Air Tech 3000

The Air Tech 3000 (also known as the AT3K) is a Nerf blaster that was released in 2002 under the Air Tech series.

It comes packaged with six Micro Darts.

Details
The Air Tech 3000 is a mid-sized air-powered blaster that operates in a similar fashion to other Air Tech blasters, such as the Air Tech 2000 and 4000. It holds six darts at a time and has a "Liquitron power gauge" on the top of the blaster. The design of the blaster features what appears to be an air tank towards the rear of the blaster, but this is merely for aesthetic purposes; the actual air tank is located towards the front of the Air Tech 3000. Pumping the blaster once rotates the turret. The blaster fires from the bottom barrel.

Like other Air Tech blasters, the Air Tech 3000 features a "Liquitron" power gauge, which displays how much air power the blaster has stored in it by the use of a liquid. This gauge is located at the top of the blaster. While it has no performance-improving value, the Liquitron power gauge was a recurring gimmick in the Air Tech line that was seen on all blasters in one form or another. Each time the blaster is pumped, it releases a dark blue/green liquid into the gauge.

History
The Air Tech 3000, specifically its Liquitron power gauge, was filed for patenting on August 30, 2002, likely just before the release of the blaster. The blaster was released alongside the rest of the Air Tech line in the summer of 2002, and was initially released in a single pack.

The Air Tech 3000 was re-released in 2003 under the 2003 series and again in 2005 under the Action Blasters series. The latter re-release came primarily in a twin-pack with only minor design changes, notably the Nerf logo being altered from its original 2002 state to its then-modern variant.

Alongside its smaller sibling, the Air Tech 2000, the 3000 has achieved a strong legacy. Though the blaster has not seen a successor, for many years the Air Tech 3000 has been held with high esteem from fans.

Color schemes
The Air Tech 3000 has been released with the following color schemes:


 * Blue, silver, and orange
 * Silver, blue, and orange

Modification
Because of the versatility of its platform as well as its potential power, the Air Tech 3000 was a favorite of modders for a long time after its release. With longer barrels, plugged pumps and reinforcements, a modded Air Tech 3000 was often the choice of many at professional Nerf battles. Staggering performance levels could be obtained by overhauling the blaster internals, with results often exceeding a hundred feet. Barrel replacements are incredibly common and often the go-to for Air Tech 3000 modifications. The pump draw can also be extended by slight internal modifications, leading to increased air output per pump.

Though not as common as with the Air Tech 2000, there have been some attempted integrations involving Air Tech 3000 internals. Cosmetic changes including the ability to rear-load barrels have also been performed.

Blaster sets
The Air Tech 3000 Twin Pack comes packaged with two blasters: one blue and one silver.

Reloading and firing
To reload the Air Tech 3000, simply place six darts in the blaster's turret and pump the blaster three to four times.

Pull the firing trigger to fire a dart.

Trivia

 * Like the Maverick REV-6, users can manually spin the blaster's turret unless it is pumped.