(Part 2) Best products from r/Nerf

Oh baby my time to shine. Easily my favorite blaster!

So I recently purchased and received this shell for my sledgefire after seeing another review on it.

It's fantastic. Drop in, no other mods needed, gets unreal shots out of it with the darts he supplies as well (10 short stefans, looks to be cut down VTN or FVN). Still manages quite a punch with elite darts as well!

Also, the MTB sledgefire guide linked by another comment is wonderful, and the spring they mention is this one.

I can honestly say that even without a spring replacement, the shell I linked earlier, as well as the seller's longer range kit (has a 200 mm brass insert, same length as MTB for their sledge) is a wonderfully easy drop in and have fun. He even has multiple color options for the shorter barrel options! Give it a shot, you won't be disappointed.

TLDR: Get this shell and have fun!

Good quality as in: Will work for Nerf stuff for a while, or solid build quality where you won't have to replace it often?

If you want to go for something that's no-worries and will probably last for the foreseeable future, the Hakko FX888 is SOLID.

Anything else I'd consider "nice" would have to have a soldering iron holder and temperature control that I trust. Very nice features, because if you leave the iron sitting for a while and don't tin the tip, the heat will start to oxidize/damage the finish of the tip and become unusable. This can also happen on any iron if you leave it running hot for a while, but something that's temperature-controlled rather than with an arbitrary power knob will keep your iron tip intact much longer.

Mid-tier would be something with variable power control but not temp control. You might be able to get away with lowering the power while you work instead of turning it off.

The "Amazon Special" that UNW1 linked is a fantastic soldering iron for the price, plenty of power whereas other cheap irons won't heat up quickly enough. I'd recommend it for most people starting out, since it's great for learning the basics + soldering iron care. There is practically no temperature control on the thing though. I turned it way down to minimum (Claimed 200-250C, which is nowhere near hot enough to melt solder) and it still threatened to overheat.

I've heard of irons that are even better than the Hakko/similar models in terms of where the heating element's located, other features... but I don't have much expertise in the field and haven't seen a need for those. As far as I'm concerned, $100 is as high as you need to go for now, and $50 can probably get you set up with a solid iron.

NXT Generation Crossbow, found at Toys R Us for 30 bucks. I thought it was a little pricey, but it looked awesome. Worth every penny. Shoots 75 to 100+ easy. It has slightly bigger darts, but can fire nerf darts as well.

This thing is pretty much a real crossbow shrunk down and made to fire foam darts. It's made very well, and is just plain fun.

Pardon the mess.

Oh, here is an amazon link...

EDIT: Yes I have stomach problems. lol.

I'd say buy a Nerf Hammershot It's pretty easy, it's a five shot revolver. It's got a hammer to cock instead of a slide, so you can prime and fire it one handed. Easy to still have a drink or hold on to something, or you can dual wield. It's pretty cheap, takes most any dart, and is a lot of fun to cock like a revolver.

There's also the Strongarm and the Disruptor. They're both six shot revolves, slide primed so harder to dual wield but they're solid and you won't have any problems running them, and they take pretty much any dart. If you ever played with a Maverick when you were younger, they're basically the modern equivalents.

EDIT: the Hammershot is actually on sale on Amazon. You can also grab them cheap at Walmart or Target.

Yes, soldering stations are a ridiculous improvement over normal soldering irons! If you get the cash to splurge a little, Hakko makes great soldering stations. The FX-888D is a great entry level soldering station for about $100, which is still pretty much on the low end for soldering stations. But you should be able to find one on Amazon a little cheaper, closer to $90. However low end soldering stations are usually perfect hobbyist stations.

edit: Found one!

Yes, but I'm pretty sure it's just easier to buy a cheap airsoft red dot.

http://www.amazon.com/NcStar-Tippmann-Reflex-Sight-Weaver/dp/B000S6CYFK/

This one should clamp down to actually fit N-Strike rails if you don't to bother with rail adapters.

1st, heat the component and feed the solder into it.

2nd, If you have a cheap low wattage solding iron, objects with alot of metal will be hard to solder as it wicks the heat away too fast and doesnt get hot enough.

