CO2 vs. Propane GBBR Mags
 

Hey guys,

I know that CO2 gives the gun a harder kick and works better in colder weather, but what makes people choose one over the other? Also what are the pros and cons associated with them?

I haven't been able to find this answer on ASC, but if this has been answered can you please link it.

Thanks

people seem to forget that CO2 has bad cooldown effects too. thus one of the reasons paintball uses HPA.

CO2 is better than propane in cooler weather because it starts out with a higher PSI. Your FPS will fluctuate greatly.

edit: propane is going to be gentler on your GBBr's internals. will also be cheaper but generally will shoot a lot softer.

People want their GBBR's to feel like real rifles (which they're never going to do). They'll go to extreme (expensive) lengths to try and do that....right up to and past the point of destroying their rifles.

They'd also like to be able to use their GBBR in any weather condition (ie. hot/cold), where temperature greatly affects gas pressure.

i have to ask because it just came to mind. Race cars have been using nitrogen and some service shops actually have it available now for tires. The benifits of using nitrogen is that it does not change pressure with temperature changes.

Could nitrogen be used maybe in gbbr's that way they could become usable in different conditions?

Vapor expansion of liquid propane can be up to 180psi...
CO2 is roughly 850psi.


Have you ever looked at how much psi liquid nitrogen can generate? If our guns and magazines can barely handle CO2, I'd urge you to look at the psi of nitrogen before you consider every using it. Last time I checked, the vapor expansion of liquid nitrogen is roughly in the area of 4000psi.

You'd need a regulator built into each mag (and the mags would have to be redesigned to hold it).

i run on co2 with my kp-05 and so far it's been good.
it's definitely better than propane because you get a bit more fps and kick.

the main hassle is when changing the cartridges in the magazine...

How about liquid nitrogen?...probably not. That was the last question in the thread.

The original question was about GBBR mags...not pistol mags...although I'd suspect there's a lot of similarities there. I think the GBBR mags take the same CO2 cartridges as yours. Lot more mass and forces at work in a rifle though.

oops yes I need coffee

he's not talking about liquid nitrogen.

in the paintball world, N2 (compressed nitrogen) and HPA are the same thing.

Nitro = Nitrogen = N2 = HPA = compressed air

the nitrogen that shops are starting to use in car tires is 100% nitrogen but not in liquid form.

HPA/N2 cannot be run in propane mags though. you will blow your seals and valves before inserting into your gun.

you will also find that you won't find N2 in 12gram sized cartridges like those for CO2.

I need a coffee too...I didn't mean "liquid" nitrogen...I meant HPA! LOL!

What's the pressure in a HPA tank? You still need a regulator to bring it down to usable end velocities right, otherwise it'd be uncontrollable.

**liquid nitrogen would be freaky too....you could fill up a mag, chuck it and it'd shatter like a crystal glass...or is that liquid something-else?

full hpa tank = 3000psi and i believe they already have a regulator to bring that down to 800 by the time it exits the tank....

3000psi...bet that'd take the slide right off a pistol quick! everyone around you would have to call HIT!

that'd be after the slide/bolt assembly went through a few people to stop in someone's head

depends on the tank size but I have seen 3000psi and 45000psi tanks.

there is a regulator so that it all doesn't flow out at max psi, but I don't believe it's set to 800psi though which is why was can use the madbull co2 adapter and pressurize nades at higher psi. thinking closer to 1000psi but I could be wrong. I'll check it when I fill my HPA tank on Saturday.

psi on my tippmann is controlled on the marker itself.

the gauge that comes with the tank just tell you how much psi is left.