Good Short/Medium-Range Gun?

[BCap]

I'm looking for a good soaker (preferably a Super Soaker, but any brand will do, just so long as it's not a piece of crap) that would be good for short and medium range soaking. Something that would be good to use in a pool or at the beach or in the yard with friends. Any suggestions? I was currently considering something like the Nerf Tornado Strike, Shot Blast, Tidal Tube, or Scatterblast. I haven't used a water gun since I was maybe 14 (I'm 20 now), so any help would be much appreciated!

[the oncoming storm]

the Water warriors python 2 is a good choice as an all around soakfest gun and gets my vote, but a quick rule "if you want a good blaster avoid Nerf Super Soaker"

[BCap]

I'm hoping to get something that will just put out a bunch of water quickly (preferably continuously) with minimal effort. Anything that I can just keep pumping and firing? Or that I can slam-fire?

[HBWW]

Pools/Rivers/Lakes/Buckets: Go for a piston tube. They're basically giant syringes and they're everywhere. Stream Machines are one of the main brands of them, but Super Soaker is making their own this year too.

For most situations, you'll want a traditional pump and shoot. Aside from syringes, stay away from modern Super Soakers. They are extremely expensive for the very little performance they provide; you can get some numbers on iSoaker.com.

I'd recommend something from the CPS line if you're willing to take the time to look for them. (Think eBay, Craigslist, garage sales, friends, and thrift stores.) For reference, a CPS 1000 pressurizes enough water in a single pump that it takes a motorized Super Squirter to output in several (5 to 7) seconds. A CPS 1000's pressure chamber holds as much or more than most Super Soaker "Clip System" magazines. Of course, having a CPS isn't as important if you're not involved in competitive water warfare (we host a number of community events every year [U.S. Northeast Coast for the most part; 3 of them are within 1.5 hours of NYC this year]; check out the water wars forum for them!)

If you'd rather get something new from a store, Buzz Bee's Water Warriors line currently carries the best (or rather, the only) pressurized blasters available on shelves today. They are generally small and lightweight, but hold less water and shoot less at a time than the old CPS line.

If you'd rather stick to the Super Soaker brand, but don't want something that's "a piece of crap", there's no choice but to look to the older blasters.

And if you've got a flair for DIY projects and building stuff, a few trips to your local hardware and home improvement stores (and perhaps an online order at McMaster Carr) can get you enough parts to build something powerful, fun, and reliable. Something that won't break after just a year or two.

Keep the questions coming in, we're here to help! Welcome to WWn.

Edit: There are a number of Water Warriors blasters that have a small nozzle option, which allow you to pump and hold the trigger down continuously. (Or very close to that.) However, it's important that rate of fire in water blasters is about output as well as shot time and pump capacity. A modern Super Squirter (you might also notice me calling them "MotoSquirters", I just use these terms to refer to modern overpriced, low-performance Super Soaker blasters) can shoot a stream continuously, but that's a tiny amount of water over a large span of time. A CPS 2000 can unleash all that water in a second, although typical usage of that blaster is to make very short tap shots. It takes about 2-3 pumps to recover from a tap shot, but each tap can put out a decent amount of water. If you go for something with more pumping and output and play accordingly, you can completely drench anyone with a bucket's worth of water before they finish their first mag on a modern Squirter. Couple that with having at least twice the range, and your opponents will either buy better blasters or give up trying to blast you.

[BCap]

Can I get a piston tube gun that still looks like a "traditional" water gun?

[HBWW]

Please elaborate on "traditional". There are some very old (20 years or so?) Super Soakers around that feature reservoirs, so you can shoot them without having to use an external water source (i.e. bucket/pool), and the reservoir and coloring make them look quite traditional, in the stereotypical sense of bulb-shaped features and bright colors.

Traditional can also mean something that would land you in jail if you took it outside. Before Super Soakers, water blasters became replicas of real firearms, but after the confusion caused between kids and police officers, they never went back. Hasbro is in a bit of a renaissance right now when it comes to design and look; they give great ergonomics and provide a great "blaster" feel, representative of sci-fi blasters with features and accessories that mimic tactical equipment , but are still very obviously toys. Of course, that means little with their inability to output any useful amount of water at a time.

Many users go for a CPS with a nozzle selector, which have or can be modified to have riot blasts, which are generally regarded as one of the most effective close range stream types. Of course, a standard stream does almost equally well at such ranges too. Water warfare by nature is a low-range type of game.

