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Monday, April 20, 2009

Nerf Recon Mod - Tagger Dart Compatibility!

As a Nerf game player, it can be abit frustrating to only be able to use Streamline foam darts on your Nerf Recon.

Sometimes you may also want to play Dart Tag games with your Nerf Recons, or you might simply have run out of Streamline foam darts.



Here is a simple mod that will enable your Nerf Recon to chamber and fire Tagger and Sonic foam darts!

Lets start...

Step 1: Take your Nerf Recon, only focus on the pistol section.




Step 2: Unscrew the casing, take note of all the screw locations and loose parts.




Step 3: Note the internal layout, especially the bolt carrier group and how it works.




Step 4: Take the bolt carrier group out of the Recon.




Step 5: Seperate the bolt from the carrier frame holder, you will need to push out a metal securing pin.




Step 6: Put your Tagger dart in to test, notice how its stuck and can't be chambered or fired properly? We will need to create a better fit.




Step 7: Use a hobby craft knife (please be careful) and cut away the flanges on both sides of the bolt.




Step 8: Trim the bolt's dart support thinner and narrower, keep testing with your Tagger dart to work towards a good fit.




Step 9:
Remove the pop-up blocker plate, trim the block lines so that it can better fit Tagger darts.




Step 10: Put everything back together and install all the screws securely.




Final Step: Put a Tagger dart in your magazine and test fire your Recon. If it jams or doesn't chamber properly, open up the casing again and do more trimmings and adjustments, it can take some time to achieve a good fit.




Here is a Test Fire Video of my Nerf Recon firing Tagger foam darts:




Being a clip-fed blaster, the Recon will tend to be prone to jams, so my advice is to make sure to use perfect foam darts, load them into the magazines properly and chamber each foam dart steadily.

In addition, do note that N-Strike clips are not originally designed to hold Tagger foam darts, so any clips longer than the 6-dart versions would still have issues working properly due to the foam darts being positioned increasingly at downward angles.

Now go play Dart Tag with your Nerf Recon! :)

91 comments:

  1. can it be modded to fire micro foam darts?

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  2. Well, i've tested my modded Nerf Recon with Micro foam darts (the ones with suction tips).

    It can chamber and fire the Micro foam darts, but the tendency for jams is much higher due to the Micro foam dart's soft concave shaped tips, they tend to fold or warp during the chambering process.

    I guess the micro foam darts themselves are not designed to be used on blasters with bolt action mechanisms.

    You could try further mods on it and see if you can get them to work. :)

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  3. Hello~ is this mod possible for Longshot CS-6? 8D

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  4. Yes, the Longshot and Recon internal mechanisms are similiar, so this mod is also possible. :)

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  5. Thank you~ 8D

    another question, was there any change with distance when shooting? (^3^)/

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  6. With just this foam dart compatibility mod done, there was no noticable change in the firing distances.

    To increase firing range, you would need to do further mods on it (ie, AR removal, upgraded Spring, O-ring replacement etc). :)

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  7. Just saw this on Youtube.. Seems like another great method to do the same..

    Chiseling instead of cutting. And some chiseling on the magazine too

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBZ3xIWm70I

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  8. Could you do this to a Raider? :)

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  9. The Raider and Recon internal mechanisms are similiar, so it is possible to do this mod on the Raider too.

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  10. Cool! I could break out a raider at a Nerf dart tag game! XD!

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  11. Is there a simpaler way to do this?
    like just Putting velcro on the end of a streamline?

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  12. Well, i've yet to figure out a simpler way, would definitely welcome any working suggestions to simplify this modification too. :)

    This mod basically allows the Recon to use tagger and sonic darts, just to give it some added flexibility in ammo usage (in case players run out of streamlines or use non-streamlines in the midst of a game to replenish their ammo).

    If you are mainly looking to play just Dart Tag, then as you mentioned, sticking velcro at the tips of your streamline darts is a method you can try too, see if it works in your games. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. will it still fire streamlines?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous,

      Yes, streamlines can still be used after the mod is done... but their performance may be slightly diminished because the streamlines might not be pushed back into the bolt as far, hence creating a slightly reduced bolt-to-dart seal.

      Delete
  13. Yea me and my dad play with the dart tag darts in the yard. And if i tried to mod a gun I'd just break it... I'm hoping for a raider for Christmas I will post my results on how it works.

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  14. Hey, will Dart Tag darts fit in a Raider Drum magazine?

