ompressed Air vs. CO2 for Paintball
One of the most common questions that we are asked at paintballgunshop is the difference between using Compressed Air (HPA) and CO2 tanks. In a nutshell, both provide pressure for a paintball marker to cycle and propel the paintball. However, both work on a different principle and sometimes only one can be used.
Carbon Dioxide, or CO2, was the first propellant used in paintball and set the standard for many years. For paintball purposes we use it in two types of vessels, refillable CO2 Tanks, and 12 Gram Cartridges, which are used in paintball pistols such as the Tiberius and TiPXm, as well as on stockclass pump markers like the Phantom. These are filled with liquid CO2 which expands to create the pressure used for the marker. This pressure fluctuates due to elevation, temperature and other variables but the benchmark is 850 psi or Pounds per Square Inch.
Using CO2 has some positive advantages. The tanks tend to be smaller and lighter than HPA while yielding the same number of shots or more per fill. Facilities to have the tanks filled are generally easier to find as many gas, welding supply and fire extinguisher shops have the means to fill your tanks, in addition to paintball pro shops. The number one reason for CO2’s enduring popularity is cost. CO2 tanks are very cheap so a player can easily own several tanks, thus having plenty of air for a full day of fun.
CO2 does have its drawbacks. Since CO2 is transitioning from a liquid state to a gas, it cools as it expands. This isn’t a big deal if you aren’t shooting much, but becomes very noticeable when shooting rapidly or a lot. When this happens, the pressure fluctuates from high to low, and your marker’s performance and accuracy will begin to suffer. As the tank chills it begins drawing liquid CO2 up into the marker, resulting in pressure spikes that can push velocities to unsafe speeds. If you see big white clouds of vapor coming out the muzzle and white snow falling out the barrel (it’s actually dry ice) when shooting you can bet that liquid CO2 worked its way into the marker. And in cold weather, the pressure can get so low with CO2 that many paintball markers won’t cycle properly. CO2 tanks also can’t be partially filled- you have to empty them out all the way to fill them back up, so no topping off between matches.
Liquid CO2 is also hard on the seals of your marker and can cause damage if it works it way into the solenoids of many electropneumatic markers. Thus many markers cannot use CO2. Always refer to your marker’s owners manual to know whether your marker will work with CO2, and if you’re still not sure you can call our experts at 800-875-4547.
Suggested Aluminum HPA Tank: CORE
Does messing with CO2 sound frustrating? It can be. That’s why players started using HPA/Compressed Air, sometimes also referred to as Nitro, Nitrogen, N2, or High Pressure Air. Originally pure nitrogen was used, which explains why some players still refer to them to as N2, Nitro or Nitrogen Tanks. Rather than filling the tank with liquid, HPA tanks are instead pressurized up to the tank’s rating of 3000psi or 4500psi. The pressure is then regulated through the tank’s regulator down to 850psi (High Output) or 450psi (Low Output).
The beauty of HPA is that the pressure is much more stable than CO2 and changes due to shooting fast or playing in cold weather are barely noticeable. That means no thick clouds or snow from the barrel, no more layers of frost on the marker body and your accuracy improves due to more consistent velocity. Today’s electropneumatic markers were designed with these tanks in mind. And since HPA tanks are filled through a nipple at the base of the regulator, they can be topped off between games. That means no matter how long a match goes, you’ll be ready for it.
Suggested Fiber-Wrap HPA Tank: CORE
Compressed Air tanks come in two varieties, aluminum and fiber wrapped. Aluminum HPA tanks are rated up to a maximum of 3000psi. They are smaller and more cost effective, but weigh much more than fiber wrapped tanks. Fiber wrap tanks are rated from 3000psi to 4500psi (consult your tank’s label), cost more and have more bulk, but are a lot lighter than aluminum tanks.
The main advantage to 4500psi fiber wrap tanks is that they can handle more pressure and thus yield more shots per fill. Shot counts vary between markers but most get about 10 shots per cubic inch at 3000psi and 15 shots per cubic inch at 4500psi. As an example, the 48ci tank above and to the left can get about 480 shots on one fill. The 68ci tank to the right can get around 1020 shots on a single fill, more than double the yield of the smaller tank.
