GBB magazine maintenance?

[Warrior]

When you are done using a gas blow back pistol, should you release all the gas from the mag? Or should you keep a little in there?

[xghostmakerx]

You will want to keep a little gas in the mag when you are not using it.

[Knief]

You can even keep it full if you want. It won't exert any more pressure on the valves if you keep it 90% empty or 100% full. Thus is the reality of gas physics. But yes, you should keep a bit of gas in the mag. It helps keep your seals in good working order.

[DasPhoenix]

Nov 15, 2011 20:47:25 GMT -5 Knief said:

You can even keep it full if you want. It won't exert any more pressure on the valves if you keep it 90% empty or 100% full. Thus is the reality of gas physics. But yes, you should keep a bit of gas in the mag. It helps keep your seals in good working order.

I know that this is pretty nearly necro-posting (for which I apologize), but I have sort of a follow-up question after reading this, and it didn't seem worthy of its own topic, so here goes:

I've done a lot of reading on these forums, and seen it claimed a lot that leaving some gas in the magazine is good for it. But is that based on anything more than people not having problems doing so? I ask this because I got my propane adapter from airsplat.com today, and in the box was what appears to be a pretty standard "maintaining your GBB" sheet of paper that airsplat threw in for funsies. In this paper, one of their recommendations is to release leftover gas from magazines after use.

So why is there this discrepancy between what I read here, and what an (apparently reputable) retailer is recommending?

[Pagan]

Leaving gas in the magazine can help keep the o rings lubricated.

With out the silicone in there, the seals tend to dry out a little quicker, from what I've noticed..

[Knief]

Years of experience coming from, not only me, but guys who knew way more about gas pistols than I ever have. There are two reasons why you shouldn't purge your gas when you're putting away your GBB. The first is exactly what Pagan said. The pressure and lube keeps the rubber seals fresh. If you don't have the pressure keeping the valves closed, then air will cycle through the mag and dry everything out.

The second reason is less a reason to keep gas in your mag and more a reason not to purge them manually. When you release gas, it comes out in a blast of skin freezing iciness, right? Well it doesn't just freeze your skin. It also freezes any rubber between the reservoir and the outside air, which includes a few O-rings on the valve and the gas route packing. That freezing can crack the rubber, rendering the mag useless until you've replaced the damaged parts. I've also see the gas route packing get blown clear out of its hole by a gas purge, just from the rapid release of pressure. If you do that in the woods, say goodbye to that tiny piece of rubber that seals the mag into the blow back chamber.

The concern with leaving gas in your mags is that the chemicals in the gas may be corrosive to the rubber seals. This is an unfounded suspicion, and it turns out is completely wrong. I've owned dozens of GBBs from different brands, left all of their mags charged and have yet to have a seal corrode because of it (or because of anything for that matter). But more importantly, the basis of this suspicion doesn't really make any sense. Whether you leave gas in your mag or not, you're not cleaning out all of the residual propane when you purge. The rubber that might be corroded (that isn't actually corroded) is still going to be covered in propane on a micro level. If it was corrosive, it wouldn't matter whether you purged your mags or not, simply putting the propane in the mag would start the degeneration process.

Airsplat isn't really a reputable retailer, and they never have been. Anybody who tells you to purge your mags should probably be ignored.

[DasPhoenix]

Alright, good stuff. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

[TheEnd]

If you choose to leave your mags charged, be careful where you leave them. Don't leave them in your car or in direct sun. If they get too hot the increased pressure can cause damage.

[DasPhoenix]

Thanks for the forewarning. I shall take care not to do that.

[helmet]

Nov 15, 2011 20:30:30 GMT -5 xghostmakerx said:

You will want to keep a little gas in the mag when you are not using it.

Truth. Keep a little in there, your valves will love you for it!