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#338736 British Modding Supplies

Posted by kevne on 06 May 2014 - 06:17 PM in Modifications

The only clear coat I use is 'Plastikote' clear matt acrylic but you can also get satin and gloss finish. You can get it in Hobby Craft, B&Q, Wilcos... pretty much anywhere to be honest. It goes relatively far and gives a really tough finish. It is also really forgiving if you accidentally put too much on. It doesn't run badly so you won't end up in a drippy mess. 'Krylon' and 'Rustolium' also do some very good acrylic clear coats but they tend to be a lot more expensive and can be tricky to find.

I find that your primer layer is more important than a clear coat for preserving your paintwork. Getting the primer right aids adhesion of the other paint

There are a few guides over on the Britnerf forum if you want to look in to more of the paints and modding materials available in the UK. Like everything, it's finding a combination of paints that work best for you so I can only give advice based on my own experience.



#337357 BrisWar 2014

Posted by kevne on 01 March 2014 - 08:51 AM in Nerf Wars

Calling all British Nerfers! Want to come to a war in Old Blighty?

The first main UK Nerf war of the 2014 season will be held on the Downs here in Bristol using an adapted set of Humans Versus Zombies rules.

The game's setting background can be found here.

The full rule set is available here - there may be some minor revisions to it but I'm happy with it as it stands.

Facebook event is here, join so I can get an idea of numbers.

For more info and to contact the organiser directly, visit the Britnerf Forum.

Day Plan:
0930-1030: Players arrive for orientation, derping and blaster checks
1030: Full rules briefing
1100: Time in, game starts
1500: Final mission planned to start
1600: Game ends

Open game:
Once the game starts, bandanas/bands go on and stay on. There is no stopping once things start, the first mission briefing will be given at the beginning. Further missions will be unlocked as you go. If you want lunch, build the human safe zone and camp out there.

The game will start punctually at the time advertised. If you are late, report to the Admin area to receive your armband and you will be inducted into the game. Leaders of both teams will have radios and so you may be able to link up with other humans, otherwise it's fine to take your squad and go alone.

Gear:
Suggested:
Nerf blasters (including darts or discs, home-made are fine so long as there are no metal components)
Socks (washed, clean, as an alternative to blasters)
LARP Safe Melee weapons (if you have them, they're an option)
Stopwatches or a digital watch (for turn times or stun times etc.)
A good solid rucksack, you've got to carry lunch in something

Mandatory:
Eye protection - sunglasses count
Lots of water
Sensible shoes
Food (coins, notes and cards are not edible)
Pre-signed consent form (for anyone between the ages of 14 and 18) - it should be a parent or guardian but if you're able to sucker one of the other BritNerfers into doing it then good on you.

Site Details
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A Google Map can be found here - it's much clearer than the image.

This is one section of the Downs here in Bristol. It's a large, open space with lots of trees, bushes and scrub. For those of you with Sat Navs, you want to navigate to Ladies Mile. Of course, this is a large play space (it's intended as such) so communication and cardio are going to be vital in this open game. We'll be in a shared space with the public so remember that at all times. It is a public area and if you make a nuisance of yourself, you're on your own. We take no liability for you being a tit and there's a specific local bye-law that will impose a £500 fine on anyone making an arse of themselves - just FYI. Posted Image

Remember folks, don't shoot passers by and do stop to talk to them if they'd like to talk to you. You'll be quite a sight running about like that and will get some weird looks, even in a city like Bristol which is famed for its student antics. Posted Image

Travel details
Train: Clifton Down Station, walk up Whiteladies Road then Black Boy Hill (yeah, really) and you'll see the muster point across the road in front of you.

Car: A lot of free on street parking around, it's free all the way along Ladies Mile if you get there early enough.

