Product:

Adventure Force Tactical Strike Sentry X2

Manufacturer:

Prime Time Toys

Avg. Price:

$10 (Walmart exclusive)

Range:

68fps average

Rate of Fire:

One ball per second

Summary:

A Rival blaster that shoots far softer than it should.

Adventure Force Tactical Strike Sentry X2 Review

To date, Dart Zone (and their Adventure Force-branded blasters at Walmart) has been producing solid blasters for a low price. But even with so many hits, sometimes there’s a blaster that doesn’t quite hit the mark. Such is the case with the Sentry X2.

It’s meant to be a competitor for the Kronos and other pistol-sized Rival blasters. However, even with the lower price, it ends up being lacking in some key areas. It might work well for kids getting into Rival, but for the rest of us…it could have been better.

Small and Simple

The Sentry X2 doesn’t go for anything fancy, instead opting for solid colors and textured shell pieces. It’s fairly comfortable to hold and prime, although not quite as good as the original Rival pistol. While most Rival-type blasters have had separate “safety” switches, the Sentry opts for a safety trigger. You have to pull that trigger first and hold it down before pulling the main trigger. It’s unusual, but feels as comfortable as any other handle featuring a rev trigger (from electric blasters).

The blaster loads from the top, holding six rounds in the internal magazine (plus an additional two “in waiting” under the loading door). Unlike the Kronos, the Sentry is meant to be loaded while the priming handle is forward; a loading tab moves down when you prime the blaster, and lifts away when the handle is forward. Do note that the blaster will occasionally misfeed if not horizontal, or close to it.

On paper, the Sentry seems like a decent blaster. And it feels that way, too, with even a decently strong prime. Performance, however…

Performance

The Sentry, for all its nice features, averaged 68fps. That’s it. I’m unsure of the reason, if it be poor seals on the plunger or the breech system, but it shouldn’t be hitting this soft for a blaster with a strong spring and giant plunger tube.

Rate of fire is about one ball per second.

Internals

The Sentry looks similar to the Kronos on the inside, with its own differences for the magazine and loading system. You can also see the reset catch at the back of the priming handle; once the blaster is primed, you press the button down and unhook the priming handle from the internal, spring-loaded white tab.

Nothing about the parts seems immediately off, either, so I’ll have to try replacing the o-ring seals to see if it makes a difference.

Final Opinion

For $10, you’d think the Sentry X2 was a steal – a Rival blaster for cheap. But there are severe performance issues, despite a promising internal setup. Hopefully these issues can be fixed soon, because a $10, six shot Rival blaster is a big deal. If you want a softer shooting Rival blaster for young kids, this might be acceptable. For the rest of us…we can spend a few more dollars for a better blaster.

Product Rating

Range

6/5

Rate of Fire

6/5

Build Quality

8/5

User Friendly

7/5

Price / Value

6/5

Total

6.6/10

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