CO2 Powered Budget Mag

[AGDRetro]

I am slapping a Mag together for my cousin, it will be his first paintball gun. I don't expect him to jump right into it with HPA right away, so for the time being this 68 Classic will be powered by Anti-Siphon CO2. I would like to provide him with the best low cost solution to running CO2 on a Mag and have come up with several options, your input is more than welcome. Keep in mind this is a budget project!

Straight to Valve - I do this on all my Mags, but I run HPA so it's never been an issue. Is Anti-siphon alone enough to keep the Mag shooting okay?
Gas-Thru Grip - Hope that a grip provides enough CO2 expansion to keep the Mag shooting?
Regulator - Budget in mind means NO Palmer Stabilizer, but I can easily get my hands on an older WGP reg, will this provide a better CO2 solution than a regular fore-grip though?

Suggestions!?

[craltal]

An anti-siphon *SHOULD* be enough, but using a gas-thru forgrip will definitely help. You could always add in the nice old school touch of using a longer than needed steel braided line to run to the valve and put a loop in it. The more room you give for expansion the less likely there will be a problem.

Personally I'd stay away from adding a reg due to potential flow issues

[michbich]

I'd go with a large expansion chamber. I wouldn't go with a duel reg setup because you can experience shoot down.

If i had to choose between the 3 options, i would go with the gas through foregrip.

[thegrayghost]

I'd go with a large expansion chamber. I wouldn't go with a duel reg setup because you can experience shoot down.

If i had to choose between the 3 options, i would go with the gas through foregrip.

i was thinking the same for my classic mag, using c02 sometimes...i use hpa always, but with local shops closing right and left, it leaves co2 readily more available...when you guys say gas thru forgrip, are you saying Expansion chamber forgrip? or palmers stabilizer forgrip? thankx, thegrayghost...

[craltal]

i was thinking the same for my classic mag, using c02 sometimes...i use hpa always, but with local shops closing right and left, it leaves co2 readily more available...when you guys say gas thru forgrip, are you saying Expansion chamber forgrip? or palmers stabilizer forgrip? thankx, thegrayghost...

A "palmers stabilizer forgrip" would be a reg. an expansion chamber fore grip would be good, but some of the traditional ones may be fatter than someone would like, what we are talking about are just essentially a straight tube.

like this:
http://www.discountpaintball.com/extreme-rage-gas-thru-grip-black-p-4823.html

[DamianTC]

expansion chamber = $30
regulator = $50
gas-thru grip = $30
20oz CO2 tank = $20

Total = $130

-or-

48ci aluminium HPA tank = $50


just go with the HPA, your saving weight and money

[craltal]

expansion chamber = $30
regulator = $50
gas-thru grip = $30
20oz CO2 tank = $20

Total = $130

-or-

48ci aluminium HPA tank = $50


just go with the HPA, your saving weight and money


maybe getting an HPA fill isn't easy for him?
Plus you wouldn't put an expansion chamber, gas thru, AND a reg, you'd only put one. plus the gas thru I linked to is $7 brand new so running CO2 is quite a bit cheaper and less weight

[Greg2230]

I would just use a longer steel braid going to a gas through grip and use an anti siphon co2 tank.

[Spider-TW]

New players are more sensitive to the way their marker looks, but I have a vert bottle minimag that is a lot of fun to play with in normal rec ball. It just has a 6 inch line from the adapter. It looks funny with a sizable bottle (anything other than a 5 oz.), but it plays tight and is easy to get on the field. I don't crawl much for rec ball, so the bottom length isn't an issue (even with a 20 oz.). That's with a single trigger grip. I don't think I would bother to try it with a double trigger frame.

If a gas-thru grip gives you trouble, you can pull it off and put a bottle on. :)

[Dend78]

i would use an expansion chamber, they are cheap and easy to come by plus you have a nice front grip that serves a purpose rather than just a pass through grip, without a bunch of extra line on it, plus with the anti siphon tank life should be good.

[Smoothice]

This was the exact same question I came to AO with 2 years ago. And look at me now :D

I went with an expansion chamber and a anti siphon tank. Which meant I had to get a vert adapter, which meant I had to get a new asa to come off the grip, which meant I had to get 2 new pieces of ss line, which meant I had to get 4 90* fittings.

Which meant I had spent over $50 bucks in parts to make it work.

If I had to do it over again I would have just gone with hpa.

BUT...

If hpa is very limited or hard to come by in your area then I would go with an expansion chamber. :cheers:

[Spider-TW]

This was the exact same question I came to AO with 2 years ago. And look at me now :D
And no matter how many mags you build, somehow there's always at least half a mag floating around the parts box.

[Shane-O-Mac]

I'd go with a large expansion chamber. I wouldn't go with a duel reg setup because you can experience shoot down.

If i had to choose between the 3 options, i would go with the gas through foregrip.

A properly setup regulator, will not cause shootdown. If you use a Palmer stabilizer and an anti-siphon tank, you will be fine for 90% of the year. Set the stab at 575 or so, and your good to go. Co2 cannot stay liquid at that pressure unti the temp get below 50 degrees IIRC. If you want to completely confuse people, gut the air valve reg, and use 2 stabilizers.............LOL.

AGDRetro: A WGP reg will work well with CO2 also, the old plain looking ones were best for Co2. Get one, set the pressure as I said above and anti-siphon your tank.