HPA does have its own set of drawbacks. Facilities for filling an HPA tank are more specialized, and therefore less common. In some remote areas, getting tanks filled can be a problem, and tire pumps and shop compressors do not work, since they rarely go over 180psi. HPA tanks also tend to be a bit larger and bulkier compared to CO2, and you’re likely to get fewer shots out of similar-sized tank. Lastly, Compressed Air tanks do cost considerably more than CO2 tanks, and between their bulk and cost, most players don’t consider carrying a spare tank.
Depending on the kind of paintball player you want to be, both pressure systems can be attractive. Over the long run, HPA is likely the better investment, since it’s easier on the gun’s internals, and offers smoother performance. And an HPA tank is a piece of equipment that can transfer to any marker you upgrade to, if you decide to trade in your Tippmann for a Dye. Determine what your needs are for your equipment, and the level of play and style of play you want, and choose accordingly. Or you can call us, and we’ll help you figure out what gear is right for you.
Differences between CO2 and HPA
| . | CO2 | HPA |
| Cost | Low | Mid to High |
| Dependability | Impacted by Weather | Stable |
| Refill Availability | Widely Available | Refills May Require Specialty Shops |
| Versatility | May damage some markers, including electropneumatics | Fine with all markers that don’t use cartridges |
| Topping Off | Must be emptied before it can be refilled | Can be refilled between matches |
Other notes:
- All CO2 and compressed air tanks must be shipped empty as per Department of Transportation regulations. You will need to have your tank filled locally before use.
- HPA tanks are filled via a fill nipple on the base of the regulator. One convenient feature of this is that you don’t have to take the tank off the marker to fill it. Since the fill nipple acts as a one-way check valve you can just “top off” between games instead of having to drain and entirely refill, as you would with a CO2 tank.
- Shop air compressors and tire pumps can’t fill a compressed air tank. However, one common way of filling tanks is to use a scuba tank fitted with a Scuba Fill Station. A 3000psi scuba tank can between 15-20 fills. PaintballOnline.com sells a variety of scuba fill stations for this purpose.
- Compressed Air tanks are available in 3000 and 4500psi. 4500psi tanks can handle more pressure and thus yield more shots per fill. Shot counts vary between markers, but most spool valve markers and Tippmanns get about 10 shots per cubic inch at 3000psi and 15 shots per ci at 4500psi. More efficient designs such as Spyders and Egos can get even more shots.
- Aluminum HPA tanks are up rated to 3000psi max. They are smaller and cost effective but weigh much more than fiber wrapped tanks. Fiber wrap tanks are rated to 3000psi or 4500psi (check your tank’s label), cost a bit more and have more bulk but are a lot lighter.
- Due to Department of Transportation regulations, all CO2 and HPA tanks should be tested every 3-5 years, depending on the specific make. Fiber wrap tanks have a maximum lifespan of 15 years. Steel tanks have a max life of 24 years. Aluminum tanks do not have a maximum lifespan, so long as they can pass hydrotesting.
- Adjustable tank regulators used to be popular and necessary but now preset systems are the standard. Presets are available in High Output set to approximately 850psi, the same as CO2 under optimal conditions, or Low Output of approximately 450psi. Which do you need? Some markers out there need low output, like most Angels, or work best with one, such as Invert Minis. Most can use high output and blowbacks like Spyders and Tippmanns need the higher pressure to function properly. Again, refer to your owners manual to know for sure, or call us. We’re glad to help.
- Fiber wrapped tanks should always be used with a protective tank cover. They protect the tank from dings and gouges in the fiber wrap which can compromise the structural integrity of the vessel. A damaged tank cannot be filled or repaired.
- Keep both HPA and CO2 tanks out of the sun when not playing.
- Liquid CO2 follows the rules of gravity. When using CO2, try to keep the barrel tip of your marker pointed up whenever possible. This helps keep the liquid CO2 in the tank and not your marker’s valve.
- As a general rule, most markers get about 50 shots per ounce of CO2. Because of pressure differences you will get less in cold weather and more in hot weather.
- If the weather is cool in the morning and significantly warmer later, always re-chronograph when using CO2. The warmer weather creates more pressure and your velocity will thus be higher.
- An expansion chamber helps when using CO2. It provides additional chambers for liquid CO2 to convert from liquid to gas before entering the marker, thus yielding better gas efficiency and consistency. Using a coiled remote line can help in much the same way with the liquid expanding in the air line. If using CO2 with a remote, use a harness with a pouch that keeps the tank vertical instead of horizontal or liquid CO2 will be siphoned straight to your maker, like it was pouring through a straw.
