Board Thread:General Nerf discussion/@comment-27125665-20191221233705/@comment-27306930-20191224023915

Here's a high-res pic of various HIRs. It's immediately obvious that each of them has a different surface pattern. The X-Shots have a hexagon pattern, the RIVALs have dimples like a golf ball, and the Adventure Force Tactical Rounds have a triangle pattern. The X-Shots have the largest diameter, followed by the Tac Rounds then the RIVALs. That might explain why some Nerfers complain the Tac Rounds don't work as well in some off-brand blasters.

Assuming the difference in air resistance is negligible, the X-Shots should mathematically have a greater range based on weight, but only by 1%. So let's call that a wash.

In addition to the finish on the X-Shot rounds, another noticeable difference is the seam. The X-Shots and RIVALs have varying amounts of flash on the seam between the two hemispheres. Often times the two halves don't line up very well. And they are often shorter and squatter than a perfectly round sphere. That can't be good for compatibility or accuracy.

The Tactical Rounds have no flash. They are super consistent visually and in weight. Almost all of mine are nearly perfect.

And here's some data for us nerds: