Nerf Stryfe in New Zealand!

Just a quick update for all NZ Nerfers, for those that haven't found a Stryfe yet they are available at K Mart.  This blaster has been on my wishlist for a while, in fact I was due to put an order through Fishpond to get one imported.  But alas no need K Mart has the blaster for $35NZD ($28.78USD), I'm over the moon and looking forward to returning from holiday to bust this one open and have a go.

Review and Tacticool pictures to come.

Nerf Vortex - Nitron Review

The Nitron is a fully automatic disc blaster from the Vortex line, it comes packaged with 20 Vortex discs a clip and centre fire tech electronic scope.

Usability

The Nitron is a heavy blaster with a build in shoulder stock and fore grip.  It requires some strength to heft around and is probably better suited to older children or adults because of this.  The Nitron is flywheel propelled blaster that is fired by holding the acceleration trigger (pictured below the main trigger) to bring the flywheels up to speed and then holding down the trigger.  This blaster will fire in full automatic mode or in semi-automatic mode whatever your preference is.

The blaster has two sling points which would be recommended to use as this blaster is quite difficult to wield.  The integrated front grip helps to balance out the blaster but due to the 6 C batteries required for the Nitron it is very heavy in the back.  

The blaster features only one tactical rail and this is best suited for the scope that comes with the blaster.  The scope is quite cool looking but the flashing light show is of little help for proper aiming.  The clip is simple to load and reload.  The clip release switch found above the trigger needs to be pressed down to release the clip and then a second can be inserted ready for firing.  The extra clip storage in the shoulder stock is handy for full scale battles.

This blaster is probably best suited as a suppressing type weapon with a quick firing close quarter blaster as a secondary such as a Maverick.

The fact that this blaster is fully automatic and can carry up to 40 XLR discs ready for battle makes a formidable blaster but its usability is let down by its weight and its less than subtle roar.

Usability Score - 6/10

Styling/Tacticool

The Nitron is a futuristic blaster featuring the striking green and orange of the original Vortex line.  The overall styling with the stubby front quarters and the lengthen shoulder stock (to hold the 6 C batteries) result in a unique but not overly attractive looking layout.  It is disappointing that the Nitron has only one tactical rail as this reduces the opportunities for tacticool layouts.  Because of this I believe that the best loadout for this blaster is the stock layout with centre fire scope (no loadout photos for this blaster because of this).

Styling score - 4/10

Performance

The XLR discs result in some interesting testing results.  They are reasonable accurate unless a wind is blowing as they are quick to be effected much like a mini Frisbee.  But on a calm day or indoors this blaster is very accurate, often able to hit a tight circle for well over half the XLR discs in the clip.  Out of the 30 blasters currently tested the Nitron sits in 9th place for distance.

Disc Distance (XLR Disc) - 13.4m (44 feet)

The Nitron is a fairly strong performer when fired at a flat angle it managed a maximum distance of 17m (56 feet) and a minimum distance of 13m (42 feet).  The majority of the clip (around 10 discs) landed at the 14m (46 feet) mark.

Discs fired per second - 1.32 dps

This result is somewhat disappointing for a fully automatic blaster, as the rate of fire is actually less that that of a Maverick fired quick draw styles.  This result reaffirm the need to use this blaster for suppressing purposes preferably at a distance.

Performance score - 5/10

Overall

The Nitron was the fully automatic blaster that I have owned and that alone has made it a favourite in my collection.  But the size and poor rate of fire let down the overall recommendation for this blaster.  Although these issues may be remedied by some modifications to voltage and size much like this example found at Instructables.

Overall I give this blaster a score 15/30.

To Mod or not to Mod that is the question?

With Christmas behind us a the new year approaching, the increased downtime that the holiday season brings more time to scour the internet looking  for the next piece of Nerf gold to further ignite my ever growing interest in this great hobby.

So my latest question to ponder is written above, should I start modding my blaster collection?  As a fairly new Nerfer my collection so far (as posted in the Armoury Page) has been purely aesthetic, build to look cool and try out different accessory combinations.  But after testing the distances on all  my blasters I was left wanting more.

