CO2 Pistols - Leakage?

[Alanheal]

For a long time I've ruled out CO2 Pistols, because I wouldn't use an entire cartridge at once and the rest would leak and be wasted. So the question is, how long can a CO2 pistol hold a charge?  Do some pistols hold a charge more reliably?

[AgentWD40_FL]

Sounds like you may have a leak somewhere. I store my Co2 pistols under pressure ---> whatever is left after a shooting session, and when I notice the performance dropoff.  I can store the gun and come back to it 3-4 weeks later and it will still have pressure in it.  All of my Co2 guns do this .... even the vintage guns that are 30-40 years old.

Tell us more about the gun .....

[Alanheal]

Thanks for letting me know that.  I haven't bought a CO2  Pistol yet.  I wanted to get sense if it was worthwhile, or if I'd be buying a new cartridge every day. 

[farrlarr]

As AgentWD40_FL said, CO2 guns will commonly hold pressure for weeks, or in my experience months, as long as there is not a leak somewhere in the system that should not be there.  Like AgentWD40_FL, I put my CO2 guns away with whatever is left of a cartridge after shooting and have only occasionally come back later to find that the pressure has dropped too low to effectively shoot.  In many cases, that has been a result of pretty much shooting out the cartridge before putting the gun away but I don't keep a close count of shots so I don't usually pay any attention until the POI begins to drop, indicating that pressure has dropped.

You can safely buy a CO2 gun without concern for waste of cartridges.  Many of them are very accurate (my modified Crosman 2240 with a long barrel is extremely accurate but my regular 2240 also shoots very well) and can be modified in a variety of ways to find your needs/desires. 

[Alanheal]

Thanks for the confirmation that these guns are a viable option.  I'll study what's available now.

[Alanheal]

Thanks John, that's another ringing endorsement for the better CO2's.