Sunday, October 9, 2011

Nerf Dart Tag Speedswarm - Review!

Looking for a full-auto compact dart tag blaster?

Get the Nerf Dart Tag Speedswarm!

The Nerf Speedswarm is a fully motorized spring-powered direct plunger blaster. The blaster requires 6 x AA Batteries to power its motor (Batteries sold separately). Its rotating barrel has a 10-dart ammo capacity.

Its firing system is fully motorized, there is no manual priming mechanism (without any batteries, it cannot fire).

The Speedswarm can fire in full auto or in bursts, depending on the duration of trigger pulls. Firing single shots at a time can also be done by simply pulling the trigger briefly and letting go. Its all in the timing of the trigger pulls.

This blaster is packaged with 10 x Tagger foam darts. It is compatible with most Nerf foam darts too.

The Speedswarm's stock rate-of-fire (RoF) is around 2-3 shots per second. Average stock range is around 25-30ft.

For internal photos of the Nerf Speedswarm, click Here.

Review:

Nerf Dart Tag Speedswarm - Box (Front)




Nerf Dart Tag Speedswarm - Box (Back)




Nerf Dart Tag Speedswarm - Un-Boxed




Nerf Dart Tag Speedswarm - Side View




Nerf Dart Tag Speedswarm - 10-Dart Ammo Capacity Rotating Barrel




Nerf Dart Tag Speedswarm - Loaded with Tagger Foam Darts




Nerf Dart Tag Speedswarm - Loaded with Assorted Nerf Foam Darts




Nerf Dart Tag Speedswarm - Battery Sled / Requires 6 x AA Batteries
(Batteries Sold Separately)





Nerf Dart Tag Speedswarm - Casing Close Up Detail




Nerf Dart Tag Speedswarm - Trigger Handle Detail




Nerf Dart Tag Speedswarm - Casing Strap Loop Detail




Nerf Dart Tag Speedswarm - Scale Comparison with Nerf Maverick




Nerf Dart Tag Speedswarm - Demo & Test Fire Video




Nerf Dart Tag Speedswarm at Amazon.com



58 comments:

  1. Wow! this is cool. It is interesting to find a pistol shoot 40 feet without using vortex discs... maybe Nerf is starting to use stronger springs. This is exiting!

    ReplyDelete
  2. it is nice that is fires using a plunger but here is my main question, which is better, the barricade that is loud flywheel and semi auto, or this that is only loud when firing but is full auto, which would work better as a semi auto pistol. i wonder if there is a way to set up the circuitry to make it semi auto?

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  3. harpuia,

    Well, you can just pull the trigger momentarily to fire only one shot, like how i demonstrated in my test fire video. In this way, semi-auto firing can be controlled by the user.

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  4. would you say trying to use the speedswarm as semi auto, does its fire rate keep up with that of a barricade or does it have to be firing full auto to keep up, one problem i have with full auto guns is the delay in the shooting and the slow rate 3 per sec. i would rather not have a delayed fire and be semi auto

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  5. Can you post a size comparison pic with the Barricade?

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  6. Which stock manual blaster would do you think is the best? :o

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  7. barricade or speedswarm? The price and range counts.

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  8. harpuia,

    With stock voltage, the Speedswarm's RoF and response time is naturally not as fast (as with most stock motorized spring plunger blasters).

    But once its voltage modded, thats when the RoF and response time is much faster. I've already modded my unit and will be posting a mod guide on it soon, you'll see a big difference in performance there. :)

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  9. maxismerlin,

    Unfortunately, i don't have anymore Barricades to do scale comparisons with... 'cos i don't usually keep blasters which i never use in Nerf games, all of them get traded away. :)

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  10. 0SumGuy0,

    If stock and requires manual priming... i'd say the Nerf Raider.

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  11. j and j,

    I prefer the Speedswarm... 'cos i'm not too keen on flywheel system blasters. :)

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  12. wow like a swarmfire but with small scale and cute this is the one i want to buy in TOYRUS

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  13. you guys are good! I'm not new here just got an account. that thing would be a beast if dual weilded.

