You order a spray tip, it shows up, and it won't sit in the guard on your gun. The tip is fine - it's built for the other guard generation. Graco's RAC 5 and RAC X guards look similar at a glance and even share a thread size, but they take completely different tips. Here's how to tell which one is on your sprayer in about 30 seconds, and what fits it.
How to Tell Which Guard You Have
The fastest check is not the thread - it's the barrel, the round shaft of the tip that slides into the guard. The barrel is what defines the family: a guard and the group of tips built to sit in it.
- Standard barrel (RAC 5 compatible family) - the slimmer tip barrel. This is the older, still very common system.
- Large barrel (RAC X compatible) - a slightly wider, bigger barrel. The difference is not obvious to an untrained eye, so set the two tips side by side to compare.
A common mix-up worth clarifying: thread size alone will not tell you which family you have. Both generations are sold in a 7/8" thread, also written 7/8" (G) - our standard-barrel guard (33-7000) and our large-barrel guard (33-7003) are both 7/8" (G). A 7/8" (G) guard means your spray gun has a standard 7/8" compatible nozzle. We also offer the standard-barrel guard in an 11/16" (F) thread (33-7002). Thread size tells you which variant to buy once you already know the family; it does not identify the family. Use the barrel.
If you have a Graco guard, the part number is usually stamped on it: 243161 or 243263 means RAC 5 family, 246215 means RAC X, 220251 or 220255 means a flat guard, and XHD001 means the heavy-duty guard. No stamp and no old tip to compare? Take the guard off the gun and compare the opening against a standard-barrel and a large-barrel tip - whichever sits cleanly is your answer.
Flat tip guards are their own category. If your guard has a flat, low-profile face - Graco 220251 or 220255 - it is not a RAC 5 and not a RAC X. Flat guards are a separate line, built to sit flush against the surface for trim, corners, and confined spaces. Don't order RAC 5 or RAC X parts based on a flat guard.
RAC X vs RAC 5 - Head to Head
| Spec | RAC 5 | RAC X |
|---|---|---|
| Tip barrel style | Standard barrel | Large barrel |
| Thread sizes | 7/8" (G) and 11/16" (F) | 7/8" (G) Graco also offers an 11/16" version; Bedford does not stock it |
| Generation | Older system, still widely used | Newer, heavier-duty mount |
| Tip categories it takes | Standard · Fine Finish · Line Striper | Large Barrel · Fine Finish Low Pressure |
| Typical market | Homeowner and big-box equipment, plus many contractor guns | Contractor-market equipment |
| Graco part it replaces | 243161243263 | 246215 |
| Bedford guard |
33-7000 (7/8") 33-7002 (11/16") |
33-7003 (7/8") |
The two are not interchangeable. A standard-barrel (RAC 5) tip will not sit correctly in a RAC X guard, and a large-barrel tip will not fit a RAC 5 guard. There is no adapter that bridges them - match the tip to the guard you actually have.
Which Tips Fit Which Guard
This is the part that actually decides your order. Each guard family takes its own tip categories - match these and the tip will sit every time.
| Tip guard | Mount | Tip categories that fit |
|---|---|---|
| RAC 5 | Standard barrel 7/8" or 11/16" thread - rated 5000 PSI |
Standard Tip (33-7xxx), Fine Finish Tip (33-6xxx), and Line Striper Tip (33-8xxx) |
| RAC X | Large barrel 7/8" thread - rated 5000 PSI |
Large Barrel Tip (33-10xxx) and Fine Finish Low Pressure Tip (33-20xxx) |
| High pressure / XHD | 7/8" thread rated to 7250 PSI |
High Pressure Tip (33-21xxx) |
What your sprayer does and doesn't tell you. A sprayer doesn't determine which category of tip you need - the guard on your gun does. What the sprayer determines is the maximum tip size it can drive. If that's the question you're actually asking, our guide to choosing a spray tip size for latex, stain, and enamel covers sizing and how to check your sprayer's rating.
