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Well there is a multifacited question. OK quick and dirty answer HPA is not better than CO2. Start flaming here. They are both good sources of power. The HPA will run at any temp, has a regulator built onto the tank, stored as a gas, and is more consistant as the day goes on. CO2 will work on most markers, is cheap in fills and initial tank cost, dosen't need to be hydro'd as often, gives you more shots per tank size wise then HPA.
So why do people use HPA? Glad you asked. The better consistancy (which can be gained by putting a in-line regulator on CO2) gives you a more truer velocity per shot. CO2 will change its consistancy based on how hot it is outside. Also the CO2 will have velocity spikes as the internal pressure (and outside world temp) increases. The warmer it gets, the more liquid will change to gas inreasing the internal pressure. CO2 can also spill liquid CO2 into your gun (this is how it is in the tank) wrecking the o-rings. Now of course for this to happen, you would have to turn the gun upside and fire off a dozen shots. With me so far?
So this kind of explains consistancy. You have a reg and you don't have liquid CO2 expanding in your powertube causing your velocity to go up into lethal range. OK just kidding on that one. Now about presure and why you get more shots per tank for CO2. Liquid CO2 will constantly expand out to around 800 psi. Liquid CO2 is what is put into the CO2 tank. That is why it can get cold and freeze up your gun, hey look it's snowing!!!. Since the CO2 will expand out to 800 psi while it goes from liquid to gas, as long as your tank is about 10% full you will maitain the 800 psi needed to operate the marker. Your 4500 psi tank is pressurized gas. So you lose a bit of pressure with every shot. At 10% full you are only at 450 psi. Your gun won't work. You can however get a SCUBA tank setup to fill your tank on the field up to 3000 psi. You need a compressor (a big several thousand $ one) to fill to 4500.
But HPA is a "cleaner gas." Well yeah, I hate it when I get thoe metal shavings mixed with my paintballs. I think this is more of a carryover from when it was referred to as Nitrogen tanks. That had to be medical grade Nitrogen (no not laughing gas, although that would be fun) and thus was fltered. CO2 is filled as a liquid. The mere fact that the guns don't have a filter shows that there really isn't much in the way of contaminets.
HPA is cheaper to fill or CO2 is cheaper to fill. This really depends on where you go and how you fill it. At my pro shop Hogans Alley in Meriden CT (a gold store per BT) they fill a buck per 1000 psi or 3 bucks per 20 oz tank. Don't know about the other CO2 sizes. So a 3000 psi tank is the same but a 4500 will cost more. OK so you fill a SCUBA tank for 3 bucks and get a dozen fills. Well fill is relative because as the pressure in the fill tank drops, you can't exceed that pressure in the tank filled. You can also ust get a 100 lbs CO2 tank and do the same for your 20 oz tank giving you possibly 100+ fills. So cost is all relative as to which one is better.
Now the cost doesn't factor in Walmart who will exchange your 20 oz tank for a full one for $8. Kind of a rip off, unless you need to hydro that is. It is done by Blue Rhino. The sticker states that the 20 oz is filled with 16 oz liquid CO2. This is to allow room for the liquid to expand into the gas.
Don't let someone tell you that you need HPA to be competitive, the facts don't line up. So why do people use HPA when the same thing can be accomplished with CO2 and some cash and care????? Easy because we want to.
Jim