[BCap]

Actually, can you just give some examples of the piston tube guns? Also, are there any good water guns that can be slam-fired? And I'm not looking for anything that heavily resembles a modern firearm (I'm fine if it looks a bit like a vague, colorful assault rifle or sci-fi blaster, though).

[HBWW]

"Slam fire" is a pretty meaningless term in water blasters. I know you're using it to refer to a blaster that can be pumped faster than a stream fires (look up the Steady Stream or Steady Stream 2; you might like it actually), but the line between that blurs a lot as pumping speed can vary on the user, and output can vary amongst the same model due to manufacturing differences. (The tolerances for some of the parts made aren't that high, I don't think. As long as it seals and shoots, that's all that really matters to the manufacturer.)

Lots of piston tubes are out there. The most common right now are the Stream Machines, although before that, the Water Blaster XLR cannons were somewhat common. You may see a homemade one too, since they're easy to build after the proper design is made. (O-ring fit being the main challenge.) The oldest ones from Super Soaker include the following:

http://www.isoaker.com/Armoury/Analysis ... annon.html
http://www.isoaker.com/Armoury/Analysis ... annon.html
http://www.isoaker.com/Armoury/Analysis ... annon.html
http://www.isoaker.com/Armoury/Analysis ... annon.html

Although Super Soaker are also making new ones this year.

From the makers of Stream Machine, there's also the Aquazooka, which is about as durable, but the tube and nozzle diameters are smaller. This is both good and bad: a lower diameter tube holds less water but requires less force (more speed) to achieve better pressure and distance. The nozzle being smaller makes it easier to reach the ideal pressure for maximum range, but that ideal pressure point results in more range out of a larger nozzle due to less stream breakup. You can drill it, but that may ruin the stream too. However, the Aquazooka costs somewhat less than a Stream Machine.

[martianshark]

For syringe-type guns, your choices are basically the Stream Machines, Water Blaster XLR, or Tidal Tube, which are fine if you have a nearby water source such as a pool. For piston-pumpers (that is, triggerless water guns that shoot with each pump), Water Warriors has made quite a few decent and reasonably priced ones. The Steady Stream 2/Steady Stream is good. Look around also for the Splat Blaster 2, Gargoyle, Warlock, Shark, Avenger, and more. My personal favorite piston pumper was the Shark. It was able to dump loads of water. The Avenger is also nice, being compact and having multiple nozzle settings for cheap.

Definitely stay away from most Nerf Super Soakers. They tend to have poor performance, very low water capacity, and are very overpriced.

Most people here will recommend you buy a pressurized gun. If you choose to do so, guns like the Water Warriors Outlaw, Python 2, and Renegade will be really nice for their price. But for soaking just for fun at close range, there's nothing wrong with a piston pumper either.

[BCap]

Do the syringe-type blasters force you to expend all the water contained in them at once, or can you pour it out over multiple pumps like in a traditional soaker? Also, can I get a syringe blaster that looks like a regular Super Soaker or Water Warrior gun?

[BCap]

Also, where do I buy the Water Warriors line?

[HBWW]

Water Warriors blasters are sold in stores, often rifht next to Super Soakers in outdoor toys. If you're not in the U.S., you msy see them under a different name; probably Sizzlin' Cool or something.

Syringe blasters work just as regular syringes. Water is only expelled when pushed out.

Most of those are black and dark colored, some are brighter. Their shape prevents them from looking like traditional blasters, but the upcoming Super Soaker version of it may be of the look you want. However, we don't know the price yet, I don't think.

[marauder]

I recommend a traditional pressurized soaker. Yes, you have to pump it up first before you can fire it - more than once like many piston pumper soakers. With that being said, once you get it pumped up you can just hold down the trigger and keep pumping it and you will get a consistent stream until you empty the gun. By comparison, a piston pumper will only give you one shot for each pump you make. Think of it as a beam vs a single shot for each pump. I do not know what Water Warriors will release this year, but I highly recommend the Python 2. It doesn't take too many pumps to pressurize and it has 3 different nozzles to choose from. You will probably be most interested in using the burst nozzle. It's like a mini shotgun blast that shoots out 4 different powerful streams in one.