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  14. Tell us when it's in Singapee, yea? Thanks!

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  15. just one question, how the hell did you get it?

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  16. wanna-be,

    From an overseas seller. :)

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  17. You are lucky...But, SpeedSwarm Stampede integration anyone? :)

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  18. i think Nerf release one of an upcoming blaster, is that how you get it. and also, which country?

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  19. how do you get guns and stuff that hasn't hit stores?

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  20. Morrockuy Max,

    From various sources, sometimes i come across new stuff through trading or contacts with other enthusiasts.

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  21. I have an account and am barely using it! hey I got a question. do you think the rof is the same as the stampede? and is heavy because of the batteries?

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  22. Portal99,

    The stock RoF is slightly slower than the Swarmfire, probably due to its smaller motor (due to the smaller casing size)... but voltage mods can be easily done to increase its RoF effectively.

    Its not too heavy, i'd say just abit heavier than a Barricade. Its still easy to hold and fire with one hand (as what it was designed for).

    One thing i like about the Speedswarm is that it is compact enough to be holstered in a side pouch... can't do that with a Swarmfire.

    I've already tested it in Nerf games and it works very well as an auto sidearm. :)

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  23. A: Wow, awesome that you could get a pre-release version, even more awesome that you would show it to us.

    B: Are you going to keep it and use it regularly?

    C: Any idea when they are going to make their way to retail?

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  24. MacTrekkie,

    Yes, i have been using it in a few Nerf games as a handy sidearm and so far its been very effective. :)

    I guess it should be popping up in stores quite soon, seeing that they are already showing up in online seller inventories. So do keep a lookout for them.

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  25. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  26. Oh? What retailers are they showing up in? I checked amazon and Toys R Us, but I don't know what stores there are in Singapore.

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  27. MacTrekkie,

    I've no idea, that's why i mentioned that you'd just have to keep a lookout for them appearing in stores. :)

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  28. how many nerf blasters do you have?

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  29. Also on a related note are you going to review the new Jolt EX-1? It's a great little blaster with some extreme range for its size.

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  30. AD MAN,

    No much actually, around a dozen or so at any one time... 'cos i usually trade away blasters that i don't use, only keep the ones that i regularly use in Nerf games. :)

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  31. MacTrekkie,

    Yup, i'd definitely be keen to review the Jolt once its available at local stores in Singapore. :)

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  32. I thought it was pretty sweet, but that slow RoF changed my mind. Is it related to the AA batteries instead of C's? I would prefer to use AA's in battery converters in my Swarmfire but I'm not willing to sacrifice the RoF just for AA capabilities. Do you know whether it would affect RoF and where battery converters are sold?

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  33. Blaster Mods and More,

    The Speedswarm's slower RoF is due to its smaller motor which outputs less torque and speed (compared to the ones in the Swarmfire or Stampede), as it has to fit into a more compact form factor.

    You can read about voltage mods and its effect on this blaster in my Speedswarm Mod Guide:

    http://modworks.blogspot.com/2011/10/nerf-dart-tag-speedswarm-mod-guide.html

    The various sizes of batteries mainly differ in mAh capacity (which determines how long the batteries can last), not the voltage. So using larger batteries of the same voltage just means they will last longer, not run the motor faster.

    Battery converters can usually be sourced from battery or electronics parts supply stores.

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  34. Do you know if the Sppedswarm is better than Swarmfire?

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  35. The Elite Nerf Lord,

    The Speedswarm is basically a smaller version of the Swarmfire, with 10-shot ammo capacity (instead of 20)... so i guess it all depends on your intended usage.

    As mentioned in my review, i personally found that it worked best when used as a sidearm, 'cos its compact enough to holster and also easy to fire with one hand.

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  36. is the jolt ex 1 coming out in singapore?

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  37. Melvin,

    No news of it so far, but i'll update this site if i do spot any locally.

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  38. Is this a new nerf gun or not?

    (toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12210988&searchURL=false)

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  39. quodes,

    Yes, the Nerf Jolt is also another new blaster, was just released recently.

