Review: Dart Zone Venom Pro

I saw an Aussie importer with Venom Pros in stock and on discount, and I couldn't resist the temptation. A flywheeler pistol that has competitive performance out-of-box and is fed by magazines through the handle? I was intrigued.

I'm something like a year late to this, but given it doesn't normally retail in Australia anyway, I didn't think I'd ever get one in the first place.

Review: Nerf Rival Pilot XXIII-100

The Nerf Rival line isn't available in Australia, presumably because it exceeds the kinetic energy limits on toys here. I recently had an overseas holiday to a country which had Rival stuff available (among many others - check my FB page), so decided to grab one of the single-shot blasters. I opted for the Pilot, and while I have no intention of investing any more into Rival, it is a lot of fun and definitely worth the purchase.

Nerf Nitefinder/Switchshot EX-3 Usage Tips

Because the NF and Switchshot are really similar, I'll do usage tips for both of them at the same time.

Nerf Switchshot EX-3 Review

This blaster is a single-shot blaster, like the Nitefinder. It shares similar power, although has better range because this includes 3 Whistler darts. Unlike the Nitefinder, this does not have a built-in-light. There are 2 dart holders in the bottom, just above the upside-down tactical rail.

Nerf Nitefinder EX-3 Review

Today, I'm going to go back to a relatively old, but good blaster: the Nitefinder EX-3. It's a single shot blaster with immense potential thanks to a direct plunger system. It's usual packaging comes with 3 suction darts and a target stand, while Target NFs have been found with 6 suctions, and some with no stand. Mine didn't come with a stand, m'fraid, so I can't review that. What I can say, though, is that the NF is excellent.

Nerf Barricade & Reflex usage tips

Barricade:
1) Pull the trigger hard, and all the way. Jamming in this blaster is hard to fix and damages your darts. Pulling the trigger properly drastically reduces the chance of jams.
2) Don't forget that the jam door turns off the motors. Make sure it is closed when you try to fire it.
3) Have a stock - this will improve your accuracy slightly, and helps you cope with the slight recoil. If you're dual wielding, don't bother because it'll just impede your mobility.
4) Don't use Streamline darts - they don't fire very far.
5) Don't forget that Whistler/Sonic Micro darts can curve, and more so at higher voltages.
6) To reload easily, open the jam door, and pull the trigger to advance the barrel. This compensates for the inability to flip-out the barrel or remove the barrel. Alternatively, mod your Barricade in such a way that you can swap barrels when you need to reload (not easy, but possible. NMR has done one)
7) Learn to spray/spam. The Barricade's semi auto nature, coupled with it's high capacity for a sidearm, lends it to being used as a rapid fire sidearm rather than a precision pistol. Dual Barricades provide 20 darts of rapid fire close range spray. That sort of fire can dissuade just about anyone.

Voltage/Ranges:
3.6v: 10m
4.5v: 13m
6.1v: 15-20m
8.6v: 22m+
12.6v: Not tested properly, but very, very far.

Reflex:
1) Push the darts in all the way, to the point when the tip is squished in the orange barrel tip. This ensures the AR is open as much as possible, providing maximum power and air seal.
2) Stick with Whistler darts - they perform the best in the Reflex.
3) Don't be afraid to use the Reflex. Just because it's a single-shot last-stand type blaster doesn't mean you have to run out of ammo first to be able to use it.
4) Don't go crazy with the Reflex. It's a single shot and you'll get completely owned by just about everything else.

The Reflex is quite fool-proof, being a single-shot, but the Barricade can have jamming issues.

Nerf Reflex IX-1 Review

The Reflex is one of the smallest spring-powered blaster that Nerf offers. It also happens to be surprisingly powerful. Mine can surpass Recons, Mavericks, Deploys, Stampedes, this list continues. It is roughly on-par with a stock AT. However, being reverse plunger, it is out-ranged by LS's. The Reflex is available in two forms: a 6-pack with 2 darts per blaster, and a single pack with 3 darts. The 6-pack is available for $50, and the single for $7. You can do the maths yourself.