What size air tank do most of you buy?

I dont know if you have a compressor. I will assume you dont. I also dont know how far you will have to drive to get it filled and the cost. But if I was you I would get the 98CF tank (4500psi). The reason being that it is not that big or heavy. I think the extra fills you will get will be worth the miniscule weight and size difference. I had the 90CI guppy Air Venturi tank and it is great but gave me maybe 4 or five fills. Then I bought a Air Venturi compressor to fill it. But then I got the Air Venturi 98CF tank and get like 24 to 26 fills I believe. And I dont have to lug around my 80 pound compressor when I take a weekend trip. And it fits in an old backpack my son doesnt use for school anymore. Just my opinion. Good luck.

I like the 88CF for around the house and 66CF for travel.

I have a 74cf tank I take out to the range with me and it works nice with my .25-.30 but I have a few air hog airguns and I’m thinking of going up to a 98cf tank just for that extra air, I too also have a AV compressor to fill my tanks. If your shooting a 177-22-25 the 74cf tank is fine.

First tank I bought was an Omega 100 CF. Then I bought a guppy because I found it on ebay for $150! Then I bought a compressor. Now I'm looking at 500cc tanks because the guppy is more than I want to carry around all day.It's a slippery slope I tell ya! 

I have an Omega 74 cu foot 4500 PSI tank from AoA. Using fill calculator, I think I will get 40-45 fills on my DS Regal XL in .22 caliber. Only one PCP gun right now, but no need for compressor yet. 

I am sorry I did not get the larger Omega CF tank, which I think was 100 cu feet. It was not that much more $$$ and is still relatively small. 

If you do the math you will find the 100 & 98 cu foot tanks are actually 88 cu feet and the 74's are actually 66 cu foot. The SCBA sales Co. is a good place to get used tanks. They come with a fresh hydro. The 60 min tanks are 88 cu feet, the 45 min tanks are 66 cu feet and the 30 min tanks are 44 cu feet.http://www.scbasalesco.com/product-category/cylinders/msa-cylinders/

RonT,

Air tanks are like ice cream cones: the BIGGER the BETTER; the MORE the MERRIER!!!. And the BEST tasting ice cream cones are FREE!

Please hear me out:

Experience will teach you NOT to get a small tank unless you simply want one to carry in the field. I will guess that your preference for a smaller tank has more to do with economic restriction than anything else. But I've got TWO full sized carbon fiber SCBA 4500psi tanks complete with valves and integral pressure gauges. Total investment? A mere $120 TOTAL. My guess is that you'll pay WAY more than that for a smaller tank. 

TRUE STORY:

I paid $120 for a used SCBA tank (the BIG one) from a member of this forum. He emptied it before he shipped it to me (required by law). So I drove 70 miles one way to have it filled at a dive shop (the closest fill station available). It had only 1 month left before its expiration date. The dive shop owner told me that it was probably my last fill since it was about to expire. I told him that I didn't care since I had my own compressor (a $350 Shoebox compressor) and could keep it topped off with that after the first (last) fill from him. He pointed to the corner of the room at what appeared to be a brand spanking new SCBA tank already full of air. He told me that it had expired and he could not fill it and that it was mine if I wanted it. I came home with 2 big SCBA tanks complete with valves and gauges and full of air. 

If not FREE, expired SCBA tanks are cheap!!! 

Are they safe? You bet!!! That's why they are now licensing these tanks for an additional 15 years. BOTH of my tanks could be re-licensed under the new provision. Will I do it? NO!

I cringe when I see what people pay for carbon fiber tanks. 

The only thing unnecessary about BIG tanks is the outrageously high price people pay for them. 

@18.13, bingo! 88 cu ft is about the largest size. Commonly called a 60 minute SCBA tank. Not sure where the 98 and 100 cu ft specs come from. But they physically are the same size as the 88 cu ft SCBA tanks. Maybe the higher spec is at 5000 psi? +1 to 18.13. 

My most recent tank 45 min. was bought off the bay for $25 and $12 shipping works great.

