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#173510 Pump Shotgun 2k Integration.

Posted by ambushbug on 29 August 2008 - 09:18 PM in Modifications

Very nice integration! I did a sm750 + ERTL pump shotgun combo a while back, though yours looks way nicer than mine (I didn't bother to do the pump relocation to the stock like you did; nor is mine painted). One thing though that I prefer on mine over yours is that I added a thumb-activated trigger (an upside down trigger from another toy, installed where the rear sight is - simply connected to the SM750 pump via steel wire; ugly but it works well); I personally never liked the 'ring' triggers as they are pretty awkward to discharge without changing aiming/firing position.

In response to the comment by Banshee saying that he/she likes integrating blasters that are complementary - I agree - that's why I use the sm750 as for a 'shotgun' effect (I load multiple darts in the barrel) and I'm sure you've thought of this too.

anyway - good job.

--edit--
I am on crack... it occurred to me that of course I didn't do a pump relocation because the SM750's pump and tank are one piece... unlike the 2k that is described here. Anyway, the comment regarding the ring/trigger still applies...



#129425 I Give You...cerberus

Posted by ambushbug on 11 November 2007 - 12:56 PM in Modifications

Functional, I'm sure but 'integrations' usually mean something different than merely gluing one blaster to another (see NF-sspb integration).



#129393 Pn's Nf Mod Evaulation Results

Posted by ambushbug on 11 November 2007 - 06:59 AM in Modifications

In reply to Precision Nerfer:

quoting Precision Nerfer:
"[/quote]
Um, I would say "schmoe" is a liar... really man, no one is that bad."

- you missed the point - this (as I said) is an example using fake data. There are many plausibile reasons 'Joe' and 'Schmoe' could get different results (e.g. if each uses a slightly different standard or if fired under different ambient temperature) without having to invoke lying. Get outside, measure stuff. You'll see its an empircal truism that virtually everything exhibits alot of variation- figuring out 'why' is the trick.
But providing that both nerfers stick to their own standard while firing both the stock and the modded NF, useful (objective comparisons can be made).


quoting Precision Nerfer:
"Um, why should we mod then? Think about it. If we aren't doing it right now, then why even do a modification? "

- well, believe it or not, some people actually mod because they think it is fun and, as adjudged by them, it improves the quality of their nerfing experience. And they don't care about ranges in terms of somebody else's estimation.


quoting Precision Nerfer:
"It might get 30 feet less then what is said! "

- apparently.


quoting Precision Nerfer:
If we are not going to claim range, what's to tell a good mod from a great one?"

-this is exactly my point; you can't tell a good one if everyone measures things differently


quoting Precision Nerfer:
":Estimation from the mods done?"

- that would be a start. I don't know how other people measure things but I know what my NF or Max Shot perform like. A comparison to those mean more to me than distances. But like I said, not every one does the same mods but EVERYONE has fired their blasters stock (or have access to stock blasters).

quoting Precision Nerfer:
"We have to give at least a general range claim or else we just WON'T bother making a mod write up...."

- you might think so but I disagree. I've learned alot over the years on this site and it had nothing to do with ranges. Everyone who mods probably knows that writeups are always useful (ad that has nothing to do with posted ranges) and, similarly, many have learned that is is also best to trust your own instinct and know-how when it comes to deciding on what mods to do.

quoting Precision Nerfer:
"it would be meaningless without ranges."
- I think that is a pretty short-sighted view of modding/nerfing. I think posting the ranges as people have is the thing that is meaningless.

people on the NIC get into verbal wars about shit like ranges. If you don't believe it, fine - disscout the person who you think is lying or




In reply to Badger:

I'm not sure why you seem to take offense to my comments but you are, of course entitled to a rebuttal (and of course, I will doe the same).


quoting Badger:
"Hey Ambushbug, I think you took this topic the wrong way. I am not trying to "standardize" how one would test the ranges of a modified blaster, rather, I was simply giving my evaluation of his mod so as to dismiss all of the constant
flaming that was occuring every time PN talked about it."

- I suppose you're right - your main point was not standardization. So I guess I misunderstood. However, you seem to have also misunderstood my point. My point was not to 'attack' your approach to reviewing a blaster to evaluate PN's claims. As I said, it is valuable. I am really getting at the issue of "range testing" in standardized way and, while my comment may have been a bit tangental, it is just a general reaction to the issue of 'proving' ranges.


quoting Badger:
"Now I am going to pick apart your assessment of why my testing was not done in a way to be easily duplicated, whereas it is easy to replicate my results and my testing styles if one is careful and watchful of what they do.
[quote]various darts were used[/quote]
Two, not various, darts were used. PN supplied the darts that he made for the gun, which were CDTS (they are not considered stock anymore as they have an altered tip). The stefans were also used to get a view of distances when the gun fires the most commonly used type of ammo for a modified gun."

- as I said in the original post, it is understandable that modded blasters/darts were used in the review of PN's NF, blaster and dart were designed for one another. But the method of evaluation doesn't allow someone (who doesn't have the same modded blaster stefans) to have any information independent of your review.


quoting Badger:
"[quote]performance depends on air temperature/pressure (as Badger alludes to)[/quote]
Where did I ever mention pressure? I also never mentioned air temperature, rather I was referring to ambient temperature. I have seen marked changes in performance in springers when they are subjected to long periods in both hot and cold climates. There was no eulding."

- I guess I misunderstood here too. I thought you were implicitly referring to factors (temperature/pressure etc.) that chemists and physicists (or engineers) have shown to influence all physical properties/measurement. Why would temperature & air pressure/density not be relevant to "ambient" condiitions? I though that was what you meant in the comment regarding Which is why you made the comment regarding playing "up in the mountains (well above 2000 feet) on a very hot and dry day" Surely alot of these factors probably have relatively small effects for processes at the velocities we are interested in but from the standpoint of making inferences, this is worth serious consideration.


quoting Badger:
"[quote]height/angle is not exactly controlled (e.g. "steadying with both hands" is hardly objective)[/quote]
I am 6'1" in height holding the gun at eye-level, so at a level of 5'7". As for the angle and your statement that the angle is not exactly controlled, once again, I am not developing a standard for testing, but the angle was controlled. Unlike over 90% of the nerfers, I do have a good understanding of how to stabilize a gun to prevent recoil. A real firearm has alot of recoil due to the bullet being propelled by a gunpowder charge so the recoil can't all be prevented, while a Nerf blaster that has been modified has such a small amount of recoil in comparison that it could be steadied with just a small amount of effort. I am trained to use both handguns, rifles, and automatics and I am an expert marksman with all three as per the standards of the USAF, so I think I know how to fire a Nerf blaster and steady it to eliminate the recoil as well as to keep it at a level trajectory."

