Magnus Not A Single Shot? You Gotta Be Kidding!

There is no way this can be a 3 shot internal mag pistol, no way.

Not to mention, it looks too much like this pistol, and we all know it has no internal mags, the Sidestrike.

Also earlier I saw this on the Blasterparts.de Facebook forum, it would seem just enough room for 2 extra darts, good point but.....

Think about this?

A.  If it was mag fed, why not just use a 6 round clip instead, make it interchangable and...

B.  This would indicate no room for spring slack or for the spring plate which a Nerf Elite mag needs 2 inches of space which I do not see room for.

Yea I think it's "Comes with 3 Darts" Just like the Firestrike instead of "3 dart magazine," the Hasbro Rumor machine at it agian

Never have I heard such courageous speculation on a given Nerf blaster line than the Mega Elite series and I do not think it is anyone's fault but Hasbro.  They aren't "that" great, I totally believe the first we heard from My Last Dart, who otherwise has excellent scoops and a much more professional blog than me was intended to be a plant from Hasbro P.R.  Get everyone talking about the Centurion, break out pre release demos, without the slits in the pistons, generate some hype.  And we were hyped, then let down, who pays for it?  We the blogger, we the consumer, we the modders.

In this case, it is to promote their items, what are they are doing instead? demoting the credibility of the Mega Elite line.

I do the same thing inadvertently sometimes, anyone remember the Hammershot, busy with Research and Designing 2, 16 Kg Ultra Match pistols before sending them to the Owner of Xplorer, I took a break and Modded a Hammershot. Got mad range with the brand new darts, first shot flew, measuring where it landed after the fact.  I could do so because I remember well because it landed on an oil stain in the street, 91 feet, 2 inches, but it doesn't matter, it was not sustainable.  So I said "oh great" put it away and figured that was that.

Well I posted it where it sat and got hell for it in the NIC because after 25 shots in one day I made that the published range....without any more tests, stupid.  And because it wasn't sustainable and they knew it, they were right.  Totally irresponsible of me, consistently it can pull 70-80 flat, awesome still, keep the mods that make it do 90 feet, spring takes a set and shoots 70's.

Time to start a new plan of attack Hasbro as I have about blasters I do not commonly battle test day in, day out, rumor control and honesty when a mistake or assumption is made rather than saying "It's all good."  

Remember this haughting quote that taught me the limits of corporate, marketing, there are none!

"Build it anyways, Those fucking kids, they'll buy anything!"  Micheal Eisner, July 1986, boardroom staff meeting.

The quote is believed to be about merchandising at the future Euro Disney.  Frank Wells argued that France would not approve of the same merchandise made for theme parks in America and Japan, He was right!

--Cartaya

My Mean Battle Loadout (Batbelt Array 3.0)

Yes, sorta pouty looking, best friends Dad is dying, slowly, sorry.

The belt rig is the Batbelt Version 3.0 by of course, Cartaya Mod Works.  So is this pistol it clasps in with Neodymium Magnets.

The Belt is made for instant access to all Nerf gear required for battle.

It is non-restrictive at arms reach and easy to use, I like it much better than a vest as it promotes freer use of the body during battle.  I do wish a company would pick up my idea and manufacture it, maybe pay me a small royalty and let me help them design other things.

The other thing I would like to point out is...

My pistols, able to deal out foam as far as 120-130 average Flat feet with a peak as high as 150.  Now are they as stable as lets say an Xplorer Xarrett?  No, but in pistol range you don't need it.   I would also love it if a company would help me with a parts kit and only pay me a small royalty for designing them, my first choice is of course Xplorer, love that company.  Dninja Heng, who owns explorer has such a positive and inventive spirit.  I don't want to work with crooks or matchstick men.  He bought a couple a couple months back, but maybe it is not his cup of tea.  The draw is hard, the higher yields are higher maintenance, but I finally made a single spring model, the last one on the right.  

They are from left to right.

Stage 1 12 Kg, R-Spec Ultra Match $59.99

Stage 2 R-Spec Ultra Match ZDS 18 Kg $99.99, 16Kg Version  $89.99

Rebelle Yell ZDS 16 Kg, $59.99

And the R-Spec ZDS, just finished today, 11 Kg, $34.99 

Tomorrow I will show you the New R-Spec Tagger, 75-85 flat and the bruises it leaves, OUCH!

--Cartaya

This Is Why I Mod Mainly Pistols

I have been modding Recons, Retaliators, Firestrikes, Triads, Reflexes, and anything thrown my way since 2008.  In an novice sense, since i was 10, that would be 1985.  Much has happened, blasters got clipfed, Larami's Super Soaker line being bought out, I dare say it, the "Second best" revolution Nerf ever saw and the departure from huge darts (that they had to be) to more tactical micro darts and later streamlines being the mainstay.

The third best revolution was clipfed...

The first being the proliferation of modding and how professional it has become.  Not just companies, but individuals like me and many others.

