A barrel extension is an optional and interchangeable accessory that is only compatible with certain Nerf blasters. As their name suggests, they extend the length of the blaster's barrel.
Since 2006, Nerf uses a standardized interchangeable barrel extension accessory point on many of their blasters. This barrel extension type is known colloquially as the N-Strike barrel extension, due to being introduced in the N-Strike series first.
Details[]
Barrel extensions are said to make blasters more accurate, however, this is widely disputed; the popular Elite Dart and previously popular Streamline Dart are known to be inaccurate even with extensions equipped. It can be argued that if a blaster is grossly inaccurate (e.g. the dart immediately swerves off course as soon as it leaves the barrel) a barrel extension may help correct its path for at least the length of the extension, although it would in turn introduce a lot of drag on the dart due to it contacting the sides of the barrel. However, in most cases, the increase in accuracy from a barrel extension is negligible, if there is any.
Barrel extensions almost always cause a decrease in velocity due to two primary reasons. Firstly, the dart may bounce around and hit the walls of the barrel, losing kinetic energy. Secondly, in the confines of a barrel, there is less room for air in front of the dart to escape to, so friction from the air increases. Some barrel extensions may have a wider inner barrel which remedies these issues.
The only types of barrel extensions that increase performance are those that act as compression barrels, such as the Deuce Pro's barrel extension. These barrel extensions prolong the amount of time the dart is in contact with compressed air. Their inner barrels are often made of metal. It's important to note that these types of barrels will only increase performance on blasters that have their own compression barrels, and if there is a seal between the blaster's barrel and the barrel extension's barrel; putting these barrels on any other blaster (which is usually not possible without modification anyway) will actually decrease performance as they would introduce even more friction than a conventional barrel extension.
Due to their negative effect on performance, barrel extensions are mostly used for aesthetics on blasters or provide other features such as added tactical rail space. Some barrel extensions, like the Mega Dart Barrel Extension, double as their own blaster.
Auto centering and rotating barrels[]
A special barrel extension piece found on some homemade/third party blasters are known as String-based auto centering and rotating (SCAR) barrels, Printed centering and rotating (PCAR) barrels, and Bearing-based auto centering and rotating (BCAR) barrels. These barrels use either strings (usually fishing line), plastic channels, or bearing rollers to act as rifling on the dart, increasing accuracy while also decreasing velocity due to added friction. Bearing-based rotation barrels impart less friction on the dart as the bearing rollers do not affect it as much as strings or channels. Due to this, these barrels are usually used on very high velocity blasters.
Why SCAR barrels make a dart fly more accurately has been up to debate, and more research is needed. The widely accepted answer is that the rifling imparts spin on the dart to make it more accurate.[citation needed] However, some Nerfers have also alleged that the design of the barrel allows air to pass uniformly around the dart so that it reduces the expansion of excess air pressure as the dart leaves the muzzle, increasing stability.[citation needed]
Auto centering & rotating barrels are also known as centering & rifling barrels.
History[]
The first blaster to feature and be compatible with the N-Strike barrel extension system was the Longshot CS-6 in 2006.
Initially, with the exception of the Spectre REV-5, all blasters that featured barrel extension compatibility under the N-Strike line were clip system blasters, due to the smaller inner diameter of most barrel extensions that could only accept Streamline Darts (with the exception of the aforementioned Spectre REV-5's barrel extension). It was not until the standardization of Elite Darts with the N-Strike Elite line that more and more non-clip system blasters started to feature barrel extension compatibility.
Nerf barrel extensions[]
Interchangeable barrel extensions[]
Blaster specific barrel extensions[]
| Name | Year released | |
|---|---|---|
|
Sawtooth scope and barrel extension | 1995 |
|
SharpFire barrel extension | 2015 |
|
Tobias Beckett barrel extension | 2018 |
|
Mythic barrel extension | 2022 |
Non-Nerf barrel extensions[]
Dart Zone barrel extensions[]
| Name | Year released | |
|---|---|---|
|
Quickfire 10 silencer | 2010 |
|
Quickfire Sniper barrel extension | 2011 |
|
Renegade barrel extension | 2014 |
|
MK-2 barrel extension | 2020 |
|
Stryker muzzle brake | 2021 |
|
Dictator muzzle brake | 2022 |
|
|
Tomcat muzzle brake | 2022 |
Tactical Strike barrel extensions[]
| Name | Year released | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nexus Pro nozzle extension | 2020 |
|
Conquest Pro barrel cap | 2021 |
|
|
Deuce Pro barrel extension | 2022 |
Buzz Bee barrel extensions[]
| Name | Year released | |
|---|---|---|
|
Snipe barrel extension | 2012 |
|
Range Master barrel extension | 2015 |
|
Eradicator barrel extension | 2017 |
|
Agitator barrel extension | 2019 |
|
Frantic Fury barrel extension | 2019 |
X-Shot barrel extensions[]
| Name | Year released | |
|---|---|---|
|
Medium Nozzle Attachment | 2017 |
|
Short Nozzle Attachment | 2017 |
Other barrel extensions[]
| Name | Year released | |
|---|---|---|
|
Huntsman barrel extension | 2013 |
Compatible blasters[]
For a list of Nerf blasters compatible with barrel extensions, see Category:Barrel extension-compatible blasters.
Trivia[]
- The Spectre REV-5's barrel has the greatest range due to the fact that the barrel is rather short and is very wide, reducing friction on the barrel. The lowest ranged barrel extension could be the Longstrike CS-6's barrel because it is the longest barrel extension Nerf has.
| view • editInterchangeable accessory types | |
|---|---|
| Blaster accessories | Barrel extension • Bipod • Detachable shoulder stock • Flip-up sight • Grip • Iron sights • Scope • Shield |
| Ammunition accessories | Ammo rail • Belt • Chain • Clip (Inline) • Cylinder • Drum • Hopper • Magazine (XLR Disc • High-Impact Round) • Shell • Speedloader |