The changing nature of the Nitefinder

I don't know about your Nitefinder, but I'm here to discuss about two vastly different experiences with my Nitefinders

Around October 2010, I bought my first NF, for kicks and due to the fact it was cheap. The spring and plunger rod looked like this (not my pic)


Fast forward to May 2011, I buy another one with a view to clip mod it.. and I get this


Ignore the black spring. That is a buzz bee spring addition. Nowadays the NF stock springs seem to be weaker with less coils and the metal seems thinner. (Or I could be all wrong and I bought a real Barry Crocker).

If I remember correctly, the NF springs circa 2010 were said to be smaller from previous years. So this seems like another step down

In early 2009 I bought a NF, it was unglued and had a massive spring.
Since then I have owned two more NF's, both have been glued and have a wimpy spring.

I believe someone said the 'Sonic series' NF's had a better spring.

that would have been Gooni, but that was a one off I'm pretty sure. In terms of nitefinders being pathetic now, yes they are. I find the ones with the newer looking packaging are the ones to really avoid, simply because the spring is so weak.

Sad, really. I'd noticed early 2010 NFs were quite a bit better than the ones I'd bought in 2008 (back when NFs and Mavs were all you could get here, remember those days?). Someone's probably getting a bonus for reducing manufacturing costs. Would explain the new $10 twin pack NFs.

In terms of power, yes the springs are getting weaker.

The original blue (03? or 04?) NF's were the strongest of the lot, unfortunately they weren't released here.

After that they released the first n-strike ones which were mostly grey, black and orange, also not released in aus.

Then after that Ithink they were dark blue (or purple, not sure as I'm colour blind) also not released here

And they were released here not long after that in yellow with a slightly smaller (and weaker) spring

then came the sonic series and they've had glue and even weaker springs added

I only just recently purchased myself 2 nite finders I opened 1 up to find the spring looking the same as the picture. But I still managed to get my stock one to fire 24.2m or about 79' 5"

Runeblade wrote:I only just recently purchased myself 2 nite finders I opened 1 up to find the spring looking the same as the picture. But I still managed to get my stock one to fire 24.2m or about 79' 5"

Is that from a 10 story building, jumping up and shooting at a 45 degree angle? Or did you put your Nitefinder in a cannon and fire it using good ol' gunpowder?

Also, which picture? I posted two.

Runeblade wrote:I only just recently purchased myself 2 nite finders I opened 1 up to find the spring looking the same as the picture. But I still managed to get my stock one to fire 24.2m or about 79' 5"

I call BS on that too.

Makes you wonder, how do these guys measure ranges? With some strange method that none of us have ever heard of?

Either that or it's straight up BS and you've just guessed 79.5'. I mean, come on.. No stock blaster shoots 80' that I know of.

I'm sure he's talking angle to ground, a few people do until they get the hang of the way things are done here.

I was talking about the 2nd picture and it was angled to the ground. To get the range I was moving my arm forward aas I was firing to give it extra momentum and thats why the relatively long distance.

Yeah, alright mate. Just to let you know, we like to measure ranges by how we would normally shoot the blasters. That is, fired from the hip, or the shoulder, near parallel to ground. Or if it's not, we indicate that it's angled, or from a 10 storey building.

EDIT:

Just to add a little anecdote. I saw some old NF's in my local Target. They were definitely old, as shown by the box being taped up in one end and the back actually showing the blue nitefinder design (despite the blaster being the standard yellow). I wonder if they're worth getting.

Even then, angled and with a flick, 80' is still pretty unbelievable.

Back on topic though, anyone know if the Whiteout Nitefinders are different again?

Jeo wrote:Even then, angled and with a flick, 80' is still pretty unbelievable.

Back on topic though, anyone know if the Whiteout Nitefinders are different again?

Whiteout NF are the same as Sonic NF IMO.

Got a couple of WONFs today. The spring seems very weak compared to a yellow NF

Were blue NFs not released in Australia? Then I wonder how my principal has one in his drawer... and no, I wasn't snooping :p

Godspeed_22 wrote:Were blue NFs not released in Australia? Then I wonder how my principal has one in his drawer... and no, I wasn't snooping :p

Some kid brought one back from an overseas holiday then brought it to school and started shooting people?

Yes the Blue nite finder was released about 6-7 years a go in Australia.

IMO I dont really care that the springs are getting weaker as long as Bunnings are still selling those beautiful C-836 and as i'm an owner of 5 NF's, the springs are getting weaker but i'm liking this because of the lesser amount of coils and a MUCH smaller compressed length because i could never fit a yellow NF spring in a raider powerstock but it's not too much of a problem with the newer ones.

Guys, how strong are the C836s? I have a Nite Finder with the stock spring, one of the oldish springs, it's fairly decent. And a Double Shot spring, and it's pretty powerful. I, however, like to force the absolute maximum out of my blasters and don't give a crap about RoF. Lol. How good's the C836, how powerful? Ranges with a perfect seal?

The C386 is very powerful. With a pretty good seal, stock barrel and streamlines, I got around 70 feet flat.

Nice man, stock barrel? Hahaa. How much are they? I live in the North of the state, there's only a Bunnings in Launie and Hobart, i think.. Might get Mum to get me a couple, she lives down in Hobart.

Haha yeh it's quite too small to be a barrel but once you replace it, I've seen some people get nice ranges.

Im getting 80-85ft with my singled 17/32 NF with a C-836 with 2 loops cutdown. And just putting it out there, I made an NF rifle that shoots 110ft flat!