Ratchet Blast

Ratchet Blast
Release information
Company	Kenner
Brand / Series	Nerf
Release date	January 1997 1998
Shelf status	Discontinued
Averageretail price	14.99 USD
Product features
Stockammunition type	Mega Darts
Dimensions	16.3" x 12.3" x 9.3"
Weight	17 oz.
Product performance
Priming mechanism	Break-action
Mode of fire	Single-fire
Rate of fire	1 dart per two seconds

This product has been discontinued. It cannot be purchased in retail stores. The only way to obtain it is through second-hand websites and stores.

The Ratchet Blast is a four-shot Nerf blaster released in 1997 under the Cyber Stryke Gear series.

It comes packaged with eight Mega Darts.

Details

This blaster took some of the notable characteristics of the Rattler and improved upon them. It was given a trigger to enhance accuracy and a hand guard around the handle to protect the user's hand from dart fire. The hand guard also features dart holders, which allow the blaster to hold four extra Mega Darts.

The Ratchet Blast primes by pulling down on the barrel to make it "break away" from the main part of the blaster. It was the first blaster to do so and would not be used again in another blaster for quite some time. It features a sight at the top of the blaster, similar to what would later be seen on the Hyper Sight blasters.

History

It was designed to be an upgraded version of the 1994 Rattler from the Max Force series, and because of this, acts as its successor.

In 1998, it was re-released under the Hyper Sight series.

Reloading and firing

To reload the Ratchet Blast, load up to four darts in its front turret. Pull down the front of the blaster and return it to its original position to prime it.

Pull the firing trigger to fire a dart.

Trivia

• The "break-action blaster" concept would not be seen again until the release of the N-Strike Barrel Break IX-2 in 2010.
• Instead of using two hands to prime the blaster, the Ratchet Blast can also be primed by flipping it down and back into place with the flick of the user's wrist; the BOOMco. Breakflip would later use a similar priming method.
• One big issue with the Ratchet Blast is that once it has aged or been used aggressively, the break-action nature of it can break in half, rendering it unfix-able.

Gallery

The updated packaging for the Ratchet Blast.

A Ratchet Blast without its hand guard.

External links

• Ratchet Blast instructions on the Hasbro website