Best Fittings Day Tripper mini air tank

For airgun hunters who use PCP’s with relatively low shot counts such as ‘ultra-carbines’ and especially air-hungry, hi-power FAC rated rifles one pitfall can be running short of air while out in the field. Lugging a heavy charging bottle around or having a pump close to hand isn’t the ideal solution or always possible. However, Best Fittings have solved the problem with a simple but ingenious bit of kit. This being the ‘Day-Tripper’ Mini-Charging-Cylinder and Gauge Assembly’ – the latter primarily for use if charging a rifle that doesn’t have an on-board air gauge. However, I’d recommend using this ‘extra’ unit in any case as a ‘fail-safe’ to help ensure the fill pressure is ‘double checked’ so you’re not solely reliant on just the integral air gauge on your air rifle. Let me explain…

MINI MARVEL

The Day-Tripper is 60 x 390mm and offers a 500 cc capacity and carries a recommended 250bar fill. The mini-cylinder charges directly from a 232/300bar DIN cylinder. It mates up to its larger hosts DIN connection using the large knurled edged hand-wheel clearly seen next to the main valve at the top of the minicylinder itself. Charging is very much the same as charging a ‘buddy bottle’ but as this is in actuality a charging bottle, after connection you need to fully open the top valve of the mini-cylinder first. Then slowly start to release air from the main bottle keeping a check on the main cylinders pressure gauge as it rises from the same pressure that’s retained in the mini-cylinder to the recommended 250bar fill.

When filled, close the main bottle valve, then close the mini-cylinder valve. Unscrew the bleed screw from the larger bottle to release the air between valve heads. You can then disconnect the now ‘filled’ minicylinder from its host by unscrewing the hand wheel. As standard, it comes with a standard 100mm micro-bore hose fitting. When it’s full you attach this to the Day Tripper for charging guns with on-board pressure gauges. However as previously mentioned, it never does any harm to double check for ‘safe rifle charging.’ That’s why I’d also recommend using the ‘Day- Tripper’ in conjunction with the Mini-Charging-Cylinder Gauge Assembly (MCCGA). The latter comes as an all in one unit and comprises of a main inlet valve, high quality air gauge and 100mm of micro-bore hose. This is ready to be fitted with your rifle’s specific 1/8” BSP filling adaptor.

NOTEWORTHY FEATURE

To fit the unit to the Day-Tripper, instead of installing the supplied 100mm micro-bore hose you use the hex head Allen key (supplied) to unscrew the centre retaining fitting from the DIN hand wheel. This enables you to install the ‘MCCGA’ using a few small adjustable spanners. A noteworthy feature of the Day-Tripper is it uses a nifty and easily accessed push button bleed mechanism positioned on the neck.

Also, even with the gauge assembly connected, the unit is still small enough to be slipped into a suitable pocket of a gunbag or rucksack for transportation into the field. To use a popular rifle as a benchmark guide, the ‘Day-Tripper’ is capable of giving an Air Arms S410 or similar specification PCP one full fill plus a healthy top up.

PRICE: £125 and £25 respectively (including P+P) Or £140 When purchased together.
CONTACT: Best Fittings 0845 456 1185 best-fittings.co.uk

FOR: Build quality, ease of use and storage Buy together and save £10
AGAINST: Not a Lot
VERDICT: Allows for quick and efficient infield top ups