Running the Pump guns on air?

[campbell08]

Hey, im a total pump noob so if this sounds stupid don't flame :0.
Anyway its christmas and im talking to my mum's boyfriend about paintball and he was saying how he used to marshall and that hes still got 2 old pumps in the garage and said he would trade it with me for the new CoD world at war, because i got 2 .
Me and my friend want to play paintball while not on a field and fancy having a laugh without using loads and loads of paint. i got a 12l Air tank and x2 3000psi tanks will my air tanks work on the pumps?

Sorry i don't no the pump make but its around 10 years old :/
i try find out soon but if anyone know anything about pumps , spill the beans
-Thanks campbell

 

[Stencil]

Yes.

 

[M600]

yep air should be fine, you might want to strip and clean the pumps before you take em out for play

 

[campbell08]

Why do so many people use Co2 for Pumps then :/ (When i mean "So many peope" i mean all the youtube videos i have watched =p)

 

[Stencil]

Some people say that older pump guns where designed to run on CO2, as that's obviously all they had back then.

However, there's no real evidence proving this.

 

[SAMUEL.D.RYAN]

Well there could be many reasons; CO2 tanks tend to be lighter, as the pressure they are required to contain is lower as the contents are not always gas (the pressure contained by a CO2 tank is about 900psi most of the time); CO2 tanks are readily available in much smaller versions than conventional air tanks; most pump markers WILL run on air, but examples such as nelsons were made for CO2, and players that have played for a long time may not see the point in making the change; CO2 tanks are available in a 3.5 oz size that does not require a hydro test every 5 years due to it's size.

All in all, CO2 with a mech marker isn't really all that bad...

 

[M600]

tbh if your running co2 on semi's you gotta have an expansion chamber
dunno if you need these for pumps?
it would give you a more consistent reading right?

 

[jack_judge]

The best method i have found with pumps is hpa a lot more consistent as your not dealing with gases and liquids. If i were you i reccomend a 3000psi steely tank on an old pump with a donkey out back as often the bottle seizes inside the donkey due to built up air pressure and other nastys trying to lock your thread it makes it easier to shoot out 0.8 of 3000psi than it does 1.1 of 4500 just a little tip of myne to save your decent bottles threads.

 

[Andygoth]

If you run a pump on Air then watch your seals, CO2 seals are designed to work when practically frozen. The seals may not take well to the warmth when you change to air.
You will probably have to change the springs as well, for phantom users CCI sell a spring sets for both air and CO2, On air you may struggle to get upto 280-300 fps with a standard spring set.
I have one phantom running on air and one on co2. My Budd Orr Sniper however does not like running on air at all and just hisses and fizzes.

On the subject of tank testing a tank with a DOT E7737 stamp does not need retesting. If I remember right this is 7oz downwards. But it has to have the stamp

 

[Gee Tee]

I've run pumps on both but it's usually a good idea to re-spring to get the best efficiency. You also need an expansion tank or anti syphon on CO2 to prevent liquid being drawn in, otherwise velocity goes off the charts.

My cocker is sprung for air with HP reg dialled to about 450psi. I have to keep the HP reg if switching to CO2, or the velocity drops due to higher tank pressure holding poppit valve closed.