Longstrike Review
First things first: The Longstrike is hands down one of the coolest looking Nerf guns ever made, and Hasbro will undoubtedly sell a million of these based on appearance alone. We all want a true Nerf sniper rifle, and based on appearances, the Longstrike seems to fit the bill.
As stated on the box, the Longstrike is the longest Nerf blaster. Now, make sure you read this sentence carefully, as it can be a little misleading. It doesn't have the longest range of any Nerf blaster, it's just the longest (over 3 feet long). I haven't measured it exactly, but it only seems to be a couple inches longer than the Longshot.
Unfortunately, the range on the Longstrike is a bit disappointing, especially seeing as it's modeled after a sniper rifle. Instead of using a direct plunger system like the Longshot, Hasbro has opted to use a reverse plunger system like that found on the Deploy and Raider. Most shots will fall in the 30-35 feet range without the barrel attachment, which isn't bad, but isn't great either. Using the barrel attachment seems to have a pretty negative impact on the range.
For those unfamiliar with the internals of Nerf guns, the effect of a reverse plunger system is that the plunger can't achieve the speed that it can with a direct plunger system. As a result, the plunger doesn't create as much force, and the darts don't travel as far as they could with a direct plunger system.
Thankfully, you can see some pretty significant improvements with only a couple basic modifications. Removing the air restrictor will add about 10 feet on average, and replacing the spring will add even more. You're not going to hit Longshot ranges no matter what you do, but rest assured that you can make some significant improvements with little more than a screwdriver, xacto knife, and hot glue.
To a lot of people, what I just said will be complete gobbledy-gook, and that's fine. So if you aren't into modding your Nerf guns, none of this may matter to you, and you may prefer the Longstrike over the Longshot. Afterall, the out of the box ranges don't vary by a huge amount, and the Longstrike is much lighter and less bulky than the Longshot. It ultimately comes down to a matter of preference.
The Longstrike does feel very sturdy, and it gives the impression that it is a very well made blaster.
Features
As with other recent N-Strike guns, the Longstrike is compatible with the interchangeable parts found in other N-Strike guns.
One cool feature is that the Longstrike can hold 2 additional clips in the shoulder stock (you'll have to buy these separately), and having two clips at the ready can cut down significantly on reload times while you're in the heat of battle.
Conclusion
The Longstrike is one of the best looking Nerf guns ever made, but it isn't one of the best performing. Though some simple modifications can increase the range, it still seems a little silly to create a Nerf gun that resembles a sniper rifle but only shoots a little farther than an out of the box Nite Finder.
First things first: The Longstrike is hands down one of the coolest looking Nerf guns ever made, and Hasbro will undoubtedly sell a million of these based on appearance alone. We all want a true Nerf sniper rifle, and based on appearances, the Longstrike seems to fit the bill.
As stated on the box, the Longstrike is the longest Nerf blaster. Now, make sure you read this sentence carefully, as it can be a little misleading. It doesn't have the longest range of any Nerf blaster, it's just the longest (over 3 feet long). I haven't measured it exactly, but it only seems to be a couple inches longer than the Longshot.
Unfortunately, the range on the Longstrike is a bit disappointing, especially seeing as it's modeled after a sniper rifle. Instead of using a direct plunger system like the Longshot, Hasbro has opted to use a reverse plunger system like that found on the Deploy and Raider. Most shots will fall in the 30-35 feet range without the barrel attachment, which isn't bad, but isn't great either. Using the barrel attachment seems to have a pretty negative impact on the range.
For those unfamiliar with the internals of Nerf guns, the effect of a reverse plunger system is that the plunger can't achieve the speed that it can with a direct plunger system. As a result, the plunger doesn't create as much force, and the darts don't travel as far as they could with a direct plunger system.
Thankfully, you can see some pretty significant improvements with only a couple basic modifications. Removing the air restrictor will add about 10 feet on average, and replacing the spring will add even more. You're not going to hit Longshot ranges no matter what you do, but rest assured that you can make some significant improvements with little more than a screwdriver, xacto knife, and hot glue.
To a lot of people, what I just said will be complete gobbledy-gook, and that's fine. So if you aren't into modding your Nerf guns, none of this may matter to you, and you may prefer the Longstrike over the Longshot. Afterall, the out of the box ranges don't vary by a huge amount, and the Longstrike is much lighter and less bulky than the Longshot. It ultimately comes down to a matter of preference.
The Longstrike does feel very sturdy, and it gives the impression that it is a very well made blaster.
Features
As with other recent N-Strike guns, the Longstrike is compatible with the interchangeable parts found in other N-Strike guns.
One cool feature is that the Longstrike can hold 2 additional clips in the shoulder stock (you'll have to buy these separately), and having two clips at the ready can cut down significantly on reload times while you're in the heat of battle.
Conclusion
The Longstrike is one of the best looking Nerf guns ever made, but it isn't one of the best performing. Though some simple modifications can increase the range, it still seems a little silly to create a Nerf gun that resembles a sniper rifle but only shoots a little farther than an out of the box Nite Finder.
I couldn't have done any better myself!