15 replies to this topic

[Yoji]

As fun as a good gunfight is, it's always awkward to strut through a crowded park with a small army's worth of toy guns. The solution to this would probably be to find an isolated or abandoned area, which is not at all easy in Southern California. There are plenty of forests and similar countrysides within driving distance, but I'm not exactly comfortable with losing polyurethane darts everywhere, either.

So finally, the topic. Has anyone given thought to the idea of darts that nature (and more importantly, park rangers and administration) can agree with? My first impulse would be to bake something out of cheap flower, but I have no idea how to achieve such a specific shape. I don't think I care so much about he performance or anything like that, but just the proof of concept at this point.

[taerKitty]

My concern is how quickly I can make them. These sound like they take a lot of time each. I've been thinking about the same thing, but have no better answers.

[pjotrkuh]

I have an easy solution, just grab a piece of your barrel material, about the length of your darts.

And stab the hell out of some muffins!!!

(make sure the muffin is old though, or it wil crumble to much!)

Then grab a ramrod and push them out.

Or even better, when you are using speedloaders(?) (2 barrels taped together, and switched around after every shot) you can just push the ends in a muffin and you are ready to go!!

[bigred1rifleman]

I have an easy solution, just grab a piece of your barrel material, about the length of your darts.

And stab the hell out of some muffins!!!

(make sure the muffin is old though, or it wil crumble to much!)

Then grab a ramrod and push them out.

Or even better, when you are using speedloaders(?) (2 barrels taped together, and switched around after every shot) you can just push the ends in a muffin and you are ready to go!!

I've done that with potatoes, apples, and bananas. It doesn't hurt to get shot with, and if you're using a powerful blaster, you can feel a small amount of recoil. It doesn't have much less range then a stefan, either, and it's pretty accurate.

Finn

[pjotrkuh]

I have an easy solution, just grab a piece of your barrel material, about the length of your darts.

And stab the hell out of some muffins!!!

(make sure the muffin is old though, or it wil crumble to much!)

Then grab a ramrod and push them out.

Or even better, when you are using speedloaders(?) (2 barrels taped together, and switched around after every shot) you can just push the ends in a muffin and you are ready to go!!

I've done that with potatoes, apples, and bananas. It doesn't hurt to get shot with, and if you're using a powerful blaster, you can feel a small amount of recoil. It doesn't have much less range then a stefan, either, and it's pretty accurate.

Finn

Well there you go then, cheap and biodegradable darts!!!

Nice idea b.t.w shooting potatoes

[Talio]

It sounds like you need to give up nerf to me. Yeah, we look like complete nerds walking around a public park with toy guns, but that's because we ARE nerds. If you can't come to peace with that you should really quit.

Secondly, biodegradable darts is an interesting idea. Alot of the time I feel bad about it, but that's why you should just do a very thorough sweep on your field and find as many as you can. Chances are if there's one or two that you missed, no one is gonna be mad at you.

[oh1134]

At cabelas, I saw biodegradeable airsoft bbs. They might not be heavy enough, but they're worth a shot.

[VelveetaAvenger]

Initially, I created these more for pest control (to frighten away raccoons) than for nerf battles.

I don't know that launching candy into your yard is the best way to keep raccoons from wanting to come back. Haha.

[Darken]

I'm actually kinda lucky living in Texas, because we have fire ants, and fire ants LOVE anything synthetic like foam or styrofoam, and so they eat them all up, then die from it, which is double win.

[taerKitty]

It sounds like you need to give up nerf to me. Yeah, we look like complete nerds walking around a public park with toy guns, but that's because we ARE nerds. If you can't come to peace with that you should really quit.

Secondly, biodegradable darts is an interesting idea. Alot of the time I feel bad about it, but that's why you should just do a very thorough sweep on your field and find as many as you can. Chances are if there's one or two that you missed, no one is gonna be mad at you.

For me, the appeal of going to my first Nerf war is to run around with a brightly coloured piece of plastic. It's been something I've been wanting to do since childhood.

Especially the modding aspect of it appeals to my inner nerd.

Back on topic: It's not the "we'll search as hard as we can" aspect - I'm thinking that getting permission to use a park will be easier if we don't have to answer the questions "so what's going to happen to all the darts?" and followup "and what will happen if you miss that one or two?"

Potatoes sound like a very good idea, but they have a different balance than a front-heavy dart. I'll give it a try very soon and report back.

[Talio]

Potatoes sound like a very good idea

For the first time in my life, I am speechless.

[CoasterDynamix757]

"Green Foam?"

Im not sure about this find, but it says it's green which, if you have good eyes it's not green, but I think it's biodegrateable? Anymore info on this foam?

[Renegademilitia15]

I'm pretty sure the supplies to make biodegradable darts are more expensive the regular darts. For me to actually use them, they'd have to be at such a insignificant price that I would not care if I lost them.

[taerKitty]

Potatoes sound like a very good idea

For the first time in my life, I am speechless.

Seriously, Nerf blasters have many similar characteristics to spud guns - pneumatically powered smoothbores, both. Whether it be straight manual push-powered (like the NB-1 and the Marshmallow Shooters) or spring powered (I think Archie McPhee sells them), they compress a column of air to launch the projectile.

A hunk of brass could be perfect for coring a spud. However, weight is a concern - with weight comes the possibility of injury. Likewise, jawbreakers may have the same issue. I'll perform some tests at first opportunity and post my results.

I'm pretty sure the supplies to make biodegradable darts are more expensive the regular darts. For me to actually use them, they'd have to be at such a insignificant price that I would not care if I lost them.

Another idea that came to mind are biodegradable packing peanuts. I'll see if the local copy/shipping stores have some.

[Langley]

C'mon guys. Bob's trying SO HARD. Can't you let him roll with his smugness just this once?

[Talio]

I can't allow a topic to continue on the Haven regarding the use of potato's as darts. Seriously, that's just retarded.