- I'm sure you do know how to fire a real gun (I don't, nor do as you say "90% of nerfers"). So what? I'm a scientist by profession who gets paid to be objective (and teach university students to be objective). Still so what? One needs neither firearms training or a PhD to be able to say that a handheld setup is not very precise.
And of course a nerf blaster doesn't fire like a real gun does (who said it did?). But that has nothing to do with precision/repeatability.


quoting Badger:
"[quote]comparison to the modded max shot[/quote]
This comparison was done simply to verify that the measurements were correct and to show that the NF was not shooting 100 feet or better. It was not so much meant as a comparison. More of a guide. I used it as a simple test to see if it was possible for the gun to fire 100 feet or not. Once it didn't meet or surpass my MaxShot in the range tests, I proceeded with the individual measurements of the NF's performance. Just to let you know, my MaxShot simply has the AR sawed off, but the original front cone that the AR was attached to is still there. A piece of 21/32" brass was rammed onto the internal airflow stem that is found under the front cone. This acted as a coupler for my style of barrels. I then rammed (literally) the cone back into place, disabled the safety that is inside the gun, and screwed it back together. The spring is stock as is the rest of the gun. My barrels use the same PETG that PN used in his NF. Yes it is a different class of blaster as opposed to the NF, but it was only used as a ruler for what 100 feet looks like."

"I also didn't do a distance breakdown as the shots from both my MaxShot and his NF were in a consistent range with a simple +/- 3' range of error or miscalculation. No one can completely eliminate human error."

- of course human error cannot be eliminated (and here, the "error" is not necessarily of human origin, darts perform differently too), that's why there is a whole branch of stuy called statistics


quoting Badger:
"There is no need for a breakdown unless one shot flies much farther or shorter than the rest."

- not true, the variance (not just outliers or "one flying much farther than the rest") is important for making objective assessment of differences between two things (e.g. range of blasters). One can only tell whether one fires 'significantly' farther than another by knowing what's a big difference and a small difference (based on the standard deviation, i.e. determines what is a little and what is alot). That's what statistical tests do: they judge whether a difference is a little or alot based on an objective (i.e. data-based) criterion.


On another note, I never tried to measure distances at DCNO as it was an outdoors event, it had just recently stopped raining prior to the start of the war, and it was quite windy. Any ranges measured there would have been subjective, but when you are surrounded by at least 6 other experienced nerfers who, like yourself, have seen what a gun that can shoot 100 feet should look like, and the gun you just fired doesn't perform as such, it isn't subjective anymore as it is verified by multiple experienced modders and players.

- I know you didn't measure ranges at DCNO - nor should you have. You have better things to do, like NERF. Yes, its nice to have other people around to observe the results but it does not affect the subjectivity (unless they all indepedently tested/measured ranges). I never said you were a liar (which the only thing bystanders can guard against), I just said the range testing was not objective (e.g we all do it slightly differently and, thus, are expected to get slightly different results).


In closing, you picked apart my style of evaluating the NF without having any knowledge of what my personal background was, my experiences, or my knowledge base.

- I'm not judging your experiences or your background or your opinions. I can accept these at face value. I'm just pointing out that there is alot of subjectivity involved that provides a bystander (e.g. one who hasn't actually fired PN's NF) little data that he/she could actually use to compare with blasters he/she HAS fired (which is what I thought on of the purposes of sharing this information was). As your signature says, "you're brutally honest". Great - so am I. Reviews and statistics are separate things. Like reading a car review oniine: half is the opinion of the person who got to test drive it and others are actual facts/numbers (e.g. 0 to 60 mph in ...)


I personally don't give a fuck about ranges either. If my MaxShot can hit a person that is running away from me into the woods and tag him in the back of the neck, it is good. If it is accurate enough to fire through a split tree and an opening in a bush that is only about 2" in diameter and hit someone, it is good. Some people are genuinely honest about their ranges. I take each person's word on a case-by-case basis.

-no argument there


- Anyway, I don't want to hijack this thread - but feel free to argue with me further (via PM).



#129270 Pn's Nf Mod Evaulation Results

Posted by ambushbug on 09 November 2007 - 10:21 PM in Modifications

First off - for the most part, I'm not so concerned with the ranges people post because, the way people measure ranges is so subjective, absolute ranges reported mean pretty much jack-shit. Not to mention that some just outright lie.

In principle, I like the fact that Badger is trying to 'standardize' ways to measure ranges but, despite his best intentions, the measurement is not done in a way that is easy to duplicate anyway.

The following problems make comparisons difficult:
- various darts were used
- performance depends on air temperature/pressure (as Badger alludes to)
- height/angle is not exactly controlled (e.g. "steadying with both hands" is hardly objective)
- not to mention that better summary statistics are required to make a fair assessment - its not just the 'average distance" but also the 'variance' in ranges that determines performance
- comparison to the modded max shot makes some sense in terms of allowing Badger to get a feel but that doesn't provide much objective information (e.g. Badger's mod is not identical to another person's mod). In actuality (this will sound counterintuitive at first) one should use an unmodded blaster and stock darts as a reference. For example, if Badger compared PN's NF ranges to a stock NF firing stock darts (so long as the testing for both blasters was done at the same temperature/height/angle), then this would provide a more objective comparison because, I anyone could make a similar comparison between their own mod and a stock NF/darts.
That is, if I knew my mod shot 15% (on average) further than a stock NF with stock darts (at any given temperature) but Badger's mod shot 20% further than a stock NF, then I'd know Badger's mod gets better ranges than mine. This would be true regardless of whether or not we test fired at different temperature/pressure etc. (even if my ABSOLUTE ranges were higher)


I'll illustrate with a fake dataset:


Assume two nerfers (Joe and Schmoe) live in very diferent climates. Joe lives in a place where it is hot and humid. Schmoe lives in a place that is cool and dry. Both agree to test their modded NFs against a stock NF, firing stock darts at the same height/angle.

