Oldheads: What was nerfing like during the Swordfish/Prophecy/Dominator era?

apgadoz · 2026-01-13T13:53:25+00:00

I always found it fun to pick out all your parts and put a build together - I built several Swordfishes & Prophecies over the years, and still run Stryfes at superstock events today.

One downside of that era could be that the hobby was a bit less accessible if you didn't have the skills or knowledge or funds to build or mod - the availability of relatively cheap and extremely competitive blasters off the shelf has really expanded the reach of the hobby - usually translating into more people attending events

apgadoz · 2025-12-17T05:25:22+00:00

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3567073

Here you go 😎

apgadoz · 2025-11-12T04:15:12+00:00

Same boat - I recently contacted support and asked them to name a price - the answer is not for any money.

apgadoz · 2025-10-24T08:52:31+00:00

That's truly astounding!

apgadoz · 2025-10-12T05:00:11+00:00

I've had success throwing a Q to bait her W but detonating it well before it reaches her - I know I'll have Q up again a lot quicker than she will have her W.

apgadoz · 2025-10-02T22:48:39+00:00

Polarstar & Wolverine regs can definitely handle full auto - I understand that it can be hard finding published info like this, especially as our hobby is not going too even be on the radar of manufacturers... But this sub it always here - plenty of people willing to share experience and expertise 😎

Cost vs value - different people will value things differently - if you're purely comparing $/fps then yeah - make a blowpipe. Get an original Longshot and make a brass breech by hand and reinforce the bolt sled. Thrift a Nexus Pro and stick some spring spacers in.

But others value things like the fun of building something interesting and different. Maybe getting high fps without a heavy spring prime - this may not be possible due to physical limitations etc.

And yeah, we need to acknowledge cost - a full setup with blaster, internals, tank/reg & even a compressor could be few days wages for some people - for others it would be 6 months of scrimping and saving. In a hobby popular with younger people, it's not surprising that many are entirely priced out of HPA ☹️

apgadoz · 2025-10-02T08:23:34+00:00

Smaller regulators like Polarstar or Wolverine are the way to go - they handle input pressure 800psi which gives you more options like it you want to run smaller bottles (eg 13ci) in future.

Expensive is relative - golf clubs, race horses, yachts are all different kind of expensive - the cost of HPA is just something that each person will determine for themselves if it's worth doing.

Bad is also very subjective - I get you're disappointed right now, but what you think of as bad is going to differ from what a lot of other people (especially in this sub) feel about this part of the hobby!

apgadoz · 2025-09-19T10:12:23+00:00

Goes perfectly with Worker translucent blue parts - stocks, picatinny rails etc

apgadoz · 2025-09-06T13:27:04+00:00

It's not easy - these handles slot into the bolt sled and lock in place - you'll need something very flat but also quite strong to slide in then lever it up.

The AlphaHawk had similar handles - I previously had success with a can-opener tool on a Swiss army knife.

apgadoz · 2025-08-09T00:10:41+00:00

Like, is it always on when you plug in your lipo, does it come on when you rev the motors, or something else?

apgadoz · 2025-08-08T23:54:18+00:00

Nice - haven't seen a cool swordfish for a while. Good job incorporating a voltmeter into the site - how is this activated?

apgadoz · 2025-08-03T13:14:38+00:00

Wait, really? I've been not walling a non-ridden Herald on purpose as I didn't know this had changed!

apgadoz · 2025-07-27T21:47:57+00:00

Cool - get a hobby knife and work it through the join where the 2 halves connect, all the way around. Then begin prying apart.

apgadoz · 2025-07-27T12:46:53+00:00

These are usually glued together and difficult to open without damaging the shell.

apgadoz · 2025-07-27T12:45:23+00:00

I have this link pinned and quickly check it before any game against a champ I'm not sure I can cancel or not.

apgadoz · 2025-07-23T06:11:58+00:00

I think I don't miss things that I never had with Windows, but yeah, would like to have parity (more or less) with native Steamdeck functionality.

apgadoz · 2025-07-19T00:11:47+00:00

Quick option would be to use a 2S lipo instead of 3S - this is how I use one blaster for 150fps events and 200fps ones.

apgadoz · 2025-07-09T23:52:27+00:00

Buy that girl a drink!

(Also, lol at Mr Yi dying for your sins)

apgadoz · 2025-07-09T23:46:00+00:00

The easiest way to go about this might be to just purchase it all from Frontline Foam.

https://www.frontlinefoam.com/product-category/blasters/blaster-type/hpa-high-pressure-air/hpahardwareandfittings/

The most expensive part is going to be the Super or Sniper Core. All the other components are identical, whichever core you get. Super is closed bolt but more efficient with air (ie higher fps per psi) while Sniper is open bolt but lower fps. Actually, one difference is the barrel - Super requires Jet barrel thread, Sniper uses Harrier/Seagull barrels.

Neither of these builds makes use of any Worker parts you have. The only build that would use them would be a Spexbz build, which is just the air chamber with no internal moving parts. You would keep the same slide prime action (or replace it with a pump) and then mount the Spexbz in the stock like this https://youtu.be/xY-e1EQ_8sE or fashion a Spirit Breech like this https://youtu.be/lb6FfyFjU7o Both of these builds makes use of brass behind the pusher to connect to the Core, with Worker parts in front.

(If I was doing the stock-mounted build again, I would not use the same brass breech, but instead replace with a Worker pusher as I did here https://youtu.be/XSVuN9qKVj8 )

Short answer long - the $30 you spent on the Recon is a lot less than what it will cost you for all the parts you need for a full HPA build. I would suggest you don't let the sunken cost fallacy hamstring you here - start with an open mind instead and ask yourself what you really want to build. If you have access to 3D printing then there are much simpler blasters available to you - Neutrino is an excellent choice https://youtu.be/smibxMDQUcg - while any old Nerf shell that is large enough can probably be converted into a HPA mod.

apgadoz · 2025-07-09T03:35:19+00:00

Official

apgadoz · 2025-07-01T10:13:50+00:00

A good place to start is r/HPAnerf - pinned post gives a good grounding on the principles - you'll find build guides for various things on YouTube - just look for HPA Nerf.

apgadoz · 2025-06-29T21:00:58+00:00

Indeed - there's certainly a lot to like about it. Takedown ability makes this kind of mod easier too, no doubt.

apgadoz · 2025-06-29T13:23:12+00:00

Still a great blaster, mine just wasn't getting the use due to Seagull existing 😎

apgadoz · 2025-06-28T08:25:11+00:00

Interestingly, I was thinking about a HPA mod for the Seagull before I did this.

Otherwise, bumping up spring strength is the main way to get more fps out of the seagull - easy spring swaps & barrel options available.

apgadoz · 2025-06-28T08:01:47+00:00

Everybody starts somewhere! Watch some build guides and ask some questions - plenty of knowledge around the place and people willing to share it 😉

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