Air Bottle Pressure Range

[Bob Shields]

All, I am looking for guidance on the pressure range needed in the gas bottles that we use to clear fouled firearms during our skirmishes. What is the recommended amount of pressure needed in an air bottle to clear most fouled firearms? Feedback appreciated. Thanks.

[Joseph Plakis Jr, 00302V]

CO2 (carbon dioxide) extinguishers are high pressurecylinders with pressures ranging from 1500 psi to 2150 psi depending on the temperature.
All of the cylinders that I have seen used have a fitting on the end of thehose that goes over the nipple. Every one that I have seen used has “leakage”.I do not think you can hold back 1500 PSI by hand so thepressure that is in the barrel is a lot less than that. I have used a Devicethat holds a hobby CO2 cylinder (used in air guns). I have been told thepressure in these little cylinders is 850 PSI. This also has “leakage”.
If you are trying to “make something up” to clear afouled gun I would suggest that are extremely careful if you copy the CO2extinguisher type because any compressed gas at a high pressure is verydangerous. I would also like to point out that if the gas or liquid comes incontact with your skin can cause frostbite and skin damage. Any hose that youuse has to be a high pressure hose that will handle the pressure in thecylinder.
Bottom line be safe!

[Maillemaker]

I recently bought one of those little CO2 blasters after loading a squib at the range ended my day of shooting.

They are great. They are like $30, and come with 3 CO2 bottles. They work perfectly - blow your ball right out of the gun.

Steve

[Gary Van Kauwenbergh, 101]

We bought a small surplused fire extinguisher, and then replaced the hard nozzle cone with a flexible hose rubber- tipped nozzle that you can hold against a nipple. We have five or six skirmishes a year, and we've refilled the bottle with CO2 once for less than $20 in about eight years. The cylinders are all marked near the valves with the maximum pressure it will hold, and the last inspection date.
Don’t worry about the high pressure rating on the bottle. That’s what the cylinder holds, not what’s coming out of the valve. Excess pressure spilling out around the nipple hasn’t been a concern. I forget how often they need to be inspected, but if the date stamped on the cylinder is too old, they’ll need to inspect and pressure check the tank before they refill it. That’s not cost inhibitive, and the folks who refill extinguishers are used to doing it.
I think the small CO2 cartridge devices are nice for individual use, but if that’s all we had, there would be a big pile of empty cartridges over the years.
A half inch diameter rod is a good thing to have around too. I’ve only seen once where one didn’t push a stuck round down to the breach so it could be fired out.