So into the deep dark web where I came across a facebook page from a New Zealand Nerf Wars Nelson whose administrator Chopper has modified a few of his blasters with some amazing results (as seen in the videos) using the products from OMW (or Orange Mod Works).

So now I am thinking it's time to take this hobby to the next level.  I have opened a few blasters and become familiar with the internals.  I'm not overly keen to do a hack job so I have decided to use the products from Orange Mod works in particular the Recon Massacre Kit which states it's a recruit entry level kit.  I'm a little nervous but the overseas ordering thing as I haven't had much luck with it in the past but am hopeful that a new modification kit is on the way.

Next entry will be a review of the Nerf Vortex Nitron.  Until then....

Nerf N-Strike Nite Finder Review

The Nerf Nite Finder is a small side arm single shot plunger blaster with carrying capacity for two extra darts.  It comes packaged with 3 sucker darts.

Usability

The Nite Finder is a classic looking side arm (kind of like a P229 pistol) it has a plunger at the rear and a tactical rail on the top with a red dot targeting system below the barrel.  The blaster is fired by loading a dart in the barrel pulling back the plunger and pulling the trigger.  Reloading is a as simple as repeating the above process (although this isn't a quick process).  The red light targeting is activated by a half pull on the trigger which beams a red light around 2-3m in front of the blaster.  This isn't that effective as to be usable you always need to aim quite a bit above the red dot target and be very close to the target.

The Nite Finder is comfortable to hold and can be easily holstered in a tactical vest or even the waist band of your pants.  It is quite effective at low to medium ranges as an emergency sidearm before a primary reload.

This blaster has very little if any jamming issues, with poor performance being directly related to not fitting dart correctly.

Usability score - 6/10

Styling/Tacticool

Due to its small size and the fact that it is a secondary weapon the scope for tacticool additions is quite small, but the tactical rail does allow for some cool but not really usable loadout options.  As with the previous 2 reviews the blaster features the yellow and black of the N-Strike range but with a lighter grey in the grip.

As with the Maverick I prefer to keep this blaster stock standard and the addition of a fixed red dot target is in itself pretty tacticool.  With that being said here are some Nitefinder loadouts.

Nerf N-Strike Nite Finder with Recon Sight

Nerf N-Strike Nite Finder with Elite Pinpoint Sight

Nerf N-Strike Nite Finder with Longstrike Sight

Nerf N-Strike Nite Finder with Nitron Scope

Styling Score 5/10

Performance

Much like the Maverick the Nite Finder is an accurate blaster, despite the red dot target being largely ineffective the blaster still landed its darts in a small area on several occasions.  Out of the 30 blasters tested so far the Nite Finder sits at 25th place for distance.

Dart Distance (Sucker Darts) - 9.3m (30feet)

The Nite Finder actually performed better in testing than the Maverick but the overall average is lower due to only firing the 3 darts that come with the blaster.  The minimum distance fired was 8m (26feet) and the maximum was 11m (36feet).

Darts Fired per second - 1 dps

This number isn't a fair representation of firing speed of this blaster as it relies on dexterity (something that has left me with age) to reload the blaster quickly.  During testing the average result came out lower than 1 but due to this being effectively impossible I have left it at one per second.

Performance Score - 4/10

Overall

Another solid side arm that is usable as a one shot secondary for close quarters combat.  The one tactical rail is saved slightly by red dot target, but this is unfortunately not overly effective.  This is another blaster that can be picked up for peanuts and is an important edition to any Nerfers armoury.

Overall I give this blaster a score of 15/30.

Nerf N-Strike Maverick Rev 6 Review

Here is the review for the second gun purchased in my Nerf collection, the N-Strike Maverick.

The Maverick is a pistol style Nerf Gun with a revolving 6 shot barrel that comes packaged with 6 sucker darts.

