About paintball high-pressure air regulators

High-pressure regulators are used to ensure your paintball guns and gear are operating at their best at all times. We recommend reading all instructions before using them, and our team will also offer advice on which products are best to use for your needs and situation.

Take advantage of this knowledge and experience where you can. It can make things a lot easier in the long run, whether you’re a seasoned paintball player or a newbie just learning the ropes.

What are high-pressure air regulators?

High-pressure air regulators are devices used with a large number of paintball guns along with air tanks to make sure every shot you make delivers the results you expect.

It might sound strange to say, but small changes in pressure can drastically change the strength of each paintball your fire. With too much it can be a lot more forceful - even dangerous - while not enough pressure could see your shot fail to reach its mark.

What do high-pressure air regulators do?

Simply, high-pressure air regulators control the pressure in your paintball gun from the air source, usually an air tank, to ensure projectiles are launched correctly. An air tank will have its own PSI rating, and regulators will lower these to a more suitable level for your model, usually between 450 and 850 PSI. Every product and paintball gun is different, so we advise doing plenty of research first to make sure you get the right air tanks and regulators to get the right pressures.

There are different regulators out available, and while many work with a range of paintball guns, some are brand specific, model specific or purpose specific. Before choosing or replacing an air regulator, check the details of your paintball gun and what it can support - as well as the air tanks that can be used with it.

In most cases, the pressure should be equal from the air tank, through the regulator and within the paintball gun. At times, this can change - especially if the channel through the regulator is too small - however a valve will allow you to release any build-up.

You’ll notice if something changes as you continue to play and fire paintballs through a game. Most often, this happens when shots are fired in quick succession with too small a channel.

What is PSI?

PSI is one of the most common ways of measuring pressure or stress, not just with air but in a number of areas. It stands for pounds per square inch, but when you see high-pressure air regulators talking numbers and PSI, it’s to do with the pressure in your paintball gun. As mentioned, this affects how your paintball gun performs.

An air tank will have it’s own PSI numbers, and the regulator will alter this to a lower number suitable for the paintball gun and game. As this is a safety issue, most products will be clear ov what’s compatible, but if you’re in doubt, check with other players using similar products or experts to be absolutely sure.

Why does this matter in paintball games?

As you’ll hear often, safety is the most important thing in paintball games. There is an element of risk, however with the right equipment and protective gear, this is reduced by a large amount.

While having fun is important, anything that increases the risk to yourself or others should be kept in mind. Using pressurised air tanks and paintball guns is one of these factors, and pressure build-ups can cause blockages or faults that change how the paintball gun works.

It’s rare as models and systems improve, but in the heat of the moment anything can happen. With so many players enjoying the sport, it’s easy to find advice and information on keeping your paintball gear in the best condition.

We’ve also got some commonly asked questions below, to fill in any gaps left over.

What’s the thread size of a paintball air tank neck?

This is the part that fits into the bottle, and it’s important to make sure the sizes match the equipment you want to use it with. If you use something not designed to work together properly, it could cause damage to your equipment.

In this case,the size is 5/8-18 UNF.

What’s the size that fits into the paintball gun or air source adaptor (ASA)?

It’s known as the CGA 320, which has the following specs of:

  • 13/16" (.825") outer diameter
  • 14 threads per inch

For more details there is a helpful chart at CONCOA Precision Gas Controls.

How can I fill a paintball tank?

We'll start with what you can't fill it up with. A car compressor isn't going to cut it, you'll need something capable of filling up to 200 bar.

This type of compressor can be found at a local dive shop, or you can pop into our paintball shop. You can also invest in a high-pressure stirrup pump, but be prepared for this to take some time.

Another way to fill, and probably the easiest, is to decant from a scuba tank into a smaller paintball or Airsoft high-pressure air tank. To do this you'll need a scuba refill station.

For more info please see our specialist Paintball HPA Air Tank Regulator collection. You can also contact our team if you have any questions not covered here.



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