Whats the difference between C02 and Nitrogen/Compressed Air?
There are two main power sources used to propel a paintball out of a paintball gun – Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Nitrogen/High Pressure Air (N2/HPA). Both are very common and each has its pros and cons. Carbon Dioxide, more commonly know as CO2, is the most commonly used propellant due mainly to the fact that it has been around since the beginning of the sport and is fairly inexpensive. Its main disadvantage is its sensitivity to temperature. As a CO2 tank warms up or cools down the available pressure either rises or falls. For a paint gun, differences in pressure mean inconsistent velocities. This sensitivity to temperature is due to the fact that CO2 is stored as a liquid. The gaseous form of CO2 used by the paint gun is formed when some it “boils off”. The higher the temperature of the tank, the more gaseous CO2 is formed which causes higher pressure. The lower the temperature of the tank the harder it is for gaseous CO2 to form causing lower pressure. CO2 can also enter the gun in its
