This guide will look at the differences between the new Elite foam darts and the older Streamline foam darts.
Weight comparison between both foam darts:
The Elite foam dart is noticeably lighter at 1.0 grams, while the Streamline foam dart weighs in at a heavier 1.3 grams.
Here is a cross-section comparison of both foam darts:
The Elite foam darts have a much shorter tip stem, which is lighter and shifts the tip weight further forward within the foam dart. This helps it to achieve better balance and improved range.
Xplorer is a company in Singapore that designs and produces ready-made aftermarket performance parts and kits for Nerf blasters.
The Xpower Stampede Kit upgrades the stock Stampede breech system to an improved breech design that enables more efficient air flow from the plunger to the barrel, hence generating more power and longer ranges.
The parts in this kit are individually CNC machined from a multi-axis milling machine and further hand finished to ensure high quality and fitment.
:: Overview ::
This kit comprises of just 2 main parts, the Xpower receiver piece (with attached copper barrel) and the Xpower bolt tip piece.
The included copper barrel is 12cm (approx 4.7") in length and designed specifically to fit stefans (custom foam darts), the dart fit is similar to 9/16" K&S brass barrels or 0.528" ID PETG barrels.
The Xpower system works by utilizing a funnel design in the receiver. When chambering a foam dart, the bolt is guided into the receiver funnel as it moves forward and pushes the foam dart securely into the barrel, then the Stampede fires and the bolt retracts back. This completes one firing cycle.
In the photo below, you can see the funnel design in the Xpower receiver.
In order to connect into the funneled receiver, a matching Xpower bolt tip piece will be installed on the existing bolt to enable this system to work.
Note that the Xpower Stampede breech is designed for short-length stefans (up to 3.5cm length), this is to ensure high performance, consistency and accuracy.
This kit is designed to be very simple to install and can be done by anyone with basic modding skills.
:: Installation Guide ::
For the system to work optimally, ensure that the Stampede is already modded with the various basic AR removal, aftermarket spring and voltage increase mods beforehand, as shown in my Nerf Stampede Mod Guide.
Proceed to remove all the original parts and mechanisms from the front of the blaster.
Step 1: Start with the receiver section.
Slot the Xpower receiver and copper barrel into the original orange plastic barrel, use some electrical or duct tape to wrap a few ring layers around the copper barrel so that it sits properly within it. Install the 3 machine screws to secure it to the casing.
The receiver section is done!
Step 2: On to the bolt section.
Take the original orange plastic bolt and draw guide lines across the front part of the bolt tip, note where the dotted guide lines are drawn in the photo below.
Also draw a guide line at the top of the bolt to indicate the bolt tip alignment.
Use a Dremel with a cutting wheel and sanding bit (or other suitable cutting tool) to cut the bolt tip at the guide lines. Make sure the cut is clean and sanded smooth.
Glue the Xpower bolt tip to the original bolt. Ensure that it is aligned accurately. Use high strength glue to ensure a durable bond.
The bolt section is done!
Step 3: Install all the parts into the Stampede.
Test the bolt movement to ensure that the Xpower bolt tip chambers into the Xpower receiver smoothly and is also able to retract back automatically on its own without resistance.
After everything is assembled. This is what the Xpower Stampede breech will look like.
In this demo & test fire of the installed Xpower Stampede Kit, i am using a combination of 9kg load spring with 16.8V power:
Note that the Stampede's range and rate-of-fire will vary depending on the spring load and power source/voltage. Users can customize it to their own preference.
:: Comparison Tests & Modding Tips ::
Many modders have been asking about the difference between the Brass breech and Xpower breech for the Stampede.
Here is a comparison test video that demonstrates the performance difference between both breech designs, based on equivalent spring loads and optimization mods done:
Note that this comparison test is not meant to establish which design is better, its just a process to understand their differences and how to optimize them. There are pros and cons to both designs (beyond just range distance), so its up to users to determine the most suitable design for their usage.
The variation in their ranges are due to the characteristics of their different breech designs.
The brass breech design is more complex and requires skill to build and tune but when built well it features a full air seal, while the funnel design of the Xpower breech is simpler and much easier to install, but sometimes there may still be tiny gaps in the seal, hence resulting in slightly shorter ranges at equivalent spring loads (each setup is different due to parts variations, so it may just need further fine-tuning to get a full air seal).
