Review: Airsoft Innovations GasCan

[Colin_S]

While I have pondered getting a GBBR to use as my primary for mil sims (my MP7 is more an indoor weapon), one of the things that has been holding me back was figuring out how to carry gas; that is without carrying the damn propane tank. I fiddled with a VFC faux stun grenade gas charger I purchased a few years back (because I thought it was cool) but that thing is only good for ~2 GBB pistol mag refills. Using it with it and my teammates WETTI M4 GBBR mags, I don’t even get enough gas for one full mag of BBs, that and the charger is also awkward to carry on the field.

Airsoft Innovations had just released its GasCan compact refilling device and I think it may have solved the problem for us airsofters.

The AI GasCan is a literally just that, a small portable gas tank that you can bring to the field with you easily. The package comes with a complete propane adapter kit (PP adapter, duster adapter, GBB silicon oil, manual), the GasCan device and of course the user’s manual.

The first thing you should check out is the user’s manual. Yeah I know the device is breeze to operate but if you’re new to airsoft, it’ll tell you everything you need to know. The device is compatible with difuoroethane (HFC-152a), trifuoroethane (HFC 134a) and of course propane.

The device is 44 1/3mm in diameter and 130.6mm in height (up to the top of the cap) and according to AI, you can fit two GasCans into a single M4 pouch. Unfortunately I have one device but I do have a bottle of Ibuprofen which is 45mm in diameter and what do you know it’s true! It’s definitely a snug fit but it’s fairly easy to extract, pull on the cap which is screwed on and it’ll slide out. Myself I’d probably stick them in a smoke grenade pouch on my side or back, I only put primary magazines up front. ;-)

So here’s a quick breakdown on how to use open and use the charger. At the top is the cap to that GasCan and removing it exposes the propane nozzle. It’s made of brass like the earlier versions of the AI propane adapter so take care when filling your mags. When the GasCan is empty you can unscrew the top of the device, that’ll expose the inside of the can and allows you to drop some oil into the device. At the bottom is the GasCan fill port. To use the device, you simply use it like a propane tank, flip it upside down and insert the tip into the GBB mag’s gas fill port.

One of the biggest features of the device is, it allows you to oil your gas mags and the Tornado grenade without having to drop oil between the propane adapter and gas tank! Simply put two drops of light silicon oil (included with the kit) into the GasCan or eight drops of heavy grenade silicon oil (included with your Tornado grenade) and charge it up with your gas propellant of choice. Makes lubing your gun magazines and Tornado grenades much easier. In case you forget, AI includes instructions on lubrication on the label. Also handy, you can use a marker and check a box which indicates whether you have GBB or grenade oil in the GasCan. Please be sure to check because grenade oil will mess up your GBB rifles and pistols!

Alright enough talk by now I’m sure you’re wondering how it performs. ;-) I’m not sure if the GasCan is suppose to have an overfill indicator like with TM pistol mags, mine doesn’t seem to shoot propane out when it’s full so I gave the thing a good 10-15 second fill every time. When the refilling device is full you can feel the liquid propane swoosh around. Testing the AI GasCan I am able to get 2 WETTI M4 mag refills or 4 KWA MP7 mag refills or finally 6 TM Hi Capa 4.3 mag fills per GASCAN charge. That’s a huge improvement over my VFC gas charger which could only do 1-2 TM 4.3 mag fills (2 if you're lucky).

If you’re a GBBR user the AI GasCan is definitely something you’ll want to check out as it makes humping gas so much easier than dragging around a bulky propane tank. Leave that sucker at base and carry a few of these, that’ll allow you to do a “tactical” reload of gas on the field should you need it.

The Airsoft Innovations GasCan is a great little portable gas refilling device that GBB/R users will be interested in. I know myself one of the bigger obstacles holding me back from purchasing a rifle GBBR is that I do not want to lug a tank of propane around with me (or can’t in some cases as some fields here do not allow that). $50 US is pretty reasonable price if you ask me, the various VFC gas charger is about the same in terms of cost and is only good for maybe 1 (2 if you’re lucky) GBB pistol mags so the GasCan completely kicks its ass in terms of functionality (not to mention having oiled gas)! It’s definitely the best easily portable gas filling device available on the market at the moment.

Sorry about the large sizes of the pictures, copied from a post on my blog and it's a lot of work to port over the small thumbnails too.

If you have any questions or comments please by all means post them.

Thanks.

[shiftsup]

Excellent review.

Mine is arrivng tomorrow and I am looking forward to it.

[Spawn28]

so how many mags will it fill GBBR i mean on a single charge?

[MilanWG]

"I am able to get 2 WETTI M4 mag refills."

[Amos]

This is a fantastic product. Only problem I can see is that the fill valve is metal, and a lot of GBB mags (KWA in particular) have O-rings in the fill valve to stop any gas from spurting out like the Marui designed fill valves do.

A metal tip can damage these o-rings..

I wonder if it would be possible to fit a duster adapter onto these things..

[MadMax]

Thanks for the review Colin!

We did want to make the fill tip out of acetal, but the material wasn't stiff enough for us to turn consistently so we had to go to brass. If you want to fill with a plastic tip, it is possible to push on a duster gas adaptor. We made the tips compatible in case players wanted to fill with a plastic tip or needed to push on an extension for guns like the odd revolver.

[Deadpool]

Originally Posted by Amos

I wonder if it would be possible to fit a duster adapter onto these things..

Probably, since the duster adapter is also designed to replace a broken propane adapter nozzle.

[Colin_S]

Originally Posted by Amos

This is a fantastic product. Only problem I can see is that the fill valve is metal, and a lot of GBB mags (KWA in particular) have O-rings in the fill valve to stop any gas from spurting out like the Marui designed fill valves do.

A metal tip can damage these o-rings..

I wonder if it would be possible to fit a duster adapter onto these things..

Yep the duster adapter fits just fine and when you use it with the GasCan and no gas leaks between the adapter and original nozzle. Just use caution as the duster adapter may pop off and fall somewhere when you finish loading your mag with gas.

Originally Posted by MadMax

Thanks for the review Colin!

Np it's a great device and everyone should know!

[Amos]

Perfect

[ILLusion]

Carl, I'm gonna have to stop by soon to pick one of these up.

[technosnob]

I use my mine as a lubing device for my we gbbr magazines

[Gunny_McSmith]

I'm getting mine from ASC mart today... :P

[asc.ranger]

Hey Colin_s ... are you a paid spokesman for AI? I see you do many reviews of their products looking at your post history. I like your commentaries though, I find them helpful.

[MadMax]

Colin isn't a paid spokesperson. I send him a lot of free stuff for review because of his technical aptitude and interest in our game. Our sport is pretty small and there are few manufacturers in Canada (let alone Toronto). I have a habit of consulting local players when I develop my products. It's handy to get face to face feedback from local players and see them use my prototypes.

Unfortunately that can affect my local base of reviewers, because their early prototype feedback often ends up influencing my product design.

For instance, Colin partook in my early grenade gaming trials at TTAC. A few years ago I brought this wierd abomination which had two plastic tubes wrapped around a crude aluminum valve assembly. The timing assembly pished out a measured shot of water before unfurling and blasting pellets out as the two tubes unfurled and flailed about. That proof of concept was called the Tentacle grenade and it was the first working proof of concept for my spinning grenade design. Later revisions of the rigid shell grenade were trialed at TTAC so I could observe players fielding my product.

[Gunny_McSmith]

Nice item, but when I took it out of the bag, it looks like it was dropped on the floor before beeing packed.... and it LEAKS!!!! badly!!!