Cool friends are cool

Stopped by the store this afternoon with a fellow nerfer and ended up playing around with some of the n-force line. I am not sure what part is nerdier: two grown men playing with foam swords and maces, or the fact that they had a serious discussion on the types of combat techniques to use with them based on 15th century fighting manuals...

When my friend realized I didnt yet have a barricade, he picked one up for me. Cool friends are cool. Plan on doing the trigger activated flywheel and the 9v battery mods when I get some free time. Here's a pic of how i have it set up for now with a reflex sight and spectre stock. Pretty sweet.

Supposedly, I can create a blog instantly via email

Here's a pic of my Stampede. Its been modified with AR removal. I plan on testing out some voltage changes as well.

Starting Out

I know there is no shortage of Nerf blogging going on out there, but I am bored.  Boredom is a great fuel for inspiration for me.

Let me start of by saying I am more or less new to the whole Nerf thing.  I had some little blaster when I was in elementary school but it is long gone.

At some point about a year ago I was shopping and found a maverick on sale.  I took it home, shot it around my room, had fun.  Somehow I knew though that it was not at its full potential.  I jumped on line and did some research and found the internet's Nerf modding community.  A few websites, youtube videos and some cursing later I had my first modded blaster!  Within a few months, I had nearly every Nerf blaster in production.

Since then I have suckered friends and family into Nerf along with me.  My in-laws have Nerf battles with my brothers in law every weekend now (I gave my father in law a modded Longstrike with some extra mags for christmas).  Many an evening has been spent in a cold war-esque silence at a friend's apartment, everyone sitting around with their own blaster or two waiting for someone to draw.

This summer I hope to have some Nerf Wars events that will include many scenarios including HvZ, Eliminations, Team Elimination, and several other ideas I have (or 'borrowed' from others).

But why Nerf?

I hear this from plenty of people.  "You're an adult" "why don't you play paintball or airsoft"  "you're a nerd".  While certainly the first and third are true, Nerf doesn't have to be just for kids.  I have played paintball and airsoft in the past, and the two main differences are 1) Nerf does not hurt and 2) Nerf is cheap.

I am not whining about other milsim games hurting too much (I mean, c'mon, I am a martial artist who spars regularly with weapons).  But the injury factor takes plenty of people out of the game.  My nine year old brother in law would not go out and play paintball without crying if he was hit.  Nerf makes games inclusive for all ages.  More people means more fun.

The second difference is the expense.  In airsoft, for example, a good full auto assault rifle modded could easily run you a few hundred dollars, more if you want real high end and optics.  My nicest Nerf?  A Stampede ($39 on sale) plus a few bucks for some better parts.  In Nerf, for less than $50 you can get yourself a good primary blaster like a Raider or Alpha Trooper, a sidearm like a Maverick or Nite Finder, and some extra darts and magazines.  Or if you're a friend of mine, you can come on over and borrow one from my giant case of Nerf...

So, to wrap up this pretty random starting post, Nerf is fun, cheap and safe.  I will write more here, possibly some reviews, mod ideas, images, and some plans I have for some Nerf Wars.

Have fun out there!