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  15. Nope, the Raider drum magazine can only fit streamline darts.

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  16. What are all of the guns that can shoot tagger darts?

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  17. Pretty much all current Nerf blasters can use Tagger darts... except Longshots, Raiders and Recons, which are designed to use only streamline darts.

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  18. this design you've thought of is pretty good in your own nerf dart wars in the outdoors

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  19. Can you use streamlines in the modded recon? Would the mod affect how they're loaded and fired. Since the barell is essentially the bolt, wouldn't cutting away at that do harm to how the streamlines are fired from the gun?

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  20. Yup, if the bolt and blocker plate are trimmed properly (and not damaged in the process), streamline darts can still be used in the modded Recon.

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  21. If you look at the picture below Step 2, you can see a black piece with a round hole in the right bottom corner. Please explain where this black piece go. Thanks

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  22. aquilon,

    The small black piece with a hole fits into the base of the trigger handle. That is the part that allows the handle to store a spare foam dart. :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. does it work on other clip system guns like the long strike?
    can it fire sonic darts? the ones that whistle
    please answer!

    ReplyDelete
  24. robowiz207,

    Yes, this mod can also work on the other blasters which use the reverse plunger system (ie. Longstrike or Deploy). There just needs to be proper adjustments and trimming to get the darts to chamber and fit properly.

    Sonic darts have a similiar shape to Tagger darts, they can also be fired after this mod is done.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I'm a beginner modder and i'm stuck at removing the metal securing pin. How were you able to remove it without damaging the frame?

    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Alex,

    For the metal securing pin at the bolt, just use a small screwdriver and a hammer. Steady the bolt sled on a soft surface and carefully tap out the metal pin. With some patience it'll loosen and then you can pull it out.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Thank you very much SG Nerf! :] The mod came out better than I expected. Thank you for the writeup and the help!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I personally find the extra dart storage hole to be useless on the Raider, mostly because it's hell to try to load one dart into that thing without loading it into the magazine first... On the Recon, the hole has some use as you can drop the barrel extension, cock the gun and ram the extra dart in the front end of the gun.

    ReplyDelete
  29. you are the greatest recon modder ever! you should do a plunger repair mod. my plunger broke like the end of it. I fixed it by getting a pvc cap and crazy gluing the crap out of it then i let the glue dry for a week(iwas on vacation) it held good then i got a sponge and traced the plunger shape and carefully pushed it in. its been a week of testibg nonstop and the plunger seems good.

    ReplyDelete
  30. does it effect the range when shooting steamlines???does it effect the range when shooting steamlines after this mod???????

    ReplyDelete
  31. nerf_penang,

    If the mod is done properly, the range when firing streamline darts will still be around the same.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I have commented on another vid of yours oboat this, and im wondering if i do this mod will my gun (longstrike) be able to shoot micro(suction) darts too, and what is step 9 and the picture in it?

    ReplyDelete
  33. Galen,

    Well, this particular mod is more suitable for firing Tagger or Sonic foam darts.

    There are inherent design issues when trying to fire Micro (Suction Tipped) darts from such blasters, the soft concave rubber tips tend to get caught in the chambering system, therefore even after doing this mod, Micro darts are still not suitable to be used in these blasters.

    In Step 9 of the mod guide, i trimmed the "pop-up" dart blocker plate (found at the front section of the blaster) so that Tagger and Sonic darts can be chambered more smoothly, this is because those darts tend to be slightly longer than streamline darts.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Instead of trimming the pop up dart blocking plate, couldn't you just trim the dart foam a little instead.

    ReplyDelete
  35. John,

    Yup, you could also just shorten the individual foam darts too, but that seems abit tedious 'cos you'll have to do it for all the foam darts that you plan to use.

    Also, once the foam darts are shortened, they may no longer fit properly for a proper air seal in other blasters too.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Did you have any issues with jamming when loading taggers into a clip due to the wider heads? If so, how did you resolve it?
    I'm looking for a solution where all n-strike blasters are able to fire taggers effectively as they are my ammunition of choice. I'm contemplating if it'll be simpler in the long run if I just design a new streamline tagger dart. I like n-strike's clip system but I also want my darts to stick on my targets. Is there anyone else out there working on this streamline tagger dart idea?

    ReplyDelete
  37. Dat,

    Yup, thats a common issue. I find that the clips can usually hold up to 4 Tagger or Sonic darts quite well and they can chamber properly with that number in the clip, but once the 5th or 6th darts are added, they'll tend to tilt too much due to the uneven stacking of the larger tips, hence an increased chance of jams.

