CO2 and Nitro tank assembly

With the recent tragic death of a woman due to a CO2 tank coming unscrewed from its fitting, there obviously needs to be more education involving tank assembly and safety.

One of the most important things to remember when dealing with ASA threaded tank valves and tank regulators is to pay careful attention to the tank/valve interface when the tank is being unscrewed from a gun's bottomline.  If you notice that the tank is unscrewing itself from the valve, stop immediately and take it to a qualified airsmith - point the tank away from yourself and others.

When assembling tanks, use of a threadlocker is not necessary, nor is it even recommended by bottle manufacturers.  The DOT specifies the use 50 foot-pounds of torque when assembling tanks.  The o-ring between the tank and valve is what keeps the system from leaking, not application of a sealant or threadlocker.  If you feel the need to use a threadlocker, apply only a single drop at the top of the valve threads, and torque to 35 foot-pounds.  If you do not have the facilities to properly torque valves onto tanks, Palmer's Pursuit Shop has been gracious enough to offer a free CO2 tank head torque and safety check - see PPS for details.

When removing valves from tanks, mount the tank securely in a vise with soft, padded jaws (a rubber belt or strap wrench comes in very handy).  Do not use any heat when removing valves from tanks - excessive heat can destroy the tempering of the metal and could cause the tank to rupture when filled.