Usability

The Maverick is solid feeling gun with a top mounted priming handle and one tactical rail to attach a scope.  The gun is fired by pulling back the priming handle then pulling the trigger which in turn revolves the barrel leaving the next dart lined up for the next shot.

The Maverick feels very comfortable in your hand thanks to the pistol style grip, but much like the Spectre the gun becomes difficult to prime when an attachment is on the tactical rail.  The Maverick fires fairly quickly particularly if fired quick draw cowboy styles.

The blaster also features a clip point on the rear making it an excellent side arm to hang from your tactical vest.

The gun has very few issues with jamming, but it is essential that the handle is fully primed and trigger pulled or else the dart seems to line up just off centre from the barrel.

Reloading is straight forward, the barrel is able to drop the side through by pushing the black button (pictured above) and darts can be inserted in each cylinder.  Reloading isn't a quick process so this blaster needs to be used for emergency close quarter situations rather than a primary weapon.

Usability score - 6/10

Styling/Tacticool

The Maverick is a purists blaster with very little scope for additions due to only one tactical rail and no barrel mounts or stock mounts.  The blaster features the usual colours of the N-Strike range with the yellow Nerf logo featuring on the grey priming handle and the N-Strike logo on the front.

I feel this blaster looks best when left stock but here are some loadouts with scopes fitted.

Nerf N-Strike Maverick with Recon Sight

Nerf N-Strike Maverick with Longstrike Sight

Nerf N-Strike Maverick with Elite Pinpoint Sight

Nerf N-Strike Maverick with Nitron Scope

Styling Score - 5/10

Performance

The blaster performs really well it is super accurate able to land 6 sucker darts into a tight circle.  For this test I performed the distance measurement outdoors on a calm day.  Out of the 30 blasters I have tested this blaster came in at 22nd place for distance.

Dart Distance (Sucker Darts) - 9.6m (31feet)

This isn't a bad result with the blaster firing a minimum distance of 7.5m (24feet) and a maximum of 11m (36 feet) with the most common distance being 10m (33feet).

Darts Fired per second - 1.62 dps

Firing the blaster quick draw results in the best darts per second performance, through 3 tests the blaster didn't jam once.  This rate would be significantly less with an attachment as this would slow priming speed.

Performance Score - 6/10

Overall 

I would recommend this blaster to anyone wanting a solid dependable side arm, and they are reletively easy to modify if that is your interest.  With second hand prices starting at $1 on Trade Me they are a bargain purchase.

Overall I give this blaster a score of 17/30

Armoury Pictures Posted

Check out the Armoury Page for pictures of my current collection.  It's an ever expanding hobby and my set up has changed multiple times.  Unfortunately have a bit of a moisture problem in the basement so apologise for the damp marks on the wood in some pictures (it really annoys me).

Anyway be keen to hear your thoughts, working on multiple reviews at the moment and should have a Maverick and Nite Finder up within the next couple of days.

Review Nerf N-Strike Spectre Rev-5

So here is my first go at writing a review.  I have decided to review each of my Nerf guns one at a time starting with the first guns that I have purchased through the Roughcut Elite I picked up yesterday.  I have been collecting Nerf guns for a couple of years now and brought this gun on an impulse buy and have never looked back.  So here it is my first review, please be aware that all stats are taken from my own personal testing.  The DPS (darts per seconds) is averaged from two tests with me firing as quick as the gun allows (in the case of Spectre quick draw style).  The Dart distance is based on firing at a flat angle and is measured indoors so there is no wind factor involved.  I have converted metres to feet for US readers.

The Spectre Rev-5 is a pistol style Nerf Gun with a revolving 5 shot magazine that comes with a shoulder stock, silencer and 5 whistler darts (as pictured above).

Usability 

The Spectre is a well made Nerf Gun (common for Nerf products) it has a top mounted primer and the ability to attach a scope (or other accessory) on the top rail, as well as a stock connection at the rear.  The gun is a single shot blaster fired by pulling back and releasing the primer then pulling the trigger.  The next dart is loaded when the blaster is primed.