3rd, strip the wire a bit shorter, too much exposure especially without heat shrink allows for shorts

4th for removing solder as per above, sometimes you can just heat up the solder and tap the object against the table and the hot blob will fall off, i recommend though to either have solder wick or a solder sucker.

5th, for solder, use 60/40 lead - tin flux core solder, thinner the easier it is to work with.


soldering can be done cheap and easy but nothing beats having the proper tools.

Practice, practice, practice.

Although i will say when i was younger i also had joints look like that too.


If you continue to do this alot, here are the tools i recommend

Solder Wick

Solder

Iron and Solder Sucker


although if you really do alot of solder, get a good temp controller one like this

Weller Soldering station

I like Apex's holsters for the Hammershots and Rebelle 5x5 that I run and I recommend them for those due to price and quality. Depending on how busy he is, it might take a few weeks to get the order.

As for Rival tac gear for carrying Rival mag sticks, surprisingly, I actually use paper tube rolls from empty paper towel spindles that I cut down to 8" in length.

I reinforce them and put 4 of the tubes in a [Condor Double M4 Mag Pouch ] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004FVIQOM/ref=sxr_rr_xsim2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=2795440402&pd_rd_wg=tUZyd&pf_rd_r=77EN0645XZJ8RQ1BXMQH&pf_rd_s=desktop-rhs-carousels&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B004FVIQOM&pd_rd_w=j5qTU&pf_rd_i=condor+molle&pd_rd_r=9YDA2YWGS743BFNWFND0&ie=UTF8&qid=1487254014&sr=2).

There's just enough friction to keep the mags held in place while running, but not so much that they are hard to remove.

I've used that setup for a year and a half w/ no issues even though it's super cheap. Just make sure you find a paper tube that has some decent strength, not some cheapo brand.

The only other option I know of would be narrowbase. I've heard their stuff is good, just never tested it myself. It's kinda outta my budget after including shipping costs.

Red Team Armory can make some custom stuff, you just need to PM ask to see what they can do.

Well, you need to eat a healthy, balanced diet of...

Oh.

So, this is going to boil down to the standard "I want a spring-powered primary" debate of EAT vs. Pump-action Retaliator vs. Rampage Triple Threat match.

There are pros and cons to each, and depending on what you value most will likely decide which one you want.

Rampage:

Pros: Comes with a 25-round drum. Slamfire. Pump-action out of the box. Very comfortable front handle.

Cons: Side-mounted magazine causes what most consider odd weight distribution and somewhat clumsy ergonomics compared to other options. No included stock.

Pump-action Retaliator

Pros: Downward facing magazine ergonomics, generally preferred by most. A bit larger than other options if you've got longer arms. Arguably most reliable. Has a slightly higher 'crazy' mod potential, such as Longshot plunger shenanigans. Comes with an stock -- albeit a very short one. The pump grip has some of the arguably best options due to the fact that you have to get one yourself.

Cons: Not an out-of-the box solution -- requires an aftermarket pump grip, either made yourself or purchased (such as from Worker](http://www.amazon.com/Modification-Pump-Vertical-hardware-Retaliator/dp/B015FWMTRO) (way cheaper elsewhere, AmazonTax is heavy on this one), causing it to be the most expensive. No slamfire, resulting in slightly lower theoretical max rate of fire, and a certain measure of practice to get an understanding of the firing cadence. Often heaviest of the lot, all other things equal.

Elite Alpha Trooper

Pros: Downward facing magazine ergonomics, generally preferred by most. Out-of-the-box blaster, pump action. Comes with a stock if you buy it at retail. Slamfire. Street cred if you manage to find a blue one.

Cons: The stock currently sold at retail is garbage. The handle is perhaps less ergonomic than the other options.

--------------------------------------

As for mods and extras:

• All of them take the same spring. You can get replacement springs from places like OrangeModWorks and springs/kits from BlasterParts via Containment Crew in the US (they sell the springs separately as well here.)
  
