Tippmann C-3

paintball-marker


caption=The Tippmann C-3
marker_type=Electronic
action=Pump-Action
barrel=13 inches
rof= 4 balls per second
price=$229|

At the time of its introduction, the Tippmann C-3 was the first propane powered paintball marker. It operates on a unique system Tippmann calls 'Propane Enhanced Performance'.

Operation

While almost every paintball marker relies upon the expansion of liquid CO2 or High Pressure Air (HPA) to propel the paintball, the C-3 is unique because it's using the combustion of propane rather than the expansion of an inert gas to propel the ball.

This is a simplified explanation of the C-3's firing system:

The C-3 operates on a closed bolt system. As the pump is pulled back by the shooter, the bolt moves back to allow one paintball to fall into the breech.

As the shooter returns the pump to the forward position, completing the pumpstroke, propane is drawn into the combustion chamber. The bolt also moves forward, sealing the breech, and bringing the paintball into the firing position.

After the pump stroke, the shooter pulls the trigger, causing a spark and igniting the propane. The resulting expansion of gases forces a piston forward, which in turn compresses air behind the ball, propelling the paintball forward.

Advantages of Propane

Performance - Since combustion releases a great deal of energy compared to expansion, the C-3 is able to get up to 50,000 shots from one 16oz tank of propane, over 60 times the amount from a comparable CO2 or compressed air tank. In addition, propane is not affected by temperature, giving consistency comparable to compressed air systems.

Safety - The fuel in a standard 16oz propane tank is stored at about 120 psi, a much lower and safer pressure than the 800 psi for CO2 or 3000-4500 psi for compressed air.

Price - The non-refillable 16oz propane tank can be purchased at many discount, grocery, or hardware stores for about $3.00 and will be good for 50,000 shots. In contrast, a CO2 tank costs between 5-15 dollars and a compressed air tank between 75-150 dollars, and each must be refilled about 100 times, usually for a fee, to deliver 50,000 shots. The efficiency of propane operation and the low cost of operating the marker are the main advantages of the C-3.

Simplicity - due to it being just that a propane canister, one can make a "remote line" using a standard propane hose without a regulator. this being said it would greatly reduce economic gain of propane when removing the propane canister releasing all the unused gas in the hose.

Accuracy - Propane is more accurate than CO2 in that propane is not as effected by weather. CO2 while standard and cheap to use is effected by weather, in higher temperature it has a tendency to become a gas or in cold weather it could become mildly solid. propane however is not effected as much in these ways allowing for a much more consistent shot.

Disadvantages Of Propane

One major problem associated with propane is the large amount of heat produced. This is the main problem with creating a semi-automatic or fully-automatic propane powered paintball marker.

ee also

*Paintball
*Paintball marker
*Stock paintball
*Tippmann
*Woodsball

External links

* [http://www.tippmann.com/product_guide/markerDetails.aspx?categoryid=4# Tippmann C-3 Official Site]
* [http://www.paintballguns.net/tippmann-c3-review/ Tippmann C-3 Review]
* [http://www.tippmann.com/pdfs/products/C3/propane_vs_c02.pdf Propane VS CO2/Nitro Comparison]