Nerf Maverick Video Modification Guide: 7 Steps (with Pictures)

A series of videos showing how to modify your Nerf Maverick blaster in various ways including assembly, disassembly, laser sight, penny mod, russian roulette mod, slip clutch / reliability mod and air restrictor removal. The Maverick happens to be a cheap and easily modifiable Nerf gun that's perfect for inexperienced modders. Hopefully these videos can assist you in your Maverick modification adventures.

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Step 1: Disassembly

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Runs you through the processing of pulling the Maverick apart in preparation for some modding. Just make sure you keep an eye on all the parts as some are easy to lose.

Step 2: Assembly

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If you're going to pull the Maverick apart, you better know how to put it back together. There's a couple of things to look out for but it's an easy process. This is where having all the parts comes in handy.

Step 3: Laser Sight Mod

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This tutorial shows how to install a laser sight using a laser pointer, AAA batteries with holder, wire and a switch. This is the most difficult of the mods however the result is pretty entertaining. If you're comfortable with soldering and a drill you can add a little more ease to your aiming.

Step 4: Penny Mod

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The penny mod involves adding a few coins behind the spring to increase your firepower. Although it's called the penny mod, a variety of coins will work. I've used Australian 5c pieces in this one.

Step 5: Russian Roulette Mod

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This mod allows the cylinder of the Maverick to release further from the gun so you can load it easier and spin the cylinder 'russian roulette' style. Basically involves cutting and sanding a few tabs preventing the release of the cylinder.

Step 6: Air Restrictor Removal

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Air restrictors are installed in the Maverick to limit the range. This guide shows how to disassemble the cylinder and remove these restrictors.

Step 7: Slip Clutch / Reliability Mod

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There's a clutch in the rotation assembly that will slip when too much resistance is met. This protects the internal parts and makes the Maverick more durable however it also causes the occasional misfire. Gluing this clutch will prevent misfires from occuring but you can't manually rotate the cylinder while it's not released or you risk breaking the join. If this occurs the blaster will return to normal operation and may misfire again. You would need to repeat the tutorial.

Does the AR removal mod actual help? I am modding my brothers maverick and if I break it i have to buy him a new one.

It will help, but if you use it, don't dry fire the gun or it will hurt the piston.

It lets more air come through, which in turn the dart goes a lot farther.

What does removing the air restrictor do?

Think of the word "restrictor". It sounds a lot like "restriction", doesn't it? So the purpose of one's "Air restrictor" is to control the amount of air that pushes the bullet out of the chamber. By removing such a device, it unblocks the small amount of air that is usable to fire the bullet forward. This makes the bullet travel, consequently, a lot further than normal.

I did the AR mod and penny mod, didn't chop the orange sticks off but my maverick isn't shooting any further.PLZ HELP somebody! VRY VRY thanx in advance. also my darts dont fly strait after travelling 5-6 feet they tend to go down and dont hit the target! I just wanna know if this same prob is happenin 2 everybody??????

My Maverick is now broken, any suggestions on why it might be broken? When pulling back the slide it automatically fires, with no bullets being shot? I don't even need to pull the trigger. Please suggest some helpful tips how to fix it. And the spring underneath the plunger, connecting to the little sticking out piece may be the problem. I only tried the penny mod and the AR removal. Thanks in advance.

Dear dragondane, I know ur prob. I suppose you either lost the spring tagged in da photo or its not in place.

If you're pulling the slide and the gun fires without pressing the trigger, the plunger is not being secured when you pull the slide back. I've attached an image that highlights the plunger catch/release mechanism. When you pull back the slide, the orange plastic ring should catch on the plunger and secure it in place. When you press the trigger, the ring moves and the plunger is released, firing the maverick. Open your maverick and check that these parts are assembled as shown in the image. The assembly video also shows the correct way to install the plunger release. Also ensure the plunger is slotted firmly against the cylinder as shown at 2:05 of the assembly video. Hopefully this helps you out. Happy modding.

Thanks a heap!! All good. Proves 12 year olds, (with some help), can mod a nerf gun. Turns out the spring underneath the orangey thing was connected to the ridge, not just pushing against it, (Hard to understand, sorry) But thank you!!!

