Okay, I've noticed some repeated, and all together silly, ideas about ways to fix the "problems" the C-3 doesn't really have. I am here to make a (hopefully) sticky-worthy post on various C-3 myths. If I missed something important or got the facts wrong, please post corrections.

First, a background: The C-3 is Tippmann's latest inovation to the paintball world. It is a pump marker, made mostly of aluminum and composite, that uses an igniton system and camping propane (16 oz.) tanks to fire 50,000 rounds of colorful goodness per tank.

Myth #1: The flame-thrower: This is by far the most repeated and useless idea yet, so stop posting it. The C-3 lets only the minimum amount of propane into the ignition chamber needed to launch a paintball at legal speeds. Translation: all of the propane used for the shot has been used up! The only thing coming out of the barrel is harmless, non-flammable gases. One could only assume that Tippmann engineers would have safe-guarded against important safety issues such as a legal flame thrower.

Myth #2: Semiautomatic C-3: Or any propane gun for that matter. At this time, a semiauto propane powered marker is out of the question. Of course, I can't predict the future. The problem with a propane powered semi is this: the handwarmer effect. The more rapidly you shoot the C-3, the hotter it gets. The C-3 itself only gets minimally warm, even comfy on a cold day, but anything faster and you would basically be holding a hot coal. Tippmann would be looking at lawsuits and a bad reputation for somethig like that. Now, you may suggest insulation. Tippmann is known for making markers reliable and cheap, and these added features would most certainly bring the price up considerably, not to mention impacting the overall performance. In conclusion, I forsee a semiauto propane gun for the future, but at the moment, the idea is dangerous and not practical for business.

Myth #3: Explosion hazard: Once again, people underrate Tippmann's design staff. Anywhere there is propane in the C-3 is basically sealed off from the environment. The only way to get a C-3 to go pop is to throw one in the fire for a while. This means you can smoke, burn incense, sing camp songs around a fire and cook in the out doors safely around your C-3. But use common sense. Don't stick your cigareete directly down the barrel to try to cause a reaction, for that would make you stupid, and I know you're not stupid...

Myth #4: The stink: What you are smelling when you release propane into the air is an identifier mixed into the gas by the bottling company to let you know that the tank is leaking. Propane itself is odorless. After you shoot, the bulk of the identifier is burt off, and the shot is basically odorless. Of course, if you try really hard, you can smell something, but why would you want to? The amount of propane the C-3 uses is minimal, like mentioned before, and there is probably not enough propane used to actually release a smell. Even if it did, the odds are you are playing outdoors and would never notice the smell. Even the indoor players wouldn't really notice simply because there probably won't be enough propane released to make a smell strong enough to top every other stench.

Myth #5: Propane on other guns: The C-3 uses an IGNITION system to drive the bolt to propel the painball, not a pressure release system, so hooking up a propane tank to your 98c or A-5 will do nothing. Or, if anything, it will RUIN your internals like your o-rings. Save yourself the misery and don't do it.

Myth (or problem) #6: Aftermarket accessories: As of this time, there are NO aftermarket parts for the C-3. The C-3 is a brand new product, and has a whole different opperating system than other markers, and in consequence, there are no parts being manufactured to cope with propane performance. As for the barrel, it is a whole different system also. If I am not mistaken, it is a fixed part of the gun, so a new barrel would have to be milled in, and that is not a wise decision.

Diagram: Here is an updated animation done by Mephistopheles.

Step 1: What happens with the back pump stroke.
When you pump the handle back, you do a few things. Of course you're pulling the bolt back to chamber a ball! That's obvious. But there are 2 other things.
One being the first step of ventilation the excess gas. The propane/air mixture that doesn't get used needs to be vented out. So it migrates through the exhaust piston to the front of the chamber.
The other being the brass piston in the front. It is a pneumatic "switch" just as the autococker 4-way is a "switch." When the pump handle pushes in this brass piston it allows a tiny amount of propane to flow through an external gas line, like a 98 RT setup. This gas is routed to the back of the chamber for step 2.

Step 2: Next what happens with the forward pump stroke.
From here you will, again get obvious out of the way, finish chambering a single paintball. Now on to more unobvious detail.
On the giant piston connected to the pump rod there is a U-ring. "Flapper." First this is keeping the spent gas from returning back, along with the piston valve. These spent gases are finally vented out the front of the body. Next, these U-ring is sucking in the air from the back of the valve body, and sucking in the propane.

Step 3: Finally, when you pull the trigger...
As soon as you pull the trigger, underneath the combustion chamber is essentially a spark plug. A very fast series of tiny sparks will ignite the propane. Upon ignition the pressure will build drastically (honestly a tiny explosion) and start to push back the REAR piston. Once back far enough the expanding gases will vent out, through the bolt, and propell the paintball out the barrel. This is why the spring tension regulates velocity. And of course not all the gas exhausts, which is why the step 1 process is required.

This also explains why the barrel needed to be a proprietary design, it HAD to be made of the composite material. Too much heat buildup for a standard metal barrel.

NOW OPEN: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

I have decided to include a realtime problems and solutions chart. If you have experianced troubles with your C-3, and were able to have it fixed (either by you or Tippmann) than PM me, and I will post it here. That way, there will be a trouble shooting list made by people actually on this forum. Neat huh?

