Air Sources
A paintball gun needs something to shoot the ball, and CO2 (carbon dioxide) and compressed air both do it quite nicely. Learn the differences, the advantages and the disadvantages to each.
A basic shop compressor is not powerful enough to fill a compressed air tank. Most shop air compressors operate at under 200 psi and paintball compressed air tanks operate at 3000 psi or higher. A scuba compressor, though, is powerful enough to fill a paintball compressed air tank.
The first place to look is at paintball stores and fields. Most shops and fields have the equipment to safely fill compressed air tanks and some fill them for free.
One of the best places to fill a CO2 tank is at a paintball store or a paintball field. Most stores and fields stock CO2 and have all the appropriate equipment to adequately fill without over-filling your tanks.
Paintball tanks can last for years and work with minimal upkeep, but unless you keep them protected, a simple bump can render them useless.
The differences between CO2 and compressed air.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is in a compressed, liquid state inside a CO2 tank. When it is released from the tank it expands into gaseous CO2 which propels the paintball out of the chamber.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) tanks typically come in 9, 12, 16, and 20 ounce varieties. These numbers refer to how many weight ounces of liquid CO2 can fit in the tank.
An expansion chamber increases the amount of space the liquid CO2 has to expand in (and increases the area from which to pull heat), thus increasing consistency during intense firing.
Site where you can send your tanks to have them hydro tested to insure they are still safe to use.