• Stock! The stocks included with most of these blasters are really considered bottom-tier -- the Retaliator too short and the orange EAT one absurdly flimsy. I would strongly suggest something like either a Worker stock, or a Modulus stock that you reinforce with either PVC pipe (Custom3DNerf on eBay sold some 3D printed stock reinforcement blocks but they don't appear to be listed at the moment.) You can also go really ritzy and get, again from Worker, a folding buffer tube that fits standard M4 stocks
  
• Magazines. Faster rate of fire means you'll want more capacity. Standard Nerf-brand 18-round stick mags are great, or again, Worker sells 15-rounders. Amazon only has black PMAGs and bananas, there are more colors of PMAG, but you would have to go to Taobao or the like. BlasterParts makes one, but it's significantly pricier.
  
• Artifact Breech. Coming to the US 'soon'(tm). This thing makes it shoot hard. Really hard. Not suggested for casual play.
  
  My personal preference: EAT, reinforced Modulus stock, 18-round Nerf mags. Downward facing mags is a must-have for me, meaning the Rampage is out. My arms are shorter because I'm a bit shorter than average, so the slightly shorter stroke length of the EAT vs. a pump action Retaliator is actually preferred.
  
  Mods I would consider: OMW spring, or a BlasterParts Tactical range kit, for the stronger priming bar and plunger guide.
  
  I really want to get an Artifact breech when they hit the US. Because reasons.

The Boba Fett Apollo is $90?! That's a ridiculous price, a brand new Battle Camo Apollo is only $16.88 - why would you pay more than 4 times that much for something that's functionally the same?

$60 for a pump-action kit on the other hand is about right if you wanted one that comes with rail sections (you can possibly find it a bit cheaper, but not by too much), but $40 for a laser sight? I think we might have different ideas of what constitutes a laser sight, because when I say that, I mean something like this... which is $8.50 (here's one on Amazon Canada for $11.29 CDN, with free shipping). If you meant a holographic reflex sight, there is a wide selection of those that are under $20 (here's one that still comes to sub-$30 CDN with shipping for instance).

Shipping and tax I'll give you, but it really seems like you're making that build far more expensive than it needs to be.

No mag+not Vortex+no batteries+not tiny+shoots far and fast+good stats= Rampage or Elite Alpha Trooper. I'd recommend a Retaliator, but since you're going for far and fast, you're better off with a slamfire blaster. Since you want something that only uses mags and doesn't use batteries, those two blasters meet your requirement.

I don't know if Elite Alpha Troopers are available in France, so that's up to you to look into.

Edit: It's your lucky day, OP. The Elite Alpha trooper is available on the French Amazon site if that interests you. A bit expensive, though.

Cardio Cardio Cardio. And some tac gear is not a bad thing if you are aware of how to use it. I recommend this guy. It is easy to modify with some longer velcro straps to fit any clip size. And that tac vest has some room for expansion. I also have this dump pouch.

I've also got a workout guide to get you in shape and ready for some running Here. I wrote this for me and it has already started but you should be able to catch up.

And make sure you have fun and lots of it.

> Is it a good deal?

Sledgfire is a ton of fun, but can be a pain to reload if you only have the 3 shells. Stock ranges are pretty crap, a C-836 is a welcome upgrade. Stock Sledgefire spring fits the BoomCo Farshot/Halo M6, making it a powerhouse.

Or you can single the Sledgefire using MTB's awesome guide.

The nerf rebelle 4victory is actually a great choice. Smaller than the hammershot and more reliable. It is as fast and as easy to load as the triad and can be primed with one hand.

I know it's not the question you asked, but related. This pouch fits a 35 drum perfectly. It's almost like it was made for it. The bottom is flat too, so it's not awkward or anything.
http://www.amazon.com/VISM-NcStar-Folding-Pouch-Black/dp/B007OZHIZO?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00

A few people have said it but: Hammershot, Strongarm, and Roughcut.

