Nerf Stampede Update

I have put the Nerf Stampede ECS through a variety of tests lately, and it has passed them all with flying colors. I have dropped it twice (not recommended), exposed it to a large dust cloud (not recommended), played through an all out Nerf WW2: Special Ops game with it (recommended), and finally run a mile with it. I am aware that those are not the best tests but I do not wish to repurchase a Nerf gun as relatively expensive as the Stampede (if anyone has gotten the Stampede very wet and then fired it multiple time with the Stampede coming out unscathed, please tell me). I personally like the Stampede with the 18-dart clip, foregrip/bipod, and tactical flashlight. There is nothing wrong with the shield, except for the fact that it makes me look like a the hunchback of notre dame when I actually try to hide behind it, but it is very useful for shooting around corners. The darts do not jam except when you put 19 in a clip or use an old one or when you use a drum with a bad spring. The foregrip has also not come off except when I pulled it off the tactical rail. A also superglued a small LED light to a tactical clip and slid it on the rail directly under the front part of the barrel, which makes it look totally bada**. In conclusion, I love the Stampede and think it is THE Best. Ciao!

Nerf Stampede ECS Full Review (Extraordinarily Detailed)

Hello readers! The first thing I have to say is: the Stampede is AWESOME. I have finally received my boxed set and have to admit it is a fine nerf gun. First of all, the contents of my boxed set:

• Nerf Stampede ECS
• Three 18-Dart Magazines
• One 6-Dart Magazine
• Tactical Shield
• Clip-On Foregrip/Bipod
• 60 Streamline Darts
• Instruction Manual

That includes everything in a boxed set. The Stampede itself takes 6 D Cell Batteries, so it tends to be more than just a bit heavy in the stock. You need a relatively small Phillips head screwdriver to open the two screws on the end of the stock. The "Safety" (on/off switch) is located on the left side of the blaster and is in the top "off" position. It is a good idea to keep it in that "off" position until you need to fire, at which point the switch needs to be pushed down into the "on" position in order to fire. The on/off switch is only built into the left side of the blaster, so lefties might have a hard time quickly switching on the blaster. Firing is relatively simple as all you need to do is insert a magazine(s) into the magazine slot and pull the trigger. You may fire however many shots you like simply by pulling the trigger. Full-auto, semi-auto, and bursts may be fired by holding down the trigger, pulling the trigger until one dart has fired, then releasing it, and holding down the trigger until a designated amount of darts has fired, respectively. To release a magazine, first turn off the blaster, then pull on of the two small clip-release projections in front of the trigger toward you, while simultaneously pulling the magazine out of the blaster. Aiming may be achieved by looking through the top handle, which has a hole in the back that you can look through to the front of the blaster, which has another sight projection. When you line up the back sight with the front one, you have a nifty little iron sight. The heaviness of the D cell batteries makes one-handed firing difficult unless braced using the front bipod which folds up into its own handle for storage. The handle is sturdy and well made, and so far it has only popped out when I have pressed the release button, located on the top. It has also never popped off the tactical rail unless I have pulled it off on purpose. The gun also has six tactical rails which are compatible with any and all n-strike accessories. The rails are solid and very well made. The blaster also has four attachment rings for a shoulder strap: two on the back of the shoulder stock, one on the top, one on the bottom. The two others are built into the forward side and lower forward tactical rail. The jam door is sliding and built into the top of the blaster. The jam door is perforated on top, so I covered the holes with Scotch tape to prevent any rain penetration. The handle also has a bar that connects the bottom of the handle with the middle of the stock. Presumably this feature is to provide extra support to the heavy D cell-battery-laden stock. The nerf gun, when fully loaded with attachments and D batteries, weighs around seven pounds. The six-dart clip is just a generic clip that hold six darts and is good for sniping, which brings us to average ranges. The average range of the Stampede, Parallel to Ground, is thirty feet, while I have reached forty-one feet when holding the gun at   a thirty-five degree slant. This ranges are most likely due to the direct plunger system used, which is renowned for its ranges. Of course, the ranges degrade over time, but luckily this can be fixed by a simple addition of new D batteries, which will get those ranges back up in no time. The eighteen-dart clips are a blessing, as with a RoF of three darts per second, the magazines empty fast. These new mags jam much less often than drums, although with old darts (1 year mild use) this may change. All types of nerf clips and drums work with the Stampede, including the standard clips, 18 dart clips, mini 18 dart drums, and 35 dart Raider drum (drums are sold separately). Eighteen dart clips work with the bipod extended, but the bipod works best with standard clips and drums, which may be bigger but are shorter than the mags. The gun is durable, but I would recommend not using it in sandy or watery conditions as this may hurt the blaster, although it can survived drops from heights of four feet or less. However, multiple drops are not good for the blaster and strongly advised against. If your gun does not fire, make sure the jam door is closed and there is a magazine in the blaster, because the Stampede will not fire without a magazine or with the jam door partially or fully open. If the gun still refuses to shoot, check the batteries, or lack thereof.  Lastly, be cautious when modding springs or air restrictors, because what may be okay for a manual blaster may not be good for an automatic powered my servos.

