Impulse Ungineering Ontos Blaster Review
July 20, 2026Author’s note: Out of Darts was kind enough to send out a free hardware kit…which meant I had to get off my but and actually get the printer going again to make the blaster. Thanks, guys!
Sometimes I get the chance to try out a new 3D printed blaster. Generally speaking, a hardware kit arrives in the mail, and I get off my butt long enough to tweak the printer downstairs as needed and print all the pieces needed. In the case of the Ontos, I found a new favorite springer for various wars in the future. It’s comfortable, easy to create, and versatile enough to set up at 150fps, 300fps, and everywhere in between. Let’s dive in and see what we’re dealing with!
Printing Is Easy!
I have a Bambu P1S combo at home, allowing me to select different colors easily…or to even have multiple colors in a single print. In my case, I underestimated how much red filament I had left! The nearby silver filled in for a print…and that pretty much determined the color palette I was using for the rest of the blaster. It worked out!
All of the prints are designed to print easily, with little support being needed. Once you’ve done that, there are instructions to follow for blaster construction, either through the Printables page or via Out of Darts’ handy video:
The blaster uses a number of screws and nuts, all mounted at angles to hold the sections of the blaster together. With a little time and elbow grease, you’ll have a new blaster in no time.
Blaster Features!
The Ontos has a traditional pump-action springer layout, with lots of nice quality-of-life features. The blaster doesn’t need any priming bars or extra-special pieces for assembly. Aside from the screws and nuts, you have a plunger tube, barrel, o-rings, spring(s), a few bearings, and (depending on your preference for the catch and magazine levers) some elastic cord. The spring can be replaced with a turn of the spring rest, hidden under the adjustable stock.
Additionally, a spring detent is optional for keeping the priming grip forward when not in use.
Files for a grip aren’t included, but there is a picatinny rail for mounting the grip of your choice (I reused files from Excalibur). The main grip is large and comfortable, and the trigger action is smooth…provided you lubed everything properly. I didn’t do that the first time and was confused about why the trigger pull was so hard. Yep, instructions only work if you follow them!
The prime is incredibly smooth, thanks to those bearings.
Performance and Other Options
The Ontos is quite versatile by nature, being capable of spring swaps on the fly, and it can hit anywhere from 150 to 300 fps depending on the spring used, barrel length, dart fit, etc. However, there are even more tuning possibilities, thanks to Out of Darts (Perry, specifically) having remixed different plunger options! These simply move the catch surface back, resulting in less plunger volume being used. They do require taking the blaster apart at the plunger tube if you want to swap them. However, having three options means adjusting things to your liking. I’m currently running the stiff spring with the shortest plunger option, netting me ~200fps.
Rate of fire will depend on spring load and priming distance. Expect 1-2 darts per second.
Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the large number of customization remixes. Not all of them are for the current version (V2), but there are choices to be made!
Final Thoughts
The Ontos is a cool new take on the traditional Nerf primary. It’s easy to print, assemble, and use in battle. You can customize it to your velocity preference, and there are fun ways to accessorize the design. If you want a 3d printed springer, this is one of the best options for assembly out there.
Nerf Rebel Ops Doom Cannon Review
July 17, 2026Author’s note: I got a Doom Cannon as part of a package of free review goodies from Hasbro. Thanks, guys!
When the Rebel Ops line was announced, the blaster with the most hype was (for obvious reasons) the Doom Cannon. Nerf was not only releasing a giant shotgun with multiple, rotating shells, it was also doing so for only $45.
Now the blaster is here, and it’s living up to the hype. It’s fun to use, ridiculously easy to unload all of your darts, and Nerf has even elected to release official files for 3d printing your own Super Shells! It’s a reminder that not everything in the blaster space needs massive performance. Sometimes, it just needs to be big and fun!
Nerf Star Wars The Mandalorian and Grogu Blaster Review
July 10, 2026We had another Star Wars movie this year, so naturally there had to be product tie-ins. Along with Nerf’s return to Elite darts comes a new blaster that’s modeled to somewhat look like the Mandalorian’s Amban phase-pulse blaster (unlike the one three years ago that actually WAS the blaster). The blaster holds six shots, comes with twelve darts, and has the attachments to add to the play value for kids. But is it worth having in the collection?
Blaster Targets! DZ/Adventure Force Can Crush and Xshot Electronic Target Review
July 8, 2026Before I get too far down the rabbit hole of new blasters, let’s cover a few things in my basement – especially since the end of summer is approaching, and items are likely to hit clearance.
Both Dart Zone and Xshot had official target sets available on shelves; Xshot had an electronic version branded for their Pro line, and Dart Zone had a fun, manual version sitting with the Adventure Force line at Walmart. This is more of an overview than a review – what target works for you depends on the price and fun factor – but regardless, let’s take a look!
Nerf Rebel Ops Deadeye Review
July 4, 2026The Nerf Rebel Ops Deadeye fits the same niche as other recent blasters like the N Series Pinpoint and the NStrike Elite 2.0 Eaglepoint. It holds a decent number of rounds, fills the “sniper” role in pretend play, and has more than a few attachments. To that end, the blaster is successful.
Whether you should add it to the collection is a matter of priorities. As well as the age of the user.
Nerf Action Experience – Not Dead? Facility Coming to Tennessee After All!
July 2, 2026After plans for a joint Nerf/Crayola entertainment venue fell through in the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area, Nerf Action Experience appeared to be dead. However, that’s not quite the case.
After some retooling, the new developers have partnered with Hasbro to create a Play District featuring everything from Nerf to Peppa Pig to Transformers. The Nerf part features plenty of activities (how many involve actual dart blasting is unclear). Given the sheer number of families that vacation in the Smoky Mountains every year, some kind of development was bound to happen. It’s nice to hear the original idea isn’t completely dead – I enjoyed swinging through the Nerf Action Experience when I was on vacation in Great Britain, and that’s also gone, too.
Nerf Rebel Ops Ammohawk Review
June 24, 2026The Rebel Ops line is finally arriving! After showing up a bit early on Walmart’s website, I snuck once in an order along with other (and actual) essential items. After arriving and handling it, I can say it’s exactly what I handled at Toy Fair: a return to the Elite dart with the performance you’d expect from a basic pistol. The extra darts and storage just help to sweeten the deal.
