There’s a lot of fun to be had modding the Nerf guns. To make a Nerf gun powerful, upgrading the barrel is a must. That’s why you may sometimes see a modified Nerf gun with a brass barrel! Don’t worry though, it’s not that hard to upgrade it.
So, what is the best Nerf brass barrel size for upgrading?
Modders in the Nerf community have always been trying to increase the velocity and impact. The 9/16” or 17/32” are the best possible size for a brass barrel. It’s because you can easily fit them in a Nerf gun’s muzzle or the breach. You also have to cut them nicely and bore the plastic barrel.
That was brief and to the point. But there are more discussions to be had as it’s not remotely enough.
That’s why we’ve further elaborated on this matter and tried our best to explain it.
Importance of Brass Barrels When Upgrading Nerf Guns
If you’re new, you may wonder why people even use brass barrels. Aren’t there any easier or better options?
Yes, there are some other options like steel or aluminum. But the real problem is they’re strong metals and it’s hard to work with them.
Because of that reason, people tend to work with brass barrels. Especially the modder community of Nerf guns.
Source: Quora
The first reason is that you can easily cut the metal. That’s why they’re a less hassle to deal with. It’s also easier and faster to polish them.
Another reason is the air pressure. Plastic barrels that you get with Nerf guns barely have any pressure. And air pressure matters a lot in Nerf guns.
That’s why stock Nerf guns have limited power. But with a nerf brass barrel, you can surpass that limit dramatically.
Brass barrels work like an air sealer. It helps you build air pressure which adds additional impact.
One question that people often wonder is, do nerf brass barrels increase range?
The simple answer is yes. Since brass barrels improve the air pressure, you get a higher velocity. With a well-sealed brass barrel, it’s possible to shoot darts at 70 to 100 FPS. With the help of that velocity, you can hit targets a lot further.
Another point that you should note while you can. Brass is also relatively cheaper compared to other metals. Here’s an updated Nerf MA5 with a brass barrel-
You’ll also need to know the caliber of the Nerf darts. Because otherwise, your whole experience is going to go down the drain.
What is the Best Size of A Brass Barrel for Nerf Guns?
We’ve discussed pretty much all the reasons to choose a brass barrel. But there’s still a question left to be asked.
And that’s, what size Nerf brass barrel do I need?
There are two public opinions about this. The first one is the 9/16” brass barrels. A lot of modders like to work with the 9/16” barrels. On the contrary, the 17/32” brass barrels are also popular. The 17/32” brass barrel is slightly tighter which mostly becomes a snug fit.
Because of that, it’s better to use the 17/32” brass barrel instead. Because when you subtract the brass’s width, you get ½”. That’s the diameter of the Nerf dart.
You can easily buy some 17/32” brass tubes online. They come in a 1 ft. range. You can then cut it and make multiple brass barrels.
To make this even easier, we’ve listed some of our favorite brass barrels-
| Image | Product | Price |
|---|---|---|
  | K & S Engineering #140 17/32x12 Round Brass Tube | Click Here |
  | K&S 3400 Round Brass Telescopic Tubing Assortment | Click Here |
  | K & S Precision Metals 8127 Round Brass Tube | Click Here |
You can now easily choose a brass barrel of your choice and get started.
How to Cut A Brass Barrel for Nerf Gun Muzzles: 4 Steps Method!
After you’ve gotten your brass barrel it’s time to get to the action. Remember that everything depends on the size and you’ll have to be careful.
For example, even balls for Nerf rivals have a diameter size. Without a proper one, you won’t be loading those.
Anyways, let’s start with the brass barrels. As there are a couple of steps, we’ve decided to explain them in multiple steps.
Step 1: Choose & Cut Your Brass Barrel
We’ve already mentioned the diameter of the brass barrel. You can either choose a 9/16 inch or 17/32 inch barrel. That’s totally fine.
You can make a long barrel or a short barrel. That is also up to you. For example, Nerf Jolt brass barrel won’t be the same size as other nerf guns.
Source: KING TONY
After that, take a nerf dart and measure it against the brass tube. Mark it with a marker and use a pipe cutter to cut it. Hacksaws can also be used but it’s tougher.
Brass is also a lot softer. So, pipe cutters are the best option since it’s really easy. Cut the brass tube using the pipe cutter. You might be confused about which pipe cutter should you get.
No worries! We’ve got that covered for you.
| Image | Products | Compatibility | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
  | Ridgid Close Quarters Tubing Cutter | Hard and soft copper, Aluminum, Brass and Plastic tubing | Buy Now! |
  | Wostore Tubing Cutter | Copper, Brass, Aluminum, thin stainless steel, PVC, PE tubes | Buy Now! |
  | Libraton Pipe and Tubing Cutter | Copper, Brass, Aluminum, thin stainless steel, PVC tubes | Buy Now! |
Step 2: Un-bevel the Brass Barrel
After cutting the tube, you’ll notice that your barrel has been beveled a little. Look at the edge where you’ve cut and you’ll see a slope.
Since the darts have to move through constantly, we can’t ignore it. To un-bevel, use a plier on the tube’s edge and rotate it. The slope will be gone right after.
Step 3: Bore the Plastic Barrel
You’ll now prepare the plastic barrel so that it can hold the brass tube. For that, you’ll have to bore it nicely. You’ll need a round file or a drill press.
Note that you specifically need an overhead router for this job. You can always turn your drill press into an overhead router.
Take the muzzle and rotate it around the drill. This is safer as you bore a little manually. Because otherwise, you might hurt your hand.
After it’s done a bit, start the drill at low speed and bore it out. Use the round file to smoothen the surface inside. If you don’t have a drill press, then use a Dremel or the round file.
Step 4: Insert the Brass Barrel
All that’s left is to insert the brass barrel in the muzzle. For this job, you’ll need a mallet.
Use the mallet to stroke it. Be sure to be gentle otherwise you’ll ruin the barrel’s edge. And with that brass barrel inside, you’re done!
The Nerf brass breech size is also done the same way. Except you’ll need a Dremel to cut a Nerf brass breech correctly. But the mechanics are the same for both.
FAQs
Do barrels on Nerf guns do anything?
The barrels of the Nerf guns don’t function like the barrels of real guns. It’s because the Nerf gun barrels aren’t sealed. On real firearms, the barrels are longer and tightly sealed. This way you can shoot projectiles faster with higher accuracy. That’s why Nerf projectiles travel slowly.
Can you modify Nerf darts?
There are some ways to modify the Nerf darts to make them heavier. Heavier darts have higher velocity and impact. Most people use glue on the dart tips. But you can also try inserting straws inside the dart to strengthen it further. Replacing the tip with something heavier is also a viable option.
What does a longer barrel do on a Nerf gun?
If you’ve seen modified Nerf guns then you definitely saw different barrels. The reason there are different-sized barrels is because of the velocity. Simply put, if you install a longer barrel, you’ll have more velocity. But longer barrels can create problems in close-quarter combat.
Final Words
That was everything we could deliver on nerf brass barrel size. The modification can be a little confusing sometimes. We totally get that.
But remember to seek help if it’s too much for you. Especially the drilling part. Do not bore the plastic barrel by yourself if you’re an amateur.
Finally, have a nice day.