A quick note on Ethos:
We're doing this to have fun on a Saturday afternoon. It gets us outdoors and running about and doing something a little less than mainstream. All moderation decisions will be taken in light of this central ethos. Play the game, enjoy yourself and don't whine about getting tagged. I've tried to highlight the merits of both teams in the rules but I'd like to stress that getting turned isn't the end of the world! Think of it as a new phase: one where you don't need to be paranoid and watching your corners all the time. One where you can happily run down whole groups of humans at a stroke. I don't take kindly to human supremacists in HvZ. If you're tagged, you're tagged - don't put your bandanna back on or refuse to hand over your human card because you want to stay human. Take it in the spirit of the game and we'll all have more fun. Posted Image Though seriously, anyone caught being a human dick will feel the full force of my banhammer.

Contingencies:
In the event that the Downs is a swamp in the week leading up to 22nd March, at least 48 hours notice will be given and the event moved to 5th May. 72 hours before the event, I'll check the weather and wander the site and again 48 hours before so I can make a decision. Any decision will be posted here.

This war is being hosted by Boff on the Britnerf forum.



#336954 Rayven Cosmetic Mod

Posted by kevne on 09 February 2014 - 05:47 PM in Modifications

Here in the UK, you need the blaster to be at least 50% brightly coloured for it to comply with the law. This doesn't mean that you have to leave part of your Rayven that awful lurid green, but you do have to choose another bright colour. If you fancy a read, we have done a fair bit of research on this over on the BritNerf forums. Lots of words.

As for your blaster, it's a fairly difficult genre to theme a blaster on since it mainly focuses on weird beasties and the like.

Hellboy had some Lovecraftian elements to it so maybe incorporating some of the films steampunk/dieselpunk ideas into your blaster will work well with your costume.



#336119 Can't find adapter to use with LiPo Pack

Posted by kevne on 28 December 2013 - 10:40 AM in General Nerf

Looks to me like a Tamiya connector.

Airsoft batteries (or pretty much any LiPo/LiFePo battery uses either a Tamiya or Deans connector. This definitely isn't a Deans.

Either way, you should be able to get hold of one from any good electronics/RC model store. Failing that, look for 'Tamiya Connector' on eBay. The battery will be fitted with a female connector so you will want the male (plug) to attach to your blaster.



#333747 Krylon X metals

Posted by kevne on 05 September 2013 - 04:13 AM in Modifications

B&Q and Hobby Craft both stock a good variety of spray paints but I don't think they stock this perticular type.

You can create a similar effect using a high gloss basecoat and a metalic 'glitter' spray. Failing that, go to Halfords and have a look at the different colours of metallic car paint. There are usually some pretty bright 'candy' colours there.



#333035 Rapidstrike Buttstock Mod

Posted by kevne on 14 August 2013 - 03:41 PM in Modifications

This is really neat man, I have one question though, does the stock feel wobbly at all after you shaved down those gray pieces?
So what you're saying is, you could basically have up to like five different settings for your stock, instead of just two. That's pretty cool.


The grey nubs are merely 'stoppers' preventing you from removing the blue piece so there doesn't seem to be any adverse effects of shaving them off.

Theoretically you could add as many stops as you can cram into the white piece. Be careful not to place them too close together though otherwise you could end up breaking it.

It is also worth mentioning that you have to be careful to get your new holes the same size as the original two. Make them too small and the stock won't lock in position properly. Make them too big and the stock will rattle around.



#332937 Rapidstrike Buttstock Mod

Posted by kevne on 12 August 2013 - 07:39 PM in Modifications

I love the Rapidstrike but like many others, I felt that the stock needed a little work to make it better.

Out of the box the buttstock can be locked in two positions; fully extended or fully collapsed.

While this doesn't really bother me, it would have been cool if there were various stages like with the Raider stock. Being the curious fellow that I am, I set about giving the RS stock a variety of adjustment options. Turns out it's pretty simple to do.

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The stock can be removed very easily once you have the blaster open. The blue collar contains the locking mechanism and allows the stock to slide in and out.

