Does anyone use other gases than air?

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ua5qb

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Jun 11, 2018
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NSW
Met a chap who has a large cylinder of Nitrogen in his workshop, no longer used in his business so he now fills his PCP with Nitrogen gas. Just wondering if anyone else has tried it and results.

Took my scuba tank into be recharged, guys wouldn't do it until it has been pressure tested. Scuba tanks won't be recharged unless they are tested every 12 months...


 
I used nitrogen before I got my compressor. Air is something like 78% nitrogen anyways so.... basically the same in your gun. 

Scuba shops are hard on airgunners for some reason. They probably told you it needs tested every year to detour you from coming back and hoping you dont know better. 5 years is the industry standard for testing HPA tanks. 
 
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PCP manufacturers usually put some sort of disclaimer in the manual 
about using only compressed air - as that's what the systems were intended for.. Nitrogen works fine too.. 
Gasses are different make ups / weights, so, they'll expand and contract and at different temps / forces / pressures as well..

Helium and Nitrogen were nice options. Helium is a Non Renewable gas though, so, pretty much rule that out..

Nitrogen is the best alternative option now.

I'd say for the best / most efficient way to go about it would be to go with the largest tank you can get, 
and either use that, or, use it as a filling station source to fill / top off smaller bottles..

AirGas and Haun are two leading suppliers, but, you'll have to set up an account with them.
Sometimes you can buy a tank outright and have it filled / refilled.. 
Other times, you just 'rent' their tanks, and they'll swap them out if/when needed..

There might also be restrictions about size for 'individuals' vs 'shops'.

As a custom/weld shop owner/operator, I've always gotten the biggest tanks available, 
but, in my case, it was Argon, Argon/Co2, Co2. - I never had the need for Helium or Nitrogen..

Prices will range - sort of like supply/demand, also like the price of metals..
So, depending on where you live and when you need it, prices can/will fluctuate. So keep that in mind. 

Also, aside from just a tank and filling / refilling - you'd need the correct / specific gauge system..

Different gasses / tanks use different setups.

On/Off valve, gauge, [regulator - and those can get Expensive] hoses.. 
[Apparently some people opt to use the systems w/o regs, but, I wouldn't chance that personally]

I have 2 big / full tanks of Pure Argon and 75/25 Argon/Co2 just sitting there at my mini-shop an hour away, 
and it has been very tempting to convert them.. 
I can't weld where I'm living now, so I might as well put that gas to good use somehow. haha 

🙂 

Sam -
 
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I think the major benefit of nitrogen would be that it is completely dry, therefore no need for desiccants from compressing straight air. if you can get it at good price and its convenient , I say go for it. I did some shopping a few weeks ago and it's true about the bottle rental. it was 55. for the year. and 60. per fill. but I was getting it through a friend in the business. Then there are the specific regs which are pricey that you'll need unless you roll the dice and do with out. For me , I got lucky because the local firehouse will fill tanks for me.....it helps to know someone there. 

Best of luck in your journey.
 
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I've been using helium for about three years now. First in my big bore .457 then because I had it already, when I got my Impact .25 used it in that also. Then a Marauder and Urban .22's all on helium. I don't really need the power of helium for the Urban but I'm set up for it and just keep it dialed down. The Impact and Marauder are in different stages of being converted into slug guns so I'm going full power with those two. One has a TJ's un-choked and the other a LW un-choked barrel. It was taking so long to get the Impact re barreled I got impatient and bought the Marauder then the Urban so I had something to tinker with. The Marauder was finished and then a leak with the new high flow valve so another couple week setback. The Impact is re barreled and sitting in N.C. at FX USA waiting for a high power tune. I'll be posting results when I finally get one ready for testing.
 
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Do the threads matchup, same gauge, hoses & regulators on a Nitrogen tank as a compressed air scuba tank?

Could I fill my scuba tank with nitrogen instead of compressed air.

I started thinking more about this after cleaning the barrel on my FX Impact, a couple of shots to blow out any residue of cleaning fluid. There appeared to be a spray even though I used cleaning wads. It got me thinking - just how much water was in the cylinder when it is charged. Dry air would be uncomfortable while diving as our airways need moisture to exchange gases in our lungs.

I pay $12Au per fill and $50Au once a year to have the tank re-certified. Say about $86Au to $100Au per year for compressed air. I've put about 2K of pellets through my FX Impact Have just ordered my third tin of JSB Exacts.
 
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Nitrogen works great but you need a gauge set. Preferably a regulated gauge set but those are $500-$600. If I were inclined to buy a high end $3-$4k compressor to fill a scuba tank I would just rent a 6000psi nitrogen tank. No maintenance. Just fill your rifle and shoot. They drop them off at your house and switch the tanks out. We get about 350 Marauder fills out of a tank. So basically a person could shoot everyday for a year so a normal guy that shoots 2-3 days a week could shoot for several years on a tank. Of course I am talking about normal rifles and not some big bore air hog that gets 8 shots per fill. Nitrogen tanks aren't portable though. So you could get a guppy carbon tank and fill it off the nitrogen tank if you want to travel.
 
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Nothing but nitrogen for me. It’s dry and clean
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