Joe's ranges:

modded NF:
67'
59'
55'
57'
60'

AVERAGE = 59.6'
STANDARD DEVIATION = 4.56'


stock NF:
45'
44'
40'
41'
43'

AVERAGE = 42.6'
STANDARD DEVIATION = 2.07'

_____


Schmoe's ranges:

modded NF:
81'
80'
65'
77'
88'

AVERAGE = 78.2'
STANDARD DEVIATION = 8.41'


stock NF:
77'
75'
67'
69'
70'

AVERAGE = 71.6'
STANDARD DEVIATION = 4.22'

------


so who's mod is better? I'd say that Joe's is better (despite having lower ABSOLUTE ranges - this is probably accounted for by the climate he lives/nerfs in). Joe's mod improved the range of a stock NF by 39.9% while Schmoe's mod improved the range of a stock NF by only 9.2%. Furthermore, the standard deviation of Joe's ranges (4.56') are about half of the ranges found by Schmoe (8.41'), suggesting that Joe's mod is also more consistent.

There are some simple statistical tests that could even be applied to such comparisons but I suspect that would be beyond the scope of the 'average' nerfer - but my only point is that there ARE ways to perform standardized tests of mods (not that I think anyone would ever implement this). I am also aware of the conundrum - who the hell would mod something to fire stock darts!!!

Again, my point is that if people want ways to compare the efficacy of their mods, there ARE ways! But if you won't do it right, then DON'T bother claiming ranges because they are pretty much meaningless (the way that people currently do it anyway). Besides, everyone who nerfs knows that the guy pulling the trigger is more important than the 'range' of the blaster. And anyone who mods, knows that a good mod is based on alot of things and the effectiveness of the mod is based on whether it achieves the desired SUBJECTIVE goal.

This is not to say that Badger's assessment is not a valuable 'review'. In fact, I think his comments regarding its efficacy in a war (DCNO), while subjective, is very informative. But it clearly does not provide a means for OBJECTIVE assessment things like ranges.



There is way too much talk of ranges on the NIC - sorry I just couldn't resist pointing out how ridiculous it is to see thread after thread (or flame after flame) about this shit ........



EDIT: 100th post !?!



#126792 Rfr---shotgun?

Posted by ambushbug on 20 October 2007 - 09:56 PM in Modifications

If you have a rfr please try something like this so this speculation ends...The rod through the lever could be further down, but the leverage would work...The faux barrel would work as a nice track for the pump and umm...yeah...


-sigh- as you speculate some more... You seem awfully sure that one could muster enough leverage with your design. But that's just an assertion until you can actually prove it (or at least have a rational explanation based on facts).


The side view's left right motion is the lateral motion...


Incorrect. The whole point of terms like "lateral", "medial", "longitudinal" etc. is that it DOES NOT depend on the angle from which one views and oject. If it did, then coining such terms would be absolutely pointless (i.e. one could always just refer to 'left' and 'right' etc.).


Back on topic: it would be cool to see a pump-action RFR from an aesthetic standpoint. Unfortunately it won't really change the ROF by much and it doesn't address the biggest problemwith the RFR - its shit range.



#126358 Question On A Ds Air Restrictor Removal

Posted by ambushbug on 16 October 2007 - 12:04 AM in Modifications

It would be nice to take the time to actually type out what gun you're talking about. If you're going to ask a question, at least be precise.

Otherwise:

I didn't know the Nintendo DS had air restrictors.



I agree, one should type out (explicitly) the blaster in question somewhere in the text or header. I thought he was referring to the Disk Shot.



#126355 Rfr---shotgun?

Posted by ambushbug on 16 October 2007 - 12:00 AM in Modifications

I thought of the vertical motion of the lever and thought that a bolt attached would only swing down one inch, not enough to interfere with anything in the idea. I might buy a rfr and see if I can no shell mod...no I wouldn't I'd buy a good gun instead like two nitefinders instead...or a maverick and a spring...



I'm not sure what SHA means by "lateral motion" (lateral, at least in anatomical terms, typically refers to motion away from the middle line that runs lengthwise, front to back) though I think he's getting at the fact that, basically the 'nub' of the lever still moves in an arc, requiring one to engineer something a little fancier to pull off Lynx's idea (try it, you'll see). More importantly, however, a one-inch nub for a lever (as in Lynx's idea) doesn't provide much "leverage" at all (it's like sawing off one end of a teeter-totter) - leverage is proportional to the distance between the point of force and the fulcrum). I suspect that it would be too short to work. I think the direction connection to the bolt is more feasible but, hey, its always better to actually try than to speculate (that goes for all of us; MOD FIRST, POST CONCEPTS SECOND!)



#124083 Disk Shot Versus Old Nite Finder

Posted by ambushbug on 24 September 2007 - 10:08 PM in Modifications

First of all, I've read on several occasions that the old (dark blue and orange) Nite Finder has a better spring than the newer ones, though the difference isn't supposed to be obvious just from looking at it visually (mentioned here)

I've also read a few comments by members saying that the Disk Shot is "basically the old (dark blue and orange) Nite Finder" yet, in Renegade's mod, he shows pics of the spring for the Disk Shot compared with the 'new' NF and they look nothing alike. Given that the old and new NF supposedly look similar, then (via the transitive property) obviously the Disk Shot and old NF springs should look pretty different too.

I can only conclude that the comments regarding Disk Shot = old NF are referring to performance (despite apparently different springs) but just judging from the tension felt when cocking and firing both blasters, I got the impression that the old NF still packs more punch. As such, I decided to transplant the apparently more powerful guts of the old NF into the shell of the Disk Shot, which I like more than the old NF.

Regardless, for the sake of others who might be curious, I decided to post some pics comparing the assembly of my old (modded) NF and a recently acquired (stock) DS. As it turns out, the whole cocking handle (plus spring) can be swapped, with only a few differences (outlined below). The successful transplant of the old NF cocking handle and spring into the Disk Shot (and vice versa) corroborates Renegade's earlier assertion that the plunger assembly is nearly identical.


Here are pics of:

them side by side

Posted Image


the plunger tubes are practically the same length and ID (judging from the success of the transplant); old NF above, DS below.

Posted Image



the springs (old NF above, DS below). Like Renegade said, the cocking handle is a little longer in the DS

Posted Image


Note that the catch/trigger mechanisms are slightly different leading to some minor incompatibilities; my upgraded Disk Shot (with NF cocking handle) takes a bit of a longer trigger pull to discharge (if you like a hair-trigger, this is less than ideal) - notice the gap between catch and trigger:

Posted Image

Conversely, the old NF (with DS guts) is a bit easier to pull

Posted Image

Just for starters, I did a basic barrel mod (17/32" brass) but will be looking into some integration ideas in the future. Oh yeah, I also added a second O-ring to the plunger head (of the Disk Shot only).