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This long white piece is the bit that contains the locks so this is what we need to get at. The blue collar is all one piece so in order to get it off it will have to slide off the end. This is not currently possible because there are four 'lugs' on the grey shaft. You first need to slide the blue collar all the way to the back of the stock. By simply shaving the lugs off and creating a ramp, you can easily pull the blue collar forward and off of the stock.

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Now the long white piece can be removed from the blue collar. You will see that there is a square hole at each end. These holes locate the mechanism in the stock and are what causes the stock to lock in place. By simply adding more holes you can add extra levels of adjustment to your buttstock. I chose to add one extra hole but there is no reason why you couldn't add more, just be careful to get the holes in line with the ones that are already there.

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Replace the white piece and slide the blue collar back on to the stock and you're all done. No need to worry about pulling too hard and pulling the stock off during battle, the metal bar that passes through the stock will stop that.



#332228 Problem with modding the Rapidstrike

Posted by kevne on 22 July 2013 - 05:44 PM in Modifications

This is actually pretty interesting. I bought one of the first lot that got released in the UK a few weeks ago and it wasn't glued. I then tried the one I got from Hasbro today and it was glued together.

Strange move.



#329559 The Rapidstrike CS-18, a Sneak Peak

Posted by kevne on 09 May 2013 - 07:26 PM in General Nerf

Mogul is correct.

I was never really a fan of flywheels but this thing has already changed my mind. It looks amazing and I can't wait to get my grubby little hands on one. It'll be interesting to see how far you can push the internals. If we can tweak the same ROF out of it as BOOM did with the Nitron we'll be on to a winner although, we'll have to buy lots of 35 dart drums.

I guess we just have to wait and see whether mine and BritNerfMogul's deal comes through or not. I remain cautiously hopeful about the whole thing.

If we do get our blasters early, you guys will be the first to know.



#329325 Pak Designs

Posted by kevne on 03 May 2013 - 08:56 PM in General Nerf

Anybody who has ever been in contact with them will know that they recently leaked their entire mailing list. I emailed them to complain but guess what...

It's a shame. I really wanted these guys to be good (and not just because I have put an order in wit the OP's lot). I hope that in time they get to iron out the kinks.



#328789 Compilation of Shipping weight for nerf blasters.

Posted by kevne on 16 April 2013 - 11:34 AM in General Nerf

I really like this idea and I will try to help out where I can. Don't forget that Amazon lists the exact weight and dimensions of each blaster (packaged obviously). This is usualyy how I guesstimate postage costs.

Rather than create a new topic here, why not just update the Nerf Wiki? Surely it's the best place for this sort of information?



#325881 2013 Dart Tag Stinger Review

Posted by kevne on 26 January 2013 - 09:26 PM in General Nerf

Fair enough.

There is also more to the story than I first thought.

As pointed out on our blog, It turns out that this blaster is actually called the Stinger and not the 'Snapper' as I was told on the Hasbro stand. I hadn't realised at first but the Hasbro PR rep. must have gotten her wires crossed.

I have edited the OP with additional detail and the correct name.



#325870 2013 Dart Tag Stinger Review

Posted by kevne on 26 January 2013 - 03:14 PM in General Nerf

1) How much is it?


£12.99

2) Do you have a release date?


Limited release as of now. Wider release later in the spring.

3) Would their be any possible way too get more pics up? Maybe a firing demo?


I'll get some up. Are there any specific pics you want?

I thought it'd be pointless doing a firing demo but it hits the same distance as my Jolt.

4) I assume the targets not electric, am I right?


I'm afraid it's not electric.

5) How big is the target?


About 30cm (1') across.

6) Has Hasbro done anything to the taggers?


Alas, No.



#325866 2013 Dart Tag Stinger Review

Posted by kevne on 26 January 2013 - 02:28 PM in General Nerf

Did you see this in person? And whats the size comparison to the Jolt? (If you know) It looks smaller.


