88 cubic-foot carbon-fiber tank

by Harley Ayre

This air tank has revolutionized the operation of precharged pneumatics. When I was a boy I loved playing cowboys. Most of all, I loved shooting my sixgun, because I had a remarkable one. It never ran out of bullets. Reloading was for suckers, as far as I was concerned. If old Roy Rogers didn't have to do it, neither did I. An 88 cubic-foot carbon fiber air tank is a lot like that.

The old days of field target
Back when people were still winning matches with HW77s, a PCP was a curiosity at a field target match. Along with it came the mandatory 80 cu-ft scuba tank - that 39-lb. cold metal monster that had to accompany every PCP shooter in the field. You'd see them struggle to lug their tank to the firing line - and woe to the shooters at matches where the parking lot is separated from the FT course! Those tanks had no handles and were hard to move no matter what apparatus you brought.

Not many fills!
Once they got the tank into position, they began draining it into their gun. Since both scuba tank and airguns held the same 3,000 psi of pressure, it wasn't long before they no longer were able to fill their guns all the way. A 30-shot rifle became a 26-shot rifle, then a 24-shot, then, well you see where this is going. Those early shooters needed help from technology!

Enter, the hand pump
In 1996, the high-pressure hand pump came on the scene. Suddenly, there was an option. Instead of 39 lbs., you could carry just five, and you could fill all the way every time. Of course, the effort saved from carrying the scuba tank was more than repaid when it came time for a fill. There were guys who would smile and claim the pump was easy to use, but a lot of shooters didn't buy it. We were still waiting on technology.


Airhog's 88 cubic-foot carbon fiber air tank provides many times the refills of a scuba tank, yet it weighs half as much.

The dawning of the carbon-fiber tank
Airhog was an early pioneer in the use of the carbon-fiber air tanks for refilling PCPs. Van Jacobi recognized the incredible benefits of a tank that weighs half as much as a scuba tank but delivered nine times the number of full gun fills to 3,000 psi. That's right - NINE TIMES! Although the CF tank holds only eight cubic-feet more air than the standard aluminum scuba tank, most of that air is pressurized so high that it keeps on filling a precharged rifle to the limit long after the scuba tank has lost its initial pressure. Van was so impressed with the performance that he and his wife wrote an article for Airgun Illustrated magazine with test data that demonstrated the superiority of the CF tank.

Made for airgunners!
The CF tank was developed as a source of breathable air for rescue workers and firemen. Being relatively lightweight and holding as much air as it does, it's perfect for them. When Airhog started offering them to airgunners, the first thing they did was make a lightweight carrying handle for them. I can't tell you how many times I've carried my scuba tanks by their valve handles, which cannot be good. The Airhog CF tank carries like a light suitcase and even has two aluminum feet on which to stand in the field.

More innovations!
Then, Airhog introduced the microbore air hose. With an incredibly small inside diameter, a microbore hose wastes far less air when the line is bled after a fill. Since you no longer need to use the scuba valve handle and refill gauge as a carrying handle, Airhog incorporated them into a single streamlined unit. Carry your CF tank by the real handle and enjoy the lightweight, unitized gauge and valve handle.

Where do you get one filled?
Not all dive shops can fill to 4,500 psi. For many years, that kept people away from CF technology, but there's been a recent change. Paintball guns are now using air at this pressure and higher, so many paintball shops can now fill these tanks. Of course, if you have an "in" at the local fire station, you'll have no problem getting your tank filled. If you don't have that advantage, check out your local paintball shop.

It's not cheap
You do pay for all the benefits you get with a carbon-fiber tank. For some, the price is a complete turn-off. For those who have been wanting this convenience, the carbon-fiber air tank is worth every penny.

What about a Falcon pistol?

by Harley Ayre

If you're looking for something a little different to spice up your airgunning hobby, don't overlook the Falcon pistols. They come in three versions - the single-shot, the eight-shot bolt-action Raptor and the Hawk, which is actually a bridge between single-shot and repeater, having a repeating mechanism but manual cocking like the single-shot.

The basics
These pistols are all built around the FN8 action. Power can range from a low of 6 foot-pounds to a high of 15, but Airhog says most go out the door at 12-13 foot-pounds in .22 caliber. Each gun has a power spot it favors; once it settles into that spot, it becomes remarkably efficient on very little air. Guns are available in .177, .20 and .22 caliber, but the .20 is available only as a single-shot.

Rifle-like accuracy!
You might wonder what an air pistol can do. Well, some Airhog customers have taken their guns to extremes. Like the fellow who installed his FN8 pistol in a Light Hunter stock and proceeded to win two field target matches with it? And it was .22 caliber!

Scope 'em
With the power and accuracy available in these pistols, a scope only makes sense. You can use a pistol scope or a rifle scope, but lately a lot of buyers are turning to the intermediate-relief scope that's also known as a scout scope. With an eye relief of 10-14 inches, this kind of scope lets you hold the gun close to the chest but not right up to your eye. Because all Falcon pistols are built on 8" rifle actions, they have standard 11mm dovetails for conventional scope mounts.

Best pellet
Van Jacobi, the owner of Airhog, says he likes the JSB Exact Express in the .177 pistols, for the little bit of extra velocity it offers. In .22, he likes the JSB Match Jumbo for the same reason. A JSB Exact would also be a wonderful pellet in either .177 or .22.

The No. 1 reason to own a Falcon pellet pistol
I would have thought most owners used their pistols for hunting, but Airhog tells me most owners keep their pistols handy near the back door for pest elimination. You could argue that's the same as hunting, but what I'm saying is that the Falcon pistol turns out to be the perfect way to keep the bunnies out of your garden and the squirrels off the bird feeder. With THAT in mind, you might begin to see a Falcon pistol as a two-party "tool" to help promote the domestic tranquility. I once had a problem with a rat infestation until my wife learned how to shoot an air rifle. Then, all I had to do was supply the pellets and listen to the hunting report each day after work. I still have that airgun, and she still thinks of it as hers.

Never thought of owning a Falcon air pistol before? I hope this blog has given you cause to reflect on that.