A clip is a dart-holding accessory used to quickly reload compatible blasters.
Details[]
Clips are designed to hold darts to eventually be fired from the blaster they are loaded into.
Clips have two main designs; the first design is an indexing-style of clip, which consists of its own chambers that hold ammunition, and automatically advances via the blaster's mechanism.
The second design is a magazine-style of clip, which has a follower and spring to feed darts into the blaster. The follower is spring-assisted, which automatically advances darts up and into position once the previous one has been fired. The darts are either picked up by a breech or pushed into a set of flywheels by a pusher mechanism.
Most clips are intended to be inserted into a blaster in one direction, usually depicted on the clip itself by an arrow molded into the blaster or on a sticker. This is done through a slightly asymmetrical design, with notches cut into the shell that are only accommodated for by inserting them correctly.
All Nerf-branded clip system clips feature one small divot on each of their feed lips. These attach to small nubs found on places such as the Longshot CS-6's clip storage or the Storage Stock to keep the clip from falling out easily.
Many modern clips feature a set of rubber pads on their bottom corners meant to protect them against hard surfaces and the hard surfaces themselves, if dropped or smashed against.
Terminology[]
For the wiki's rule on the usage of the word "clip", see Nerf Wiki:Manual of Style.
By definition, clips that use a follower for loading darts into a blaster are technically magazines.
However, Hasbro refers to them as "clips". Likewise, they use the term "magazine" for RIVAL High-Impact Round ammunition holders and for Vortex XLR Disc ammunition holders, although some official media still refers to these ammunition devices as "clips". Conversely, Nerf occasionally refers to them as magazines; the instruction manual for the Stampede ECS-50 calls the fifty dart drum a "drum magazine," despite also using the term "clip system." The recent Nerf Pro series also correctly refers to the dart ammunition holders as "magazines."
Other brands and companies, such as Adventure Force and Dart Zone, sometimes refer to their clips correctly as magazines, but also use the term "clip." Dart Zone has also been using the term "cartridge" to describe these magazines, which is also technically incorrect, as a cartridge is a type of pre-assembled ammunition (the equivalent to darts loaded inside of a shell in the hobby).
History[]
The first Nerf clip was released alongside the 1995 Max Force Sawtooth, followed by the 1997 Max Force 2112 Electric Eel. Both are indexing clips that auto-advance vertically.
When the clip system was introduced in 2006 with the Longshot CS-6, so were the first standardized interchangeable dart clips. The first released was the six dart clip. These were the first clips to feature a follower and spring.
A clip compatible with the at-the-time new Mega Dart was released in 2013, alongside the N-Strike Mega Centurion. While not intended to act as a new type of clip system, the release of the 2020 MotoStryke saw the release of a ten dart clip.
Modification[]
Because the shells of clips are glued together, clip modification is not nearly as common as blaster modification; while it is possible to split the shells of clips apart to modify their internals, it is generally not recommended due to the risk of breaking them.
Some mods for clips include making them compatible with unintended ammunition, such as Micro Darts and Stefans. Capacity can also be increased slightly by cutting down on a clip's inner follower, reducing thickness and allowing space for one more dart than intended. Other times, modders may combine clips together, such as combining two six dart clips to make a makeshift twelve dart clip.
Clips can be modified to be loaded backwards into a blaster by cutting off plastic near the lips and creating a matching notch found on the opposite side. This is useful in tandem with blasters modified to have two clip wells next to each other. Notably, this mod is incompatible with some blasters, such as the Rayven CS-18, which features an electronic lock that detects if a clip is inserted. With the plastic removed on the lips, the clip may not engage this lock.[1]
A mod intended for use with spring-powered clip system blasters is translating a clip's follower to have a vertical wall instead of a slope. With this mod, this prevents the blaster's priming mechanism from returning to its resting position, as the follower physically interferes with it. However, this mod can cause issues with chambering the last dart loaded into a clip, and is also not compatible with some blasters.[2]
Banana clips in particular use an inner block of plastic to help the shape of the clip; if this block is removed, it allows the clip to hold twelve darts, rather than ten.[3]
Clip variations[]
Nerf[]
Clip system clips[]
These clips are compatible with all clip system-compatible blasters.