    ReplyDelete
  40. hey sg, do they have alpha troopers at singapore?

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  41. YM,

    There used to be Alpha Troopers available at dept stores in Singapore back in 2010, but it seems they are all sold out locally nowadays.

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  42. Hey, are you aware of the newest plans of nerf? There is a new nerf gun called the Nerf Rayven CS-18! Urban Taggers already gets their hands on them! Here's the link:
    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fgUJ4Tm281Q/Tp1YzW6ju5I/AAAAAAAAC5g/_Zco2cENZ5w/s1600/PA186077.jpg

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  43. YM,

    Yup, i'm aware of the Nerf Rayven... there are more new blasters being released too, will post up more reviews when i get them. :)

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  44. SG Nerf,

    Could you share what are the other blasters being released, as you post in your previous comment?

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  45. YM,

    Like i mentioned, i will post up reviews on new blasters when i get them.

    ReplyDelete
  46. SG Nerf,

    Do you know if there will be any releases of clear nerf guns anytime soon?

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  47. TehMawdZorz,

    I only know of the Clear Series N-Strike blasters that were released back in mid-2010... no news of anymore other new Clear Series blasters releasing so far.

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  48. Would these be good to dual wield, so you can aim at two targets at once, or is it better to just get a Swarmfire?

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  49. Bednesti,

    Depends on your gameplay style, both configurations can work well in games.

    Though with the Speedswarm, it is compact enough that you can holster and carry it in a side pouch... can't do that with a Swarmfire. :)

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  50. When you say holster, do you mean you can fit it into a tactical vest holster? If so, how easy is the draw-do darts fall out?

    [it's fine if you can only answer the first question]

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Desmo7,

      Well, its too wide to fit into the N-Strike Tactical Vest holster (that's sized more for the Maverick)... but it can fit into larger sized hip pouches or even in the large side pockets on cargo pants.

      Delete
  51. Should I get 1 swarmfire or 2 speedswarms? And which is better, the Barricade or the Speedswarm?

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    Replies
    1. moogaffy,

      Depends on whether you want a single large blaster or 2 smaller ones, but imho the Speedswarm is easier to carry and holster in pouches.

      I prefer the Speedswarm because i like the handling of motorized spring plunger blasters, not too keen on motorized flywheel based blasters like the Barricade.

      Delete
  52. Excuse me for my many questions, but is the speedswarm or barricade cheaper and which is better to dual wield? What's the Speedswarm's RoF compared to a Barricade's maximum RoF while using energizer batteries? Which goes farthest, the Barricade, Speedswarm, or Swarmfire? And lastly which has the best value? Hopefully you don't feel overwhelmed by my questions.

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    Replies
    1. moogaffy,

      The Barricade is cheaper than the Speedswarm, you can compare local prices in this list:

      http://sgnerf.blogspot.com/p/singapore-nerf-stock-list.html

      Both are compact enough to dual wield.

      The Speedswarm's RoF depends on the voltage feed, stock voltage is around 2-3 shots per second and it fires in full-auto. Increase the voltage and the RoF increases too.

      The Barricade is a semi-auto blaster, so you have to pull the trigger for each individual shot, therefore its RoF depends on how fast you you can manually pull the trigger repeatedly (its RoF has nothing to do with voltage).

      Range-wise, all blasters have similar 25-30ft ranges with stock voltage.

      When modded with increased voltage feeds, the Swarmfire and Speedswarm will increase in RoF but as they are spring plunger blasters, you'll also need to install stronger plunger springs to get longer ranges.

      In the other hand, with higher voltage feed the Barricade will get increased ranges, but the RoF is still limited by your trigger pulls.

      Value-wise, all are good for their features, it just depends on which configuration you prefer.

      For most users, it all comes down to which type of firing system they prefer, some prefer motorized spring plunger blasters, some prefer flywheel blasters (you have to personally try them out to find out your preference).

      Delete
  53. Do you have any idea how strong the spring is? 3kg? 4kg load?

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    Replies
    1. Dan,

      The stock spring load is around 3-4kg... similar to most Nerf blaster stock spring loads.

      Delete