Blaze Storm ZC7119 “Fauxmetheus” Review

Blaze Storm (made by Zecong Toys) is known for copying Nerf designs; although they do on occasion come up with something original. However, when I see things like a copy of the Prometheus, I can’t help but buy it to see if it’s worth anything.

Is it worth the $85 I paid? In stock form, no. If you’re in need of a fun project, though, it’s fairly easy to bring it up to par with other Rival blasters!

This Looks Familiar!

First, credit to Abquintic for coining “Fauxmetheus”!

In terms of layout and styling, this isn’t a carbon copy of the Prometheus, but it’s pretty close. The sizes are similar, the controls are the same, etc. However, there are definitely some important differences.

First, the capacity. The Prometheus came with 200 rounds, but could fit more. The copy, meanwhile, did things differently with the hopper, making it integral to the shell and smaller. It comes with 60 rounds, but can hold about 150 without issue. Likewise, this version also has a smaller agitator and feed belt, leading to a lower rate of fire (more on that later). On the bright side, the loading port is much wider, and doesn’t have a safety switch connected, so it’s possible to refill and still fire – great for if you get caught during the reload.

The power plant of the blaster is also different. Whereas the Prometheus had a detachable 9.6V NiMH battery pack, this blaster only has a 7.2V NiMH pack (the capacity is also smaller, with the two sitting at 2500mAh and 500mAh, respectively). Also of note is the fact that the Fauxmetheus has a battery door and a compartment, instead of an entire battery unit that detaches! The pack kinda fits in the provided tray, but it’s a tight fit. The pack recharges via a USB cord.

The controls operate the same; a manual safety sits between the twin triggers. The lower trigger revs the flywheels, the upper fires.

The blaster also includes a carry strap and a removable front handle. You’re going to have the same comfort and aiming issues as we saw in the Prometheus – you’ll have to learn to aim from the hip.

Performance

Physically, the ZC7119 is an impressive copy. Performance in stock form, however, is severely lacking. The first shot comes out near 80fps, but the blaster quickly bogs down to 60fps under sustained fire. If you’re lucky, you can get up to 4 balls per second with the blaster.

This is very disappointing, but not unexpected. The rather tiny battery pack just can’t put out enough current to effectively run the blaster. If you don’t mod at all, don’t buy.

Internals and Modification

For those seeking a fun project, the Fauxmetheus actually fits the bill. Interestingly, the blaster makes use of DPDT switches in the handle, choosing to cut both the positive and negative sides of the circuit. It means there’s lots of unnecessary wire, of course, but also means spare wire for projects and hooking up electronics.

I opted to do a full rewire of the blaster, with each trigger connected to a high current MOSFET. Now, using a 3s Lipo (which sits in the battery compartment, no cutting required), I’m averaging 100fps under sustained fire and six balls per second. Of course, now that the blaster is firing well…I noticed the lack of hop-up. That can be added, though.

Final Thoughts

In stock form, I can’t really recommend this blaster, and you’ll be wasting $85. If you’re willing to put in the work, though, it can become a unique and well-performing part of your collection.