What is it about this action that is so incredibly satisfying?
I' don't think anyone can really explain why but we all know it just IS!
One of the things that makes VR so amazing is the way it transports you to other worlds
and allows you to do things you otherwise wouldn't be able to do.
As amazing as Virtual Reality is...
it's not perfect.
One of the big problems I found when first getting into VR was the disconnect you
experience when playing a shooter and using a rifle. Because there is no physical object in
your hands linking them together there's a literal and figurative disconnect due to what you see and
what you feel not matching up. This was remedied easily enough though when I purchased a gunstock
It was awesome!
It turned what felt awkward and disjointed
into an immensely satisfying experience. And it even helped me up my game a little bit.
Using it with SMG's, LMG's, Assault rifles, Snipers
all feels great however when it comes to pump action shotguns we run into a bit of a problem.
And that's where this little guy comes in.
This is the Pump Action Shotgun Module from Kobra VR.
It not only makes using pump shotguns in VR possible but totally delivers on
that little rush of satisfaction that only racking a shotgun can elicit. There's just
something about that one to one action that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
The way it works is it attaches to the picatinny rail on the front of Kobra VR's Wolverine DMR
gunstock. It simply slides on and you secure it in place with the included screw.
As of the making of this video it is only compatible with the Wolverine DMR stock,
BUT, Falandorn the creator of Kobra VR is currently working on redesigning his CQB
and Elite stocks so they will also be compatible going forward. The version he sent for me to take
a look at is a working prototype so there are several differences between mine here and the
final model which is actually available for sale on their Etsy store right now.
One Problem this module introduces is it places the front grip too far out
in front if you leave the DMR in it's stock configuration for some guns in some games.
Thanks to the modular design of Kobra VR's Wolverine stocks though you can remove the
mag well portion of the stock and slide the barrel all the way back which makes
the stock the perfect length for most any rifle as well as the majority of SMG's.
On my prototype model this leaves a gap between the barrel piece and the controller dock here,
but the final version has a trigger guard spacer piece that fits in this
gap to give the stock a nice clean, finished aesthetic.
One other difference is the front grip on my sample here is secured to the slide
mechanism with some bolts, however the final version has a picatinny piece mounted here
that your DMR front grip can then attach onto.
One other gripe I have about this module is it is kind of heavy and adds some weight on the
front of what is otherwise a very light weight stock. This is only a very minor
gripe though; it's not ridiculously heavy or anything so it doesn't prevent you from
using pistols or even throwing grenades and stuff.
This is a pretty niche accessory in my opinion
because most of the time when playing VR shooters you're going to be using an
assault rifle or a sub machine gun so you're just going to leave this thing locked off.
Shotguns just have too limited range so they're pretty useless most of the time,
BUT in close quarters situations they do become very effective.
And again that pumping action is just pure joy.
When I'm not running through a shoot house just for fun this module has
also come in handy when playing the 'Gun Game' game mode because it allows you to
very quickly switch from a locked position over to pump action.
The lock is a simple switch you flip forward and then to enable the pump action you press
down on this portion here which pops the
locking pin out of the holes in the slide and you're ready to rock.
To lock the stock back in place you simply repeat this process
but in reverse. I've gotta give massive props to Falandorn for making this something you can
very easily do while blind in your VR headset.
A cool bonus feature of the pump action module is you can quickly and easily lock the stock
at a variety of different lengths which is great for
LMG's and some of sniper rifles in games like the Barrett .50 cal which require a wider grip.
As of the making of this video the price of the pump action module is just shy of 44 US
dollars. I believe the price fluctuates a little from time to time depending on the exchange rate
between the US dollar and the Great British Pound because Kobra VR is based in the UK.
Whether it's worth that price or not is a question only you can answer.
For someone that primarily plays shooters like Pavlov and Contractors
it may not be worth it to you, although now that I've experienced it there's no way I'm going back!
That racking action is just too satisfying.
If someone were to develop a good VR hunting game though,
because right now there doesn't really seem to be any, when going after birds and water fowl
I could see this being an absolute must have accessory.