The gun is comfortable to hold in your hand and despite a slight front heavy feel it is well balanced.  The Spectre operates well as a pistol and is fairly quick to fire of the single shots although this can become more difficult with an accessory mounted on the rail as this slows down the priming motion.

When the stock is fitted the blaster has a sub-machine gun/assault rifle feel but unfortunately the flimsy stock is quite uncomfortable and lowers the maneuverability of the blaster somewhat.

Fitting the silencer adds only aesthetic appeal and doesn't really change the blaster feel at all.  This gun would be best recommended as a side arm without the stock fitted, those lucky enough to have tactical vest can use the sling point on the Spectre for quick firing.

I have had numerous issues with jams on this blaster mainly when the rotating magazine doesn't line up with the barrel of the blaster, hence sending the dart into the side of the barrel.  Despite being easy to remedy this can become annoying.

Reloading is fairly straight forward as a button releases the revolving barrel allowing for the darts to fitted in.  Of course this isn't ideal in situations where quick reloading is a must so again this blaster is better used as an emergency secondary.

Usability score - 5/10

Styling/Tacticool

As mentioned above this blaster holds a special place in my collection as it is 'Numero Uno' and was brought mainly for the cool looking silencer attachment.  The gun has the usual N-Strike badge on the handle and sports the yellow, orange and greys of the N-Strike line.  With stock attached the blaster retains it's coolness but in my eyes looks too long so I often leave the stock off.

The Spectre allows for many interchangeable accessory options thanks to the tactical rail and stock connection point.  The blaster can be transformed from a pistol to assault rifle to sniper rifle and actually looks great in all the layouts.  I particularly like the sniper rifle loadout, and found that it performed fairly well in this setup. Check some of the pictures.

Spectre Rev-5 with Retaliator Stock, Recon Barrel and EPPS

Spectre Rev -5 with Shot Blast Stock and Sight and Longstrike Barrel

Styling score - 7/10


Performance

The blaster performs fairly well although at times is unpredictable in distance and accuracy.  During testing the blaster often fired dud darts and had a tendency to fire towards the right hand side (I am testing down a long hallway and on a few occasions the dart went straight into the right hand wall).  So here are my results.

Dart Distance (Whistler Darts) w/ Silencer - 3.6m (12feet)

Dart Distance (Whistler Darts) w/o Silencer - 6.8m (23feet)

The distance darts are fired from this blaster was disappointing and reaffirmed its use as a secondary blaster.  On all tests (three full magazine emptied with both layouts) resulted in 4-5 darts barely going over 1m and I counted these in the results as it represents the blasters overall performance.  The silencer dramatically reduces performance and despite its cool look isn't advised for use in Nerf battles.

Darts Fired per Second - 1.2 dps

The rate of fire isn't bad for a single fire blaster but in each test a dart was briefly jammed which skewed results somewhat, it may actually be quicker.

Performance Score - 3/10

Overall 

The Spectre Rev-5 is a cool blaster but its poor performance stats and jamming issues has lowered its overall score.  As mentioned above this blaster started the bug for me and its cool styling helped this alot.  Overall I give this blaster a score of 15/30.

Lazer Tag - Possibility of a new Collection??

One of my favourite parts of my hobby is the time I spend looking for the next great bargain.  Often this comes from Auction sites (Ebay, Trade Me etc).  On a recent bargain hunting mission I stumbled across a person selling their Lazer Tag Team Ops bundle.

So after a little internet research I discovered that these have been around for a few years and not only look quite cool but have made a pretty good attempt at creating the so called 'Real life videogame' that Tek Recon have gone with.  Check out this commercial

Even Urban taggers blogger Pockets made a impulse buy on these and reviewed them quite favourably, check out his thoughts here Urban Taggers LTTO Review.

So instantly I am taken back to my teenage years (in the 90's) and going to the laser tag arena with friends for a quick shoot around how cool would it be to have the little piece of nostalgia in my collection.  So despite the slightly naff looking glasses I have entered a bidding war for a two player set in  pretty good condition hoping to take out the auction and have a new blaster to play with and review in the coming future.