If you head to target the Hammershot is $14.99 http://www.target.com/p/nerf-zombie-strike-hammershot-blaster/-/A-14497493#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=nerf

The Strongarm isn't on Target.com right now but is in stores, but it is also on Amazon and it's only about $10 http://www.amazon.com/Nerf-N-Strike-Elite-Strongarm-Blaster/dp/B009T45XDW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1406649798&sr=8-2&keywords=nerf

The Roughcut is $16.99 http://www.target.com/p/nerf-n-strike-elite-rough-cut-2x4/-/A-14280678#prodSlot=medium_1_55&term=nerf

You can order from Amazon if you have a few days. I would say Strongarms and lots of extra ammo, but I love the Hammershot.

Thanks to BL reader Matthew for the tip. It looks like Hasbro is trying to get these off of shelves...

• $15 at Walmart
  
• $15 at Amazon
  
• $14.39 at Target

Pacific Northwest. Personally, I've had trouble finding it at hobby/craft stores, but I've seen it in two different Ace Hardwares. Your best bet would be to just check any hardware stores or hobby stores near you, or any other place that seems like it might carry stuff like that. If all else fails, you can buy it online:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002N7RPHY/ref=pd_aw_sim_60_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=8BC2CA2PK3B0FPABK3B0&dpPl=1&dpID=31fD-6pfirL

No ACE near me, but you can get it shipped from Amazon for a little bit more:

https://www.amazon.com/Round-Brass-Tube-17-Carded/dp/B00FZS1SB2

https://www.amazon.com/Engineering-32x12-Round-Brass-Tube/dp/B002N7RPHY

Sellers / prices vary. Last I ordered, there was a 3 pack that was the best deal, but currently it's $5.62-$6.32 for a single 12" tube depending on if you want prime shipping or can wait longer.

The solution is simple, really.

1. Buy a second Sledgefire off of Amazon
   
   
2. Keep the shells from said new Sledgefire
   
   
3. Use this mod guide to mod the additional Sledgefire
   
   
4. Repeat this process until the number of desired Sledgefire shells is acquired
   
   
5. ???
   
   
6. Profit

I much prefer the NXT Generation Crossbow. 60+ feet and super accurate. Just needs a bit of velcro (soft half) on the dart chamber to adapt it for Elites--helps keep it in place while moving and pretty much prevents misfires.

The one I painted and used on my Stampede is an NcStar Tippmann Red Dot Sight with Weaver Base and is $9.95 on Amazon. It fit onto a Nerf rail without any modification.

And Zombona is right that sights are not terribly useful on Nerf, but they are neat looking. :-)

This is complete overkill for NERF needs but Weller is known for high quality soldering irons

This is the one I use but it's over your budget (I do more than NERF stuff)

This is what I would recommend for starting out. It's good but totally not stupid expensive.

I would avoid soldering irons that don't have the cradle/base (although you can buy a cradle separately)

Thanks for the information. Out of these these two, I assume accucell s60 is better because it has a voltage control? Are there any websites with cheaper chargers? https://hobbyking.com/en_us/imax-b6-50w-5a-charger-discharger-1-6-cells-genuine.html

https://hobbyking.com/en_us/accuell-s60-ac-charger-us-plug.html?___store=en_us

After a while researching, I found this https://www.amazon.com/2200mAh-Helicopter-Airplane-Quadcopter-4-13x1-34x0-94inch/dp/B071R2SCWR/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1542582915&sr=8-19&keywords=3s+lipo+battery+with+xt60&refinements=p_72%3A2661618011

Are there any other cheap 2200+mah batteries? What voltage is max for the listed above stryfe?

Carrying blasters- A simple one or two point sling works great for primaries. Holsters are available all over from loads of places for carrying secondaries.


A basic Molle vest or battlebelt offers great flexibility if you want more overall coverage.

Mag pouches and pod holders offer belt mounting for less money.

Lots of other gear on the gear up database.

Avoid all the Nerf or PPG gear, it's awful.

Also
75 darts for $9.29,
11.49 roughcuts,
$8.49 sharpfires,
$5.99 bigshocks,
$8.49 rebelle victory,
14.79 strongheart bow,
$14.79 secret shot,
and
this super soaker

amazon

17/32"

1/2"

9/16"

of course there are other brands and sellers, but these ones look good.