Posted Image


Some other basic differences I noticed: the quality of screws has really slipped in the newer blaster (Disk Shot). The screws are smaller and strip alot easier than the ones for the old NF. Even the plastic tabs that anchor the plunger tube to the shell of the stock DS seem pretty weak - the rear one was already cracking when I opened it up. These factors discouraged me from making a more robust/objective comparison between the two springs; the ideal way to do this would be to compare the ranges of the DS (modded or otherwise) with the stock cocking handle/spring versus with the NF assembly--but I was worried that the tabs would snap off (or I'd strip the screws) after repeated fooling. Also, if you noticed in the pics of the trigger/catch mechanism, the Disk Shot's trigger is much flimsier looking than the old NF's.


Anyhoo, there it is - now if anyone had all three (old NF, new NF and the DS), it would be great to see the differences and, ideally, see some actual quantification of these differences that people often claim.

___EDIT: interpretation for those still unclear (e.g. Sixfivetwo) -> clearly, the springs of the old NF and the DS don't look alike. Whether they perform the same remains to be tested - but I'm betting that the old NF still beats the DS. Unfortunately, I don't have a new NF so I can't comment on performance here, but Renegade's write-up (in the mod directory and referenced in earlier in the text) suggests that the DS is better than the new NF. So in my mind:
oldNF > DS > newNF

BUT it would be best if someone who has ALL THREE actually tested this by measuring ranges using each spring placed in the same stock blaster (or at least with the same barrel mod)



#123714 "the Professional" By Airzone

Posted by ambushbug on 20 September 2007 - 08:43 PM in Modifications

Hmm, the assembly reminds me a bit of the SM1500 but its hard to say for sure without a size/scale comparison. The range sounds like its considerably less than the SM1500 though. Regardless, nice find and nice mod.

EDIT: oops - thanks Blister, "SM750" is what I really meant. I don't even have an SM1500 (but that's basically an AT2K, right?)



#123149 Price Updates For Toronto!

Posted by ambushbug on 15 September 2007 - 10:09 PM in General Nerf

thanks - I didn't even know The Bay carried Nerf. I live only about a 15 minute walk from there 'been under my nose the whole time.........



#120709 "silenced" Longshot

Posted by ambushbug on 21 August 2007 - 10:51 PM in Modifications

Actually, I believe Forsakenangel24 made a working barrel silencer for his Titan. I will update this post with a link later.

He meant on spring guns. The noise comes from the plunger head's impact with the end of the plunger tube, not from air escaping the barrel.

privateer: Way to be an ass. I was giving you advice that is going to help you, should you take the time to read it.




Hey SHA: don't get all riled up. Privateer is being a bit prickly because everyone immediately called him a bullshitter. A call which, I think, he answered - so let him have his victory. I agree with your advice but it is not necesary to have the 'last word'.

Privateer: kudos - though I was willing to take your word for it from the beginning. Not because I'm particularly trusting but because 'silencing' like 'ranges' all seem particularly unquantifiable (in a standardized way) that means that its hardly worth voicing any skepticism (if its not something I could actually test myself anyway).
But seriously: "after drinking many Bud Lights"? Now THAT's something I find hard to believe; that stuff is hardly potable......



#120703 Couplered Maxshot

Posted by ambushbug on 21 August 2007 - 10:26 PM in Modifications

This is on the main modification page. We don't need this.



Tofu - I'm not sure but I think this is different than Cxwq's mod on the Mod page sticky but I'm I suspect that you (like me) assumed everyone knew/did this anyway. Except (like SHA said) we all cut the barrel down (leaving 5 inches of barrel on is silly - it wastes so much power).



#120561 Tagball

Posted by ambushbug on 20 August 2007 - 05:32 PM in General Nerf

:nugget:

It looks to me as if these have no purpose. For $7, I can get a Nite Finder and hit 70+ feet. For $15, I can get a Max Shot and hit 130+ feet. For $30, I can get a Longshot and hit 100+ feet with an awesome rate of fire. These are all cheaper options than a $42 "Tagball" gun that only hits 70 feet. They are all better options. Therefore, Tagball guns are not a reasonable option for the average Nerfer, and will not appear in many arsenals.



I agree that the price tag (if that is indeed the price) is steep but my interest isn't in 'bang for the buck' - its the adventure/risk of modding something new (i.e. different from the status quo). Personally, I could give a rat's ass about all the blasters people get boners over once they come out (e.g. the Maverick, the Longshot, Spidey/Venom dart tag set) because everyone and their grandma is working on modding it. I'm glad people are shelling out $$ and investing time/creativity in modding them but I don't want to bother with them (most of the time).

I'm really more interested in the ammo than the blaster but how people should spend their money is only of concern to the spender. If I recall, people said the ERTL pump shotgun was overpriced but I know of a few people who'd swear by them (myself included). Anyway, this thread wasn't intended as a "what is your opinion on this blaster" thread. It was (as indicated in the subheader) more of an "can anyone tell me anything about this" thread.

I'm not the "average nerfer", nor is my arsenal.



#120332 I Made A Ammo Cartridge!

Posted by ambushbug on 18 August 2007 - 08:07 PM in Homemades

Posted Image


So stupid easy, it works! Put 24 micros {I used stock} in the box (3 rows of 8).
It works pretty well until there are like 4 left then it gets a little harder.



I agree; "stupid" is right. I can't believe you even bothered to start this thread. Seriously, a (second rate) writeup for a box to carry darts in? If you choose to use this for yourself, fine - but I don't think anyone with an intact cerebral cortex really needs instructions on how to cut out some cardboard from a box. Most people use this forum with more discretion (i.e. blasters made from scratch).



#120315 Nf+sspb, A Different Way.

Posted by ambushbug on 18 August 2007 - 05:50 PM in Modifications

And you could make it so the NF fires before the SSPB, by making the wire longer. I do belive that would work.



No shit buddy - that's what everybody has been saying.....


Nice mod Nerfturtle! I might pick up a new NF and SSPB because of this. I did the old 'vertical' SSPB integration on an NF for someone else but I wasn't a big fan of the button either.



#118573 Cutting A Breech Without A Dremel Tool?

