Ideal Pump Stroke Length and Force

[nak81783]

I don't have a lot of pump paintball experience and can only think of maybe 4 or 5 pump guns I've shot in 25 years of playing. It seems the pump stroke would have to be at least the diameter of a paintball (call it .700") to clear the bolt to allow a paintball to feed and catch the sear, likely longer to push the paintball past the detent(s) and into the barrel. Pump Automags and other non-poppet valve pumps would be exceptions.

A current (I'll call it pneumatic) design I'm working on is at .297". It could be less, but with the machines I currently have access to, I'm not going less, at least not in the prototype phase. I could make it longer to resemble a more conventional pump stroke length.

I'd like to hear opinions on whether to keep it short, match a conventional stroke (.75-1.25" ish), or get crazy and go longer.

Also, what's a typical pump stroke force? I'm using pneumatic return (no spring). With simple area/pressure math, it's currently in the 3 lb ballpark. If I go another o-ring size down on the smaller side of the piston, it would be 6-ish.


Thanks,
Nathan

[Trbo323]

I think the answers are highly personal really.

I've never shot a pnu pump but I think I would like it

Sent from my motorola edge 2024 using Tapatalk

[Memornix]

I have been running mainly a wgp sniper for let's say awhile now and have built a few pneumatic assist pumps in my day.

In my experience, it is hard to get into a rhythm with the short pump stroke of the pneumatic assist. The best way I have found to run them is with a hitman plate on the pump and vertical reg or foregrip. In this setup, you basically just flick the plate back with your hand on the foregrip to cycle the action.

Something that might be cool is a spring damper between the pump handle and the 3way rod so the pump can move slightly farther than the 3way to give some coushin to the stroke. This would increase the stroke closer to a standard pump but require less force.

[Socalpumpballer]

Or you could just make it a normal pneumatic assist and just make a custom long 3 way with the barbs spaced out

[nak81783]

Right. Custom “4”-way in the works. Not an Autococker or other poppet platform. Just want to know ideal pump stroke length to set barb spacing.

[Chuck E Ducky]

I have a TJD pneumatic pump kit on my CCM triangle body build. It’s mouse click short and light. Imagine a cocker with two triggers. It’s a ton of fun to shoot but I don’t really consider them pumps. That don’t make them any less fun to shoot.

however CCM pumps have the very best feel and performance IMO.