Hill MK2 Air Rifle Pump Review

Overall Rating

Easy to assemble. Convienient, sturdy, keeps moist air out with Dry-Pac. Less hassle than an air bottle. SUPERB customer service from manufacturer.

Hard work. Needs a solid surface. Expensive. Might need a valve adapter (did for my HW100)

Hill MK2 Air Rifle Pump
http://www.airriflepump.com/html/product.asp?i d=2214

Has all the info you need.
The pump is a stirrup pump and comes in essentially 3 parts. All you need to do is attach the handle with 2 included screws, foot plate, once again, 2 screws and if you have it the DryPac filter. Took 10 mins to assemble. Looks and feels sturdy. The unit has its own pressure gauge which means you dont have to keep looking at the gun cylinder to see how much air is in there. My HW100 cylinder took 170-180 strokes to get it up to full capacity (not into red zone) and its hard work. Also, every 50 strokes I stopped for a min just to let the pump cool as it does get hot. Took me about 10 mins of steady pumping. Now, for all of you thinking this is some piece of tat made in some dodgy "Hu-Flung-Dung" factory, let me tell you a story.
The HW100 has a different adapter for filling so I needed one of these adapter and quickish as I haven't actually fired a pellet yet. So i decided to get Hills details and contact them. As it turns out they are about 6 miles from where i live so i called em up and asked if they sold em.
A chap called Dominic said thay could probably help me so off i went to pick up a valve.
I arrived and introduced myself. What happened next was incredible. I was invited to am impromptu guided tour of the the Hills pump factory and these pumps are made in sheffield by 3 ladies in the upstairs of the factory. ALL the engineering is done in house. As is the assembly etc etc so MADE IN THE UK!!!! They make "fluid transfer systems" (BIG pumps etc to you and I).
Dominic then located a suitable adapter (din200 to 400 or something!!) and attached it to my HW100 valve for me.
While I was there I also took the Opportunity to ask about the drypac system. Could the granules be dried out in an oven I asked. No he said, they are indeed a special formulation and are NOT silica gel. Could I buy a few packs off you I enquired.
Off we went into the stores and the forklift truck driver promptly fetched a box of them down and dominic removed 2 for me.
So, thats the adapter and 2 packs of the moisture absorbant material.
OK, I said, thats great, how much do i owe you?
Nothing he said. Nothing??? Are you sure I asked?
Yes, he said. Its rare we see the end user and its a pleasure to see a customer come round and show a bit of interest.
Thats the adapter and drypac sachets for nothing!. There are VERY FEW companies who actually care about their end users. Hills pumps clearly do care and I have no hesitation in recommending their pump and their after sales service which is, quite frankly, astonishing.
There are a few minor issues with the pump such as, if you pick it up by its handle or shaft, the unit will expand out into its full length posistion but this is a minor niggle and if it wasnt for the fact im a pedant i wouldnt have mentioned it. Perhaps a small detent in MKIII??. Its heavy also, infact I think there is very little weight difference between the gun and pump but it is all metal construction and is built to last. Hills do replacement filter and seals kits so no worries there.
A fine bit of kit assembled by hand in a proper engineers workshop. Ultimately cheaper than an air bottle, more portable and crucially more convienient.
Recommended.

Members' Comments oncornz's Review

• Bertie on 12th Sep 2004

  Hello cornz.....lovely review which I might not have read if I were not in the market for a PCP.
  
  I can assure you that whatever model I choose, a Hills pump will be accompanying it. They sound a great little company and I wish them all success - they deserve it.

• gphardy on 21st Nov 2004

  Just bought a hills pump with drypac system for my "BSA Hornet K Multishot" have not received it as yet, but glad to hear you rave on it, as i was wondering if i made the right choice.
  Cheers

• haggardpete on 18th Mar 2005

  Thanks for the comprehensive review - I was undecided as to use a scuba tank or a pump and this helps a lot.

• cornz on 18th Mar 2005

  Well, 8 months or so down the line and the pump hasnt skipped a beat.
  Going to get it serviced when its a year old but im more then happy with it.

• haggardpete on 25th Mar 2005

  Sorry to report this but I bought one of these and my experience has not been so good. The pump was supplied with either badly machined fittings or body and could not be assembled. There were also debris visible inside the air inlet. Perhaps mine was a rogue but I can’t recommend this pump.

• cornz on 29th Mar 2005

  haggardpete, have you spoken to Hills about the issues you have? I found them to be more then helpful.
  Certainly worth a try!!!
  I still standby my review and am sure they will rectify the issue for you.
  Regards, Cornz.
  PS, please post the result on here.

• Winstone on 31st Mar 2005

  By accident mine spent a month at the bottom of a muddy pond !
  Recovered when the weather improved.
  After a quick bath and scub-up (the pump, not me) it worked fine.
  It fills my superTen a treat.
  
  Dave
  Stevenage
  Herts.

• Bebbo on 30th Dec 2006

  Good review. I'll be getting a Hill MK2 Air Rifle Pump with my first PCP. Thanks.

• cornz on 11th Feb 2008

  Just to let you know, although the air pressure gauge on the pump has failed, its still working prefectly well to this day.Changed the filters 18month ago...