Posted by ambushbug on 06 August 2007 - 10:24 PM in General Nerf

its not easy but I've done it for several of my mods (I have yet to get around to investing in a Dremel). I did this by drawing the rectangular breech on the brass and making many diagonal criss-crossing cuts (e.g. X's). From there, I slowly bent/pried of the triangular sections as needed and filed down the edges. This needs to be done carefully - you don't want to warp the brass tubing. Takes a long time but it is possible.



#118070 Tagball

Posted by ambushbug on 02 August 2007 - 07:20 PM in General Nerf

My friend has these, and they can shoot, without modification, taggers and stephans. Hell, you can even shoot a AA battery out of it. It's basically a slingshot (NOT a nerf slingshot) with a trigger. It flings the ammo with about the same force as a well modded Nitefinder. They are pretty cool, but my friend never showed me how well the original tag-balls work. I think that he said they can go 50 ft flat.


That's all well and good, but what is the accuracy? There's no point in slinging something for 60+ feet if it won't hit its target.



whether its slingshots or NERF, we all know its often the ammo - not the launcher - that determines accuracy.
In any case, if the ammo is indeed less than ideal, a trigger-style slingshot that can launch crappy ammo 50 feet might have some mod potential for shooting nerf darts/stefans.



#118068 Cpvc Barreled Missile Storm

Posted by ambushbug on 02 August 2007 - 07:09 PM in Modifications

This will be less than mindblowing. Let's face it, it doesn't take a rocket (missile? B) ) scientist to come up with this mod. I'm sure this has been done before but it appears that there aren't even pics of modded missilestorms around (at least on their own), let alone a writeup. Perhaps this will end up in the "vintage" section of the mod directory.... the copyright date imprinted on the turret says 1993! This thing is older than probably half of the members on this forum. Curiously, it also says that it was manufactured by Kenner (a division of Tonka toys) - I didn't even realize NERF wasn't always owned by Hasbro.


I picked up this blaster from my local thrift shop ($0.99) and other than a broken missile rod/peg, it worked (no missiles included).

Posted Image

I figured I'd take it home and have some fun. Normally, I'd open it up right away but it uses these peculiar screws with star-shaped (hexalobular?) recesses - for which I don't own a screwdriver. So this write-up really just documents a simple "external" treatment. If can open it up in the future, I'll add some pics and possibly some internal (e.g. airseal) mods.

But modding the barrels is easy enough - first, I hacked off the rods down the nubs on the turret.


Posted Image

Then I cut some CPVC into four 3" sections. I use 2" darts for my CPVC barrels but ofcourse you can use whatever lengths you like. The extra clearance was to accommodate the turret nubs (about 3/4") over which the barrels fit. A small bit (~3") of e-tape around each nub and the CPVC barrels fit tightly. Add some hotglue to secure the connections. And voila:

Posted Image


the ranges are not spectacular (probably not more than 40') and very variable. Since this is a trigger-less blaster (you pull back the blue handle to rotate the turret and then push forward rapidly to fire), the range depends on how hard/fast you push. Truth be told, I don't get very good results with my CPVC/dart setup - if I get around to picking up more brass, I'm going to replace the barrels.

I also bought this with other plans in mind (e.g. integrating the turret and cocking mechanism with a powerful spring gun) - so this may well be a temporary solution.

Anyhoo - enjoy!



#117946 Have You Ever Noticed?

Posted by ambushbug on 01 August 2007 - 09:20 PM in General Nerf

In today's culture, the NIC is in NO WAY served by making guns 'realistic' or naming them after real firearms, etc.

I am going to be making flyers to distribute on my college campus, and I know that the word 'gun', despite the context, stands a large chance of me not getting them approved.

I am going to take a hint from paintball and come up with a name that doesn't involve 'gun' (foam launchers? Dart tag?) to use on my flyer. People who know nothing about the sport can only criticize the verbage choosen, something I noticed played heavily in the news story floating around on youtube about the Assasination game.



I thought convention on NH was to use the term 'blaster' - not 'guns'. At least, that's what I refer to them as.

I think people can paint their blasters however they please - but judging from what I've read over the couple years on this forum, they definitely don't get props around here for 'realism'



#117938 Tagball

Posted by ambushbug on 01 August 2007 - 08:22 PM in General Nerf

I stumbled upon this thing while surfing the web for something completely different.

It appears to be another "safer", low tech and less messy version of paintball. Judging from the descriptions on the website, the ammo are 19mm (~ 3/4") puffballs that stick to hook/loop velcro targets (on the body or otherwise).
The 'blaster' is powered by surgical tubing (slingshot-esque) and is similar in principal to some homemades I've seen on this site.

Anyone had any experience with it? I'm intrigued about the possibility of modifying the blaster (e.g. add a plunger) to shoot darts/stefans and/or use the ammo for Nerf blasters (e.g. obviously with larger ID barrels than typically used). I'm a little skeptical of whether the ammo would have the correct weight or be able to provide a good airseal but its hard to say just from looking. The prospect of spherical but soft ammo is something that I find appealing (for gravity-fed hoppers/clips) and, if I recall, was also the impetus for a post by Tidge a long time ago. I never did hear whether or not he got a chance to try any of the ideas out.



#117830 Rfr Strap

Posted by ambushbug on 31 July 2007 - 09:55 PM in General Nerf

Oh yeah I forgot the Duct Tape Strap idea.
And where do I reinforce in the RFR? I have no idea where the "plunger, catch" is. Please give me a tutorial preferably with pictures. Where do I get sheel metal? I know I can get epoxy in lowes, but do they offer sheet metal in lowes too? I can't do it right now, because I am out of town...

You guys got any good ideas for the ammo holster? I plan on getting either extra clips + shells + darts and just shells + darts.

Thanks.



My friend, the best thing to do is to open things up yourself and see how things work - then you should be able to figure out what people are referring to when they refer to a "catch".

There are already some pics of the guts of this blaster. Look at the orange thing at the right of the 2nd last pic.
That's the part that 'catches' the plunger when you cock it.

That said, I haven't ever had an RFR (I have 3) break on me, though admittedly, I don't use them much anymore.

In terms of straps/ammo holders, the duct tape method is okay but looks pretty ghetto. Go steal the shoulder strap of your sister's gym bag and clip it onto the some zipties installed somewhere at the rear and front of the blaster. Again, you can experiment to see which positions you like best. If you're creative, you should easily be able to turn your strap into an ammo holder/bandolier.