Like this? http://www.amazon.com/Rapid-Western-Rifle-darts-shells/dp/B000GL1OL2

if you're interested in making it work. http://nerfhaven.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=10243

http://www.amazon.com/Nerf-Rebelle-Secret-Shot-Blaster/dp/B00NCZZJ6U/

http://www.amazon.com/Nerf-Rebelle-Secrets-Mischief-Blaster/dp/B00NBVTFZ6/

http://www.amazon.com/Nerf-Rebelle-4Victory-Blaster-Set/dp/B00NBVTG7I/

Also, on the Super Soaker front, a new listing for something called a "Microburst 2" (and is probably a mere remold of the original three shot piston squirter nah, looks like a straight-up squirt gun like the crap from last year; the original Microburst at least had a nice piston pump for its size) but is actually branded and packaged as the "ZombieStrike Extinguisher": http://www.amazon.com/SuperSoaker-Microburst-Blaster-Water-Soaking/dp/B00MXT4Y8U/

I use these in UCP for both paintball and Nerf. They hold 2 pods or 4x18's perfectly, and will close, albeit barely, over the 18's. Academy sports has them for ~$12.

Yep, I've used several of them at school and they're pretty bad, I can't believe they have so many good reviews. This $100 Weller is temperature controlled and quite good, the $40 one is not. I'd probably go for the 936 and a brass sponge, my 936+ is on par with the $100 Wellers and Hakkos.

For $30, you can buy some pretty good options for one, but not for two. You’d be limited to something like two Strongarms . If you can go up to $40, you can get two Superdrums .

these https://www.amazon.com/Official-Nerf-N-Strike-75-Dart-Refill/dp/B00JMJS1WY/ref=sr_1_15?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1496511942&sr=1-15&keywords=nerf+darts

then try these https://www.amazon.com/Yosoo-400pcs-Refill-N-strike-Blasters/dp/B00YZOEOT0/ref=sr_1_2?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1496512097&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=nerf+darts&psc=1

the 400 round pack will be way more fun then 75

Don't forget the Sledgefire for $15. And for anybody thinking of getting one just for the shells, they're currently 3 for $5 with free shipping direct from Hasbro here.

Strongarm, Disruptor, or Hammershot: Great cheap pistols. Not great for modding though.
Retaliator: A basic mag-fed rifle with that's been modded by a lot of people.
Stryfe: Semi-auto battery powered mag fed flywheel blaster. Not great stock, but it has a huge modding community.
Stratohawk: Full auto flywheel blaster. Comes with a 25 round drum. Very usable out of the box.

Hammershots and Slingfires would be your go-to in this case, I agree.

--

Also maybe some Buzz Bee Doubleshots for that double-barrel break-open action.

--

EDIT: OP, not sure how much you like/dislike shells, but there's also the [Buzz Bee Rapid Fire Rifle](http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000GL1OL2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1463624503&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=buzz+bee+rapid+fire(
), which is lever-action like the Slingfire but uses shells that eject after each shot. I own one with around 40 shells, it needs more prep and cleanup than the Slingfire but can confirm you'll feel like a bad-ass gunslinger.

According to Amazon, the Maverick upgrade spring package is 7" x 12.8" x 2.8". Easiest upgrade ever, installation couldn't be simpler.

>please let me know if you know what the game is going to be like.

You will be starting on hard mode coming there, count on it. It's gonna be all the hvz vets from around the country showing up.

>Stryfe and reliability comments

First of all, get that thing squared away. NO stock wiring, NO stock motors, NO stock switches and NO 14500 cells allowed and don't even think about it being still stock in toy form. You will be playing a high stakes game and you will also have a lot of high end guns on the field as the status quo.

Motors- You can get Rhinos from Duke_Wintermaul and Containment Crew in the US or you can use Banshee 130 (check /u/foam_data post history, he links a fleabay listing recently).

Batteries, wire, connectors, chargers- Hobbyking

Switch- Omron V-214-1C6, buy from digikey.com

If you need tech help, feel free to bug me about it as much as you want, I have infinite patience for those who want to do stuff properly.

