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donec · Senior Member

Has anyone found they have caused damage to their seals or some other part by leaving Co2 in their gun when storing it? I am not worried about the Co2 being gone due to leaking out just damage caused by leaving the half full cartridge in the gun.

jlwilliams · Veteran Member

I can't swear to it, but I've always heard that CO2 will corrode seals. Itry not to leave CO2 guns charged more than a day or so.

deadrats · Member

I leave em in for weeks. If that ruins the seal, so be it. I'll buy a new seal once every so often, but i'm not removing co2's every time i intend not to use it for any length of time. Sometimes i go after a rat and end up taking a shot or 2 or even none, then not use it for a week. I'm not going to throw away cartridges every few shots....i'll cost a lot more than a seal replacement now and then. imagine at around $.75-$1 for every few shots. nope. i'll chance the seal.

jlwilliams · Veteran Member

That makes sense too.

I have a precharged that I keep pressurised (which is what manufacturers reccomend for pcp guns) and that's what I usually go for when I want to pop rodents. I only have a couple of CO2 guns and none of them is really my go-to critter getter. If it were, I'd probably leave it charged and just fix it when it breaks.

Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

I find that leaving Co2 in a gun such as a QB78 which holds the Co2 in a pressure tube is no problem, mine has been constantly charged for the last three years, with no problem regarding seals.

On the other hand something like a Crosman 2240, which retains the Co2 in the Co2 Capsule by pressing the Capsule against a seal I find in time the seal loses its resilience, and needs time to reform periodically.

There is another type of seal and this uses an O ring around the neck of the Capsule to seal it, as on some Umarex products this can be left charged indefinitely with no problems.

The above only applies to 12g Co2 capsules, also when a silicon lube is applied with each capsule.

Al

donec · Senior Member

Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

deadrats · Member

Is pellgun oil not as good for that as silicone?

oddtodd · Silver Status Member

I leave mine charged all the time. Both my daisy and crosman pistols are all charged constantly. All of my 22xx's are fully charged and on my 2240 pistol it's been mostly charged more than not for the last 10 years. I figure that the CO2 has to be keeping the system dry and dust free. that and with the pellgun oil on the top of the powerlet it won't rust either.

Slavia · Moderator

This question comes up frequently, for both CO2 and pneumatic guns. The only explanation that ever made sense to me is that in a single or multiple pump pneumatic with a valve that stays open on discharge, you want to store it with a little pressure to keep the valve closed. This prevents contaminants from entering the gun.

A quick check of the Crosman manuals for the C11 and 2240 shows that Crosman recommends removing the capsule. For the 2240: "Do not store your airgun with a CO2 cartridge in it. If you know you will not be using your airgun for an extended period of time, empty the CO2 cartridge and remove it from the airgun. (See Section 3A) This is very important to remember, as it will prolong the longevity of your airgun seals."

But then on the other hand I've never heard anyone say, "Oh yah - I wrecked my seals by leaving that thing in there."

My 2240 is stored without the capsule, simply because I usually shoot the whole thing in one sitting.

oddtodd · Silver Status Member