#117170 The Best Double Shot Mod Ever

Posted by ambushbug on 25 July 2007 - 09:04 PM in Modifications

Y'know, this mod really makes me think about what can be done with the RFR, Mustang 6, and Clip Tek. If you can remove the Buzzbee shells from the Doubleshot, is it possible to remove them from the other Buzzbee blasters out there? The Mustang 6 would probably end up being better than the Maverick, and the Clip Tek would be awsome. We could probably squeeze 70' of so out of the RFR, and it would all be shell-less! Awsome job, I agree, best Double Shot mod I've seen.


I can't comment on the other blasters but I doubt that breech/CPVCing the RFR would make any improvements - the problem is the tiny plunger - there's no cure for that. In fact, I'm not sure that the ranges would differ from the cpvc shell mod and there would definitely be a loss in terms of RoF



#117057 Pump Shotgun Seal Problem

Posted by ambushbug on 24 July 2007 - 10:29 PM in General Nerf

When I load my Pump Shotgun the seal is so good that when I pump it the dart gets sucked back into the plunger tube. I thought about putting somehting in the way to stop it, but when I tried it just got stuck and the pressure was so great I couldn't finish cocking it. Any help would be awsome.



the same happens with mine - though that's a small price to pay for a good airseal (muzzle loading is alot easier than the removable barrel method). As you probably figured out, even if you can only half-cock the blaster, if you release the pump handle quickly, the half-cocked spring spits the dart back out.

If your dart/barrel fit is pretty tight (e.g. the dart doesn't slide all the way down due to gravity alone), then maybe a slightly longer barrel will make it easier to cock (more air volume required to suck the dart towards the plunger - though this might also mean alot of friction on the way out). I personally prefer a slightly looser dart/barrel fit (e.g. 9/16 brass works for my darts) and using plumber's goop, I jam up the back end (the one closest to the plunger) with about 2" of 17/32 brass and 0.5" of 16/32" PETG nested in that to keep darts from being sucked into the plunger. The setup makes it effectively a nested brass barrel - if you get it right, about 1.5" of the dart should lodge in the 17/32" brass section, maximizing air pressure and, thus, the force/velocity of the shot.



#117052 Latest From Telekinetic Labs

Posted by ambushbug on 24 July 2007 - 09:58 PM in Modifications

[/quote]
I would use a Torsion spring (they donĀ“t wear out or become brittle as fast as rubberbands)this type of Spring is used in Mousetraps.

[/quote]



I am very intrigued about the drum-mag as well. I had tried a few things out but it never materialized (I'm clearly not as determined/clever as you are). In terms of spring ideas, I pulled apart a cheap timer (kitchen counter-top style) that I bought at the dollar store. It might be similar to the "pull-back" toy car or "wind-up" toy idea you mentioned - maybe it might provide what you need.

I'd also love to see the finished prototype in action (e.g. a video). Good work!



#94398 Buzzbee Mustang Six Reveiw

Posted by ambushbug on 13 November 2006 - 11:45 PM in General Nerf

Some of this was also articulated in a mod write-up a few months ago:

mustang six


In one person's opinion, it performs better than the Mav. But you be the judge - I just thought I'd point out the existing info.



#94003 Where Can You Find The Speedloader?

Posted by ambushbug on 09 November 2006 - 08:01 PM in General Nerf

So Speedloaders are at:
-Fred Meyers
-Walgreens
-HEB

And that 12 shot shotgun outdoors gun thingy is at:
-Gander Mountain
-Bass Pro Shops
-Any hunting store

I think i'll just go to Fred Meyers down in the states.



I got my speedloader from Wal Mart (Toronto area) - though personally, I don't think its too spectacular. With air restrictors (only) removed, I don't think it gets more than 30 feet.



#93846 Rapidfire Shotgun Mod

Posted by ambushbug on 07 November 2006 - 04:28 PM in Modifications

Wow, 12 shots! I had no idea.

Range AND high ammo load - I never guessed it could get better than the FS 1010 (pump ballgun).
Hopefully this will be available in my area.

If anyone manages to get some internal pics up, that would be great!



#92995 Swat 72 2007

Posted by ambushbug on 25 October 2006 - 08:05 PM in Off Topic

never heard of it. But I'd bet you'll find lots of folks at www.snowboard.com who are going (though you're probably already part of the community).

Northstar?



#92087 Usb Missile Launcher

Posted by ambushbug on 17 October 2006 - 02:43 PM in General Nerf

We also play with all thed lights off so it wouldnt be visible.


but presumably the monitor would be. Unless you managed to hook up a USB extension cable long enough to control the launcher (and a camera) from a different room.

Doesn't sound that useful but it sure looks like fun.



#91192 Clip Magazine

Posted by ambushbug on 03 October 2006 - 10:20 PM in Homemades

many have used cassette cases as clips (the names of these people escape me).

I have also used a different type of casing for my own spring-fed clips; described in:4Bmod and re-visited in my mod for the ERTL-FS1010 shotgun.

Carrtoon also came up with an interesting, much different air pressure-fed magazine for his 3B.

There are lots of possiblities, depending on the type of blaster, ammo and materials you have handy.



#90663 Idea For "nerf-proof" Vest

Posted by ambushbug on 27 September 2006 - 10:12 PM in General Nerf

hmmm, I assume you've never seen this:

http://nerfhaven.com...=mountain rifle



who needs a vest when you can block shots with your teeth?



#90494 Pump Shotgun Pump-action/clip Mod

Posted by ambushbug on 25 September 2006 - 09:56 PM in Modifications

[/quote]

Ambush bug you son of a bitch. :wacko:
I was talking about doing something like this a while back but got distracted with other guns, life, women, work.
I like your mod functionally but I think it is a little hideous.
Now I am inspired to make yet another pumpshotgun mod with clip. Damn you for making me do this.
When I am done with my 3 current projects I will start on it. The LS will have to wait.
[/quote]


Yeah, it could be more fancy (i.e. the thing was made from alot of scrap material in about three hours - but is structurally sound considering I work without a dremel or epoxy) but I had to get the little bugger done ASAP. Not for use or anything, I'm just obsessive compulsive when I'm curious to try something out. So, for the sake of concentrating on writing up my goddamn thesis, salvaging my career (and maybe my marriage) I'm okay with the gun looking like ass.... :unsure:

Glad to be spreading the disease of distraction..... and as always, I look forward to seeing what unholy device you can conjure up.