Looks like I may need to expand the armoury for a new collection.

Tek Recon

So as per the last post you can tell I have one Nerf gun missing from my collection that I particularly want.  As far as non Nerf products the Tek Recon has really got me interested.  I first heard of this product from urbantaggers.blogspot.com and followed their way to funding through the kick starter website.  Apart from the corny sounding tag line 'real life videogame' these look awesome.

According to the official website of the Tek Recon (http://www.tekrecon.com/) the product feature real triggers and recoil action and can fire the NRG rounds (which appear to be some sort of rubber band ring thing) up to 22m (75 feet).

These blasters look the business with the green and black and the recoil effect has me intrigued.  I also like the idea of the firing type selector.  I am not such a huge fan of the app that goes with this product but of course would try it out if I had the blaster.  Check out the commercial here.

So now comes the tricky part sourcing one in New Zealand.  At the time of writing the blaster is only available in USA and Canada.  I have contacted the sales team for Tek Recon to discuss the potential of having one shipped to New Zealand so far without any success.

E bay has a few for sale at around the $140NZ ($114.58) with postage which is more combined than I spent on a Centurion, Rapidstrike and Strongarm.  It seems like Christmas may not be the best time to realise this dream so maybe it should be my New Years resolution.

My Hunt for a Longshot CS-6

So I'm pretty happy with my current collection of Nerf Guns.  But there is one space waiting to be filled by the gun which has proved to be most difficult to find.  As mentioned in the subject it is the Longshot CS-6, there is just something about this gun that screams cool.  The scope, the bipod the stock it just looks awesome (Check out this review from Outback Nerf.).  But my issue is where the hell can I get one, well there are the usual stores Warehouse (Walmart equivalent) but they only stock current models, as do the toy stores.  Buying internationally through Amazon, EBay or Fishpond is an idea but the shipping is ridiculous expensive to New Zealand (over $50 often more than the gun).  So I am left with Trade Me (New Zealand EBay) and so far the hunt has been difficult.  Every so often an example comes up when a family is clearing out old toys but many sellers aren't offering shipping as the item is so bulky.  I did find one the other day from a seller asking for pick up from home only, so I sent them a question asking to pay for shipping.  The seller was willing to ship for only $10!  So on I jumped to make the purchase to see someone had beat me to it picking up this rare in New Zealand gun for $60NZ ($49US) with a free Recon CS-6 thrown in!

So the hunt continues any readers who know of any bargains I would be grateful to hear about them.  Until next time.

Blog up and running

So after much deliberation and decision making I have decided to start my first ever blog on a subject that I am quite passionate about Nerf guns.  As much as possible I have followed and read regularly some great blogs, such as A.F.O.N, Tactical Tag, Outback Nerf and Urban Taggers (before Pockets retirement) and thought to myself wouldn't it be great to add a New Zealand flavour to the Bloggersphere.

Down here in little old New Zealand we are often the last to get things probably due to a small populations and shipping distance and Nerf is no different.  So while the USA enjoys some Zombie Strike goodness we have only just received the Mega Centurion (more thoughts on that later)!

So the aim of my Blog is to inform about the scene in New Zealand and share with you my thoughts about different blasters that I have or that I am after.

I have split the blog in to a couple of sections with Reviews, where I will discuss my thoughts on the Blasters that I own (I'll aim to upload 1 per week with video).  These blasters range from N Strike to Elite to rip off brands like the Photon Storm.  In the loadout section I will display some creativety aka Borderlands 2 with some accessory combinations that look cool.  The Armoury section contains photos of my current and growing collection all housed in the basement of my house.

The where to buy section offers some links to Nerf bargains and great auctions on sites like Trade Me.

Well hope that this is an informative site and that my thoughts help to either spark an interest or appeal to someone who already has the Nerf bug.  Happy Nerfing!