I have done the penny mod, the Russian roulette mod, and the air restrictor removal. They helped my maverick a lot! shooting people in the forehead is much easier!

i used the penny mod with 4 5c coins and now my maverick works amazingly. Thankyou!

you really should sand down the posts

Hey again, I've done heaps of Nerf Modding now but i'm kinda stumped on something. My Maverick is a model from 2009, (Don't know if that has anything to do with it) but anyway when I try to quickly load it, say pull the slide back and let go, it just kinda jams, skips a barrel on the turret. So when in a war I don't want to spend time slowly cocking the gun while being shot at. I've checked the catch spring, the slide spring and the plunger spring and it's still not loading well. Thanks for your answers.

thats the back side of the barrel mod. learn the technique, then u can actually put it back in place with a cool move with the hand that holds the gun. works well when u get the hang of it. then again, when it jams during a war, u are buggered. ^^

one of the best instructables i have seen. thank you very much. that said, i would advise everyone to not to apply the air restrictor mod. for two mavericks i applied the russian roulette, penny (cr2032 battery works perfectly) and clutch mod. the last one does make a huge difference and is definetly a must. the penny mod is nice too, go for it. to have the barrel come out more makes u reload quicker, but putting it back again is tricky sometimes. it is optional really. now, for one of the guns i removed all air restrictors. them arrows won't fly as far and straight as before. actually i would even go that far saying, it gives you a disadvantage. keep the restrictors i say.

uhh my pull back thick is made in reverse of yours so how do i put it back on???

okay, just found out the pin caps on the cylinders were put in backwards.... Problem solved.

I just did the Air Restrictor Mod, the Penny Mod, and the Russian Roulette Mod. The first two work wonders, and the last one comes out correctly, but it's very wobbly when it's popped out and it sticks on something when popping back.

AWESOME!!! these mods worked great. I used the one to make the barrel go out further, the penny mod, and i removed the air restritors. i also painted it- gold, and im doing some brush work with black and silver right now. this was a great instructable, i would love to see mods for the nerf barricade. ill post pics when i finish my gun too.

would taking out the centre of the piece that fits on top of the air restrictor make the gun even more efficient?

I prefer not to chop things unless absolutely necessary so you can return them to their original state if need be. The slots already present allow adequate airflow and there would be a zero to minimal gain in power so I opted not to remove the centers. Others perform the AR mod this way and it definitely wouldn't hurt but I don't believe it's necessary.

thanks man that was really helpful

Sorry didn't clear that up, but will it shoot a lot farther and faster without destroying the darts?

The air restrictors limit the amount of air the plunger can transfer to the chamber when firing. As they're designed to be used by ages 8 and up, Nerf add restrictors so the guns won't be over powered and are safe for use by all ages. Removing them increases the amount of air the plunger transfers to the chamber which propels the dart further. Removing the restrictors won't damage your darts.

sweet how far was yours able to shoot after the mod

The slip clutch mod just makes it fire more reliably. After the air restrictor removal and penny mod it had some more sting. Didn't measure any distances or anything, just shot a painting across the room for a while :P

ok cool

i am always forgetting the name of the gun, so its cool

Two things: 1: Should we use any glue or epoxy for the penny mod? 2: I tried the air restrictor removal and penny mods and the distance the gun shoots is the same as before. Do you have any other suggestions for getting more distance?

1: No epoxy is needed provided the coins fit snug. You can glue the coin stack together but I don't think it's necessary. 2: You should get some improvement at least. You could try adding some more coins to increase the spring compression some more. Some like to completely gut the inside of each chamber and drill a hole when they do the air restrictor removal. I prefer to avoid irreversibly modifying if possible however some believe this method works well. I've only removed the restrictors themselves. One of the most effective methods is to install a stronger spring however I'm still looking for a good source to obtain the replacement springs. Currently people are known to use springs out of larger Nerf or airsoft guns but that's not a convenient solution as you have to render another blaster inoperable.

check out my maverick

Nice paint. Ammo holders are a good addition too.

what is that thing at the front

a round drum from a nerf firefight

im about to do this lol very nice

Hope the videos can help :) Happy modding!