#90463 Pump Shotgun Pump-action/clip Mod

Posted by ambushbug on 25 September 2006 - 03:36 PM in Modifications

[quote name='six-five-two' date='Sep 25 2006, 10:03 AM' post='90457']
It is like Forsaken Angels mod but with a clip. Nice mod, I think I may get one of these but there are no bass pro shops around. How much are they?


Actually, I think there's a little more nuance to it than merely adding a clip. The clip is the easy part - its getting the breech to work simultaneously with the pump that was the point of this mod (that may not have been apparent in the pics or the crappy video). If this is unclear, let me know and I'll try to get some better video.

And I apologize for not including some links in the writeup - I originally intended to "edit" and add links for a bunch of previous mods I referenced:
- my old write up of the Ertl FS-1010 internals
- the original Bacon Bow mod that inspired this
- Forsaken Angel's plunger modifications
- the assemby of my own peculiar clip (originally designed for my version of the Bacon Bow)

however, I had difficulties in getting the edits accepted (the write up was in two separate messages at first but the editor function seemed to consolidate the two, putting the 'edited' version over the image limit). Long story short, sorry for this double-post but it has neccesary reference information.


EDIT:

six-five-two: the darts in the videos/pics are my own custom ammo made from Buzz Bee stock darts. They're cut down to 1.5" and tipped with a small "puck" of (pre-cut, cold) hotglue and a craft bead, sealed with (melted) hotglue. They're experimental ammo right now (I call 'em 'Cyclops' darts - b/c to me, the tip looks like a single eye). Better darts than my other stefans (but I AM terrible at making regular stefans).

General Cole: the 'travel' on the breech (assuming I understand correctly) is a little under 3" (7.2 cm).



#90441 Pump Shotgun Pump-action/clip Mod

Posted by ambushbug on 25 September 2006 - 04:13 AM in Modifications

A while back, I posted some internal pics of this
Posted Image
off-brand ball gun (aka the ERTL FS-1010 Pump Shotgun) I bought at a local Bass Pro shop. Given the internals, I was pretty optimistic of its potential. I brassed it and was pretty happy with its performance singled
Posted Image.

Its got great range (think Max Shot) and its airseal is so tight that darts can be muzzle loaded in the 8" brass barrel (9/16") and get sucked the rear of the barrel when cocked. This makes for a good RoF with no breeching necessary.

(NOTE* for any mod using a 9/16" barrel, be sure to jam some PETG or brass of smaller inner diameter in the back of the barrel to prevent darts from getting sucked right into the plunger.)


But I had been thinking of ways to turn this thing into an even more formidable weapon in terms of ammo load and RoF. I was trying to think of a way to clip-mod this in a way similar to my version of Piss Bacon's BBB mod (aka the Bacon Bow). Of course the problem was that the shotgun, like most Nerf blasters, lacked the BBB's unique cocking mechanism that allows the barrel/breech system to fire darts at a position closest to the plunger. I ended up buying another ERTL shotgun recently and went to work.

Well, my solution was to split the handle of the existing shotgun pump into two sections (front and rear). The front handle still functions to cock the plunger but the rear can now move independently to work a breech, sliding the brass (9/16") barrel backwards over the dart. Not sure what to call this type of mechanism - kinda like pump and bolt action at the same time.

I'll do my best to explain what I did but I'm afraid I didn't have a camera available during some of the crucial early steps. Hopefully though, the pics will give you an idea and you can fill in the blanks. I don't talk about replacing the existing barrel and installing the new barrel/breech as Forsaken Angel already provided a good write up for the the former and the latter was performed by a procedure that I used when making my Bacon Bow.

The "arm" used to link the rear handle to the barrel/breech consisted of some spare black plastic tubing (just lying around) and a broken aluminum tent stake
Posted Image.
The blunt end of the stake was jammed very tightly into some PETG do facilitate gluing to the inside of the rear handle. The pointy tip of the tent stake was eventually jammed into the hollow black plastic tube and secured with some e-tape and a tightened hose clamp.

The handles were hacked from the original pump - here are the handles after the cutting was already done
Posted Image.
Note the position of the tent stake.

To accomodate the backwards sliding (closed breech) arm (with hose clamp), I had to hack/sand out some space in the bottom of the front handle
Posted Image.


To install the stake, I screwed the rear handle back together and once I got everything in position, I used some krazy glue to attach it and a pile of hotglue around it to support the stake. But be careful not to add too much glue - there still need to be space to accommodate a screw when the rear handle is slid forward (open breech)
Posted Image. The black plastic arm extension connected to the 9/16"barrel via a series of hose clamps and a CT clamp
Posted Image.

The new breech (19/32" brass) was mounted to the plunger with some e-tape and a piece of PVC coupler (gray thing).
Posted Image


more in a sec (image limits).....

I was afraid the connection was weak so I took some old (green) plastic tubing and cut out a ring to add support to the junction between the PVC coupler and the (brown) plunger tube
Posted Image

Then I wrapped the ring in black e-tape
Posted Image

To allow it to accommodate my clips, I added a clip guide cut from some scrap transparent orange PETG
Posted Image

I glued it to the the PVC coupler opposite from the breech opening
Posted Image

I also secured this connection with a (white) ziptie
Posted Image

My clip slides into position and is held by the guide. Since the clip is spring fed, I keep it in a semi-sideways position
Posted Image

But since the breech can still be rotated, the clip can also be mounted vertically (above) - so, in theory, it can also accommodate gravity-fed clips
Posted Image

I'm very happy with the result. I just need to make more clips or ones of greater capacity. I am currently working on a 25-round drum-magazine. I'll write it up if it works. If it does, I might not want to buy that Longshot anymore.

Sorry - no official ranges (I live in a tiny apartment in the downtown core). And I didn't bother to do anything with the plunger/internals (Forsaken Angel posted a clever way of maximizing the air delivery) as when I war (seldom), it is usually indoors where anything beyond 60 feet is a bit of overkill - but this thing is STILL a welt-bringer!


In case you don't get how it works here's some (crappy) video of:
the pump/breech mechanism
installing the clip and firing (that carboard target/trap is point blank)
single breech-loading (e.g. if I'm out of clips)


I hope you found this stimulating! Comments?



