Top or Bottom

[mega_swordman]

atreverse12 and I (I know him personally) are having a dispute about a pneumatic rifle and I was hoping (much smarter about this that us) could help resolve it.

The question is as follows: Is it better the have an in-line sprinkler valve on the bottom of the cannon, near the chamber, or is it better on top near the barrel?

[deusXmachina]

I personally prefer it on top....wait wrong discussion XD

The less restriction you have between the valve and the barrel, the better. So in your case I guess it would be having the inline on top, inline with the barrel. The logic being if you have the U-bend before the valve, it is just air under pressure that isn't moving that fast, but if you have the U-bend after the valve, you have high-flow air moving through a restriction. How much of a difference that makes, I dunno.

[Blitz]

I concur with deus.

The more direct path air has beyond the valve to the projectile and the atmosphere, the more efficient.

[jssizzle]

Like deus said, it is definitely better to have the valve closest to the barrel, in this case before the "U". If it was closer to the chamber, it wold create what we call dead space, making the air travel a greater distance before hitting the projectile in the barrel.

[mega_swordman]

Hmm yes. That means I win. Thank you very much, now if you excuse me, I'm going to show atreverse12 that he is wrong.

[rad14701]

The dead space issue is definitely the determining factor... The closer the chamber pressure is to the barrel, the better... Pressurizing dead space slows the firing process and reduces the overall velocity generated within the barrel...

[spudthug]

although this is true that a valve traveling that far is dead space but also if u have the valve at the top it has to go throguh the bends....say u have 1 inch bends on a 4 inch chamber it has to be restricted greatly..most people prefer the sprinkler valves at the bottom of the gun..

[mega_swordman]

However, with the stock(?) of the rifle, and no good way to block the flow from entering the excess pipe, I feel it is better to have pressure on the joints than to have air flowing through unneeded pipe length.

[Scope]

Closest to the barrel from what i see... it adds to your chamber volume and does not have airflow restrictions after the valve has opened

[paddo]

id say barrel. exact same reason as above. you get more chamber space (good) and the air in the bends is pressurised so the turning will have much less effect.