How to Screw a CO2 Cylinder into a Paintball Gun

The recreational sport of paintball involves two teams getting into a paintball "war" using the many different types of paintball handguns, rifles, and cannons available on the market today. Although there are different models of paintball guns, they all use the same type of fuel to propel the paintballs -- carbon dioxide -- commonly referred to as CO2. Read this information to learn how to properly screw in your CO2 tank into your paintball gun.

Things You'll Need

  • Paintball gun
  • CO2 tank
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Instructions

    • 1

      Purchase a CO2 tank for your paintball gun. There are 3 different sizes you can buy: the 9 oz, 12 oz, and 20 oz tank. What size you want depends on your needs; if you have a big paintball rifle, you may want to consider getting a bigger tank.

    • 2

      Locate the CO2 port on the paintball gun. This port is located usually directly below the stock of the gun, near the hand grip.

    • 3

      Check the O-ring of the CO2 tank, which is the plastic ring located right below the threads of the tank. Check to make sure that this ring is not cracked, warped, or damaged in any way, as this can cause CO2 leakage during use.

    • 4

      Match the threads of the CO2 tank and the CO2 port and screw the tank into the paintball gun in a clockwise fashion. While doing so, keep the tank as centered to the port as possible; this reduces the chance of thread-stripping, which could cause gun issues later on.

    • 5

      Tighten the tank until it is hand-tight. Place your ear up to the seal between the tank and the gun, and listen for CO2 leaks. If you hear none, load your gun, and try shooting it.