Gas vs CO2

.K.A.L.I.M.A. · 20-09-2011 1:03am #1

Hello everyone.

I've been looking everywhere for a thread to see which one is better but I couldn't find one anywhere, so I took the opportunity to create a thread to see which one is better, so if anyone is ever buying a airsoft pistol, airsoft rifle, or even a airsoft sniper rifle, they can get advice here from new or experienced airsoft players from around Ireland.

So if you want to give advice to airsoft players on which one to buy, just post it in this thread.

Please remember:
--- Ireland's climate.
--- Cost price of gas.
--- Cost price of CO2.
--- Advantages/Disadvantages of gas.
--- Advantages/Disadvantages of CO2

Thank you for your time.

.K.A.L.I.M.A. · 20-09-2011 1:40am

I'll just post up my idea for an example:

CHOICE:
---C02

WHY?
The reason I have chosen C02 is because the cost of it is usually between €1.50 and €0.60 in Ireland. Also, CO2 works better in Ireland's climate.

With 12g CO2 cartridges, you can get a maximum of 100-250 shots with one 12g CO2 cartridge, which is excellent for me.

Your post doesn't have to be like this, as long as it makes sense, it will be fine.

Faolchu · 20-09-2011 10:05am

I like the feel of the kick from GBB but dislike the face that our wonderful weather can be problematic.

I may just have to get one of each

Arkslippy · 20-09-2011 10:44am

My pistol takes both mags and there is very little difference. I'd recommend green for one reason - if you dont use your pistol during a skirmish, you just need to vent the gas which is very low cost. A co2 bulb is probably 5 times the cost per mag, but it has the advantage of being used in thunder bs and being much less work if you need to change gas during a game.

Firekitten · 20-09-2011 11:51am

Some guns cant take c02, and some guns will be STUPIDLY hot, and over the limit on c02... such is life.

Which is better? Neither, Gas, (C02 is a gas) guns come in many shapes and sizes, and each has its application and need.

lux-et-veritas · 20-09-2011 5:41pm

i have both gas and CO2 for different times of year.
I tend towards the gas in the warmer months for the simple reason of cost. gas works out cheaper per bb shot than CO2, however when the weather turns cooler (which lets face it is quite alot of the time) i find that CO2 is just a more stable platform, ie more cosistancesy in your shots.
on the whole i find it convenient to have both (that said i find it convenient to have as many guns as i can get away with) if i was to suggest one or the other to a noob i would probably plumb CO2 as it can be used in any weather..

Great idea for a thread there..K.A.L.I.M.A.

Inari · 20-09-2011 6:33pm

There are advantages and disadvantages to both Green Gas and Co2. The problem with Green Gas in Irish/UK climates is that because it is stored largely as a liquid, it is more susceptible to rapid pressure drops, due to it needing to change state to propel the BB, and power the blowback. This also cools the magazine, which further reduces gas efficiency, rendering the magazine useless after the first couple of shots on cold days.

Co2 on the other hand is not nearly as effected by cool down, due to the fact that it is stored as a gas. It is more expensive, and much higher pressured. As a result you need to use reinforced parts to prolong the life of your pistol. Another disadvantage of the pressure of Co2 are your magazines - the small O-rings become easily displaced due to the strength of the gas pushing against them. On top of that, because the gas is so cold itself, rapid firing causes the valve to stay slightly open, as the O-rings recede (and/or become displaced).

Both propellants will function fine when the gun and magazine are well maintained. Which is better? As Firekitten said, neither. Co2 kicks harder, due to the pressure of the gas. It is also more reliable. But it costs more, and thus you pay for the added reliability. If you use a green gas gun with a magazine that has a large gas reservoir e.g. TM Five-SeveN, then you will get the same reliability from Green Gas as Co2. Co2 is basically a more efficient use of the size of the gas reservoir.

