CO2 Gun Issues

[RT]

I'm considering buying a used Steyr LP1 as a relatively low cost entry pistol. I'm just wondering if dealing with the CO2 is a pain compared to a compressed air gun and just using a pump. How do I get the bulk tank filled? Do I need a scale to weigh the cylinder? What does a filling setup cost? If someone could explain all of this it would be very helpfull.

RT

[Guest]

RT
This may be of some help.
http://www.pilkguns.com/co2.shtml

[CraigE]

While I don't use CO2 now, I found it to be very easy to manage. Simple postal scale (analog/spring variety) is more than adequate and can be bought for under $10. The initial outlay for a 5# bottle of CO2 (from beverage vendor) ran about $70. Refills (which were actuall exchange of tank) run about $6-7. If you are not traveling to distant matches, CO2 and two cylinders for the pistol will be very very satisfactory. I switched to CA and the pump so as not needing to depend on any supply at matches and not needing to cart a bulk tank along. Normal temperature ranges (i.e. acceptable for us humans) had negligible effect on point of impact. I shoot about 20,000 pellets a year and my filling costs ran about $12 for the year. From what I am given to understand, CA is often available at ranges, but CO2 is less readily available. With CA and a pump, this won't affect me. By contrast, with two cylinders for an LP1, there are nearly 300 shots available....hence no real problem either. HTH CraigE

[Bruce Martindale]

I have both and prefer CO2. Air has only one advantage while CO2 has only one disadvantage. That is temperature dependence of saturation pressure. It isnt an accuracy issue but if you are shooting in very high temperatures, the gun may not fire because the hammer cant overcome the higher cylinder pressure. In extreme cold, like leaving the gun in the car at wintertime, the gas pressure is low. Now the advantages, it goes forever on a fill while I barely make a full match on air. I used to weigh every fill and discovered that if I filled a room temperature but empty cylinder, I get approx 70% fill and never over, didnt need to weigh. If I chilled the cyl or flashed it off before filling, it would over fill and needed to be vented. I didnt do this once and it warmed up a little and the gun wouldnt fire and it was difficult to even vent it. The use rate is non linear so a 100% fill has vapor carryover and does not last any longer than a 70% fill. So I vent off low cylinders after 250 shots (Steyr LP1) and fill them later. Hey "tastes great less filling" You can leave a full air cyl in a hot car and should not do this with CO2 as they will blow the safety valve.

Any way sorrry for the long wheeze. Do not fear CO2 you will like it.

[cdf]

Grab it ! We have a fine LP1 and a few Walthers at our club , their owners are pretty happy . The equipment needed for C02 is cheaper than a high performance hand pump or a scuba tank . It's a lot easier to find an outfit who will fill a C02 cylinder than than to convince some dive shops to fill a non diver's scuba tank.

Chris

[RT]

Thanks for all the help. How about the size of the tank versus number of shots? Is a 5 or 10 lb tank sufficient? I'm not sure I want a huge tank.

[crrmeyer]

Thanks for all the help. How about the size of the tank versus number of shots? Is a 5 or 10 lb tank sufficient? I'm not sure I want a huge tank.

You will get a lot of shots out of a 5 lb tank - so skip the heavier 10lb one unless you get it for cheap.

Charles

[Fred Mannis]

I'm considering buying a used Steyr LP1 as a relatively low cost entry pistol. I'm just wondering if dealing with the CO2 is a pain compared to a compressed air gun and just using a pump. How do I get the bulk tank filled? Do I need a scale to weigh the cylinder? What does a filling setup cost? If someone could explain all of this it would be very helpfull.

RT

It is easy to convert the LP1 (CO2) to LP1P (CA). I did it with mine. So if you ever decide that you prefer the logistics of CA, you can convert.

It is a great AP. SOme say even better than the LP10

Have fun!

[Mark Briggs]

OK, I'll second many of the opinions here. I, too, have an LP1 running on Co2 and love it. I converted it to CA, and quite franky, was vastly disappointed. The pistol simply never grouped worth a darn when running CA. It produces fantastic groups on Co2, but try as I might I couldn't get it to make a tight test target on CA. So... I converted it back to Co2.

You'd be hard pressed to beat an LP1. Co2 has no shortcomings for anybody other than an elite international-level shooter (Co2 is getting harder to find at world cups).

Oh, there's one more benefit... The Co2 powered LP1 is significantly quieter than a CA-powered LP-10. I've owned an LP10 and my family commented negatively on its noise level as compared to the LP1 when I was shooting in our basement range. The LP1 using Co2 doesn't have as sharp a "crack"

[RobStubbs]

You'd be hard pressed to beat an LP1. Co2 has no shortcomings for anybody other than an elite international-level shooter (Co2 is getting harder to find at world cups).

That's not quite true. You will find it hard to shoot a CO2 gun in cold weather as the liquid CO2 doesn't then easily (quickly) turn into the gas. I have also never seen it at any comps so you'd need to make sure you had your own supply. Oh and don't let the cylinders get too hot - i.e. like leaving them in a hot car. They can spontaneously discharge their contents as the gas.

Rob.

[Bill177]

It is true that Co2 doesn't perform well in cold weather. But, neither do I!

Most competitions are held indoors where it is warm and of constant temperature.

Unless you are looking at a change of 20 degrees every few minutes and a general temperature below 45 degres - there is no problem.

If conditions were such as described, I'd not be shooting - I'd be in the lodge getting warm by the fireplace.

[RobStubbs]

It is true that Co2 doesn't perform well in cold weather. But, neither do I!

Most competitions are held indoors where it is warm and of constant temperature.

Unless you are looking at a change of 20 degrees every few minutes and a general temperature below 45 degres - there is no problem.

If conditions were such as described, I'd not be shooting - I'd be in the lodge getting warm by the fireplace.

That may be the case where you are but for example in my club range it drops down to maybe 5'C in the winter which would make the gun useless. So yep comps will almost always be in the warm, club ranges often aren't though.

Rob.