots of heat. Now I know that, going to the testing of the next pump.
Armed with new knowledge of PCP use, I got the next one delivered from my friendly neighborhood Amazon driver. I went to the shop to refill the other Stoger bullpup-style rifle. This time, I went to the weeds up the street and shot everything I could see to drop the air pressure. I got it down to about 400 psi and figured that would be better this time. I need to learn patience or how to bleed off the pressure chamber in the rifles. I got the quick connect, hooked up to the nozzle thing, and went to town trying to pump up this gun using the Hiram pump. Quickly I had my butt kicked and needed to take a break or take this back to the box and send it back. This was like trying to pump a piece of ¾ inch rebar with a T handle. I knew something was wrong, not just a partially filled chamber; this pump needed surgery. The kit comes with a complete rebuild kit and even tools. This thing is under a hundred bucks, and my curiosity got better.
A couple of days later, I went to the shop, pulled out the Hiram, and began disassembling the thing I had just bought without instructions from the owner's manual. I have always put all the parts in separate baggies or boxes and kept them in order, so I know how and where to put them back together again.
The main demon in this pump was leftover manufacturing oil. This oil had gummed up to something that feels more like grease, so it picked up all the leftover debris. After carefully disassembling this very slowly, I carefully tossed everything into my ultrasonic cleaner with Simple Green. If someone reading this is not keen on disassembling small parts, this is not an operation for you. Most internal parts are made from brass or rubber 0-rings, so slow, systematic, and precision tools are needed. Precision tools mean they do not take bumpers off of a truck and then operate by taking them apart; these tools need zero blemishes, so they don't mark up or scar the parts.
I have a bench full of gunsmithing tools, and that is all they work on; if they develop a burr, that tool is replaced and taken to the garage to live in that tool cabinet.
After everything was cleaned off in the ultra-sonic, I sprayed everything with some Prolix and put it back together again. I also made sure to fill up the cooling sections so the compressing of air does not stop overheating and stop the whole process. It worked much better when I had it all back together; the difference was night and day.
Of course, since I had taken the thing apart and put it back together again, I could not send it back, so it went to the cabin to fill up air rifles that end up down there if they ever end up down there. If I had not been curious or had a review to write, I would have put this back in the box and sent it back right away. I don't think all of their PCP pumps are like this one. I am sure this made it past quality assurance, and the manufacturer should be held accountable for this oversight. — Roy L. Travis
Get it from Amazon now: $59.98 & FREE Returns