How To Buy The Best Paintball Co2 Tanks

Once you've tried the game of paintball and decided that you like it enough to become a regular player, it's time to make some serious investments.  Besides the clothing required to safely and effectively play this sport, you also need gear, and that includes a paintball Co2 tank.

Paintball guns are powered by portable tanks which contain either paintball Co2 or high pressure air.  Paintball Co2 tanks come in different sizes and obviously the bigger the tank, the more air it can hold which translates into more shots.  When purchasing a tank, it's essential to know exactly what you're needs are so you can be certain to get the right type for your paintball gun and the manner in which you like to play.

Paintball Co2 tanks are usually what beginners start off using.  That's why many of the available starter paintball packages include a Co2 tank.  Paintball Co2 tanks are popular because they are cheaper than high pressure air tanks, but they are also heavier and not as easy to refill.

When handling Co2 tanks for paintball guns, it's important to know exactly what you're dealing with.  Co2 is both a liquid and a gas, so this means that your paintball Co2 tank can be holding a combination of the two at any time.  Also, be sure and keep your marker speeds in check because Co2 fluctuates in velocity.

It is not a good thing when liquid Co2 gets into the valve of your gun, because it can cause erratic velocity spikes and damage o-rings.  You'll know this is happening if you see pieces of Co2 "ice" coming out of the gun.  This "ice" will not melt, but will instantly turn into gas and is very cold.  To prevent this from happening, hold your gun upside down, with the barrel pointing to the sky.

Certain paintball Co2 tanks come pre-filled with air by machine and are sealed, packaged and sold.  You can only use these one time and they cannot be refilled.  Some message boards have mentioned ways these tanks can be refilled, but don't try doing this.  The odds are the method won't work, and its possible you could severely injure yourself trying.

Pin valve tanks are an excellent choice when selecting a paintball Co2 tank. They're easy to use and maintain, quick to refill and popular.  A Co2 tank's size is determined by the amount of Co2 it can hold.  The smallest paintball Co2 tank you can refill uses 30 grams.  The largest tanks hold about 20 ounces. 

When you go to the paintball Co2 fill station to get your tank refilled, be aware that the fill operator cannot simply add some more to what is already in the tank.  The entire contents has to be emptied so that the tank is chilled, and only then can it be filled.

You will also need a good paintball Co2 regulator for your tank.  A regulator is used to regulate the pressure of the air entering a paintball gun.  It does this by shutting  off the source of the air when the pressure in the regulator's chamber hits a certain point.  Now you're set and shouldn't have to worry about getting a new paintball Co2 tank anytime soon.