:: Summary ::
Overall, the Xpower Stampede kit is an ideal aftermarket performance enhancement for modders who are looking for high quality ready-made parts. It saves alot of modding time and requires minimal installation work.
For non-modders, this kit grants instant improvement to their blasters without the need to spend hours modding and tuning. Xplorer also offers their customers installation services for the blaster kits too (subject to their technical staff manpower availability).
With the right spring load and setup, the Xplorer Stampede kit offers users excellent modded performance and greatly enhances the effectiveness of their Stampedes. :)
Disclaimer:
Modify at your own risk. Modifications may wear out or damage your
blaster. Please be careful when using hobby tools!
:: AR Removal ::
Step 1: Disassemble your Snapfire 8. Make sure to remove all the screws before detaching the casing layers. Remove the plunger tube.
Step 2: Look down the plunger tube, you will see the air restrictor assembly.
Step 3: Use a wire cutter and snip off the 4 support posts holding the air restrictor assembly, all the AR parts will fall out.
The ARs have been removed! Easy.
:: Rotating Barrel Dart Post Removal ::
This
mod is for users who want to be able to
use solid core or short length DIY foam darts (ie. stefans) or as a modding step before
re-barrel mods.
Detach the rotating barrel from the casing.
Use a wire cutter to remove the dart posts.
Clean up all the debris and sharp edges, make sure the back of the turret is smooth and flat.
I've found the existing turret barrel fit and length ideal for the 3.25cm length customized stefans that i use.
Assemble everything... now you have a stefan compatible Snapfire 8!
With the stefans sitting inside the turret barrels, nothing is protruding out of the front, therefore its much easier to store or holster the Snapfire 8 in this configuration too. :)
:: Modified Nerf Snapfire 8 - Range Test Video ::
:: Sample Test Fire Data ::
PTG: Parallel-To-Ground (Shoulder height, no elevation)
Distance is measured at where the shot lands (Average of 8 shots).
Modded Snapfire 8 (AR Removal & Dart Post Removal) Ammo: Customized foam + 1.1 gram soft silicone tip weight
"Speed" Mode Range = 35-40ft
"Power" Mode Range = 45-50ft
Note
that the tests were done under controlled conditions with customized
foam darts. The results are sample estimates for reference (your results
may differ depending on materials and mod techniques used).
:: Side Notes ::
Additional plunger to turret seal improvements were not required as the Snapfire 8 uses a system
that pushes the plunger against the turret during the firing process,
thereby already creating an excellent turret seal.
In addition, i've not done any stronger aftermarket spring installations as i'm focusing on retaining
the blaster's rate-of-fire and ease of use... and my trigger finger doesn't exactly have superhuman strength yet! :)
For a detailed review of the Nerf Snapfire 8, click Here.
Nerf Dart Tag Snapfire 8 - Outer Casing Removed
Nerf Dart Tag Snapfire 8 - Inner Casing Removed
Nerf Dart Tag Snapfire 8 - Inner Mechanism Assembly Removed
Nerf Dart Tag Snapfire 8 - Operational Inner Mechanism Assembly
Nerf Dart Tag Snapfire 8 - Inner Mechanism Casing Removed
Nerf Dart Tag Snapfire 8 - Speed/Power Tuning System
Nerf Dart Tag Snapfire 8 - Direct Plunger System
Nerf Dart Tag Snapfire 8 - Direct Plunger Internals
Nerf Dart Tag Snapfire 8 - Plunger Comparison to Nerf Nite Finder
Plunger Dimensions for Comparison
Nite Finder Plunger
Inner diameter (ID) = 2.4cm
Plunger draw = 4.5cm
Total effective air volume = 20.37 cubic cm
Snapfire 8 Plunger
Inner diameter (ID) = 3.2cm
Plunger draw = 2.5cm
Total effective air volume = 20.11 cubic cm
Overall, both plungers seem to have similar effective air volume displacement. :)
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Update!
Nerf Dart Tag Snapfire 8 - Inner Mechanism Assembly Removed (Retail Version / Black Casing)