I am, however, a hypocrite. If every gun had a Co2 version available, I'd take it over the green gas. It is that little bit more reliable, and I'm a sucker for the added recoil.

thermo · 20-09-2011 6:46pm

if your worried about the cold with pistols , then fork out and buy a tm pistol (and a decent shoulder holster). during the worst of last years weather i was out playing in the snow in minus something, the only 2 pistols working that day were my tm meu and another players tm p226. both worked well with only the last 2/3 shots from the mag being a bit crap.
or you could go electric....................

.K.A.L.I.M.A. · 20-09-2011 8:56pm

lux-et-veritas wrote: »

i have both gas and CO2 for different times of year.
I tend towards the gas in the warmer months for the simple reason of cost. gas works out cheaper per bb shot than CO2, however when the weather turns cooler (which lets face it is quite alot of the time) i find that CO2 is just a more stable platform, ie more cosistancesy in your shots.
on the whole i find it convenient to have both (that said i find it convenient to have as many guns as i can get away with) if i was to suggest one or the other to a noob i would probably plumb CO2 as it can be used in any weather..

Great idea for a thread there..K.A.L.I.M.A.

Thank you.

.K.A.L.I.M.A. · 20-09-2011 9:00pm

thermo wrote: »

if your worried about the cold with pistols , then fork out and buy a tm pistol (and a decent shoulder holster). during the worst of last years weather i was out playing in the snow in minus something, the only 2 pistols working that day were my tm meu and another players tm p226. both worked well with only the last 2/3 shots from the mag being a bit crap.
or you could go electric....................

I wouldn't be able to charge another battery, one is enough for me. I'd say they wouldn't be worth it, but if you were a backyard airsofter, they would be great fun, that's pretty much how I got into airsoft years ago.

Bobby Baccala · 20-09-2011 10:02pm

you could charge another battery.
any good airsoft site has facilities to charge aeg/aep batteries.

.K.A.L.I.M.A. · 20-09-2011 10:25pm

P4DDY2K11 wrote: »

you could charge another battery.
any good airsoft site has facilities to charge aeg/aep batteries.

I know that some airsoft sites would have facilities to charge your batteries, but I just rather have around three 9.6V 1'500mAH batteries for my A.P.S. ASR103, and then either have a gas or CO2 pistol, which would be helpful.

thermo · 20-09-2011 11:11pm

.K.A.L.I.M.A. wrote: »

I wouldn't be able to charge another battery, one is enough for me. I'd say they wouldn't be worth it, but if you were a backyard airsofter, they would be great fun, that's pretty much how I got into airsoft years ago.

wouldn't be worth it? have you ever used a quality aep (tm)? pushing out 250 fps and well able to keep up with a lot of other pistols, while being a LOT quiter.

Leftyflip · 20-09-2011 11:16pm

thermo wrote: »

wouldn't be worth it? have you ever used a quality aep (tm)? pushing out 250 fps and well able to keep up with a lot of other pistols, while being a LOT quiter.

And out ranging most rifles...

.K.A.L.I.M.A. · 20-09-2011 11:20pm

thermo wrote: »

wouldn't be worth it? have you ever used a quality aep (tm)? pushing out 250 fps and well able to keep up with a lot of other pistols, while being a LOT quiter.

When it comes to "high quality" AEPs, I wouldn't buy one..... but when it comes Tokyo Marui, yes I'd probably buy one, but I'd like a CO2 GBB pistol for some reason, really aimed at the CZ 75D pistol's.