    Thats an issue that can't really be solved unless the dart designs are changed.

    You have the right idea in simply converting streamline darts into tagger-like darts.

    I have done some tests on similiar dart conversions, i basically stick a small dot of velcro to the tips of streamline darts and found that they could stick quite well on dart tag vests, though due to the smaller velcro area on streamline darts, they would also require more direct hits for them to stick properly.

    Perhaps you can try out some dart conversion ideas too, see what works for you. :)

    ReplyDelete
  38. There seems to be some confusion about the extra dart storage in the handle of many of the nerf guns. I believe that it is not to hold an extra dart at all, because most of the products that have this feature are fed by magazines which need to be preloaded.

    When you are done shooting people with your nerf product, you do not want to leave your blaster cocked. If the spring stays compressed for a long period of time, it loses some of its firepower. However, you must compress it in order to insert the magazine, so fire the first dart and store it in the handle for storage until it's next use. This extrnds the life of the gun.

    ReplyDelete
  39. suit, i needed this for a recent mod a sold... way does this work with the longshot also? thanks -sure shot armament

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  40. nerf creations,

    Yup, it could work similiarly on the Longshot too, you'll just need to do your own tweaks and adjustments.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Is the recon still able to fire streamline darts after this mod?

    ReplyDelete
  42. stealthclaw343,

    Yes, if the mod is done properly, the blaster can still fire streamline darts as per normal.

    ReplyDelete
  43. i havent done anything like this before could you help me find out simpler more easier way to do this mod?

    ReplyDelete
  44. jackr109,

    Well, this is the simplest and most effective method so far.

    Alternatively, if you don't want to mod the blaster, simply load each individual Tagger or Sonic dart manually to fire them.

    For Dart Tag games, you could also just try attaching velco dots to the tips of streamline darts and they should be able to stick to Dart Tag vests too. :)

    ReplyDelete
  45. are the tagger darts more accurate compared to the streamline darts??

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  46. Marcus7,

    In my experience, Tagger darts are generally more accurate, most likely due to their heavier tips.

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  47. wil this work with the stampede?

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  48. george,

    It's possible, but you'll have to adjust and tweak the mod to work properly on the Stampede.

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  49. george,

    Same as the Recon, you have to trim the parts and keep testing until the blaster can chamber and fire the Tagger or Sonic foam darts properly, its all a matter of making small adjustments step-by-step until it works.

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  50. was worried about the full cycle that the stampede has to go thru, , should the clips be fine? and thnak you

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  51. george,

    Yeah, that's the thing you have to consider when doing such mods to the Stampede, you'll just have to test it out to see if it works.

    ReplyDelete
  52. after this mod, can the gun still fire streamline darts?

    ReplyDelete
  53. Nic,

    Yes, if the mod is done properly, the blaster will still be able to chamber and fire Nerf streamline foam darts.

    ReplyDelete
  54. can u still use streamlines? and does this decrease the range?

    ReplyDelete
  55. sniperj987,

    As mentioned in my previous comment, if the mod is done properly, the blaster will still be able to chamber and fire Nerf streamline foam darts... and there will be no change in range.

    ReplyDelete
  56. hey on my recon, sometimes the darts get sucked back into the plunger when priming the gun, and they sometimes fall out of the front of the gun. any ideas on how to fix this?

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  57. Daniel,

    I've not encountered that before, i guess you'll just have to troubleshoot the plunger and dart blocker mechanisms.

    ReplyDelete
  58. having trouble understanding step 9. pop up blocker plate?

    ReplyDelete
  59. Aidan,

    Its the moving piece right in front of the clip when its loaded.

    ReplyDelete
  60. Hi, I am trying to mod my stampede to fire dart tag rounds. I would think that shaving down the plunger to support the added length of the dart tag rounds to be damaging to the gun. I tried playing around with the internals and figured out that the release hatch inside the gun must be kept closed before the gun can fire. Is there any way to mod the such that it supports dart tags?

    ReplyDelete
  61. nikhilk,

    Interestingly, i just test fired a few Tagger foam darts in my Stampede and it works without requiring any mods... though the firing performance isn't very good.

    Note that Tagger foam darts have issues being loaded into longer N-Strike clips, their larger tips tend to stack up and will end up positioned at an odd angle after 4-5 foam or more Tagger darts are loaded in... so that's an issue that would pose as quite a challenge for the use of Tagger darts in Stampedes.