Nerf Stampede ECS Pre-Order

I now have the pleasure of informing you that I have pre-ordered the nerf Stampede and, as such, will be one of the lucky first to review the entire box set. I should receive the set September 9th or later. As soon as I receive it, I will be sure to post a review. For now, here is the official Hasboro press release: The first fully automatic NERF Clip System blaster to date, the N-STRIKE STAMPEDE ECS blaster features a new pop-out bipod, which doubles as a handle, and a removable shield allowing players to transition to Attack Mode. The NERF N-STRIKE STAMPEDE ECS blaster also comes complete with one six dart Clip and three extended Clips which hold 18 darts each, offering the highest Clip capacity from NERF yet. The NERF N-STRIKE ECS blaster is one of the most awesome and exciting N-STRIKE developments released in over 40 years of NERF brand history. Includes 60 Clip System darts. Requires six “D” batteries; not included. Available at most major retailers nationwide and HasbroToyShop.com beginning 9.9.10.

Happy Nerfing!

Humans Vs. Zombies

Hey, I JUST heard of this new game called Humans Vs. Zombies or HVZ for short. So, I thought I would put together a list of THE BEST nerf blasters, y'know, just in case u wake up to foam hell....

• Primary: Recon, Alpha Trooper
• Secondary: Maverick

The Recon balances customization and compactness w/ clip system reload speed. The Alpha Trooper, though, would be THE BEST gun for any fight. The Alpha trooper is super durable, compact, great range, and easy to cock. The Longstike and Longshot, Deploy, Stampede, Magstrike, and Rapid Fire are great guns, but they either are too long for close quarters, too undurable or impractical for regular use, or require being lengthily pumped up with air, or have to be muzzle loaded, or have to have batteries to fire. The Recon is great, but is prone to jamming and misfires, and has to be slide cocked. The Alpha Trooper has a pump-action cocking mechanism, great range, compact, and extremely durable. Not to mention being cheap :). Now for the Maverick. You could choose a Nitefinder, Barricade, or Barrel Break, but they take time to reload or HAVE to have batteries to fire, which means if you run out of AAAs while fighting the undead, you definitively got a problem *munch* *ahhhh!* *munch* *help!* *munch* *gurgle...*.

Nerf Stampede Specs

Update on the nerf Stampede ECS. The gun will be fully automatic, with a self-cocking mechanism that eliminates the need to cock the gun. The gun has NO manual cocking mechanism so without batteries, it will not work. The gun requires six D batteries to operate, or six AA with adapters. It comes with a tactical shield that attaches to the tactical rail of the gun, three eighteen-dart clips, a six-dart clip, sixty streamline darts, a clip-on foregrip, and the Stampede. The gun is released September 9, 2010. It will retail for fifty US dollars. The gun also does not make any sound, even when it's on, until it fires. The average range is twenty-thirty feet and uses a direct plunger system. It is light enough for most people over twelve to fire one handed and takes both the standard six-dart clip and the thirty-five dart raider drum, along with its own clips and the mini eighteen-dart drums. It also has six tactical rail and a built-in sight integrated into the top handle. The battery sled is orange and slides out from the back of the stock. Here are some links to pictures from the blog post on SG Nerf: here, here, and here.

Nerf Armament

It has always been my opinion that the true nerfer should have every type of weaponry in order to succeed. However, some people do not have the budget to buy multiple nerf weapons. If that is the case, I would recommend the Nerf Longshot and Maverick. Both are sturdy with long lifetimes, provided that care is used. However, I have had a Recon for a year and, despite lower range and mechanical problems, I have found it is a very sturdy gun with the modular, simple design being a plus. I have taken apart the Recon 7 times, literally froze it solid, got sand in it, dropped it multiple times, stepped on it, and used the stock and barrel to fight with and finally disarm a nerf-sword-wielding opponent. I compare the Recon to the fictional BlasTech Industries DC-17m Interchangeable Weapons system used by the Delta Squad clone commandos. The maverick I recommend solely for its high ammo capacity, which, despite range and mechanical flaws, is very useful in a firefight. The gun is also insanely easy to modify and fix. My personal arsenal includes a Raider, a Stampede, 2 Recons, and a Maverick.