So the question always looms, every week at least one person asks it, "Why not a modded longshot Cartaya."   Everyone knows I "Can" mod one, it's in my abilities, but I mod weapons I use and test in battle,  and to be honest, I just don't need one. Years of pistol use, firearms training and personal tactical gear development make me more acustom to pistols and less evasive designs of Nerf blasters.

I have trained myself to be a more resourceful player, not dependent on a high rate of fire, electric blasters. Endorsing the use of easy, quick and ample supply of backups and spare magazines full of ammo.   Above average ranges, some call outrageous, others confirm in reviews and others still, victims. But not power over usability.

And then I thought it out, THAT'S IT!,  My real purpose of Modding,  Battle supremacy!

* I find too many clumsy stickings with players fucking around with the bolts of the Longshot and Longstrikes, who jam the magazines and fail to prime them when the time is right.  I have yet to play with a really great Magfed Longshot player who truely had so much better range he could beat me or had the jump on me.  I am sure an Xplorer longshot would be different, but then again Basic Nerf would ban that from his wars like customs ban Cuban Cigars.

*I Hear the roar of spinup motors and get the jump on players dependent of batteries, unless I am cornered, surprised, or all my team is dead, a full auto victory against Cartaya is Scarce.  Even people with Rapidstrikes run from my, hehe....Firestrikes : )

Yeah, I got some hot Firestrikes, but a Longshot that could do as long of ranges and clipfeds are better.  Yeah, a Retaliator that has done 110 flat is nice, a good longshot can do 120- 160 flat, but a smaller package I have found is worth the sacrifice in range.  Not to mention, always catches them by surprise when they think it is nothing more than a "Shit-Taliator."

Does anyone understand that I am not after the longest range, I am after the best configuration?

Range is a Byproduct, I have great ranges for what I mod but I think for example.....

....A Super Veloce Retaliator is the most Genius mod I ever came up with. Simple, to the point 90 ish flat average range and only requires 3 new parts that cost $14, very effective weapon in battle that makes Zombies run away and I have nailed people with it from 160 feet away!.  Just today someone mentioned it on a post on Facebook, it made my day, seriously.

Well gotta go to bed, peace.


--Cartaya

The Natives Are Restless.

Life Begins October 14th! Should have a review by the 25th  14Kg R-Spec Plant, 7 inches of sealed breach, Cartaya is modding it, which automatically means LOOK OUT!

No More Monetized Vids And a Few Business Changes.

Not worth it man, I was running that for awhile just to see what kinda money I can make on the side and it's not worth the trouble.  I mean I am a struggling Nerf modder, on a fixed income, I want to give my audience the best I have, right?  Then why monetize vids, ads are annoying, Esecially people who just see my vids for the first time where the quality imagewise is ok, but the content is good.  So I am going though em, losing the ads and a few more things about doing business with me.

* To pay for a blaster, deposit up front (price of blaster) and shipping calculated and you pay that too, you must pay both to get the blaster.

* In person it will be cash up front, no exceptions, too many people owe me money and I hate having to ask people if they have money they owe me.

*Friend Discount is 10%, no more, no less, unless it's a used blaster, then I will deal.

*I....DO.....NOT....PAINT.....BLASTERS! It's actually a belief that I have not to, But feel free to if you want to.

*If you own one of my blasters you can mod it further to suit, just don't blame me if you fuck it up.

*The Price you pay is the price I get after paypal, not what you pay paypal.

*Some blasters do not have a how to vid.  Reasons possible is A. Confidentiality reasons such as selling the idea to another company.  B. Prototype and uncertianty about sustained performance and durability (e.g. Hammershot article).  C. Dangerous.

Well just a quick update, that's all for now.  I should have them all unmonetized by the end of the week.


--Cartaya

Update On The Pink Crush Mod, "Rebelle Yell - ZDS"

Flat Range - 135 peak, 110-120 average.

Arched Range @ 5 Degrees 140-150 average @ 30 degrees peak 194 feet

All measurements with Kobalt 300 foot tape measure. 5 MPH or so wind from the east shooting due south.

Average depends highly on the darts, the same darts that pull peak usually continue to do so until they wear. The Rebelle darts are exclellent for this blaster, as are the elites, but for some reason the ZombieStrike darts tend to misfire alot in long brass barrels.

See You In Disneyland.

--Cartaya

Did The Little Womenfolk Get A Better Firestrike?

My friend made this work of art for my 38th birthday, which we then gleefully ate!

On my birthday, I had a tooth pulled, it was a root of a wisdom tooth they missed when I was 16, and I am doing ok...well....no, I got bored decided to make one of these and came upon a grim discovery....

It's actually better than a Firestrike!