    ReplyDelete
  62. does anyone here have a recon?

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  63. because mine locks up after i shot it and i have to pull Really hard to get it to release. any ideas on how to fix this? because i think somethings going to break inside when i do that.

    ReplyDelete
  64. Stephanie,

    Sounds like either the catch plate or bolt lock are mis-aligned, or maybe their small springs popped out somehow. You'll have to open up the casing to troublshoot it.

    ReplyDelete
  65. Hey sgnerf!

    My nerf longstrike (like all longstrikes) is terrible. I thought I could at least get some use out of it if I modded it using this tagger dart technique. Will it work with the Longstrike?

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  66. longshot1012,

    Yes, this mod can also be done on a Longstrike (or any other clip-fed N-Strike blaster). Just make sure you do the mod procedures properly and keep testing the fit until it works smoothly.

    In addition, do note that N-Strike clips are not originally designed to hold Tagger foam darts, so any clips longer than the 6-dart versions would still have issues working properly due to the foam darts being positioned increasingly at downward angles.

    ReplyDelete
  67. Joseph - Go fish!

    Yes, this mod can be done on all the reverse plunger N-Strike clip-fed blasters (ie. Recon, Longstrike, Raider, Alpha Trooper, Deploy etc)... they all share the same foam dart chambering system.

    ReplyDelete
  68. hey it worked great on my deploy thanks so much

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  69. hey, how do you make the clips accept the darts?

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  70. supersonic1997,

    Well, this mod guide was done back in 2009 when only 6-dart clips were available in the market, i mentioned in the guide:

    "do note that N-Strike clips are not originally designed to hold Tagger foam darts, so any clips longer than the 6-dart versions would still have issues working properly due to the foam darts being positioned increasingly at downward angles."

    In 2011, Nerf released their new Dart Tag blasters like the Quick 16 which features an integrated inverse curved clip to hold Taggers properly. 

    Maybe you can adapt a removable modded clip using that design too. :)

    ReplyDelete
  71. There is a small metal pin connect the bolt sled and the plunger tube together how did you get the metal pin out?

    ReplyDelete
  72. Kyle Morelli,

    Just use a precision screwdriver and a hammer to carefully knock out the metal pin.

    ReplyDelete
  73. does this works for whistler darts aswell?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alan Chee,

      Yes, whistler and sonic foam darts can also work with this mod.

      Delete
  74. Why can't people read the previous conersation?!?!? How many times does SG need to answer the same question.

    for the last time...

    YES... if you do it right it will still shoot streamlines. and whistlers/sonics and taggers are the same size, so common sense would tell you that both will work.

    ReplyDelete
  75. Does this work with a stampede ecs and most nstrike elite blasters?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous,

      It is possible to do this mod in other N-Strike clip fed blasters too, the basic process and concept is similar. Its mainly just creating more space for the wider tips to fit within the bolt.

      But note that your main limitation will be the foam dart fit in the clips, as they are not designed to be used with wider tipped foam darts.

      Delete
  76. I just made an interesting discovery with this mod, however i'm not sure if its the same for other people. When i put my Tagger darts in, if i put them with the hole facing up (on the new blue tip Taggers), i can fit more than four darts in a clip.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I dont make that, but I load 6 darts, aparently new darts have 1 mm less diameter in head, so the can fit better than orange ones, also have a hevier head improving more range

      Delete
  77. So will the whistlers and suctions work in clips?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ralph Worthington,

      After modding, whistlers can be used, but suction tipped foam darts will tend to get jammed up in the breech due to their soft concave tips.

      Delete
  78. HI I did the mod and it didn't turn out so well. When I fire streamline darts it comes out like 5feet but before the mod it traveled at least 50ft because of the AR and spring mod. My question is, is did cutting the flanges of the bolt reduce my firing range?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ericson Bautista,

      I've not encountered that issue with my modded unit so far... but if i were to guess, it could be due to your particular blaster's bolt somehow being slightly looser fit for foam darts (probably due to slight manufacturing variations in plastic molding between batches), so when the flanges and dart tooth supports are cut away, the streamline foam darts don't get pushed back far enough into the bolt to create a good enough seal, so their performance are affected.

      Maybe you can try narrowing the inner diameter of your existing bolt (perhaps use some smooth tape to line the inside of the bolt) to create a tighter fit for those streamline foam darts.

      Delete