Terry Doe tests out the Daystate T2 compressor – a portable, mains-powered compressor for PCPs air rifles - and finds that it could save him rather a lot of fuel!
One of the few disadvantages of a pre-charged pneumatic airgun (PCP) is the paraphernalia it needs to fill it. PCPs are regarded by many as the epitome of the modern airgun, so, if you wish to shoot the latest in airgun hi-tech, you need to join the PCP brigade, and that involves pumping the gun up to 200-plus bar, which in old money is 3,000psi.
That’s quite a pressure – well outside the energy needed to power tools or inflate a tyre. For most of us, that has meant regular drives to the local diving shop to get our air tanks refilled, but I have in front of me, a genuine journey-buster. It’s a portable, mains-powered compressor, and it could well become my next favourite thing.
A mid-weight compressor
High-pressure compressors have always been available for the private shooter, but in the early days, most models required a three-phase energy supply, which put them out of reach of many shooters and even clubs, but in the last few years there has been a steady increase in cheaper compressors. These seem to have split the market between a large compressor that will fill a bottle at a club or shop, and smaller, lighter – and cheaper – compressors intended to fill the rifle directly.
On my desk this month is a compressor that fits between the two. Let me introduce you to the Daystate T2, made for Daystate by Italian compressor gurus, Coltri Compressors SRL. Coltri has been making serious industrial compressors for many years, and they have now taken on the message that airgunners want a small, light, and perhaps less expensive, machine. At £2, 275, the term ‘less expensive’ may seem a tad fanciful, but the T2 is built for use by shops and clubs, as well as the private enthusiast – and that level of quality can never be cheap, only cheaper.
The T2 isn't new!
The T2 has been around for a few years now and because of that a lot of tried and tested features are included. Every engine is essentially a trial of strength of function versus longevity, a battle that every engine will always lose as either time or use eventually ends it.
The skill of the designer is to make that end a long way into the future, without making it so costly that nobody would buy it, or so heavy that it is impractical. Using tried and tested parts goes a long way toward achieving this aim, and easy serviceability adds another. The new compressor is simple to service with easy access to all areas.
Weights and measurements
Measuring 570mm x 370mm x 490mm and weighing 43kgs, the T2 is quiet, with a running noise output measured at 91dB. It needs a 13 amp 220/240v power output that enables the 2.2kW motor to fill even the largest capacity air rifle in just a few minutes, at a rate of 80 litres per minute. It’s quite capable of filling an air bottle in about ten minutes – depending on the size and how empty the bottle is.
It looks like that drive to the dive shop could well be a thing of the past for some!
Specifications: Daystate T2 Compressor
Power: 3HP (2.2kW)
Voltage: 230v/16A
Delivery Rate: 80 litres/minute
Noise: 91dB
Weight: 43kg
Dimensions: 575 x 370 x 490 mm
Price: £2,275