#90000 At2k/doubleshot Question

Posted by ambushbug on 18 September 2006 - 10:51 PM in Modifications

I've tried a few different materials for trigger/valve release on a couple of my integrations (e.g. the RFR + AT2k, Wookie Bowcaster + 2k).

I found that the steel wire I used was fine for the RFR mod but not for the Bowcaster mod (where I used a pulley-like system for the trigger) probably because of the extra friction/tension.
My remedy was to use zip ties instead of wire. This worked well - zip ties definitely won't stretch!

So it probably will depend on what your actual mod looks like and how much tension will be acting on your trigger mechanism. I guess some experimentation is in order. And I'd love to see your mod when its done!



#79791 Unlimited Ammo (fishing Effect)

Posted by ambushbug on 13 April 2006 - 12:29 AM in Modifications

Slowing down the dart won't be a problem unless your string and reel are tight and slow. But if it's pretty loose then there won't be a difference in range.

seems like this would be very difficult to do. Anybody who's been fishing knows that without some decent resistance (usually weight), the line tends to tangle up in the reel or upon leaving it during casting. I imagine your average dart wouldn't be heavy enough to peel line out in a consistent way or without feeling the drag of the monofilament behind it. A heavy dart probably would but then range would suck majorly.

And who wants to wait for their dart to be reeled in while the enemy is peppering you with foam?

In any case, I'm only speculating but I remain to be convinced. Try it and show us some video.



#79548 On An Intergration How Do You Make A Trigger?

Posted by ambushbug on 10 April 2006 - 11:18 PM in General Nerf

There are numerous ways. If you're clever, you can make triggers that are more "conventional" in form - e.g. those you press rather than pull. Take a look at most homemades for design ideas. Some integrations have also taken advantage of existing triggers. I'm personally not a fan of the key-rings but, hey, whatever works for you.

In terms of your AT2K + BBB example, there's a front handle on the BBB that's begging for a trigger.



#79131 Clip Mod For Brass Breech

Posted by ambushbug on 07 April 2006 - 07:19 PM in Modifications

EDIT: crap - I should have told you there was more coming. "Follower" huh? Thanks, I'll remember that.


then I added the "guide" that allows the clip to slide intor the proper position- just the scrap PETG:
Posted Image

Again, this was for my BBBB so.... the actual guide - I glued it to the brass/orange barrel stub junction. Its lined up diametrically opposite from where the breech opening is:
Posted Image

and some re-inforcement:
Posted Image


As you can see, the darts stay put until you install the clip:
Posted Image

The clip is loaded in front of the breech (upper pic) - the PETG flexes enough to allow it to be pressed into place. The black "strap" clips on easily (it fits looser than the PETG but it still offers the right support). Then I slide the clip back over the breech (lower pic). The guide makes sure its in the right spot.
Posted Image

Here's the final product (loaded up):
Posted Image


Of course, the exact details of this setup are specific to this particular blaster but the idea behind it could be adapted to most breech systems. A plus with the CPVC advancing thing is that it is just the right diameter to fit in the breech (meaning it is pushing darts up until the very end) but not to allow the breech to clse over it. It effectively prevents me from re-cocking when I'm out of ammo - so the blaster tells me when I'm out. Another bonus, is that because I didn't glue the original barrel stub to the gun casing, it can still rotate around. Of course, being spring-fed, it works in any position. Also means that if my clip(s) are empty, I just pull off the clip, rotate the breech facing upwards and I can still access the breech for loading single darts manually (whcih I couldn't do with my old clip).

I still hate the spring that's in there but I'll get around to replacing it. Otherwise, though the clip works reasonably well.


Wel, not the Grand Unified Theory of Everything but I hope its useful to someone else.



#79129 Clip Mod For Brass Breech

Posted by ambushbug on 07 April 2006 - 06:56 PM in Modifications

I've been struggling with a satisfactory clip system for my version of the Bacon Bow. My original clip was gravity-fed but I wanted something spring-fed as I figure, the jiggling around of running/ducking/jumping would cause some complications for a gravity-fed clip (especially when half-empty).

I followed the basics of Ompa's clip mod but I also wanted to remedy the whole issue of having to keep a head count of darts to prevent the spring/dart advancing mechanism from getting accidentally chambered. Furthermore, the whole point of a clip-system for me was to have one that I could easily change/reload even on the run. That means having a mechanism that limits the advance of darts so the darts don't pop out by themselves.

Well, here's my attempt:


my darts are about 1.5" long so the cassette case option wasn't gonna do it for me. I found some of these boxes that hold photo slides (think vacation slides before PowerPoint was invented) in my office desk. You have to dremel/cut out a divider in it. Then cut out one (short) wall and glue the lid closed.
(this one's already been messed with)
Posted Image

then I made a spring out of two old air-restrictors (SM3K - I think), some craft foam (black) and a piece of CPVC for the barrel advancing (platform-like) thing
Posted Image

Here's a cross-section of that advancing thingy (hotglue was used to attach the spring to it):
Posted Image

Then I constructed my "dart-limiting" mechanism. I took some 5/8" PETG (I'm actually not sure if this is really PETG, its the stuff for home aquarium use - to extend suction tubes; its got a little bit of flex). I cut out a small section on the side destined to be the top (in RED marker) - keep this piece for later (for making the 'guide' -see below. This has to be narrower than the diameter of the darts so darts don't pop through it. Then I cout out a bit from the other side destined to be the bottom (in BLUE marker). The cut out has to be large enough to allow darts through, while still leaving enough to glue to the rectangular clip "box".
Posted Image


I found these 1/2" straps for piping at the hardware store:
Posted Image

Then I glued both the "limiter" and a strap to the box. It might be easier if you also install the spring beforehand - but it didn't matter for me.
Posted Image



#79072 Angels Bbb

Posted by ambushbug on 06 April 2006 - 09:44 PM in Modifications

very nice job on getting around the gravity-fed clip with the cpvc couplers. Also good idea with the deodorant stick clips. Like GeneralPrimevil, I switched to shorter darts (a little over 1.5in) so the dimensions may not be ideal for me but neither is the current clip on my BBB. I suppose, I could easily add "filler" or some custom "walls" to accomodate my darts.

Great work!


EDIT:

P.S. are you worried at all about your weighted stefan falling into the chamber? You may have already considered something like this but I ended up tying some fishing line to my CPVC weight (for "pushing" darts down) to limit how far it falls. Its also tied it to a little bead on the outside of the clip - a pull handle when I'm reloading. Just a thought.