So, considering that this is my first post, I guess I should Introduce myself.
I am Alpha. A Modder, Youtuber, and now a Blogger.
The title up the top you ask? oh, it simply means: from beginning to end. Think of it as a sign off. You should see it at the end of every post.
This blog, will be showcasing my mods, tutorials, even some other peoples builds (yes, I will tell you they’re theirs, no I won’t steal it. Shame on you for even thinking that) 🙂
Now that you know what this blog is all about, please, do check out the other posts, I find these quite fun to write.
You want to see it? well… I guess I could show you… but no taking it alright?
This is the xZeus 2. A Longshot reshell, and an amazing one at that.
This is the olive variant, although I admit it looks more khaki on the photos.
I love this blaster. So much smoother of a prime than Retaliators for the same amount of power.
Would I recommend this over a Longshot? yes, definitely.
I even got some Xplorer priming arm covers to go with it!
Solid shell, easy to upgrade, and has a nice big handle.
INTERNALS
Well, internals right now are pretty simple.
When I bought this, it came with a gen 2 Alpha kit, and the shell being pre-reinforced. It was hitting around 200fps. Feeds perfectly.
I added the metal boltsled you see here, and I added on a scar barrel as well:
Blastertech MK2 scar barrel
The scar barrel lowered power by 15fps, but the accuracy trade off is well worth it.
The metal boltsled that I added will help with longevity, and actually makes the prime that little bit smoother.
It is working well now, but wait till you see what I’ve got for my…..
Planned mods
This blaster is amazing, so I want to ensure it stays that way.
What I have planned for it is a whole lot of things actually.
The first of which is a brass breech. Brass breeches are amazing, and I think that this blaster needs it. It will increase power and accuracy, as well as making this blaster truly my own.
Another planned upgrade is the trigger. It is a nice trigger, but I feel that it has too much flex. A metal trigger would fix that.
A stronger spring will also be added, however that may be temporary, due to how much I like this prime.
If a stronger spring is added, a metal catch also will be. For longevity, as mentioned with the boltsled.
Afterthoughts
This is an awesome blaster, and it deserves it’s place in my arsenal.
Now, I do understand the need for kits, I really do. But… It seems like more and more, people overlook a simple factor in nerf. The fact that you can go to your nearest hardware or hobby store, and get whatever you would want there.
Just from the hardware store, I have built blasters over 100fps, and add hobby stores onto that, and you get well past 200. And that is just at my local ones. People who have even bigger hardware stores can do more again!
Brass breeches can take full and half length darts. I am constantly seeing posts everywhere, asking “what kit can I put into my blaster to use both full and half length darts?” and as time goes by, I see more and more of those… I am saddened by it.
With a brass breech, I can outdo a fully kitted out blaster. With a custom plunger tube, I need not spend tens of dollars on an xpt.
I understand the initial thought is daunting, but you don’t have to start big. Start small, with a single shot pistol, and work your way up to the big mods.
With just a screwdriver, knife, and pliers, you can make amazing things.
I have tried both kits and DIY. The kit works. It does it’s job. However, It doesn’t do it as well. and I spent 5 times the amount on the kit than I did on making the breech.
I also found that it took the fun out of it. I did not enjoy just putting the kit in. It was like having auto assist mode on Mario Kart… you’ll be able to race, but all the fun will be taken out of it.
Now, there are some things that most nerfers will not be able to make, such as springs and boltsleds, but other than those, there really isn’t much that most can’t build (do you even need a boltsled?)
Now, I always hear complaints like: “It isn’t as smooth a load” or “my darts all get cut up”
This is not the breeches fault. If it’s rough, sand it down. If it doesn’t prime well, check your blaster. Put a couple hours into it. You will see awesome results.
I personally can’t wait till I can build another brass breech, and hope to show you all the refinements I’ve made over the years.
This all said, I do understand the reasons behind some people wanting kits.
They are quick and easy, with little to no effort required. There is also a lot less skill involved, and a lot less tools.
I always have, and always will recommend DIY over Kit blasters, however, It is ultimatley up to you.
All I need is for a few people to look at this and remember what it is like making breeches, making wacky builds, and just overall having fun with your custom builds.
The pusher is a Worker auto kit, with a two switch setup, and all electronics replaced with higher quality electronics. A regular M.T.B Rhino runs the whole thing, allowing 10DPS, which is quite a nice ROF.
