Versatility is the key to success in any N-Strike mission. With its 5-dart rotating barrel, the Spectre Rev-5 is quick and powerful. The folding stock and barrel extension make it perfect for the most sensitive stealth missions.
- Customizable stealth blaster features a 5-dart rotating barrel!
- Includes 2 blaster attachments: Barrel extension and Folding stock
- Extensions work with other N-strike blasters
- Includes 5 whistler darts
- Rotating barrel flips open for easy loading
More Details: Nerf N-Strike Spectre Rev-5 Dart Blaster
Fantastic Stock on a Good Gun,
First, be aware this item is a Wal-mart exclusive. Current price as of November 4th, 2010, is $20 at Wal-mart and $50 via Amazon’s retailer. It’s up to you whether avoiding a trip to Wal-mart is worth $30.
Next, the gun itself. Viewed as a refined Maverick, the Spectre address several concerns from the older gun very well. The rotary chambers swing out much further from the frame, allowing easier reloading (although it must be manually closed, rather than flicked closed one-handed like the Maverick can be). The chambers advance on cocking, rather than firing, preventing the somewhat-common effect on the Maverick where the chambers don’t advance properly. The top-mounted tactical rail is on the frame and not the slide, so attaching an accessory does not impair use. The gun has the now-standard front-barrel and rear-stock mounting, whereas the Maverick has just the top-mounted rail.
Other differences from the Maverick are not direct improvements, and negligible. The grip on the Spectre is shorter but not much thinner (I am 6’3″ and it seems a little awkward but workable, my 5-year-old brother found it no more comfortable than the Maverick). The gun holds 5 shots, rather than 6, which either matters a lot (if you need 1 more shot) or not at all (if you don’t). I consider the easier reloading to more than offset the 16% reduction in capacity. The trigger pull is gentler (since it is no longer advancing the chambers), but the difference is minor. Range is slightly shorter than my original-run Maverick, but also negligible.
The gun is a little longer than the Maverick, which is somewhat expected with the addition of the front barrel-mount, but it feels like it could have been shorter. The more slender profile accentuates the extra length but it is, honestly, probably not a very big deal. It just looks gangly to me when I don’t think it had to be.
On to the accessories, the real reason for purchasing the Spectre over the venerable Maverick. As already stated, the tactical rail is in a much better place on the Spectre, although it’s still a little awkward to have a bulky accessory on such a (relatively) small gun. The front barrel-mount is also appreciated, especially after the puzzling omission on the Raider. The Recon barrel extension (aka two extra tactical rails) is also rather bulky for the size of the gun but if you NEED to have a laser, a flashlight, and the kitchen sink attached then having that extra capacity is essential. The included barrel extension has no rails and is purely cosmetic, but the bore is wider/shorter than previous accessories, so it purportedly has less negative impact on range. I did not test to verify that, as it seems like a useless peripheral to me anyway.
Lastly, there is the included folding stock included with the Spectre. Every other difference from a Maverick or a Recon is, in my opinion, minor. The folding stock is undeniably a great idea and the execution is satisfyingly solid. While not as firm as the Raider stock, I would say it is comparable to the Recon stock in sturdiness. The swivel mechanism is smooth and the “lock” seems to work fine. There is no actual locking mechanism, just a tab/slot arrangement, but they’ve included an indicator to show you if it is fully engaged and it feels firm. If used regularly, it’s conceivable that it would deform and not hold as well, but only time will tell.
Overall, I would consider the gun comparable to a Maverick or Recon but the folding stock is a great addition to any arsenal. At $20 I’d consider it a decent deal, but if you don’t expect/need a stock or tactical rails I would still recommend the $8 Maverick.
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|Great side-arm for office wars!,
This is a worthy successor to the Maverick, even with the reduced shot capacity. It has about the same range, even un-modded, and is just as accurate (some of the guys in my office are real sharpshooters with the Maverick and now I can hold my own snaking shots between monitors).
I’m not a fan of the folding stock and that gets left shut in a desk drawer. The barrel extension looks cool, and the tube is wide enough that it doesn’t seem to add any extra drag to shots, so sometimes I leave it on. Other that that, it also is a yawn. The basic gun itself, though, rocks.
Cocking is smooth and jams nonexistent. You do have to be careful to push the whistlers in all the way or else the tips will drag on the mechanism and keep the barrel from advancing. My other gun is a Raider and with this one I really appreciate being able to chamber any sort of dart that gets shot at me, instead of having to pick through them for just the streamlines.
Great gun, I highly recommend it!
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|Good Job, Nerf,
Nerf has done it! The finally made a cool looking barrel extension that doesn’t make the gun useless! However, that’s not even half the story. The spectre is reliable, easy to handle, powerful, accurate, and it shoots fast. Plus, even though it only holds five rounds, reloading is a breeze if you time it right. All in all, this gun is definitely worth your money.
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