Best Gas for GBB Pistol in Cold Weather

[Snakeeyes75]

Hi all, Pretty much what the title says, I have a TM PX4 (Plastic Slide), is there a gas I can buy that'd work in the current cold weather? (I've only used Predator 144)

[Guest PT247]

try Abbey Predator Ultra Gas, tbh I have been using that in the summer too on my TM G17 and TM G18c with no issues, it'll still struggle with cool down but should work all year if you are not going mad :-)

[M_P]

Propane in the conservatory weather is your cheapest option.

[Qlimax]

Colemans Propane is brilliant this time of the year.

[Guest PT247]

NOT IN A TM PISTOL IT'S NOT! propane will destroy TM plastic slide pistols!

[Snakeeyes75]

NOT IN A TM PISTOL IT'S NOT! propane will destroy TM plastic slide pistols!

Yeah that's what I was thinking! Would a better option be a different (Metal slide) pistol?

[Spatch]

NOT IN A TM PISTOL IT'S NOT! propane will destroy TM plastic slide pistols!

Incorrect, certain tm pistols will die using propane, glocks and px4 being some of them but hi capas, 1911's, hk45 are fine, been using propane in all of the above for a long time with zero issues

[M_P]

NOT IN A TM PISTOL IT'S NOT! propane will destroy TM plastic slide pistols!

No it won't. In the cold it's fine, and in the majority they take it fine in the summer too. The newer ones are more susceptible to failures on propane but the older ones certainly are fine.

 

He said he wanted a gas for the winter and for that propane is the perfect choice

[Guest PT247]

Yeah that's what I was thinking! Would a better option be a different (Metal slide) pistol?

the plastic slide pistols suffer less cool-down in cold weather than metal slide versions they also don't require such high powered gas to cycle so with the gas being less efficient in the cold they should work better than a metal slide equivalent. I was always told not to use high powered gas in TM pistols (I have a G18c and a G17), but if others know better then I stand corrected.... although will not be using green gas or propane in mine.

[Sitting Duck]

Soz to chime in but as gas + our cold weather are not happiest of mix....

Plus the "possible" risk to some higher quality guns...

 

Why not just buy a real cheapo non blow back for silly money....

fill with propane and just use that - if it goes tits up then chuck it

(cheaper than having a borked £100+ TM GBB)

 

Just until it warms up a bit - then go back to usual GBB pistol in Spring

says the expert on breaking cheaper airsoft stuff

when I finally stop breaking stuff - only then will I buy the higher end stuff

[straffham]

It needs mentioning that most retailers warranties won't cover using green gas or propane in Marui GBB pistols. There have been a FEW instances of such pistols allegedly being damaged by using these gasses, though at what time of year such damage happened is open to speculation.

So having understood that using these gasses is to some extent a risk, each person needs to decide for themselves at the end of the day if they take that risk. I have KWA Glock 23, TM 1911 and TM M9 pistols, all have plastic slides, and I have used them all with propane with no issues in colder weather. I took the same risk that many others have taken and can only say it works for me in the guns I have, on colder days: it was a choice of take a calcated risk or don't use a pistol, and in cold weather that is the stark reality, other than getting a NBB as SD said above, or an electric pistol like a Cyma Glock for instance.

The way I looked at it was that gases expand (increases pressure) on hot days and contract (decreases pressure) on cold days. So using green gas on a cold day is likely similar pressure to 144a gas on a hot day. Maybe someone else might want to give specific figures to prove or disprove this but I find it works very well for me in all honesty.