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2008 Empire and Invert Gear
I was in New Jersey over the weekend at Kee Action Sports and was one of the few paintball buyers in the country to see all the new 2008 Empire and Invert gear. All I can say is âWOW!â⦠the entire line is some of the hottest looking gear Iâve ever seen! Iâm dying to tell you every minute detail about what I saw and tried out, but unfortunately I canât⦠was not even allowed to take pictures. Letâs just say that I was so blown away that we are carrying the entire Empire paintball and Invert range of jerseys, pants, gloves, harnesses, gear bags, backpacks, tank covers and other gear for 2008. Not only can you get it all in one place, you can get it earlier than everyone else because we will be among the first to sell them starting this September! The new Empire AXE is awesome
More accessories for the BT paintball markers are on their way to us, including the M16 Magazine, F.E. Stock and Folding Bipod. Plenty of options to turn your BT into a paint slinging intimidation machine!
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New Empire BT Paintball Guns are shipping!
Empire has come out swinging this year, releasing a ton of new paintball gear at the Paintball Extravaganza Trade Show. The big headliners were the Empire Vanquish Paintball Gun, theResurrection Autococker, and the JT Impulse but the new BT Paintball Guns for 2013 certainly deserve more attention. After all, the Vanquish is pretty awesome but a lot more players will be shooting BT guns! Empire gave a favorite model a facelift while delivering the old standby in a hot new configuration. The venerable BT-4 Combat received a serious overhaul in 2011 with the arrival of the BT-4 Slice paintball gun. The Slice introduced a hinged body to make maintenance much quicker and easier while maintaining the proven and reliable inline blowback system. As part of their licensing agreement with H&K, Empire has been producing HK paintball guns for the milsim crowd. This year we get the Empire BT G36 paintball gun and the Empire BT G36 Elite paintball gun.
Both markers are based on the BT-4 Slice chassis and come loaded with accessories to give the look and feel of an H&K G36 rifle. The BT-4 Slice G36 delivers a barrel shroud and full length raised carry handle for that classic G36 profile. The top of the carry handle is 7/8â³ picatinny rail to accept a variety of red dot sights, mounts or other tactical accessories and the increased height provides some extra clearance so you can sight down it easily while wearing a paintball mask. Both a mock magazine and a folding foregrip give you options for handling the G36. The rear of the marker features a side folding stock so you can shoulder the marker with it out, fold it in for close quarters action or just make it easier to cram in your paintball gear bag.
More Tiberius Products
Was going to post this Monday, but these new toys are too cool to waitâ¦
I remember way back in the day of big woods fields when all the serious paintball players carried a pistol for backup, usually a PGP or Nelspot. All the great stories in between games usually had âSo there I was, going for my backupâ¦â somewhere in the middle of it. This tradition died out when fields and games became shorter and shorter until the whole idea of a paintball pistol nearly died out.
With the return of woodsball and the rise of scenario play, carrying a paintball pistol is the new cool. You see them in a tactical holster ready to make the last stand or as a playerâs lone marker for the challenge of being the underdog. The pistol system that is leading the pack is hands down the Tiberius system.
The Tiberius pistol is constructed of aluminum and tough polymer. The quality of construction is first rate. The base model takes an 8 round magazine that loads into the grip like a traditional automatic. The 12gr CO2 cartridge is also housed within the mag and is sealed before loading and after ejection, meaning you donât need to reload CO2 the same time as paintballs. Each time you load a fresh mag you are also putting in new CO2. You get about 4-5 magâs worth of shots per each cartridge. The velocity is simple to adjust, maintainence is easy and their accuracy surprises everyone⦠including your opponents.
We originally sold the base model pistol but due to demand we are expanding with more of the Tiberius line. We have the Playerâs Pack with pistol, holster, extra magazine and pouch for those wanting the whole package. TheSOCOM edition features a threaded barrel to accept a mock silencer and laser sight with touchpad to put that intimidating red dot on their chest before firing.
