16 replies to this topic

[Ambience 327]

I picked up a pair of Secret Strikes from Meijer last night. They both seem to have a small problem, and I want to know if this is par for the course on SSPB's, or if the two I got were somehow flawed, albeit in identical fashion.

Here's what they do: If I pump really slowly, the air won't fill the tank at all. I have to use firm pumps in order to get the air to go into the tank. (it may also have something to do with the angle the pump is moving in...? I haven't tested them a lot yet) Also, as I am pumping (firmly, as described above), the dart in the barrel will usually start to move up a bit, which tells me some of the air is being released from the air tank early.

Basically, if I pump it up with firm pumps, then insert a dart, I'm getting a decent shot - but it seems like more effort than should be required. Is this how all of them work (or at least the current crop of N-Strike variety), or should I take them back to the store and exchange them - hoping for less flawed examples?

If this is how things are, does anyone know possible solutions? I am thinking that plugging the OP valve will help part of the problem (though that is a difficlut proposition with the SSPB, involving cutting the pump area open and re-gluing it after pulling out the pump handle and sealing the OP). But the part that really bothers me is the dart moving in the barrel. I am hoping to put a coupler on this and attempt a shotgun load with a 6" barrel (for close encounters indoors - 10' range spread fire would be awesome with the way we play), but I would prefer to not have to pump the thing before loading up the barrel, so solving this part of the problem would be nice.

If you need any other info, let me know - I really want to figure this out as I plan to use these things as modular integrations - mod writeup to come if I am successful.

[xNFx 37]

Actually, that pumping fast is normal. I've never seen one where you CAN pump slow. But the dart thing, does the gun have the 3 pronged spring piece? If so, that's pushing you're dart forward. If not, you probably have the same thing as my hornet.

[Ambience 327]

I don't believe the AR in the SS has the 3-prong spring deal. Also, it pushes the dart up in small increments, and only during a pump, so I know it is the air doing the pushing. The dart will come 1/3 to 1/2 of the way back out of the barrel, a little-bit at a time, after 5-10 pumps.

What is the problem with your hornet? And do you know how this might be fixed?

[CyberPunkGunner]

Mine does the same thing. I have found that very quick and forceful pumps will get it to work better.
As far as I can tell the reason it does this is that the release mechanism is a rod that is driven forward by the pressure of the air being pumped in. Then when you push the trigger the rod is pulled back. Insufficient pump pressure will not force the rod forward.
This is just my observations on mine, so if anyone has facts otherwise to this please correct.

[xNFx 37]

My hornet problem is the same as yours. The darts keep going forward when pumped. No I don't know how to fix it.

[jwasko]

Falcon gives an excellent explanation of how the valve works here.

As a side note, one of my Big Salvo barrels has the pushes-dart-as-you-pump thing going on, too. I think that it happens if you get some dirt in the valve; the piston does not close as easily, so it takes some more pumps for the valve to be sealed shut.

Edited by jwasko, 18 April 2008 - 11:26 AM.

[Ambience 327]

I would hope that isn't the problem here with mine, as I just got them and have only used them indoors with clean darts - that would mean they both shipped with dirt in the valve!

[jwasko]

I would hope that isn't the problem here with mine, as I just got them and have only used them indoors with clean darts - that would mean they both shipped with dirt in the valve!

Actually, I didn't mean to imply that (though it even seems to me that I am saying something along those lines).

From what I've heard from Falcon and others (and my own experience), SSPBs and Secret Shot IIs generally have the problem of having to pump quite fast a few times before the valve closes. On the other hand, I believe that the Big Salvo, Hornet, and SMDTG (which all use a similar -- if not identical -- valve) generally don't have as much of a problem as long as they are working properly. My Big Slavo has some sort of dirt in one of its valves (the other three work just fine), but I believe that your SSPBs are pretty much par for the course as far as SSPBs go.

[Ambience 327]

Ok, thanks!

I guess that means I'm free to start modding them, since I'm not going to get anything better.

It shouldn't be too big of an issue to pump quickly, but I'll probably have to keep the "dart pushing" thing in mind when I design the mod - most likely a method of pump-then-load will work the best. Since I was already thinking of coupler-modding them *, that shouldn't be too hard - I can just pump it up then slap the loaded barrel on the front.



* The idea of the coupler was originally this: I want these things to perform well, so the primary mod will be plugging the OP valve and replacing the barrel, but I am going to try out a longer barrel with a shotgun-load of 1" Nano Stefans to see what kind of range I can get with that loadout. If I can get a spread of darts at 10+ feet, it would become a rather useful addition to my arsenal due to the nature of our indoor play. If this works, I'll be sure to post a good write-up of it.

[Forsaken angel24]

I have purchased may 10 secret strikes in total.
About 4 of them were garbage. They had to be exchanged.

Make sure to check your darts dont have a slit down the side where the air is escaping.
If you push your darts in too far you basically create a small foamy vagina.

[Ambience 327]

I mean no offense, and maybe I'm missing something here FA, but why would the dart's condition affect the pumping? My "problems" both have to do with the pumping:

1) Pumping slowly produces no effect - the air tank doesn't get filled. This happens whether there is a dart there or not, and with any dart I put there, including the two that came with it, Streamlines, Taggers, Sonics, etc.

2) Pumping also causes the dart to "hop up" just a bit - meaning air is escaping from the air tank into the barrel prior to me pulling the trigger - and obviously having enough force to move the dart a bit. I can only assume the situtaion you describe would actually prevent/hinder this occurrance.

[Captain]

I'm having this problem with my hornet, it's really annoying. If there is dirt in the valves, is there any way to get it out?

[NerfMonkey]

I don't think the hornet's valves are anything like the SSPB's.

You people with hornets that say darts are popping out of the barrel or barrels, that's because the darts are too loose and the restrictors are popping up and pushing them forward a bit. It has nothing to do with dirt in the valves, just use Stefans or wrap your darts with a bit of tape.

[twyrp]

I plugged the pump on mine and now it shoots around 40 feet flat.
I think your air tank is leaky

[CaptainSlug]

I plugged the pump on mine and now it shoots around 40 feet flat.
I think your air tank is leaky

The post above yours is from last year. Necro another topic or perpetrate other terrible posting habits and you will be suspended indefinitely. This is your only warning.

[ilzot]

SSPB's are very inconsistant.

The first 2 I bought were both fine.

The 3rd was utter shit.

I had to literally slam the pump on a table to get any air into it. It wasn't even I have to do short bursts. I literally had to slam it. The pump broke and I threw it across the street.

They're useful, but not worth it.

Edit - WHOOPS. Seriously didn't read above me.

Sorry.

Edited by ilzot, 04 May 2009 - 06:40 PM.