The whole thing is run off of a 3s battery, which means a bigger battery, but also more powerful motors.
The whole blaster is wired up using 18awg wire, and two sub-miniature switches. Everything possible to heatshrink was heatshrinked, and all insulated from the weather, to a certain extent of course.
There are a few extras on this blaster, such as the switch on the side which activates the voltmeter. The stock is the place that houses the battery, and it can still be taken off if needed.
The sights are flip up iron sights, and I personally prefer them to a red dot sight for this usage.
This was such a fun build, and I hope to do more in the future.
I was always interested in Nerf, but not as a hobby. Oh sure, I’d go and play with my friends, but as we got older, I started feeling that something was lacking….
so, I sort of began to dislike it, only a bit, but it just wasn’t good.
Low power, inaccuracy…. so many bad things about Nerf right? plus, there wasn’t much you could do with them….
WRONG!
So, then something happened that changed everything.
I could no longer play sports because of [MESSAGE REDACTED]
Huh. guess someone doesn’t want me sharing that part of the story… Oh well, let us continue.
Anyway, as I said, I could no longer play sports. so I had a lot of time on my hands. I was browsing youtube over the months that followed, when I eventually stumbled on a video. It was labelled: “Ultimate Nitefinder Mod guide”
I, not having anything better to do, watched it. It was amazing. The video covered one of my big problems with Nerf blasters, the range! I was hooked, looking up video after video, eventually thinking I could possibly do it for myself.
I had horrible tools, with only some really bad screwdrivers, and a hobby knife.
so, I did the old starter mod for many people, the Maverick. I did everything I could to this blaster, adding 5 cent coins behind the blasters spring, making the cylinder drop out further, air restrictor removal and a really bad “paint job”
After I put it back together correctly (it took so many tries), I Fired it a few times, and man was it better than a stock blaster. I was amazed, and ever since then I did bigger and better mods.
I saved up some money, went to the store, and bought myself a screwdriver, a really nice one, and it’s still in use today.
I eventually was not happy with just spring upgrades and air restrictor removals. I wanted more power. I also realised my current tools were not enough, so I headed over to the store and bought a Dremel.
Using that and my ever expanding tool set I made a rebarreled firestrike with two springs and a steel barrel. (Yes, I said steel, that’s all they had at the store ok?)
Anyhow, it was amazing. I was actually banned from blasting it inside (don’t worry, I fixed that)
After that, I kept getting better at modding, step by step.
Eventually, I decided to try my hand at electrical modding. Only problem was, I had no soldering iron.
Come Christmas, and boom, answer to prayer, I got my first soldering iron. (thanks mum and dad)
I was really excited, I ordered some parts off of Blastertech, our local nerf supplier and waited an agonising week for it to come. Every hour I’d go to the letterbox and check for my shiny red motors, only to realise that I had only waited one day… yeah.
Anyway, the parts arrived eventually (within the week they said they would, but time is relative) and I tried my hand at modding my Demolisher…. this was unsuccessful.
I could not get my solder to stick no matter how hard I tried.
so, what did I do? I gave up of course!
No not really, I’m not going to give up that easily.
So, what did I do? well, I asked my dad what to do. He told me he was friends with an electrician, and that he may want to help. so we set up a time with him to do it.
Huzzah! The blaster was now functional. Turns out, I just had bad solder… easy enough fix, got a good supply of it now.
Everything is going well, with all sorts of mods under my belt now.
And then, quite a while later, I got asked to do something that was amazing.
Someone wanted to pay me to make them a blaster…. I was amazed, and excited, getting paid to do what I love doing? Sign me up!
I still remember my first commission build. It was a Rayvenfire, an extremely cool, bullpup flywheel blaster, with improved internals and Aurabesh writing on the side. (Star wars writing for you less cultured folk)
I was very happy with the results of this blaster, and was so excited to hear that the buyer was too.
Since then, I have done bunches more builds and commissions, ranging from Expanded Plunger Tube Retaliators, to swordfishes, to hand cannon builds (all of which will be shown in good time). I have started a local club and am ever expanding my builds and the people I show them to
I have even started writing for nerf news on foamblast, and that has been awesome. Maybe you can check them out some time?
Thank you all for reading this very long post, that is all for now
Alpha Nerf 