Tank Regulators That I Endorse
As of 2008 there are no longer any high pressure adjustable regulators manufactured for paintball markers. Only 2 of the 5 companies that made tank regulators of this nature are in business; Air Gun Designs and Smart Parts.

Understand that no matter what you choose, you will be buying a used reg and you will have to find parts for it using eBay and paintball web forums. This is not meant to be a deterrant but rather a statement of fact. since the turn of the century paintball markers have standardized their designs to run on preset 800psi output tanks and the market for adjustable tank regulators faded away. The only people who want them are people like you and me who want to run RT Mags on high pressure.
Listing of Tank Regs You Should Consider
  • Air America Apocalypse Regulator
  • Air America Armageddon Regulator
  • AGD Flatline Regulator (4500psi series)
  • CenterFlag DynaFlow Regulator
  • CenterFlag 4CE Preset Regulator
  • Nitro Duck I-Reg Preset Regulator
  • Smart Parts Max-Flo inline and 2nd Gen Manifold Regulator
  • most impressive performance
  • best on/off bleed system
  • smallest and lightest choice
  • best pressure adjustment design
in business from 1993-2000?
Air America was the first and perhaps greatest producer of high pressure, high flow regulators for paintball tanks. Their hardware was bullet proof and carried a lifetime warranty (obsolete now of course). Because they over engineered their products, Air America regulators are also some of the largest and heaviest you can find.

The 2 Adjustable systems they offered during the time they were in businesss were:

  • The Apacolypse Adjustable Series (3000psi rated regulators with an output ranges of 300-1200psi+)
  • The Armageddon Adjustable Series (4500psi rated regulators with an output range of 0-1400psi+)
Armageddon Series Overview
original stainless steel regulator produced from 1993-1996?
2nd gen aluminum regulator produced from 1996-1998?
The Armageddon regulator was the flagship of Air America's product line. It boasted the highest flow and greatest range of adjustablity for any regulator on the marker. At the time 4500psi tanks were only just entering the market and as such the original stainless steel regulators were rated for 3000psi. The later aluminum revisions were designed for 4500psi and were lighter than the original steel series.

The Armageddon regulators currently (and probably forever) hold my vote as the first and best choice if you want to set yourself up with a killer rapidfire system. They are big, they are heavy and they don't have an on/off for the tank but no matter how you slice it there are the badass of the choices today. You can find what few o-rings they require on eBay and some 3rd party vendors.
Drawbacks & Complaints
  • FREAKING huge and with the weight to match. Seriously I could use these things as 105mm Howitzer rounds.
  • Takes tools to adjust the output pressure. To be fair nearly all regs follow this trait but since there is one that does not, I can call that a drawback.
in business from 1987-Present
Air Gun Designs introduced 2 adjustable regulator air systems into the market for several years (2001-2003?). Both were sold under the name Flatline but they were distinctly different in appearence.

The Flatline was offered in 2 versions:

  • The 3000psi Adjustable Series (black ano with an output range just over 1000psi)
  • The 4500psi Adjustable Series (pewter ano with an output range of about 1200psi)
Flatline Series Overview
3000psi Flatline system
4500psi Flatline system
AGD designed the Flatline based on the original A.I.R valve used in its Auotmag line. Like their marker valve the Flatline regulators were adjustable via an 1/8" allen key with a jam nut to lock them in place. Both systems have an easy to use 1/4 turn on/off knob to control the air flow.