Problem: C-3 fails to prime. Requires multiple pumps to actually fire the ball.
Solution: Most likely warped or severed internal o-rings. Since it would be a silly thing to take a combustion chamber apart, it would be best to send it in to Tippmann, who, if under warrenty, will repair it free and quickly.

That's all i got so far . PM me your C-3 quick fixes and help everyone!

There you have it. That is all I could think of at the moment. If anyone wants to add any more info, just P.M. me so I can add it, or just post it below. Serious posts please.

i dont think deformation will be a problem. even if there was excess heat, the ball is only in the barrel, thus only around the heat, for a fraction of a second, if even that. that is probably not nearly enough time to melt a relatively durable paintball.

from what it sounds like, it might be ignition. the ignition is electric, and from this branch 2 possibilities. the first, your battery might be low, try changing it. second, there may be a bad connection in the wiring or there may not be a full connection when you pull the trigger. check the connections.

also, you might be venting propane on the forward stroke, thus not charging the chamber. for this, you might need to get it repaired by a proshop or tippmann.

see if these help.

i have added a realtime trouble shooting section. thats where if anyone has a problem that they fixed (or tippmann fixed) with their c-3, they'll pm me and ill post it. that way, there will be a help section with actual problems from actual forumers.

stoz's idea. thank him.

im not gonna say its impossible, just improbable. im sure someone could pull it off, but it doesnt make sense. with a 16 oz propane tank you have 50,000 shots. that is 25 cases of paint. most players only go through 1 case of paint in a 48 hour scenario with a semi. less than that with a pump! one 16 oz. tank is more than enough to last you MANY games, and adding a giant bbq propane tank will just detract from the functionality. not to mention lugging it to your spot and trying to hide it...

so the answer is - with mods - possibly yes, but dont do it. it wouldnt be functional.

Woodsballer91 wrote: i shot a c-3 once and flames came out the barrel...

Somehow I doubt that.

Um, how are flames gonna come out of the barrel? Flames come out of my Remington 30.06 when I deer hunt, but that's muzzle flash.

Sorry but I'm just not thinking so...

for 200 bucks, it is one heck of a backup gun. what's your main gun?

and c-3's are propane powered, so there are (false) rumors about it being a flame thrower.

we do propane conversions to cars and trucks, we sell automotive propane and we also sell BBQ propane.We service propane tanks, sell propane tanks so on and so forth, we get our propane from ICG propane.

That's what I thought, but I figured if the original bottling company was contacted, then I wouldn't argue.

Also, animation and process updated with airflow mixture and added details.

Thanks Meph!

Woodsballer91 wrote: i shot a c-3 once and flames came out the barrel, they are a hazard and are dangerous, i won't play alongside someone who is using one.

Don't feel like your the only one. I was shooting targets in 20F weather last winter and it just stopped shooting. I kept trying it thinking it just didn't work for that shot or something but it kept on not shooting. As I was heading inside to take it apart, I was shooting it. Then, BOOM, a big puff of flames shot out of the barrel and it kicked like my .308. Before you automatically say I'm lying and so is everyone else that says this, test it out a little more, you might be suprised. I know the people that make and test these guns are good, but everyone makes mistakes, no offense. This is the kind of thing someone could've gotten hurt from and as there are many people that have had this happen I find it hard to believe that they weren't recalled. I sent it back to Tippmann and they fixed it, but after a while it stopped shooting again and before it exploded again I sent it back to Tippmann a second time. I know they sent me a new one because I had a scratch on it and now it's gone. This gun works great. This one is awesome, shoots great, etc. It does stink though, but only when I shoot it several times and when I play, I don't notice.

every shot from a c3 uses 0.00032ounces of propane.therefore,1000 shot would burn 0.32 ounces.that is a small tank.probly small enough to be concealed in the grip.i wish they would do it.

this might be a dumb question, but can you use co2 or n2 on a c3?

Oh well

Stoz wrote: DeTrevni wrote: from what it sounds like, it might be ignition. the ignition is electric, and from this branch 2 possibilities. the first, your battery might be low, try changing it. second, there may be a bad connection in the wiring or there may not be a full connection when you pull the trigger. check the connections. also, you might be venting propane on the forward stroke, thus not charging the chamber. for this, you might need to get it repaired by a proshop or tippmann. see if these help. I am 100% certain that the battery is not the problem. If I pump it once and pull the trigger, I hear the shock in the chamber. If I pump it twice, same thing. Three times gets me enough propane to fire. If I let it sit for a few seconds, I have to go through this again. Once I get it to fire once, I can continuously fire (within about 3 seconds between each shot), but if I stop, I must three-pump it again. I do recall reading that the C3 had to be "primed" by pumping it several times before play, but I didn't realize that the propane all vented out within a matter of seconds. I'll try calling Tippmann on Thursday and see what they think.

im no c-3 or tippmann expert by any means but my job is to troubleshoot faults on military aircraft.  judging just on what he has said, it sounds to me like the wiring is perfectly fine.  if there was a faulty connection then it would just not fire all unles if something came lose at certain angles.  however being such a consistant problem it sounds to me like the problem could be some sort of leak.  if the gun neds to be re-pumped only after a period of not being fired then that must be long enough for the chambered propane to leak out.  when firing the gun fast it most liely does not give the gun enough time to leak the propae between firing. my guess would be some sort of sealing problem....anyway thats just the first thing that came to mind

Uh, not really...