It's mine. I own it. Follow the link and you will see a size comparison for yourself.



#325861 2013 Dart Tag Stinger Review

Posted by kevne on 26 January 2013 - 01:55 PM in General Nerf

The 2013 UK Toy Fair had many new secrets for those who attended.

Fortunately, here is one of them I can divulge without risk of a lawsuit.

I am proud to present my a review of the Dart Tag, Target Tag set. Featuring the brand new Dart Tag Stinger.


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The set includes a new blaster called the Dart Tag Stinger along with a large target, designed for use with the Dart Tag 'Tagger' Darts. This set is the perfect solution to boredom on those wet and windy days when there is no one else to play with. Much like the Tech Target of old, but without the 'Tech' part. The target is quite large and very stable on it's stand. Best of all, tagger darts stick really well so aslong as you hit the target, you won't have to scurry around to find the ones that bounced off.

I used to have a Dart Tag jersey on the wall for my Dart Tag silliness. That has now gone and been replaced by the target. Not for the obvious reasons, but because the darts hit it with a loud thud. That makes me smile.

For me (and I'm sure you) the most interesting part of this set has to be the blaster. The Dart Tag Stinger.


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The Stinger obviously looks a lot like the N-Strike Jolt IX-1 but with a bit of a facelift. It has a bit more of a 'spacey' feel which this guy likes a lot. The two holes on the top serve as dart holders and the colourscheme is really appealing.

But enough with all that. Let's get beneath this pretty frock and see what's new!


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The Plunger head of the Stinger is exactly the same as that of the Jolt. Hopes for a stronger spring or improved plunger design have all but been dashed. Next I began to remove the rest of the shell. Like some of the other Dart Tag blasters, the shell comes away in sections to reveal something very interesting...


It's a Jolt... in a Space Suit!


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So there you are. The new Dart Tag blaster is actually an old N-Strike blaster in a fancy hat. At this point I couldn't believe it. There is obviously no point at this stage doing a side to side review with a Jolt (as I intended) since they are the same thing. I wanted to hate this blaster when I discovered it's secret. A little more than a shameless repaint as we saw with the Elite Jolt, but shameless none the less. However I can't deny that I really like the design of the Jolt's new outfit, even more than the design of the original. In fact, it will replace the Jolt on my loadout simply because the new space suit looks so cool. What's even better is that I can simply put my old, modded Jolt in the new shell and off I go.



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#325734 Exclusive day with Hasbro @London Toy Fair 2013

Posted by kevne on 24 January 2013 - 07:32 PM in General Nerf

Like MLD, I was covering the UK Toy Fair as well.

I am bound by the same contract but I will say this. You can forget about the longshot and longstrike, there is something totally new that will blow them both out of the water. You only have to wait three weeks to find out.



#325325 Modification and Paintjob Pictures

Posted by kevne on 15 January 2013 - 07:17 AM in Modifications

My latest commission.

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LED integration.

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Extensive weathering.

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#325145 Separating the Strongarm Turret

Posted by kevne on 08 January 2013 - 03:19 PM in Modifications

If you look straight at the back of the turret and spin it around you will notice there are 4 shallow holes and 2 deep holes. At the bottom of the deep holes there are 2 screws, you should be able to get your screw driver in and to the screws.


Melty Cheese beat me to it!

There are only two screws holding it together but they are partially hidden by the grey piece on the back.

Here are some pics to help you.

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#325115 Strongarm AR Removal

Posted by kevne on 07 January 2013 - 04:00 AM in Modifications

The plunger head seal is pretty good. As good as any other Elite blaster. Beyond that it becomes dfficult to measure because of all the moving parts.

As you may know, the PT advances forward and seals against the back of the turret when firing (similar to the Vulcan). You can also see in my pictures, there is some foam on the end of the PT which will also go a long way to improve the seal.