Syringe blasters are kind of like piston pumpers but they don't have a reservoir, you just stick the nozzle into a body of water, pull the pump back, and push out the water. In theory you can get as many shots out of a syringe as you want, by pushing the pump forward just an inch or so per shot, but if you go about this way you will be getting very small little bursts which will be inefficient. If you use a syringe style blaster go big or go home. Get one with big output and take one - two shots max - with each pump. It will honestly be difficult for you to get more shots than that out of it anyway. I have had pretty good success with Stream Machine syringe blasters.

The best watergun that you don't have to pump is the Super Soaker Power Pak. I can't explain to you just how devastating this thing is in close quarters. You're best off just watching some footage. Unfortunately, the Power Pak can only be filled by a port that connects to your hose called a QFD. You stick the charger into this port to fill the blaster. This is not an issue if you have a hose. It's also only available on ebay, and you really have to look for it. Other suggestions are the Super Soaker Splashzooka, Big Trouble, or anything from Speed Loader. Again, these all use the QFD system and can only be found on ebay or craig's list, but the amount of water you can put out without pumping is like dumping a bucket of water on someone repeatedly over and over and over again. Especially the Power Pak, it is absolutely insane.

Whatever you do, stay away from the motorized Nerf Super Soakers. They shoot tiny streams of water about as thick as a sewing needle or even fishing line. The Power Pak, by comparison can dish out blasts of water as thick as a baseball. My suggestion, if you can afford to get 2 guns, is to get a Python 2 and a Stream Machine. Get the shorter version of the Stream Machine if you can. Use the Python 2 as your primary weapon and carry the Stream Machine, around on some kind of strap, for devastating close range hits whenever you have a bucket or pool or something nearby to fill up from. Then switch back to your Python 2 after you've shot your Stream Machine. Think of it like swapping back and forth between a rocket launcher and machine gun in a video game.

[BCap]

Which of the Water Warrior blasters are still sold in stores, and how much do they tend to cost? I'd like to get several of them.

[martianshark]

It is too early to know what Water Warriors blasters will be sold in stores in 2014. Most stores aren't even selling them yet. But supposedly, most of the blasters released in 2013 will also be sold in 2014. Click for a list of 2013 Water Warriors blasters.

Last year, the Colossus 2 and Drench n Blast were $20, the Renegade and Python 2 were $15, and the Outlaw was $10. There should also be some other earlier models re-released.

[BCap]

How much are older ones like the Gremlin and Shark? I hear the Gremlin can be found for very low prices at places like Wal-Mart.

[HBWW]

Honestly, you kind of have to see what's around at the time. A lot of blasters are very similar, just going under different names. Your options vary depending on where you live. At my area, I got an Outlaw at Target on clearance for less than $3, and it's your standard run of the mill pressurized reservoir blaster. Great when you need something super-light and quick to pump and can easily eat up anyone using a Nerf Super Soaker. (On a side note, I also picked up 3 Kwik Grip squirt guns at $0.49 each; they're still in box but seem to be more reliable than any dollar store squirter you pick up, and probably still have more output than the MotoSquirters.) I then found a Python 2 for $5 from Goodwill, which appears to also have been a Target clearance item that was donated. It looks like some stores donate their overstock to the thrift stores, at least where said thrift stores are around.

Targeting specific stock blasters doesn't work out the best, it depends on availability. If you have any thrift stores nearby, have a good search and see what you find too. You'll want to get better with identifying how something will work just by looking at it, as opposed to going for specific models. And because you can find pressurized reservoir models for cheap on clearance (but usually only at that specific time of the year; around August/September but may vary depending on where you are), I never get any piston pumpers. They'd have to be $1 or $2 for me to pick one up.

[Nemesis]

They sell Water Warriors Hornets or Crickets in 2 packs for around $10 IIRC. They look like small, futuristic Pistols, are easy to pump, and will let out a very respectable stream. Rest assured, if you face any nerf supersoakers with them, they will be toast. Or...soaked toast. You get the point, it will destroy any Nerf guns that you cross paths with. The python 2 is also a very good choice, assuming it is sold this year, however, I'm sure there will be some of them left over from last year.

[BCap]

I guess what I'm really looking for is sort of the AK-47 of water guns - cheap and a decent gun (NOT that actual electric AK-47 toy water gun, though).

[martianshark]

I would consider the Python 2 to be the AK-47 of water guns personally. There are some older, unavailable water guns that would fit that description better, but in current times the Python 2 is cheap and good. The Outlaw is good too, but it's less comfortable and only has one nozzle setting.