My thoughts on tanks. If you have a compressor or fill source the 45 cf tanks are the idea size for grab and go. Lot more fills and fun then the Joe b guppy type. Also idea size for filling with Yong Heng compressor. If you need to travel for refills the 88 cf, or Joe B great white size is the way to go.

I shoot teatherd most of the time and the 74cf/66cf works nicely for this, getting ready for today.



And Teatherd.

Hello, I bought the re-certified 4500psi carbon 88cu.ft. tank from Pyramyd. The cost up front was much cheaper than new and still gives me 10 years of use. Many opinions on these tanks, but for me, the up front savings of $250-$300 was my reason for buying. Not the most fancy or top of the line but it gets the job done smoothly & efficiently. Best buy ever as far as I'm concerned... so much easier and convenient than pumping or using an aluminum scuba tank! I shoot as much as I want without conserving air because I'm worried about pumping!

My 4500psi carbon 88cu.ft. tank gives me about 11 fills in my gun's 480cu.in. bottle. That's from 140bar to 250bar. For reference, 11 fills is conservatively 700+ shots in my Crown! I also have an 3000psi 80cu.ft. aluminum tank which isn't much good on it's own because of the lower, 3000psi pressure. When I use the two tanks together to cascade, I can get about 22-24 fills or about 1500+ shots! Cascading; is when I fill the gun's bottle to 2800-3000psi(193-206bar) with the aluminum tank and then top it off with the carbon tank to 3625psi.(250bar).

I think BIGGER is better as far as tank size goes and most will agree. However, it depends on whether or not you're going to take the tank in the field, if you have a place to get it easily filled, how much you shoot, etc... The only reason to get a smaller tank is if you're going to move them around a lot. Even then, the carbon tank empty only weighs like 13lbs. With a cheap nylon handle attached, even it's very easy to lug around! I drop off the tanks on the way to work about twice a month, pick them up after work and I'm good to go. Eventually, I'm going to get a good compressor too. Then I'll really be set!

I attached a picture of my inexpensive carbon tank with carry handle(and cheap packing foam for protection) from Pyramyd and my aluminum scuba tank. You can see how much smaller the carbon tank is than the aluminum. Much lighter too. And, like I said, with both tanks I can get about 23-24 fills or 1500+ shots. I hope this helped add to the info you already received. Stoti

Yep. Bigger is better. I got the 76 (I think) and now I wish I had the 100. With all my guns using 230-250, the pressure falls off pretty fast from 4500 on my current tank. I think I can fill from 150-250 maybe 10 times before the pressure is low enough that I have to start filling to 230. I do have my own compressor so no big deal. But I would like to fill the big tank less often. Some weekends I shoot the tank down from 4500 to 3000. That isn't very many fills and the 100 would be really nice.

So, if the weight isn't a problem, bigger is better for sure.



Crusher

Knowing what I know now? The Omega 100 cu/ft tank will be my next tank!


For me Bigger is better! I don't have any need to carry one in the field with me.

My FX Impact holds enough air for a day of hunting carrying any additional air is unnecessary.

If I go to the range then I want to have as much air as possible!

A little tidbit on tanks sizes: the reason(s) that the 100cu.ft is known as a 88cu.ft and the 75 is a 66 has to do with the IdealGasLaw. Above 3000psi the IGL isn't so "ideal". Air molecules are so compressed that its tough to get more air in. Thus, under "ideal" conditions the 1hour tank should hold 100cu.ft. but in "real" conditions it will only hold 88cu.ft. at 4,500psi. So, when buying tanks the "100cu.ft." model is the EXACT same tank as the 88cu.ft. version. Likewise the 75 and the 66 are the same size tanks.

I started out with a 97cu.ft. Great White from Joe Brancato at Airtanksforsale.com and don't regret it. I'm a "Go big or go home" kind of guy. Depends on the cash flow sometimes lol.

I run the 75, It is a retired firefighter carbon fiber tank. I had it for years and works great. I love the light weight.

I have the 77 tiger shark Joe B tank, but I am old and weak.