Tiberius, dedicated to the true scenario player, have now branched out into converting the base pistol into something for every player. The T9 Pro and T9 Elite are the next evolution of their product. You know how all the James Bond movies have the mysterious assassin carrying a case around? They open it up and slowly assemble a sniper rifle to go do the dirty work with? Thats the feeling you get when you first open up the T9âs hardcase. Both models include a redesigned pistol with lots of tac rails, remote hose adapter and a righthand feedneck if you feel like using a conventional hopper instead of the supplied magazine. The Pro comes with a barrel extension, flash hider, foregrip, laser sight and collapsible stock. The Elite comes all of the above, PLUS a tactical flashlight, mock scope red dot sight, mock silencer and bipod! Each set is a whole system where components can be mixed and matched to the scenario you are playing.
Tiberius obviously listens to the demands of scenario players and keep innovating with some the coolest and inventive designs I have seen in years of playing paintball.
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What Are First Strike Paintballs?
Questions: What the heck are First Strike rounds? How are they different than standard paintballs?
Most mag-fed paintball guns out there are already configured to fire the Tiberius Arms First Strike rounds, others are a relatively simple conversion kit away from also being able to fire the round. In fact, many players are switching to a magfed marker specifically to be able to take advantage of the range and accuracy of the First Strike round. If you are unfamiliar with the Tiberius Arms First Strike round,
When playing with a magazine fed marker, you are truly limiting the amount of paint you can run with â letâs do some quick math. Letâs assume (for argumentâs sake) that you load up your hopper fed marker with 200 paintballs and bring another two pods (with 140 balls each) out on your pack for a total of 480 rounds. That is pretty standard, and pretty easy to carry with you on the field as well. The fact is that depending on the magazines that you have (lets say an average of 15 balls per magazine), you could need upwards of 32 magazines to carry the same number of rounds. Carrying that many magazines with you is simply not practical. So, regardless of the number of magazines you decide to take with you on to the field, you WILL be bringing less paint with you â which means you will want to make the most out of each and every shot.
While paintball fins have been around for a while, Tiberius Arms has revolutionized the market with the first, readily available, mass produced stabilized paintball. These paintball rounds take range and accuracy to a whole new level, increasing your ability to consistently eliminate targets while using fewer rounds.
With the First strike rounds, you will be able to make each shot matter, allowing you to take less paint out on to the field and be more effective and conservative with your ammo at the same time.
This is also important when you factor in the cost of using the First Strike rounds as the cost is indeed the major drawback here. The First Strike rounds will cost (at best) $0.40 per round, so YES, you want them to count! But letâs look at the cost of using regular paintballs at roughly $0.05 per round. This means that you need to make your First Strike rounds 8 times more effective in order to break even in terms of the cost.
Here is where your style of play comes in to effect â if you find yourself running up and down the field, shooting from the hip and laying down lots of suppressing fire, then using First Strike rounds might not be for you as the cost will quickly add up (but we will discuss options for you later on).
Where the First Strike rounds WILL make the difference will be for the player moving slowly and taking out targets from a distance. For the times where you find yourself having to play both roles in the same match, it may be beneficial to bring some magazines loaded with standard paintballs and a few others loaded with the First strike rounds. An even better set up would be to bring along a pistol for those quick encounters where swapping out magazines would be too time consuming. If you are willing to spend the money, a few high end markers offer the ability to switch from hopper fed to magazine fed at the flip of a switch or twist of a barrel.
The Tiberius Arms T4 is one of the markers that offers this feature. Here you get the best of both worlds, being able to have a hopper and a magazine loaded simultaneously! Think of the possibilities of being able to fire off a few First Strike rounds at your enemies from a distance and then being able to switch to your hopper and lay down some cover fire or engage them in close quarters without having to worry about spending $0.40 per shot! The only drawback to a dual set up like this one would be that you will have to be careful with your paint to bore size matching.
The First Strike rounds come in at a .683 while your standard paintball will be roughly .689 or so. What this means is that if you are using a barrel such as the LAPCO .683 FSR Rifled Barrel, you will have to be extra vigilant in making sure that your standard paint will fit through the barrel without breaking. Other than that, markers with this capability are devastatingly versatile and will unleash all kinds of havoc upon opposing teams!
So there you have it. You can now make an educated decision as to whether or not you want to embrace the First Strike rounds, putting a premium on accuracy, range effectiveness and of course price, or stick to the standard, somewhat unpredictable yet inexpensive paintballs. But again, why be forced to make that choice when you can have both at the same time!?
Good luck and happy hunting!
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