Hi friends!
Welcome back to the blog! Last year I reviewed the new and improved Tectonic Innovations single-shot impact grenade - the Neutron. Today we’ll be looking at the newest version of the Neutron - the Neutron Charger.
The Neutron Charger from Tectonic Innovations is a single-shot impact grenade designed for airsoft. It is crafted from Stainless steel and aircraft-grade Aluminium for longevity and durability. Instead of the .209 primers we usually see airsoft pyrotechnics use, the Charger utilises HILTI m10 nail gun charges (now I know that sounds crazy but, hear me out!). It has a ‘twist to safe’ mechanism and locking pins for the fire and safe positions. The Neutron Charger can be holstered in any 40mm pouch or a Deadly Customs holster. It is available in black, red, orange, blue and purple with a matching base like its .209 counterpart.
The main reason for the change of munitions is for use in countries that have limited availability/usage on .209 charges due to local laws. This m10 nail gun charge can usually be found in most hardware stores and is an unrestricted item, however, users are still encouraged to check their local laws for use of grenades.
As we have noted previously one of the most notable features on the Neutron range of grenades is the 2 windows that are on the base of the grenade - that take 40mm glow sticks to make it easy to find in dark places. These have been kept on the Charger. Once you have cracked the glow sticks, they can be inserted into the window spaces and they’ll glow for a good few hours. There is one window on each side, which means wherever it falls you should be able to see the glow and locate your device. The glow sticks are easy to remove as well - you simply tip the bottom of the grenade upside down and they both fall out with ease. When reloading the Chargers munitions, these will also come out when you tip it upside down so be prepared to catch them if you want to use them again!
As those of us who are familiar with impact grenades well know, with a lot of use, the firing pins in these devices can become blunt which impacts their performance, to combat this, the 2022 Neutron and Charger variation have a new and improved firing pin, meaning it lasts longer and you get more bangs from the original firing pin.
Like the Quake 8 and the rest, all of the internal parts of the Charger are replaceable, so if anything should ever go wrong, instead of replacing the entire unit (for £79.99) you can simply replace the part - this works out much cheaper for the end-user. Most parts are available from dealers but if they’re out of stock they are available direct from Tectonic Innovations. The customer service at Tectonic is fantastic. The Neutron Charger is manufactured in the UK as well so no long waiting times for parts.
It looks very similar to the Neutron - the only thing that differentiates them on the outside is the addition of ‘Charger’ underneath the Neutron logo. I think out of all of the colours, purple is the one that stands out the most to me. The writing on the Neutron Charger is easy to see and read in low light too. After the test throws, my tester Neutron Charger does have a few scuffs and chips but the anodising has held up well.
So how does it function? Loading the m10 nail gun charges is easy enough but due to the swelling of the round getting them out after they’ve gone off, often needs a little help (I use a hairpin as it’s thin and flexible). Putting the two metal pieces back in after is also a little fiddly but, the new firing pin definitely adds some extra sensitivity to the 2022 Neutron and the Neutron Charger. The M10 rounds are also a little louder than the .209 primers so they add a little extra fun.
If you’re familiar with my reviews, for all of my grenade tests, I do 25 throws on hard ground and then a few throws on the softer ground at different heights etc to test the sensitivity. During my tests, it went off on all of the hard ground throws and it off on 55% of the softer ground throws. This number is less than the 2022 Neutron but I think this is because the M10 nail charge might need a little extra oomph to detonate. Now it is worth noting that BFGs (Blank Firing Grenades) such as the Neutron and the Neutron Charger are designed to be used on hard ground. So it going off on softer ground is simply a bonus. If the ground is really soft and muddy it does struggle but if the ground is dry it will pretty much go off every time. I wouldn’t recommend using this in a woodland game though as they are expensive bits of kit and you don’t want to lose them in a bush. The glow stick windows are a nice touch and do really help when the site is dark. I did find if it lands funny in a corner that the glow sticks aren’t very visible but there’s generally a faint glow so it worked as it should.
The Neutron Charger retails for £79.99 and is available from all Tectonic Innovations dealers, including Extreme Airsoft! You can also use my 'femmefatale23' code for 5% off at www.extremeairsoft.co.uk!
Post sponsored by Tectonic Innovations
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