Elite Firestrike Review

Sup guys,

I don't think I've ever officially reviewed a blaster on this blog, so it's time for that to change. To be honest, I haven't been that impressed with the Elite line of blasters, as most of them are just re-shelled N-Strike blasters. Even though they contain direct plungers, the overall modding potential for them is pretty low. However, a few of them stand out above the rest. The Firestrike happens to be one of them!

Left: Elite Firestrike; Right: 1st generation Nite Finder

Cosmetics:
The Elite Firestrike is one of the few actual new blasters released by Hasbro, along with the Stryfe and the Rough Cut. It sports the very attractive Elite paint job, which I like a lot. There are clear ports on the sides for the built-in light to shine through and an orange strip along the top of each side that will allow for a view of the plunger tube when removed. Overall, I really like the looks of this blaster, along with most of the Elites.

Ergonomics:
Like many others have said, this blaster is small. It's definitely not as bad as a Panther, but it may be uncomfortable for those with big hands. For everyone else, it feels pretty good. I can't really decide right now if I want to keep the light and switch or not when I mod this blaster. One aspect of the Firestrike that is nice is the flat top, which allows for easy aiming. The prime is very smooth, and feels just like the Nite Finder.

Performance:
Accuracy with elite streamlines is as expected--utter shit. Fortunately I won't have to live with it for too long, as I will be completely overhauling this blaster with new internals. It does live up to the 75ft claim--of course it requires a lucky shot that's angled upwards. I'm sure that with a nice long barrel and Stefan darts that it will shoot like a champ. One of the main reasons I picked up this blaster is that I'm looking for a spring-powered pistol to dethrone the Nite Finder. The Nite Finder has a 1'' plunger tube, while the Firestrike utilizes a 1.25'' plunger tube. I'm confident that I can outgun the Nite Finder with this new blaster!

Conclusion:
I'm in love with Firestrike, and I believe that I've found a new favorite secondary. The Panther is a great gun, but it takes way too many pumps to prime. Once I overhaul my Firestrike, I think I'll love it even more! I hope you guys enjoyed this review.

~T da B