For those considering using an oxygen tank for filling PCP. Pix

[Joe_Brancato]

For those that call us at TGAG (TopGun-Airguns.com) and say "I want to use my oxygen tank to fill my PCP airgun".
To them I give a firm "NO!" (Think how a diesel engine works, Fuel, O2, and pressure= BOOOM!!!)
I have pix of of a couple of PCP that people thought they could fill with O2. This will happen when one use O2.

People sometimes call me overly cautious because I won't sell certain products (that would net me MORE profit). I come from the aerospace industry.

 

[Mike_Lenardon]

If I remember correctly this gun was filled with oxygen right at the hospital where the guy worked. Any which way the only thing you fill your gun with is compressed air or nitrogen.
Any way I sure hope the person involved is ok.
Merry Christmas all.

 

[Filnez]

Inert gases only. Oxygen equals boom. The warnings around oxygen equipment are there for a reason!

 

[rayroz]

Joe says NO and he is right! Not only goes boom but it will burn your poop down

 

[Ca_Varminter]

Hi Joe B.
This is a BETTER. BOOM...

This was Once a Rapid MKI...
Oxygen in PCP= BOOM

Stuart from the old AirgunAdvice.net

 

[LegacyP]

Good advice!

 

[Mike_Lenardon]

Inert gases only. Oxygen equals boom. The warnings around oxygen equipment are there for a reason!

Helium is an inert gas. You dont want to use that either.

 

[Geezerhood]

There is enough oxygen in regular compressed air to cause an explosion / detonation / dieseling if you provide the right amount of combustible material such as a hydrocarbon oil and the right amount of pressure. If I am remembering my 1974 chemistry class, oxygen alone will not diesel under pressure, nor will it explode or burn at all by itself. It will however dramatically accelerate something that is already burning and can cause a more significant boomski than the same amount of combustible material combined with air. I am guessing that they had a fair amount some combustible oil inside both of those Kabooms, but I know it doesn't take much oil/grease to set if off, as shown by the guys intentionally dieseling their springers on YouTube with just a drop of oil or petroleum jelly.

I have frequently seen erroneous "FLAMMABLE GAS" signs near Oxygen tanks. I guess they wanted to get peoples attention more so than a sign that says "OXYGEN IN USE".

 

[rayroz]

Its on you , have fun with your experiments ……Ray

 

[Ca_Varminter]

So Very True... Oxygen is NOT Flammable............
BUT, It is a Very Powerful Oxidizer!!
Many things will act very differently in a PURE Oxygen environment..
Like Aluminum, it will burn like a Flare...
Notice the "Sputter" marks on the side of the Rapid MKI Receiver..... That is the results of the aluminum Burning!!!

 

[whyzee]

Nothing a new oring can’t fix!

 

[Hw9720]

If I remember correctly this gun was filled with oxygen right at the hospital where the guy worked. Any which way the only thing you fill your gun with is compressed air or nitrogen.
Any way I sure hope the person involved is ok.
Merry Christmas all.

No, the person was burned pretty bad. I remember when this happed also.

tim

 

[BlackICE]

Air is 21% O2 so at up to 300 bar the 02 concentration is equivalent to pure 02 at 63 bar. Still a very strong oxidizer and still very dangerous! That's why you shouldn't use any materials like hydrocarbon based oils inside any of the the high pressure areas of a PCP. Even if the gun didn't blow up it would surely oxidize/rust more rapidly than with air. Nitrogen is safer to use than air since the O2 content is negligible so it isn't an oxidizer. Some of the noble gases would be good to but they are more expensive and may leak more. You wouldn't want to use Radon even if you could get it!

 

[Fatmike]

Helium is an inert gas. You dont want to use that either.

Why not helium? Bigbore guys have been using helium for a while now.

 

[rcs9250]

So Very True... Oxygen is NOT Flammable............
BUT, It is a Very Powerful Oxidizer!!
Many things will act very differently in a PURE Oxygen environment..
Like Aluminum, it will burn like a Flare...
Notice the "Sputter" marks on the side of the Rapid MKI Receiver..... That is the results of the aluminum Burning!!!

Some years back, Sandia Laboritories did some experimenting with oxygen and “ non-flammable” materials. There was nothing that they COULDN’T light up. NOTHING. Concrete, asbestos, glass, steel, you name it, they got it to burn with oxygen.

 

[abqjoe]

Wow, that's a recipe for a really bad day!

 

[Mike_Lenardon]

Why not helium? Bigbore guys have been using helium for a while now.

You need to set the gun up for helium. Its a thinner gas than compressed air and way thinner than nitrogen. Helium produces more power than compressed air for that reason.
As long as your gun is set up for helium all will be good.

 

[Headshots]

But he won the fpe race with one shot . Totally worth it.

 

[rcs9250]

You need to set the gun up for helium. Its a thinner gas than compressed air and way thinner than nitrogen. Helium produces more power than compressed air for that reason.
As long as your gun is set up for helium all will be good.

Except helium is stupid expensive. I used to dive with it and a “T” bottle was $500. I had to buy a booster pump for $7,500 to be able to scavenge as much as possible.

 

[JW652]

Some years back, Sandia Laboritories did some experimenting with oxygen and “ non-flammable” materials. There was nothing that they COULDN’T light up. NOTHING. Concrete, asbestos, glass, steel, you name it, they got it to burn with oxygen.

Absolutely agree. The presence of pure O2 lowers the ignition temperature of carbon based materials.