Blasters like this are extremely hard to rate. Sure, it’s an obvious choice for a dart blaster. But after making (and delaying) the Nerf LMTD version, Hasbro releases a regular one at less than half the price?
Alas, consumer priorities are the ultimate factor here. Are you in need of a relatively inexpensive cosplay prop that you can paint? Are you a kid wanting to me Din Djarin? Do you just like quirky blasters in general? If so, it’s a nice blaster to grab. Anyone else? Perhaps not.
Introducing the Mango Mando
A little over a year ago, Hasbro made the Phase-Pulse rifle the first Nerf LMTD preorder blaster. It got delayed from the original October 2021 target date, though it eventually arrived to some less than stellar reviews from nerfers (Star Wars fans may have had a different opinion).
The blaster, at least in the Amazon box, arrives in two pieces, and once clipped together, stays together.
Performance
Dart velocity, however, was surprising. Several others with LMTD versions have experienced poor ranges, but my cheaper version averaged 67fps. That’s pretty acceptable for a large pretend play blaster like this.
Internals
I personally do not recommend trying to take this blaster apart. The screw covers are solvent welded in place, forcing you to drill them out. If you don’t do that perfectly, you mar the shell or damage the screw heads. All for minimal benefits.
Even so, someone has to do this for documentation! The blaster is clearly the same shell as the LMTD version, as slots exist for electronic parts. The breech rides a unique track, flipping it up for loading, then pushing the dart back into a painfully short barrel. Even with spring upgrades, you won’t get much of a boost in velocity.
Final Thoughts
This version of the Amban Phase-Pulse Rifle is certainly affordable, and more kid-abuse resistant. Even so, I think it’ll only appeal to Star Wars fans who don’t mind a noncompetitive blaster. That’s still a substantial audience, mind you. Just know what you’re getting into. I know I’d still use it in a war. 🙂