#325074 Strongarm AR Removal

Posted by kevne on 05 January 2013 - 07:47 AM in Modifications

Did Nerf say that the Strongarm could hit 75'? That would be pushing it a little, even using angled ranges.


In the UK, the Elite line are advertised as hitting 20 metres (65') but in small print on the box it says that the range is actually 22m (72').

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#325044 Strongarm AR Removal

Posted by kevne on 03 January 2013 - 05:09 PM in Modifications

So I picked up an Elite Strongarm the other day from The Entertainer for £10. I played with it for a bit and I must say, I think it's my favourite Elite blaster so far.

I decided first off that I would modify this in stages. I can then record the performance increases at each stage. In this guide, I will remove the air restrictors and make simple seal improvements. Later I will add a new spring and make further improvements to the seal.

But enough of that. I know you just want to see it naked.


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The shell comes apart really easy but beware of the slide. The 'back' half (from the perspective of the picture) is attached to the shell by the extension spring that returns the slide to it's starting position. The spring is held on with a small screw but you can leave it be as it doesn't really get in the way.


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As you can see, the internals are a world away from the Maverick. Everything is brand new and works in a new way. I won't go into explaining the firing sequence in this guide.


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After removing the trigger (there is a screw holding it in), this whole assembly will simply lift out. The plunger tube will simply wiggle free but beware of the little spring at the bottom. Remove the plunger rod and we can then get at that pesky AR.


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This little pointy jobby on the front is the AR. It works just like a normal AR but looks a little different.


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The view from inside the PT shows the full story. The AR is held in with 4 'legs'. I used a screwdriver and knocked them out. Then the whole AR assembly simply fell out.


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This is what it looked like after removing some of the excess plastic left behind.


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There is a small whole on the top of the PT. This will need to be plugged in the normal manner.


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Next are the air restrictors on the turret section. These are simply removed with a pair of snips.
Once you're done, you can put it all back together.


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Be careful of this little blighter though. This is the catch and it has a tiny little spring hidden behind it. This fell out when I was putting the blaster back together. It took me ages to find out where it went so be warned. It's a sneaky little sucker.

Ranges?

Well, really impressive actually. The ranges are an average taken from 12 stock Elite Darts fired indoors, PTG.

Stock blaster with Elite Darts - 36' (11m)
Modified with Elite Darts - 50' (15m)

Not bad for a simple AR removal.



#324736 Modification and Paintjob Pictures

Posted by kevne on 25 December 2012 - 05:37 PM in Modifications

I've been Busy recently, working on 5 commissions at once. 4 of these were for the same guy and here they are.

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All very standard stuff. I am particularly proud of the two LSKs he had. One was black and green (pictured) and the other was black and grey. Both sporting my flashy aluminium priming handles.



#324715 what paint to use help

Posted by kevne on 24 December 2012 - 07:45 AM in Modifications

This post would be better suited at BritNerf, The UK Nerf Forum.


What he said.

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#324041 New nerf elite releases.

Posted by kevne on 01 December 2012 - 06:05 AM in General Nerf

I did a fairly comprehensive review of the Stockade a while ago.

While I'm not a fan of flywheel blasters, I quite enjoyed the Stockade.

Clicky



#321953 where to buy screws?

Posted by kevne on 24 September 2012 - 02:09 PM in General Nerf

KaptainKrazy's second option is your best bet. Unless you have a specialist screw supplier near you I doubt you'll find anything in the shops. Even if you did find them, you'll have to buy a couple of hundred of 'em and that's not cost effective. If you are desperate to avoid epoxy, why don't you just use a self tapper and a small washer?



#321944 Modification and Paintjob Pictures

Posted by kevne on 24 September 2012 - 09:05 AM in Modifications

Element EX-6 'The Punisher'.

Inspired by the Marvel comics and created for a mod exchange with ThatBritishGuy.


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Hand painted graphics.

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Custom priming handle.

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LED integrated in dart holder.



#321609 Where Can I Buy PVC?