Ok bad news first, It's still a snap ratchet plunger head that you need to epoxy to make it work and let it dry overnight. You'll also need to cut down 1 coil off an 8 Kg Swarmfire spring and a Black Tactical V1 Retaliator spring to pull it off (don't wuss and use a strongarm spring !). Not an easy feat considering that is hardened steel, and perferably facing the Plunger head because of the 3 dimensional plastic Spring catch that is not just on the top shell, but the grip too makes less space in the plunger tube for a spring.   

.....WAIT! what did I just say? let me repeat myself..... 

 "3 dimensional plastic spring catch that is not just on the top shell, but the grip too....."  Instead of a flat piece of plastic, the girls get a proper spring stop. Other things worth quotes and all caps......   

"The plunger tube is the same BUT IT CAN BE SCREWED IN LIKE AN EX-6 ELEMENT." 

"The top shell can be undone WITHOUT UNDOING ANYTHING ELSE!."  

"The catch spring is tiny AND CAN BE COILED WITH A 2x OMW TRIGGER CATCH SPRING!

"The plunger rod I estimate IS 12 DUROMETER GRADES HIGHER THAN A FIRESTRIKE MAKING THE CATCH ON THE ROD TOUGHER!"

"The Accessory rail can be removed IN ONE PIECE! keeping anything you end up having glued/mounted to it intact every time you take it apart.

Testing it out for a few days, so far I have H3 side window @ 100 feet in moderate wind and still accurate.  Ranges simular to Ultra Match Firestrike, but more accurate.

--Cartaya

Tek Recon, Not Bad For An Upstart, But........

I was killing time at a Toys R Us before helping my best friends Dad make a Dialysis appointment and I spotted these AND AMMO, FINALLY!  A few gripes, mainly packaging, but not bad for a DAO shooting system. One hand fire without priming, no motor spinup and high capacity are the pluses.  Smaller Ammo, Harder to call hits and less range a minus, but overall the concept is bitching, time to make a snap holster for 2 of these!

This is what I think before i buy em, what will I say afterwards?  Stay tuned!

--Cartaya

Centurion Autopsy.

I took apart the mean red blaster and found it rather odd.  It just doesn't look like Hasbro designed it, I'm sure they did but it is still weird in some ways, cool in others.

Like for example, the piston block, all glued together, but you can easily take out the AR by unscrewing 3 screws. The block itself, well it's all one solid piece, what are they trying to keep us from doing?  Kill a human?  Probably.  So here's the vids to start, long, unedited, to the grit info, there is no ego here.  And oh yes, you don't have to mess with the gear box to take it down as others have.  

Know this! That this blaster now is in working order, shoots around 70-80 drift but I perfer my Retaliators even if these Mega Darts are one hit kills rather than 3 at some wars.  Truth be told THEY ARE SLOW!!!!
Too easy to dodge.  As for feeding, yeah, folded the darts until i used Pledge on a dart, left it in the blaster overnight, jams...be...GONE!

But this takes the cake, this is what happens when people pick on me in forums, Partly my fault for running on facebook every time I got a great range without breaking out a tape measure every time. Also for assuming the Hammershot spring mod would hold it's range at 90 flat and not take a set.  But honestly they (meaning not all of them, some) would have kept bitchin about something.  The drama started with the R-Spec Retaliator, ended with the R-Spec Retaliator.   It's a crappy vid, 144p, but on my budget it's all I got.  Warning, I have a prissy attituude in this vid.

--Cartaya

Surprise Of The Month, The Nerf Hammershot!

Wow am I gassed at this one,  The Hammershot.  Why exactly?  Because I got one to shoot 90 flat with Elites, at one point at least.  It is a Very easy blaster to mod and only needs 3 things to get there.

1. A Pre-Compression spacer for the spring.
2. A Spacer in front of the 5 Shot cylinder to push it against the Plunger Tube
3. To glue back the AR, but don't take it out or else you lose 10' flat.

So lets get down to it....

 First off, you need a buffer to push it against the plunger tube, a Retaliator sized O-Ring can work or putting in 1/4 inch of junked Elite dart which makes better compression for our next step...

Take a Pair of plyers, file off 1mm of the AR tooth, turn it iin 90 degrees and glue it back with superglue. after that..

 Get yourself .55 inches of 1/2 inch brass/cpvc, nylon and make a spacer, but be careful, that spring is hard to put back in.

Here it is at full compression!

Now here is the mystery, the more you do with this blaster, the worse it gets!  At this point with Zombie Strike Dart I had 90ish flat, however when I tried again i could only get it to 75 at most.  As soon as you teflon tape the Plunger head, take out the AR, you loose speed.  Also, my main one is backed off right now because this is very hard to prime, even for a big guy like me.  So right now I am pulling 60-70 with a 3/8ths Nylon spacer, and I am fine with that.

But one more surprise!

The holes in the accessory rail make my favorite scope a simple,drop in accessory, a 1x30mm B-style red dot sight, is that tacticool or what.!

 My favorite Nerf revolver EVER!

Until then remember...it's stronger than it looks!

--Cartaya