Retro: Nerf Powerclip DX1000

Nerf Powerclip DX-1000. See-thru goodness.

The Nerf Powerclip DX-1000 was a 10 round air pressure powered fully automatic blaster that came out in the early part of the decade and can easily be described as a predecessor to the Magstrike AS-10. It also used a 10 round clip that rapidly advanced upwards but unlike the Magstrike, the clip was not removable. Although discontinued, it is still a very powerful, formidable blaster that holds its own in any Nerf battle.

Powerclip DX-1000- clear side

Powerclip- not so clear side

Retro Nerf blasters that pre-date the N-Strike range had very interesting design cues; the air pressure blasters especially took theirs from their Super Soaker cousins and hence just looked..odd, though there are still those who like their unique design (or just don't care) The Powerclip is relatively large for a single handed blaster; it's weighty but not too heavy. Build wise it is quite robust and takes a beating; this particular model has been left outside, scratched and thrown around in boxes and still maintains it's performance like it was brand new. 

The Powerclip was perhaps the first 'clear' blaster Nerf ever released; there was no real reason to it and other Nerf blasters that came out at the same time were not clear, so it probably just seemed like a good idea at the time. Being clear though, it is interesting to see the inner workings of the Powerclip, especially watching the bladder inflate with every pump. Although the mechanism is very similar to the latter day Magstrike AS-10, the bladder is stored in the centre of the blaster rather than sticking out of the rear as with it's newer brother.

Full bladder. Ready to BLOW:P

 The Powerclip supports all Nerf ammunition but comes with the older style red sucker darts with the smaller suction caps. It has a capacity of 10 rounds, much like the Magstrike and the darts slide into individual chambers in the blaster's 'clip'. The clip is attached to the blaster and cannot be detached however.

The Powerclip's.. "clip"

Priming the blaster uses the pump action neck on the front of the blaster; it doesn't need too many pumps- about 10-15 and you're about done, but the beauty of the blaster being clear is you can actually see how much more you have to go:)  Once it's pumped up, you're ready to go- on firing, the clip rapidly advances upwards, allowing for the air to shoot through the chambers and propel the darts forward. Just like the Magstrike:)

An advanced clip. Takes less than 2 seconds to empty.

Semi automatic fire IS possible with practice; lighten your trigger pulls and you can send off individual rounds, but of course with each press, you're letting out valuable air so in the first few instances you may run out before you get to the final chamber.

Performance-wise, it's very good, not dissimilar to what you could expect from the Magstrike only with a smaller bladder I'm told. It's loud and you can really feel the air pressure power when you fire it off, normally accompanied by a target's "SH!T!!!" or "WTF!" shocked response:P Ranges of over 12 metres are possible, maybe even more for the modders.

next to a Magstrike AS-10

Is it any good? Definitely. Would I recommend it? Yes..to an extent. The Magstrike is definitely an improvement on the Powerclip as far as aesthetics and usability, so for performance, I couldn't see a reason to want to find one OTHER than to appease the Nerf collectors of the world. That being said, if you could find one for cheap, it's worth getting because they do last for ages and are a good substitute for a Magstrike, especially if you wanted a bit of variety in your arsenal. Sure you can't remove the clip, but given you can't buy individual Magstrike clips yet either, it's not really a show stopper. The Powerclip DX-1000 definitely shows it's age, but also demonstrates it can still mix it with the newer blasters with no problems.

If you can find one, they'll be at least 8 years old, but they do float around on ebay and in garage sales around the place. If they're in great condition and you're a collector, grab it.. if they're a lil beat up but cheap, likewise.

Usability: 7/10
Out of the box performance: 8/10
Cool factor: 7/10 (more for nostalgia)
Price point: 6/10 (varies)