As a rough orientation: RAC X is contractor-market technology, so sprayers sold through big-box retailers generally won't use it. And if you run a handheld airless or a backpack sprayer, those operate at lower pressure and need low-pressure tips - a large-barrel, RAC X category. When the guard and any assumption about the sprayer disagree, trust the guard in your hand: that's what the tip has to sit in.
A note on XHD. XHD is the heavy-duty guard built for high-pressure and abrasive work - rated to 7250 PSI for materials like block fill, elastomerics, and industrial coatings that chew through standard equipment. If you're not spraying at those pressures, you don't need it. Bedford's XHD Heavy Duty Tip Guard (33-7014) is a compatible replacement for the Graco XHD001.
Should You Upgrade from RAC 5 to RAC X?
Usually, no. If your RAC 5 guard is intact and you're spraying latex, primers, and standard coatings, the guard is not what's limiting your finish - a worn tip almost always is. Swapping guard generations also means replacing every tip you own, because your existing standard-barrel tips won't fit the new guard. That's a real cost most crews don't need to absorb.
There is one clear exception, and it's the reason most crews actually make the switch: if you want to run Large Barrel Fine Finish Low Pressure tips, you need RAC X. Those tips are only made in the large-barrel mount, so a RAC 5 guard simply can't take them. If you're moving into cabinets, doors, trim, or any fine-finish work where a low-pressure tip gives you the softer, tighter pattern, that's a real reason to change guards - not a preference.
The other legitimate cases are simpler: your guard is cracked or the threads are damaged, or you've picked up a RAC X sprayer and want one tip inventory across the whole kit instead of two.
Whichever direction you land, we stock compatible replacement guards for both generations - see the full tip guards collection, or go straight to the RAC X large-barrel guard or the RAC 5 standard-barrel guards in 7/8" and 11/16".
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a RAC 5 tip fit a RAC X guard?
No. RAC 5 tips use a standard barrel and RAC X guards are built for the thicker large barrel, so the tip won't sit correctly and won't seal. There's no adapter between the two systems. Check the barrel style on the tip you already own and match the guard to it - or replace the guard and tips together as a set.
How do I know which guard I have?
Check the barrel of an existing tip first: slim is standard barrel (RAC 5 family), thick is large barrel (RAC X). If the guard is stamped, 243161 and 243263 are RAC 5 family, 246215 is RAC X, 220251 and 220255 are flat guards (a separate category, neither RAC 5 nor RAC X), and XHD001 is the heavy-duty guard. Thread size won't tell you - both families are sold in 7/8". If the sprayer is used or rebuilt, trust the guard on the gun over the model's original spec.
Do Fine Finish Low Pressure tips fit a RAC 5 guard?
No. Large Barrel Fine Finish Low Pressure tips are made in the large-barrel mount, so they require a RAC X guard. If you're on a RAC 5 guard and want to move into low-pressure fine-finish work - cabinets, doors, trim - you'll need to change the guard as well as the tips. That's the one upgrade reason we'd call genuinely necessary rather than optional.
Do I need a new guard to change tip sizes?
No. Tip sizes swap freely within the same guard family - a 515 and a 313 both drop into the same RAC 5 guard, and the same is true across RAC X sizes. You only need a new guard if you're changing guard generations, or if the guard itself is worn or damaged. For picking the right size, see our guide to choosing a spray tip for latex, stain, and enamel.
Shop the Right Tip & Guard
Match the tip to the guard you have. On a RAC 5 guard: Standard Tip for walls and general work, Fine Finish Tip for a tighter pattern, or Line Striper Tip for pavement marking. On a RAC X guard: Large Barrel Tip, or Fine Finish Low Pressure Tip for cabinets, doors, and stain work. Running high pressure? High Pressure Tip.
Not sure yet, or replacing the guard itself? Start with the full tips collection or the tip guards collection.
Graco, RAC, RAC 5, RAC X, and XHD are trademarks of their respective owners. Bedford Precision Parts is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by these manufacturers. OEM brand names and part numbers are used for compatibility reference only; Bedford guards and tips are compatible replacements manufactured to OEM-equivalent dimensions for proper fit and performance.