Posted by kevne on 13 September 2012 - 04:55 PM in Homemades

Unfortunately you, like so many others have fallen foul of the darn metric system.

Basically in the UK, we only really use two sizes of pipe in domestic plumbing, 15mm and 22mm. Unfortunately neither are any good for nerf unless you plan on using massive darts. CPVC isn't available in the UK either because we traditionally use copper pipe instead. There are however other options such as this. Buy in bulk though or you'll really get stung on the shipping.

If you need advice on nerfing in the UK, why not try Britnerf, the Queen's favourite nerf forum.



#320569 N-Strike Elite Stockade Review

Posted by kevne on 16 August 2012 - 02:55 PM in General Nerf

Any idea if it is possible to use the Trustfire Lithium Ion batteries with this thing's motors to overvolt? Barricade had some good results with that.


Indeed you can. First you will need to remove the linear inductors from the motors as we have done in the past with the Rayven. (These components are commonly mistaken for resistors). I have tried it and the power increase is amazing. I have almost prepared a mod writeup with a range test for this but I'm afraid I've been a bit busy lately.



#320489 Vulcan Electrical Troubles

Posted by kevne on 15 August 2012 - 01:55 AM in Modifications

I'd make sure that the battery corrosion (crusty white stuff) wasn't all over the contacts in the battery compartment. Try giving all of the contacts a quick rub with sand paper until the metal is shiny again. If this doesn't work, you may have upset something internally when you opened th blaster up.



#319584 Nerf Zap Snaps?

Posted by kevne on 01 August 2012 - 10:47 AM in General Nerf

It's like if a famous ill man took about a half dozen purple shits with green polka dots. Super rare, and ..... collectable to people who collect crap?


Beautifully put. Poetic even. This is exactly the point I was trying to get at. Is it a case of no one owns one and no one cares? If it is as I suspect then It doesn't really change anything. It is still a bit of Nerf history.



#319575 Nerf Zap Snaps?

Posted by kevne on 01 August 2012 - 03:43 AM in General Nerf

Thanks for that Blue but I'm not sure adding a dollar value really helps. Crossbows can go for around $100 and they aren't massively rare, they just don't come up for sale very often. Price is more of a measure of desirability than rarity. Someone on eBay.co.uk is selling a Spectre REV-5 for the equivalent of $211. Simply because they aren't available in the UK doesn't make them rare.

What I am trying to get a sense of is how many people actually own one.



#319548 Nerf Zap Snaps?

Posted by kevne on 31 July 2012 - 06:58 PM in General Nerf

Edit 2: Also they may have been recalled to to breaking in people's faces, so don't use it unless you want to risk breaking it/ crushing it's value.


I wouldn't worry about that. As soon as I realised what it was it went into it's own special box.



#319544 Nerf Zap Snaps?

Posted by kevne on 31 July 2012 - 06:49 PM in General Nerf

I recently came across a box of nerfy bits and bobs in a charity shop. Some of it was new, other stuff was vintage but the most exciting thing was the Zap Snaps.

Now, I know these things are rare. I vaguely remember seeing them when I was younger but I haven't heard anything of them in years. I've had a bit of a google and I can only find really basic info on them (Nerf Wiki seems to be the best source as ever.).

So, my question is this. Exactly how rare are they? How many other people own one and is it even worth hanging on to? I usually only keep the vintage blasters that I really wanted as a kid but never had. Is this so rare that it should be the new jewl of my collection?

EDIT:

For those who are interested, Here's a piccy.

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#319539 What is this blaster?

Posted by kevne on 31 July 2012 - 05:49 PM in General Nerf

Thanks for that Panda.



#319535 What is this blaster?

Posted by kevne on 31 July 2012 - 05:45 PM in General Nerf

I came across this recently. I had one just like this whe I was younger but I can't for the life of me remember what it is called. Any help would be great.