Alan b. · 21-09-2011 1:18am

i've used a lot of pistol over the years, and although there are some reliable and unreliable ones with both propellants, i always came down on the c02 side of the fence.

the main reason being the drop off from mags freezing up.
if i plan to use a pistol, i like to use it alot.
at one point i had a pair of co2 m1911's and about 6 mags.
i remember often leaving the aeg and going with the pair of pistols and staying that way for full games sometimes.
with green gas/propane this would mean carrying a cumbersome bottle around on the field, it would also mean my mags would freeze where as with the co2 mags, i could ditch the cold part, the co2 bulb, and replace it with a fresh one on the move which could be easily stored in a shotgun shell pouch or in a spare admin pouch on my vest.

with my recent thoughts of returning to playing regular airsoft, this will be the route i will be going back to again.

i was very fond of the tm python i had which was unbelieveably silent, and only for it was 6 shots and your out, i'd probably have never sold it.
it was great as a silent kill weapon when you are being surrounded and need to clear a way out by picking off people when others are nearby.

Firekitten · 21-09-2011 10:54am

'wouldnt buy a 'high quality' aep, but would buy a Tm....

Erm, you realise TM make AEPs, and invented them?

.K.A.L.I.M.A. · 21-09-2011 5:50pm

Firekitten wrote: »

'wouldnt buy a 'high quality' aep, but would buy a Tm....

Erm, you realise TM make AEPs, and invented them?

I know that Tokyo Marui make AEPs, but I didn't realised that they invented them, but I know now, thanks.

When I mean by "high quality" AEPs, I mean like low-end brands saying that their AEPs are better than Tokyo Marui's, which they aren't because Tokyo Marui pistols are excellent.

I was up in AirsoftEire about three months ago, managed to say in the shop for nearly an hour, looking at all their unique stuff and I was amazed, but when I got to the airsoft pistols... MY GOD... it was excellent, the Tokyo Marui FN 5-7 and the Tokyo Marui PX4 blew my mind.

While I'm on about AirsoftEire, big thanks to Liam and Steve.

Bobby Baccala · 21-09-2011 5:54pm

yeah theyre the 2 newest marui pistols my friends gettin a px4 soon i cant wait to try it out

.K.A.L.I.M.A. · 21-09-2011 6:00pm

P4DDY2K11 wrote: »

yeah theyre the 2 newest marui pistols my friends gettin a px4 soon i cant wait to try it out

Your a lucky person!

Bobby Baccala · 21-09-2011 6:03pm

no my friend is.
maybe ill kill him in his sleep and steal it.

Firekitten · 21-09-2011 6:08pm

.K.A.L.I.M.A. wrote: »

I know that Tokyo Marui make AEPs, but I didn't realised that they invented them, but I know now, thanks.

When I mean by "high quality" AEPs, I mean like low-end brands saying that their AEPs are better than Tokyo Marui's, which they aren't because Tokyo Marui pistols are excellent.

I was up in AirsoftEire about three months ago, managed to say in the shop for nearly an hour, looking at all their unique stuff and I was amazed, but when I got to the airsoft pistols... MY GOD... it was excellent, the Tokyo Marui FN 5-7 and the Tokyo Marui PX4 blew my mind.

While I'm on about AirsoftEire, big thanks to Liam and Steve.

The Cyma g18c is actually better than the TM. But the TM usp is pretty awesome.

The tm m93r we do not talk about.

Bobby Baccala · 21-09-2011 6:14pm

why dont we talk about the tm m93r?

.K.A.L.I.M.A. · 21-09-2011 7:28pm

P4DDY2K11 wrote: »

why dont we talk about the tm m93r?

I'm guessing it's either awesome or awful.....

Firekitten · 21-09-2011 8:34pm

P4DDY2K11 wrote: »

why dont we talk about the tm m93r?

It sucks with the firey fail of 1000 suns.

.K.A.L.I.M.A. · 21-09-2011 9:01pm

Firekitten wrote: »

It sucks with the firey fail of 1000 suns.

Just asking, why do you... or everyone... think it's awful.

Firekitten · 21-09-2011 9:50pm

One of thier first, and first developed, a bad design, with some badly made parts, Back when it was a revolutionary design. Worked on a few in a professional capacity, and they were nasty.

The g18s wern't much nicer to work on, but they did work well.

Gas vs CO2

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