>can you plz link me tac gear you like and use(also affordable) in the comments

http://www.amazon.com/JT-Pod-Paintball-Harness-Black/dp/B00ERDEHT6 fits 4 mags, includes belt. That ought to be a good start.

K & S Engineering #140 17/32x12 Round Brass Tube https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002N7RPHY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_NVAUDb0T38QFE
Free with prime , 6usd

I don't run a dump pouch, so I have no personal experience. However, VISM makes a dump pouch. It's able to fit 8 18 round stick mags.

okay I was thinking this http://www.evike.com/products/25127/
as a helmet instead of the hat
heres a sling http://www.amazon.com/Yahill-Multi-Use-Adjustable-Outdoor-Hunting/dp/B017SET58I/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1464677823&sr=8-3&keywords=tactical+sling

a doublestrike holster https://www.hobbymods.net/products/custom3dnerf-doublestrike-holster

note:that backpack is barely a pound with all the gear in it im fine

I know ill prob buy a raider stock for that
a dump pouch
http://www.amazon.com/VISM-NcStar-Folding-Pouch-Black/dp/B007OZHIZO/ref=sr_1_3?s=hunting-fishing&ie=UTF8&qid=1464623878&sr=1-3&keywords=dump+pouch
im on the line about that tbh with the roughcut I have one but the sledgefire can handle rush's very well lets say someone is hiding behind cover out of ammo and I cover them and someone goes for a flank at 15 ft whould you rather have curved darts fly and hopefully circle back in for a hit or a triangle shaped projectile that goes straight that very hard to dodge but the roughcut you can just slamfire 8 darts into someone switch out do your double strike and do what you were doing

https://www.amazon.com/Engineering-32x12-Round-Brass-Tube/dp/B002N7RPHY?keywords=17%2F32+brass+pipe&qid=1538399161&sr=8-3&ref=mp_s_a_1_3
It's good to know that the stuff OutofDarts sells on his Etsy store is a bit cheaper.

does 'in stores' only mean highstreet stores, and are you talking america only?

Amazon uk seem to have some fine, in fact they're not even that dear http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hasbro-A3698-Nerf-N-Strike-trooper/dp/B00B4M96SK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410280600&sr=8-1&keywords=elite+alpha+trooper

Should I be getting one?

Yep, the NXT Generation Crossbow

and theyre on amazon for about 13 dollars

https://www.amazon.com/Nerf-Rebelle-Secrets-4Victory-Blaster/dp/B00NBVTG7I

[Here's] (https://www.amazon.com/Nerf-N-Strike-Elite-Strongarm-Blaster/dp/B00DW1JT5G) the cheapest, best mod you can do besides /u/foam_data 's method.

If you want a cosmetic upgrade and some extra perks like more modding capability you can get [this] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ILD5846/ref=psdcmw_2327110011_t1_B009T45XDW) too, but if you hate the faux grip wrap like everyone else you can just get a Sweet Revenge reshell if those are still around.

This is what I use and it's very high quality.
my soldering iron

$18 Apollos

$32 Artemesis (Artemisies?)

$24 Sledgefires

I think K26 itself only comes from McMaster.

I have read/heard (I think from Captain Xavier on youtube) that the following spring is supposed to be K26-like. I bought some, but I haven't used them yet.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BQOUIQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Century Spring C-836 - Sledgfire spring, used in MTB's guide.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002N7RPHY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Sg0-BbRFGE6Y6

25W is a bit iffy, but I would focus on getting flux first as that's the greater contribution to your problem. For the sake of comparison, my personal soldering station is 60W, but it's also mostly overkill for rewiring toys.

The general rule is 17/32" for springers, 9/16" for airguns.

For most blasters you just need a length of 17/32" as long as the dart (~3"). You only really mess with longer brass barrels when you have a lot of power (airguns, high volume springers, etc).

Also, you're going to have trouble finding brass at Home Depot. Here's some Amazon links:

https://www.amazon.com/Engineering-32x12-Round-Brass-Tube/dp/B002N7RPHY

https://www.amazon.com/Round-Brass-Tube-16-Carded/dp/B00FZS2618

You can also find it on McMaster, or supposedly in hobby stores.