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#319512 N-Strike Elite Stockade Review

Posted by kevne on 31 July 2012 - 05:45 AM in General Nerf

I took the flywheel housing apart on the Stockade but I wasn't quite prepared for it to be so much of a struggle. The wires leading to the motors are so tight that it makes it difficult to wiggle the housing free. Once free, I found that the housing is glued together at the nub below the barrel. once the glue was released, the whole thing came apart easily.

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Now the housing is open, you can see just how much bigger the flywheels are than the Barricades. It also turns out that the surface of the flywheels is coated with a thin layer of silicone in order to help them grip the darts.

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From the back of the flywheel housing, you can already see that the motors are unlike anything we have seen before. Completely different from those used in the Rayven which I suspected would be used in the Stockade. You can see in the picture that nerf are still using the axial inductors to help protect the motors.

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Taking the motor out was a bit of a bitch. The spindle was a really tight fit in the flywheel and I really had to give it some welly to get it out. When it finally came free, I was amazed at how small the motor was. These things are tiny, around half the size of the motors we are used to seeing. Unfortunately, due to the custom housing, I doubt it would be possible to replace these motors with the dash motors as we have in other blasters.

I have already started to modify the Stockade but unfortunately, with the British summer, the rain means I can't do a range test just yet. I hope to post the details soon.



#319359 N-Strike Elite Stockade Review

Posted by kevne on 28 July 2012 - 12:49 PM in General Nerf

Would you mind posting a picture of the motor setup on the Stockade? Because of the cited drastic reduction of noise, I'm starting to think that in order to have increased ranges and reduced sound at the same time (while at same voltage levels), they might have a different motor in both the Hailfire and Stockade. I really doubt that just the smooth (un-toothed) flywheels, new darts, and different dart pusher are enough to increase its ranges so much. Perhaps they might even have a brushless motor, but as much as I would hope for that, it's pretty unlikely.


I'll get a picture of the whole motor assembly for you buddy. Watch this space.

I can say with an amount of certainty that they are not brushless motors. When running, the Stockade has more of a high pitch whine than the Barricade's lower 'rumble', which would indicate to me that the motors are new. Possibly even the same as the Rayven. Just by listening to them I can say that the motors do spin at a higher RPM than before. The larger flywheels will aid this, spitting the darts out faster.



#319308 N-Strike Elite Stockade Review

Posted by kevne on 27 July 2012 - 01:17 PM in General Nerf

Are those arms hooked up to the trigger in any way, or just sprung back and pushed out of the way by the dart?


They are simply pushed apart by the dart as it is fed into the flywheels.



#319270 N-Strike Elite Stockade Review

Posted by kevne on 26 July 2012 - 12:18 PM in General Nerf

Sorry, double post.

Not really sure what happened there.



#319269 N-Strike Elite Stockade Review

Posted by kevne on 26 July 2012 - 11:44 AM in General Nerf

Thanks Jeo for playing spot the difference and for confirming the different dart pusher.

It turns out there is another difference that I failed to spot first time round.

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Stockade

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Barricade.

The Stockade has what appears to be a dart tooth between the turret and the flywheels. At first I couldn't fathom what purpose this served as it didn't seem to lock in position like conventional dart teeth (not to mention the fact that they are useless on flywheel blasters). Instead, this mechanism has sprung fingers on either side of the barrel that centeralise the dart as it is fed into the flywheels. This innovative idea seems to really improve the blaster's accuracy and is another of the suttle differences that make the Stockade so much better than it's predecesor.

So, on to the ranges.

I tested the Stockade alongside the Barricade for the best possible direct comparison. Both blasters were using the same brand new batteries, loaded with 10 elite darts and fired PTG. The following ranges are the average distance over 10 darts.

Elite Stockade - 14.7m (48 feet)
Barricade - 8.2m (27 feet)

The results speak for themselves, the Stockade clocks nearly twice the range of the Barricade, but does that make it twice as good? To be honest, I'm not sure. I like it but I don't love it.