What makes more power? Air, Nitrogen or Argon?

[Als69GT]

I called my welding supplier and Nitrogen is $12 per 250 CF Bottle. Kiwi says he uses argon and my local scuba shop says a 100 CF tank of air at 3000 psi is $12

So does one gas make more power than another? Has anyone tried the three different gasses at the same pressure and tested over a Chrony??

Al

[kiwi]

Kiwi says he uses argon because he dose................

I have found no noticeble diffrents useing argon over air...
other than in my pocket....get it free...but its better for the gun
than air from a scuba tank as its totaly dry and moisture free.

If you want more power try helium....its very thin and travels a lot faster
than other gasses....But it leaks though gaps that other gasses won't...
hard stuff to hang on to.....

[daved]

Haven't tried argon, but I use nitrogen for my guns most of the time.  No appreciable difference in power between N2 and air, just cheaper for my situation.  What's the pressure on that nitrogen bottle?  I use a 443 cu. ft. bottle at 4500 psi, now that I'm down to one PCP I expect it to last at least a year.  I used to get 6 months shooting 2 Air Force Talons a LOT.  Regardless, it sounds like a better deal than the scuba tank.  One other thing about nitrogen vs. scuba tanks.  Although I can't prove it, I think it's drier than compressed air, and I think that's better for my guns, and that they shoot just a bit more consistently.  Good luck.

Dave

[TCups]

Which weighs more, a pound of lead or a pound of feathers?  PSI is independent of the gas being compressed.  1200 psi is 1200 psi.

[ribbonstone]

That is true of pressure, but not of how a gas flows.  SMALLER molecules (or atoms) flow better, which makes for more power.  That's why 3K of Helium gives more speed than 3K of Nitrogen (or 1K of air gives more speed than 1K of co2).

Not any real differnce in perfmoance between Nitrogen and air...air is mostly nitrogen anyway.   Would lean towards Nitrogen if that's the easiest local supply (lean towards air if that's the easiest to get tank fills).  Do have to look at the set up costs as well, most Nitrogen tanks don't come cheap (but renting the tank might be a good option).

They all sooner or later need new o-rings or seals...doesn't seem to make a differnce which of the two you're filling with.  Just can't resonably expect a pliable, flexible, o-ring to last for ever.

[kiwi]

TCups - 4/25/2009  4:54 AM

Which weighs more, a pound of lead or a pound of feathers?  PSI is independent of the gas being compressed.  1200 psi is 1200 psi.

thats totaly correct....but once it is releast diffrent gas react diffrently