why not pressurised air?

[markgodley]

Coming from a paintball background myself, they tend to use compressed air from a bottle.

However the airsoft way tends to be AEG's. But why?

From my reasearch, there does appear to be some airsoft guns that are compressed air such as the polarstar pr15. It seems to have:
1) faster response
2) greater control over fps allowing you to increase to 450+ or come down to 300fps
3) no gear box

Only negatives seem to be the hose needed to connect to the gun and carrying a container. Obviously also cost.. but i imagine that's just due to the lack of them around as they aren't the norm.

So how come this method never took off in airsoft?

[BAMF]

Re: why not pressurised air?

Realism?

Not many people running around with a bottle attached to their guns. Suspension of belief and all that.

[Boo-Sabum Ben]

Re: why not pressurised air?

With the number of M4s we have running around, surely there's room in buffer tubes. I think it could be a goer. Obviously small quantities though. How long would a buffer tube full last?

[BAMF]

Re: why not pressurised air?

At some of the sites I've been to with the hicap heroes, about 30 seconds.

[Apurturesci]

Re: why not pressurised air?

Because most airsofters don't want a BB hose with no feedback, as useful for gaming as it might be. Polarstar are becoming popular, but only for those who play a lot and want something that's useful as a pure tool for the game. For people like me that get a lot more fun out of target shooting, upgrading and just fiddling all the time, the idea of an air rigged gun that sprays BBs without doing much else just sounds a bit rubbish, but as I said if you're only interested in the best gaming tool then you may want one. I buy airsoft guns that have lots of things to play with, replicating the real gun as close as it can even if it isn't very efficient - I almost like being at a disadvantage skirmishing so I have to 'work' that bit harder which I find more fun (Using Tanaka revolvers for example), so Polarstar doesn't really appeal to me.

[steve grey]

Re: why not pressurised air?

All about the realism for me, I like my guns to look and feel, as close to the real thing as is possible, so tubes and bottles wouldn't really appeal to me, but each to his own.

[PureSilver]

Re: why not pressurised air?

How long would a buffer tube full last?

Not long. With the need to have thick walls to contain the 3000psi HPA, the tiny volume left over would (I estimate) leave you less than a hundred shots at best. HPA isn't stored as a liquid, so you don't have the same kind of expansion as other airsoft propellants enjoy. Wolfgeorge, on this forum, has been documenting trying to fit an 8ci HPA tank (c.130ml, so very very small, but it still doesn't fit) into the stock of a Polar*'d Barrett M82. I don't know what his shot expectancy was, but it wasn't high.

[Proto]

Re: why not pressurised air?

It's expensive and looks wrong with that hose. GBBs don't need a regulator to avoid blowing apart on propane, and HPA is kept in much higher pressure tanks than GBB mags can hold, let alone release in a regulated, low pressure manner. An internal HPA rig would be pretty awesome as a PTW competitor but unfortunately it'd also more than compete in price.

- - - Updated - - -

It's expensive and looks wrong with that hose. GBBs don't need a regulator to avoid blowing apart on propane, and HPA is kept in much higher pressure tanks than GBB mags can hold, let alone release in a regulated, low pressure manner. An internal HPA rig would be pretty awesome as a PTW competitor but unfortunately it'd also more than compete in price.

[happyal]

Re: why not pressurised air?

This system has been around for a very long time in airsoft, before AEG's came out.

http://youtu.be/jJU79246YcU

You don't see much of them at a normal skirmish site, but there are quite a few in the UK.

[Snowman]

Re: why not pressurised air?

Guns fed by external gas were actually around way before Marui invented the AEG - AEGs took off because charging a battery is way easier, and much cheaper, than faffing about with pressurised gases. AEGs are super simple to operate and not having an external power source connected by a line is both more convenient and more realistic.

For those wanting the ultimate in BB-slinging efficiency, the Polarstart guns are gaining popularity.

[Apurturesci]

Re: why not pressurised air?

Marui Man shows us how the AEG is superior:

[eatthis]

Re: why not pressurised air?

i thought tm were supposed to be accurate? lol

[pacey]

Re: why not pressurised air?

Airline guns are fine and suit a purpose but they are an acquired taste, for those of us that like sneaky sneaky time or actually have proper rifle drills trying to sling away and keep an airline is a total nightmare. Where as an AEG/GBBR can be slung, dropped or passed over very fast. Its a matter of choice and gaming style and of course physics, polar star v aeg is a moot point as both firing at 350fps will only be as good as the hop and barrel in front.
Yes the P* should have a more stable fps but a well setup gearbox can achieve this.
I think where they come in their own is in the US where FPS is higher and gearbox failure is equally as high due to it.

[Zyras]

Re: why not pressurised air?

You had to re open that can of worms lol, i accidentally did that a while back...

As for tanks, see in stock tanks.
As for no feedback, stop using a valve and have the chip controlled solenoid systems we use (or mosfets as they starting to catch up...) You would take that back if you ever used my mongoose

[RedHawk]

Re: why not pressurised air?

It hasn't taken off because it's expensive. I've spent over £3000 on my Polar Star guns (the guns, the gearboxes, air bottles, diving cylinder, HPA rig etc). However, I do not regret spending that much money. The joy I get from spamming my trigger on semi indoors cannot be measured or explained. I love it when a marshal asks me if I'm shooting full auto and I'm not. They're loud and fun. They offer the ability to customise settings for different setups.

At first I ran my AK-105 on 1600 rounds per minute, standing next to people with M249's and making them feel bad about their poor feeding or low rate of fire. But that elitism is long gone and it is currently set to 650RPM for a more realistic feel.

Don't get me wrong, I still own AEGs and happily use them. I like to have a varied range of toys to use as I can adapt to all of them. I'll happily run around with a pistol or gas shotgun. It's just something different I suppose.