The 3000psi Flatline is possible to use for rapidfire but I do not suggest it as the adjustable range is not as wide (barely breaking 1000psi) compared to the 4500 series. The 4500psi Flatline reaches into the 1200psi range reportedly and performs much better as far as RT rapidfire is concerned.
Drawbacks & Complaints
  • Awkward mounting system with the silver ring (seen in both versions) serving as both a clamp to keep the regulator from unscrewing ad as the device used to clamp on the rail or drop that then mounted to the marker.
  • Takes tools to adjust the output pressure. To be fair nearly all regs follow this trait but since there is one that does not, I can call that a drawback.
in business from 1997-2006?
Centerflag produced one of the smaller adjustble high pressure regulators that you can find. The Dynaflow even for its smaller size was a very solid regulator machined form a large solid block of aluminum (much like the Air America regs). Shortly before the company closed down they released a preset regular that could have different springs placed inside ranging from 300psi to 1000psi (gotta check that factoid). However very few made it to the market to my understanding. The pictured one was the protoype I was lent to test on my RT in December of 2004

The Centerflag regulators useful for rapidfire include:

  • The DynaFlow 4500psi adjustable system 600-1200psi output range (gotta check that too)
  • The preset 4CE ("force" get it) reg. Spring kits allow for it to run at 1000psi
DynaFlow (and 4CE) Overview
4500psi DynaFlow system
4500psi preset 4CE system (prototype pictured)
Centerflag built the DynaFlow with the same mentality as Air America. It's over engineered and SOILD. The difference is that they also made the regs smaller and lighter. The other nice thing about the DynaFlow is the slick on/off push button system they built. Push the button in and the valve is opend for business. Push the otherside back and it shuts off the air AND bleeds the line going into the marker, very slick.

The 4CE reg I almost do not mention because I beleive they are so uncommon that it is not a worthwhile option to consider. Still if you do happen to stumble onto one with a set of springs it's a really nice reg to consider. First off it's smaller than ANYTHING else listed here by a long shot. Second, it actually works well. Now admittely you cannot fine tune the pressure settings without substantial work. you have a choice of either 800psi or 1000psi. Even so it was a lot of fun to play with.
Drawbacks & Complaints (regardning the DynaFlow)
  • The DynaFlow I used for several months had trouble breaking 1200psi and while it WOULD allow for rapidfire it was not as impressive as the Armageddon or Max-Flo regs
  • Takes tools to adjust the output pressure. To be fair nearly all regs follow this trait but since there is one that does not, I can call that a drawback.
in business from 1999-2006?
Help me out here guys I know nothing of these regs other than that they have different pistons that can be interchanged for diffeent output pressures al the way up to 1200psi. I dont have images or any real info about the company
in business from 1993?-Present
Smart Parts entered the air systems market with their Max-Flo system in 1997? The system was originally designed for their Shocker marker line with a lower pressure output but Smart Parts offered different spring kits to give users a wider pressure range. Much like the Air America regs, the Max-Flo systems were very large and bulky, particularly the 2 generations of manifold (step design) series. As ajustable air systems fell from being a perk to being totally unecesary Smart Parts discontinued the final in-line version of the Max-Flo in 2006?

The Max-Flo went through 3 revisions (and a variety of colors):

  • The 1st manifold series 3000psi system with specs of.... I don't know fill me in
  • The 2nd gen of the manifold series with a hand adjustable output pressure knob on the font. 4500psi system
  • The 3rd gen "in-line" series which was smaller and no longer a stacked tube design. Also 4500psi system
Max-Flo Series Overview
3000psi original Max-Flo system
4500psi 2nd Gen Max-Flo system
4500psi 3rd Gen In-Line Max-Flo system
Smart Parts regulators have an excelent flow rate and are adjustable all the way up to 1200psi+ on the 2nd and 3rd gen series. I have never used the original 3000psi systems and cannot speak directly to how well they allow for you to rapidfire. Perhpase the greatest virute of the Max-Flo is the hand adjustable know on the front of the reg. Being able to raise and lower your output pressure on the fly is really nice and it is unique to the Max-Flo (no the Dynaflow one is NOT hand adjustable).
Drawbacks & Complaints
  • Other than the size of the reg, which, let's face it is going to be a problem for any reg you get for rapid-fire there is not much I can pick at on the system. Well I will say that SP charges an arm and a leg for rebuild kits for these things and I don't care for that.
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