N-Strike Mega clips[]
These clips are compatible exclusively with clip-fed blasters under the N-Strike Mega series.
| Name | Year released | |
|---|---|---|
|
Six dart clip (N-Strike Mega) | 2013 |
|
Ten dart clip (N-Strike Mega) | 2020 |
|
Six dart clip (Heavy SR) | 2021 |
ULTRA clips[]
These clips are compatible exclusively with blasters under the ULTRA series.
| Name | Year released | |
|---|---|---|
|
Ten dart clip (ULTRA) | 2020 |
|
Six dart clip (ULTRA) | 2021 |
Other clips[]
These clips are only compatible with the blaster they were originally packaged in with. The majority of these clips are discontinued.
Buzz Bee/Adventure Force[]
Clip system clips[]
These clips are compatible with most Buzz Bee/Adventure Force clip system-compatible blasters.
| Name | Year released | |
|---|---|---|
|
Eight dart clip (Buzz Bee) | 2015 |
|
Twenty dart clip (Ultra-Tek) | 2015 |
|
Ten dart clip (Air Warriors) | 2017 |
|
Eight dart Flip Clip | 2019 |
|
Ten dart Flip Clip | 2019 |
|
Fourteen dart clip | 2022 |
Other clips[]
These clips are only compatible with the blaster they were originally packaged with, although some are compatible with other blasters.
| Name | Year | Patron blaster | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Six shell clip | 2005 | Rapid Fire Tek / Clip Tek |
|
Ten dart clip | 2012 | Cougar |
|
Ten dart clip | 2009 | Clip Blaster 10 |
|
Three dart clip | 2015 | Boss |
|
Twelve dart clip | 2015 | Tyrant |
|
Destiny clip | 2016 | Destiny |
|
Five dart clip | Cancelled | Ultimate Clip Blast |
Dart Zone/Adventure Force[]
Clip system clips[]
These clips are compatible with most Dart Zone/Adventure Force clip system-compatible blasters.
| Name | Year released | |
|---|---|---|
|
Fifteen dart magazine | 2019 |
|
Fifteen half-length dart magazine | 2019 |
|
Ten dart clip (Adventure Force) | 2020 |
|
Twelve dart magazine | 2020 |
|
Twelve half-length dart magazine | 2020 |
|
Fifteen half-length dart magazine (Conquest Pro) | 2019 |
|
Fifteen dart magazine (MK-3) | 2021 |
|
Fifteen half-length dart magazine (MK-3) | 2021 |
|
Twelve dart clip (Dart Zone) | 2022 |
|
Half-Length Flip Magazine | 2022 |
Other clips[]
These clips are only compatible with the blaster they were originally packaged with.
| Name | Year | Patron blaster | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Powerclip | 2016 | Havoc |
Dart Tech clips[]
These clips are compatible with most Dart Tech clip system-compatible blasters.
| Name | Year released | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Eight Dart clip | 2022 |
|
|
Twelve Dart clip | 2022 |
Jet Blaster[]
Main article: Katana
Jet Blaster produces a standardized clip known as Katana magazines, which fit half-length darts. These clips are popular in many aftermarket and community-made blasters.
Worker[]
Main article: Talon (clip)
Worker produces a standardized clip known as Talon magazines, which fit half-length darts. These clips are popular in many aftermarket and community-made blasters. The clips come in two forms: straight or angled.
Trivia[]
- Most clips can fit at least one more dart than advertised. However, this often makes blasters more prone to jamming.
- 2011 saw the release of the Super Soaker water clip, which functions similarly to other Nerf clip system clips.
- Magstrike clips and Battlescout clips lack a follower, but are still closer to a feeding slide than a clip.
- Despite the Magstrike clip functioning more along the lines of a proper clip, packaging and instructions for the Magstrike referred to it as a magazine.[4] The blaster's name also implies that it uses a magazine.
- Most half-transparent clips are only transparent on the right side, which strangely makes it harder for right-handed users to see remaining ammunition, whereas left-handed users of blasters will be able to see their ammunition easily. This design choice was likely because most blasters are displayed with their right side in the box.
See also[]
References[]
- ↑
Southern Brisbane Nerf Club (2015-11-10). MOD GUIDE: Reverse Loading Clip & Help (Video). YouTube. Retrieved on 2019-08-09. - ↑ WalcomS7 (2017-02-09). MOD GUIDE: Easy NERF Magazine Mod (Slide-Lock When Empty!) (Video). YouTube. Retrieved on 2022-08-15.
- ↑ Drifting gambler mods (2016-08-07). Nerf Modulus ECS-10 Clipazine mod. (This changes everything!!!!) (Video). YouTube. Retrieved on 2017-11-03.
- ↑ Nerf_Dart_Tag_Magstrike@_Firestrike.pdf (PDF file). Hasbro. Retrieved on 2018-08-11.
| 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 |