The “Panther” name is a classic one among NIC modders – the original Buzz Bee blaster with that name was a tiny pistol with a huge air tank for its size. Later models may have shrunk the tank, but the original holds a special place.
Now, Buzz Bee has elected to use that name for another tiny pistol. This time, it’s a tiny springer that aims to displace the Jolt and other similar toys. And at least in price and performance, it exceeds that standard.
Small and Simple
Overall, it’s a solid shell, with plenty of detail in the molding. Interestingly, the entire thing is solvent-welded together. The dart does stick out of the barrel, but not by a lot.
The Panther comes in both a two-pack and a four-pack, depending on retail location.
Performance
The Panther, out of the package, shoots well with the included long distance darts, averaging 63fps. With some Elites on hand, I still averaged 60fps. Rate of fire is, of course, low, as you’d expect from a front-loading blaster. However, it’s still easy to make one shot every two seconds.
Modding Potential and Internals
In this case, I’m going to defer to Mongoose Jake’s video covering the Panther – mainly because I don’t have the patience to try and take this Panther apart. However, if you have the time and patience, you can boost performance into the high 80s fps.
Final Verdict
The Buzz Bee Panther may now be a tiny pistol, but it still packs a punch. At $5 for two (and $10 for 4), that comes down to $2.50 per blaster, with Jolt-beating performance. Even with the cheaper Alpha Strike version on shelves for the same price in bulk, I’d take the slightly friendlier shell and better performance.